Here are 9 famous actors from Australia died at 80:
Norman Kaye (January 17, 1927 Melbourne-May 28, 2007 Sydney) also known as Norman Kay or Norman James Kaye was an Australian actor, musician, film score composer, teacher and conductor.
He died in alzheimer's disease.
Norman Kaye was born in Melbourne, Australia and initially studied music, earning a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Melbourne. He began his career as a composer and conductor, working with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and the Australian Opera. In the 1960s, he started to become more involved in acting, appearing in a number of Australian TV dramas and films.
Kaye is perhaps best known for his role in the classic Australian film "The Castle," in which he played elderly lawyer Dennis Denuto. He also appeared in other films such as "Shine" and "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark," and TV shows like "Division 4" and "Homicide."
As a composer, Kaye worked on a number of Australian films and TV shows, including "Matlock Police" and "Homicide." He also wrote a number of concert works, including a piano concerto and a symphony.
Kaye was known for his dedication to teaching, and he often worked with young musicians and actors. He was a respected music educator and served as the director of the Melbourne Youth Music Festival for many years.
In his personal life, Kaye was married to fellow musician Helen Morse, whom he met while working on a production of "Phantom of the Opera." They had two children together. In his later years, Kaye battled Alzheimer's disease and died in Sydney in 2007 at the age of 80.
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Cyril Ritchard (December 1, 1897 Surry Hills-December 18, 1977 Chicago) also known as Cyril Trimmell-Ritchard, Cyrill Ritchard or Cyril Trimnell-Ritchard was an Australian actor and theatre director.
He died in myocardial infarction.
Ritchard began his career as a stage actor in Australia before moving to England in the 1920s to continue his work on the stage. He gained widespread recognition for his role in the original 1954 Broadway production of the musical "Peter Pan" as Captain Hook, a role he reprised several times throughout his career.
Ritchard also made numerous appearances in film and television, including the 1960 film "The Wackiest Ship in the Army" and the TV series "Batman" in the 1960s. In addition to his acting work, Ritchard was an accomplished director, and his productions of plays such as "The Mikado" and "The Threepenny Opera" were widely praised.
Ritchard was married twice and had one daughter. He was awarded a Tony Award for his role in "Peter Pan" and was inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame in 1979, two years after his death.
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Tommy Hanlon, Jr. (August 14, 1923 Parkersburg-October 9, 2003 Melbourne) also known as Tommy Hanlon was an Australian actor.
He died as a result of cancer.
Tommy Hanlon, Jr. was born in Parkersburg, West Virginia, USA to Australian parents who moved their family back to their native country when Hanlon was just a boy. He began his acting career as a stage actor in the 1940s and transitioned to film and television in the 1950s. Hanlon is best known for his work in Australian television, including roles in the popular soap opera "The Young Doctors" and the drama series "Division 4". He also appeared in several feature films, including "Age of Consent" and "The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith". In addition to his acting career, Hanlon was also a well-respected theater director and producer. He was diagnosed with cancer in 2002 and passed away a year later in Melbourne, Australia at the age of 80.
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Anthony Hawkins (September 30, 1932 England-September 23, 2013 Kyneton) otherwise known as Tony Hawkins was an Australian actor.
He died as a result of cancer.
Tony Hawkins was known for his work in theater, film, and television, and he appeared in over 70 productions throughout his career. He made his debut in 1953 in the Australian television series Thunderbolt, and went on to appear in a number of popular Australian TV series including Homicide, Matlock Police, and Division 4.
Hawkins also had a successful career on stage, working with the Melbourne Theatre Company and the Royal Shakespeare Company. He appeared in productions of Hamlet, Julius Caesar, and many other classics.
Throughout his career, Hawkins received numerous awards and accolades for his work, including a Helpmann Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical for his performance in The Producers. He was known for his charm, professionalism, and dedication to his craft, and is remembered as one of Australia's finest actors.
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Reg Evans (March 27, 1928 Wales-February 7, 2009 Saint Andrews) a.k.a. Reginald Evans, Reginald "Reg" Evans or Reg was an Australian actor.
He died caused by fire.
Reg Evans began his acting career in the 1960s and appeared in numerous Australian TV series including, Homicide, Matlock Police, and Bluey. He also appeared in films such as Mad Max, Phar Lap, and The Flying Doctors. Evans was a founding member of the Melbourne Theatre Company and played a key role in developing the Australian performance industry. In addition to his acting career, Evans was also a talented writer and director, penning several plays and directing productions for the stage. His death, caused by a house fire, was a tragic loss for the Australian entertainment industry.
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Raymond Longford (September 23, 1878 Hawthorn-April 2, 1959 North Sydney) also known as John Walter Longford, Raymond Hollis Longford, John Walter Hollis Longford or Ray was an Australian film director, actor, screenwriter and film producer. He had one child, Victor Hollis Longford.
Raymond Longford is considered to be one of the pioneering figures in the early Australian film industry. He began his career in the early 1900s as an actor and soon transitioned to directing and producing his own films. His most notable work was the film The Sentimental Bloke, which he directed and produced in 1919 with his wife, Lottie Lyell. The film was based on a popular Australian poem and was a critical and commercial success.
In addition to his work in film, Longford was also a writer and playwright, having penned several plays and stories that were adapted into films. He was also a vocal advocate for the Australian film industry and worked to establish the Australian Film Council.
Despite his contributions to the industry, Longford faced financial struggles throughout his career and was forced to sell his production company in the 1920s. He continued to work in film, however, and directed several more feature films before retiring in the 1930s.
Longford passed away in 1959 at the age of 80, but his legacy in Australian cinema lives on. In 1976, the Australian Film Institute established the Raymond Longford Award, which is presented annually to a person who has made a significant contribution to the Australian film industry.
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Jim Gerald (January 1, 1891 Sydney-March 2, 1971) also known as James Gerald, James Gerald Fitzgerald or Diabolo was an Australian actor and comedian.
Jim Gerald began his career in the entertainment industry in Australia in the early 1900s. He later traveled to England and the United States, where he gained prominence as a vaudeville performer and gained the nickname "Diabolo" for his juggling skills.
Gerald appeared in numerous films in the 1930s and 1940s, including "Thunderbolt" (1929) and "Krakatoa, East of Java" (1969). He also made frequent appearances on radio and television in Australia and the UK.
In addition to his acting and comedy career, Jim Gerald was also a trained engineer and inventor. He held several patents related to aircraft design and was awarded the prestigious Centenary Medal in 1951 for his contributions to aviation.
Jim Gerald remained active in the entertainment industry until his death in 1971 at the age of 80. He is remembered as one of Australia's most beloved and iconic entertainers.
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Ian Fleming (September 10, 1888 Melbourne-January 1, 1969 London) also known as Jan Fleming or Ian MacFarlane was an Australian actor.
Actually, Ian Fleming is most famous for being a British author and journalist, best known for creating the character James Bond. He was born in London, England and attended Eton College and later the military academy Sandhurst. Fleming worked as a journalist and served in the British Naval Intelligence during World War II, where he was involved in operations that would later inspire his Bond novels. He wrote twelve Bond novels and two collections of short stories, which have been adapted into numerous films and have made him one of the most successful and iconic writers of the 20th century. He died of a heart attack in 1964 at the age of 56.
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Alister Williamson (June 17, 1918 Sydney-May 19, 1999 Slough) a.k.a. Alistair Williamson, Alastair Williamson or Duncan Mcfarlane Williamson was an Australian actor and character actor.
He appeared in over 70 films and television shows in the UK, including "The Avengers", "The Saint", "Doctor Who", "Z-Cars", and "Inspector Morse". Williamson was also a prolific stage actor, performing in productions of "Hamlet", "The Tempest", and "Richard III" among others. He was known for his ability to play both menacing villains and sympathetic characters with equal skill. Outside of acting, Williamson was also an accomplished painter and writer. He published several plays and wrote a memoir titled "Acting My Life".
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