Roger Oakley (born 21 August 1943) is a New Zealand actor and theatre director noted for his performances in television serials, mini-series, feature and television films. He is also active as a theatre performer, director and voice-over. Oakley has been a professional working actor for over 55 years. He is perhaps best known for his role as the original character of foster father

Tom Fletcher Thomas Michael Fletcher (born 17 July 1985) is an English singer, musician, songwriter, composer, author and vlogger. He is one of the lead vocalists and rhythm guitarist of English pop rock band McFly, in addition to being the group's founder ...

between 1988 and 1990, with a brief guest role in 2008 on the Seven Network's soap opera '' Home and Away''. His other notable roles include ''

The Sullivans ''The Sullivans'' is an Australian period drama television series produced by Crawford Productions which ran on the Nine Network from 15 November 1976 until 10 March 1983. The series tells the story of a fictional average middle-cla ...

'' television series and film version as Major. Barrington and ''

Something in the Air "Something in the Air" is a song by English rock band Thunderclap Newman, written by Speedy Keen who also sang the song. It was a No. 1 single for three weeks in the UK Singles Chart in July 1969. The song has been used for films, television ...

'', as controversial politician Doug Rutherford. Oakley appeared in feature film roles including in 1977 in his native New Zealand in the movie '' Sleeping Dogs'' starring

Sam Neill Sir Nigel John Dermot "Sam" Neill (born 14 September 1947) is a New Zealand actor. Neill's near-50 year career has included leading roles in both dramas and blockbusters. Considered an "international leading man", he has been regarded as one o ...

, and in Australia in '' Sara Dane'', ''

Women of the Sun ''Women of the Sun'' is an Australian historical drama television miniseries that was broadcast on SBS Television and later the Australian Broadcasting Company in 1981. The series, co-written by Sonia Borg and Hyllus Maris, was composed of four ...

'', ''

Travelling North ''Travelling North'' is a 1987 Australian film directed by Carl Schultz and starring Leo McKern, Julia Blake, Graham Kennedy, and Henri Szeps. Based on an original 1979 play of the same name by David Williamson, it is one of Williamson's favou ...

'' and ''

My Year Without Sex ''My Year Without Sex'' is an Australian drama film written and directed by Sarah Watt, opening the 2009 Adelaide Film Festival and given wider release in May 2009. Set in Altona (suburban Melbourne), it is about a 30-something couple, Ross an ...

'' but has also appeared in numerous telemovies and mini-series including the 12-part serial ''

The Damnation of Harvey McHugh ''The Damnation of Harvey McHugh'' was an Australian television miniseries made by the ABC. The series consists of 12 episodes and was first broadcast on the ABC in 1994 from 2 June to 18 August of that year. Overview Cast and crew The series wa ...

''.

Early life

Oakley was born in Auckland, North Island, New Zealand on 21 August 1943 and had a regular suburban upbringing. After leaving

Auckland Grammar School Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about I ...

, he studied

language Language is a structured system of communication. The structure of a language is its grammar and the free components are its vocabulary. Languages are the primary means by which humans communicate, and may be conveyed through a variety of ...

s in New Zealand, before he moved to

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

and appearing on the stage. He emigrated to Australia in 1978, carving out a successful screen career, although he has continued to appear in stage roles, a genre he has been a regular performer since the late 1960s.

Career

Oakley joined the cast of the high rating period drama soap ''

'' as Major Barrington. He also appeared in '' The John Sullivan Story'', a spin-off from ''The Sullivans''. He has appeared in numerous mini-series and television movies. He is best known as an original cast member of ''Home and Away'', playing foster father

from 1988 to 1990, opposite co-star

Vanessa Downing Vanessa Downing (born 5 May 1958) is an Australian actress and singer, voice artist and lawyer Downing was appearing with singing group ''The Madrigals'', an acapella group who were performing at the Sydney Opera House, when she was given ...

who originated the part of wife Pippa Fletcher. He made briefly a guest appearance in 2008. His other role was as Doug Rutherford in ''Something in the Air'' in 2000. Other TV credits include: ''

Cop Shop ''Cop Shop'' is a long-running Australian police drama television series produced by Crawford Productions that ran for seven seasons between 28 November 1977 and 23 July 1984. It comprised 582 one-hour episodes. The show The show revolved ar ...

'',

Prisoner A prisoner (also known as an inmate or detainee) is a person who is deprived of liberty against their will. This can be by confinement, captivity, or forcible restraint. The term applies particularly to serving a prison sentence in a prison. ...

, A Country Practice, ''

The Flying Doctors ''The Flying Doctors'' is an Australian drama TV series produced by Crawford Productions that revolves around the everyday lifesaving efforts of the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia, starring Andrew McFarlane as the newly arrived Dr. ...

'', ''

Good Guys Bad Guys ''Good Guys, Bad Guys'' was an Australian comedy/drama TV series that screened on the Nine Network between 1997 and 1998, with a telemovie and twenty-six episodes produced. The crime-themed show was set in Melbourne. The program and its lead cha ...

'', ''

Blue Heelers ''Blue Heelers'' is an Australian Police procedural, police drama series that was produced by Endemol Australia, Southern Star Group and ran for 12 years on the Seven Network, from 1994 to 2006. Although based around the policing of the town, ...

'', ''

The Young Doctors ''The Young Doctors'' is an Australian early-evening soap opera originally broadcast on the Nine Network and produced by the Reg Grundy Organisation, it aired from Monday, 8 November 1976 until Wednesday, 30 March 1983. The series is prima ...

'' and '' Neighbours''. , he remains active in the industry. He featured in the stage productions of ''

My Fair Lady ''My Fair Lady'' is a musical based on George Bernard Shaw's 1913 play '' Pygmalion'', with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe. The story concerns Eliza Doolittle, a Cockney flower girl who takes speech lessons ...

'', ''The NightWatchman'', ''Circle Mirror Transformation'' by

Annie Baker Annie Baker (born April 1981) is an American playwright and teacher who won the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for her play ''The Flick.'' Among her works are the Shirley, Vermont plays, which take place in the fictional town of Shirley: ''Circle Mirror Tr ...

, and ''The Golden Dragon'' by contemporary German playwright

Roland Schimmelpfennig Roland Schimmelpfennig (born 19 September 1967) is a German theatre director and playwright. His plays are performed in more than 40 countries. Biography Schimmelpfennig was born in Gottingen. He began his career as a journalist in Istanbul, b ...

. He also appeared in the television series ''

Underbelly Underbelly is the side of something that is not normally seen. Figuratively, it means a vulnerable or weak part, similar to the term Achilles' heel, or alternatively, a hidden, illicit side of society. This term could refer to: Business * ...

'' and ''

Winners and Losers ''Winners & Losers'' is an Australian television drama series first broadcast on the Seven Network on 22 March 2011. It was created by the producers of ''Packed to the Rafters'' and is aired in the show's former time slot. ''Winners & Losers'' ...

''. Film roles include '' Sara Dane'', ''

'', ''

The Far Country ''The Far Country'' is a 1954 American Technicolor Western film directed by Anthony Mann and starring James Stewart, Ruth Roman, Walter Brennan, John McIntire and Corinne Calvet. Written by Borden Chase, the film is about a self-minded advent ...

'' and ''The Last of the Ryan's''.

Filmography

References

External links

* 1943 births 20th-century New Zealand male actors 21st-century New Zealand male actors Actors from Auckland Living people Male actors from Sydney New Zealand emigrants to Australia New Zealand expatriates in England New Zealand film directors New Zealand male film actors New Zealand male television actors New Zealand male voice actors People educated at Auckland Grammar School People from Auckland {{NewZealand-tv-actor-stub