Russell Gilbert (born 17 October 1959) is an Australian comedian and actor from

Footscray, Victoria Footscray is an inner-city suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, west of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Maribyrnong local government area. Footscray recorded a population of 17,131 at the . Footscray ...

, best known for his radio and television appearances, on programs such as ''

The Comedy Company ''The Comedy Company'' was an Australian comedy television series first aired from 16 February 1988 until about 11 November 1990 on Network Ten, Sunday night and was created and directed by cast member Ian McFadyen, and co directed and produced ...

'', ''

Hey Hey It's Saturday ''Hey Hey It's Saturday'' was a long-running variety television program on Australian television. It initially ran for 28 years on the Nine Network from 9 October 1971 to 20 November 1999, with a recess in 1978. Its host throughout its entire ...

'' and ''

Thank God You're Here ''Thank God You're Here'' is an Australian television improvised comedy program created by Working Dog Productions, which premiered on Network Ten on 5 April 2006, and aired for the first three seasons and on Seven for the fourth season. Each ...

''; he is also a live stage and film actor.

Career

Television

Gilbert has appeared in several Australian TV comedies, first attracting notice as "Russ the Postie" on

ATV-10 ATV is a television station in Melbourne, Australia, part of Network 10 – one of the three major Australian free-to-air commercial television networks. The station is owned by Paramount Networks UK & Australia. History In April 1963, the ...

's ''The Comedy Company'' (1988–89). This role led him to a nine-year stint on

GTV-9 GTV is a commercial television station in Melbourne, Australia, owned by the Nine Network. The station is currently based at studios at 717 Bourke Street, Docklands. History GTV-9 was amongst the first television stations to begin regular ...

's ''Hey Hey It's Saturday'' (1990–1999). Gilbert also played Kev the tow-truck driver in the sitcom ''Bingles'' (1992). In the late 1990s, he began starring in his own shows made at GTV-9, all of which were short-lived—even though they all rated well.'' The Russell Gilbert Show'' (1998), a sketch comedy show; ''Russell Gilbert Live'' (2000), a Saturday-evening variety show featuring celebrity interviews as well as live and sketch comedy; and ''Russell Gilbert Was Here!'' (2001), another sketch series. He also hosted the dog game show ''Bark-Off'' (2003) with

Livinia Nixon Livinia Helen Nixon (19 March 1975) is an Australian television presenter and actress. Nixon is the chief weather presenter for ''Nine News Melbourne''.SEN 1116 1116 SEN (call sign 3AK) is an Australian radio station in Victoria. Owned and operated by Pacific Star Network, it broadcasts a sports radio format from Lower Plenty to Greater Melbourne. First broadcast on 29 November 1931 as 3AK, the st ...

with Mark Fine. Most recently, Russell made guest appearances on the cult Channel 31 Melbourne sketch comedy show ''

The Shambles The Shambles is a historic street in York, England, featuring preserved medieval buildings, some dating back as far as the fourteenth century. The street is narrow with many timber-framed buildings with jettied floors that overhang the street b ...

'' and the comedy program ''

'' (2006). In 1995 and 1996 Gilbert was nominated for a Logie for the Most Popular Comedy Personality for his work on ''Hey Hey It's Saturday''. He worked for

HSV-7 HSV is a television station in Melbourne, Australia. It is part of the Seven Network, one of the three main commercial television networks in Australia, its first and oldest station. It launched in time for the 1956 Summer Olympic Games in Melb ...

hosting ''Great Comedy Classics'', a compilation of popular British sitcoms, including ''

Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em ''Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em'' is a British sitcom broadcast on BBC1, created and written by Raymond Allen (scriptwriter), Raymond Allen and starring Michael Crawford and Michele Dotrice. It was first broadcast in 1973 and ran for two series, inc ...

'' and ''

Are You Being Served? ''Are You Being Served?'' is a British sitcom created and written by executive producer David Croft (Croft also directed some episodes) and Jeremy Lloyd, with contributions from Michael Knowles and John Chapman, for the BBC. Set in London, t ...

''. In May 2007, Russell appeared as one of the celebrity performers on the celebrity reality singing competition '' It Takes Two.''

Film

Russell has acted in four Australian films: ''

Nirvana Street Murder ''Nirvana Street Murder'' is a 1990 Australian comedy film, written and directed by Aleksi Vellis, starring Mark Little, Ben Mendelsohn and Mary Coustas Mary Coustas (born 16 September 1964) is an Australian actress, comedian and televisio ...

'' (1990); ''

Ned Kelly Edward Kelly (December 1854 – 11 November 1880) was an Australian bushranger, outlaw, gang leader and convicted police-murderer. One of the last bushrangers, he is known for wearing a suit of bulletproof armour during his final shootout wi ...

'' (2003), playing Constable Hall; '' The Extra'' (2005); and '' Housos vs. Authority'' (2012). He also appeared unbilled in the

Jason Donovan Jason Sean Donovan (born 1 June 1968) is an Australian actor and singer. He initially achieved fame in the Australian soap ''Neighbours'', playing Scott Robinson, before beginning a career in music in 1988. In the UK he has sold over 3 mi ...

telemovie ''Loot'' (2004).

Personal life

Gilbert is also a passionate supporter of the AFL club

Western Bulldogs The Western Bulldogs are a professional Australian rules football team that competes in the Australian Football League (AFL), the sport's premier competition. Founded in 1877 as the Footscray Football Club, and based in West Footscray in the o ...

and has made several guest appearances at

AFL Legends Match The E. J. Whitten Legends Game was an annual Australian sports entertainment Australian rules football match. It is played for charity played as an all-star game. Retired star players are reunited, along with selected non-footballing celebrities ...

es. In 2002, he kicked a goal while on the bench in an AFL Legends Game. In 2010, Russell made a comeback to the EJ Whitten Legends Game. He kicked a goal in the third quarter and then another in the fourth. He has since played in several games since. As a

running gag A running gag, or running joke, is a literary device that takes the form of an amusing joke or a comical reference and appears repeatedly throughout a work of literature or other form of storytelling. Though they are similar, catchphrases are not ...

during these games, Gilbert is notorious for ripping off his guernsey in the final minutes of the game while in possession of the ball deep in defense. Underneath, his opponent team's guernsey would be revealed, kicking a goal for the team for which he had changed allegiance to. He was in a relationship with Rochelle Nolan from 1996 until her suicide in 2015.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Gilbert, Russell Australian male comedians Australian television personalities 1959 births Living people Comedians from Melbourne 20th-century Australian comedians 21st-century Australian comedians People from Footscray, Victoria