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John Ewart

For other people named John Ewart, see John Ewart (disambiguation).

John Reford Ewart (26 February 1928 – 8 March 1994) was an Australian actor of radio, stage, television and film. Ewart was a double nominee (and one/time winner) of the AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role[1]

John Ewart
Born
John Reford Ewart

26 February 1928
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Died8 March 1994(1994-03-08) (aged 66)
Greenwich, New South Wales Australia
EducationScots College
Occupation(s)Actor, entertainer
Years active1947–1994
SpouseJane Fennell
Children4

Early life

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Ewart was born in Melbourne, Victoria to Alfred Adam Ewart, an insurance agent and his wife Jennie Grace Madge Lois (nee Macauley).

Career

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Ewart began his acting career when he was cast as Dopey at the age four in a 3XY radio production of Snow White. At the age of 18, he made his film debut in the lead role of Mickey O'Riordan in Charles Chauvel's production of Sons of Matthew.

Ewart appeared in hundreds of Australian radio, theatre, film and television productions. To many thousands of Australians who grew up in the 1950s and '60s, he will be remembered as 'Jimmy', the boyishly cheeky co-presenter of the ABC Radio Children's Session, and in the title role of its long-running serial The Muddle-Headed Wombat.

He was well known for his role in the film Sunday Too Far Away, his ongoing role in the Australian TV series The Restless Years in 1980–81, and his lead role opposite Nicole Kidman in Bush Christmas. He was proudest of his starring role in the 1977 film The Picture Show Man.

Personal life

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Ewart married four times, firstly to Lorraine Marie Croke, a Sydney beauty consultant in May 1951 and had twins, a son and a daughter, but divorced a few years later, he then married Susan Mary Newton, a classical singer and actress on radio, stage and TV on 17 April 1966, with whom he had two daughters. They divorced in 1978. On 24 December, he married public relations consultant Patricia De Heer.

In 1992 he became engaged to TV presenter Jane Fennell, but they postponed the wedding after the death of her father, Ewart's long time friend Willie Fennell. They were married on 8 March 1994 in a bedside ceremony as Ewart was dying of throat cancer. He died five days after the wedding.[2]

Awards and nominations

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Year Nominated work Award Category Result
1976 Let the Balloon Go AACTA Awards Best Actor in a Supporting Role Nominated
1977 The Picture Show Man AACTA Awards Best Actor in a Supporting Role Won

Filmography

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Film

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Television

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Griffiths

Radio

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References

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  1. ^ Jennie Lees (2020). "Ewart, John Record (1928-1994)". Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
  2. ^ Harris M. Lentz (1994). Obituaries in the Performing Arts. McFarland. p. 63.
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