Marshall Napier

James Marshall Napier (22 October 1951 – 14 August 2022) was a New Zealand-born character actor, playwright and graphic artist. He is known for a succession of strong supporting roles in Australasian films and television shows. He has also had a notable stage career.

Marshall Napier
Born
James Marshall Napier

(1951-10-22)22 October 1951
Lower Hutt, New Zealand
Died14 August 2022(2022-08-14) (aged 70)
Canberra, Australia
Occupation(s)Actor, playwright, graphic artist
Children3, including Jessica
RelativesJames Napier Robertson (nephew)

Biography

Napier grew up in the city of Lower Hutt and was educated at Hutt Valley High School. He is the father of James Reuben Napier, actress Jessica Napier, and Rose Napier. He is the uncle of film director James Napier Robertson.[1]

Before becoming an actor, Napier worked variously as a labourer, factory hand, and truck driver. He also spent a year studying graphic design at the Wellington Polytechnic. He landed his first professional acting job in 1975, at Wellington's Downstage Theatre.

In 1988, he moved with his wife and two young children to Australia, hoping to further his acting career. He soon became an established name in film, theatre, and television. His play Freak Winds has been performed in Australia, New Zealand, United States and Canada; other plays have been broadcast on Australia's ABC radio.

Death

Napier died from brain cancer on 14 August 2022 in Canberra at the age of 70.[2]

Theatre

A partial list of his theatre credits follows.

For Sydney Theatre Company:

For Belvoir Theatre:

For Melbourne Theatre Company:

For Old Fitzroy Theatre:

  • Freak Winds – Ernest
  • Angel City – Wheeler
  • The Schelling Point – Kubrick

For Q Theatre:

For Darlinghurst Theatre:

For Griffin Theatre:

  • Speaking in Tongues – Leon/Nick
  • All Souls – Joe

Other:

His play Freak Winds was produced in 2006 in New York's Upper West Side.[5]

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
2022 Northspur Summers
2021 Doctor Doctor (Australian TV series) Bill 1 episode
2020 Earl's Town Earl Short
Grey Nomads Don Boyce 6 episodes
2019 Bellbird Ross
Little Monsters Army General
2016 The Light Between Oceans Mr Couglan
Down Under Graham Sheather
Janet King (TV series) Magistrate Schaffer 1 episode
2014-15 Love Child (TV series) Greg Matherson 8 episodes
2014 The Moodys[6] Howard Benson 3 episodes
Auckland Daze Arnold 1 episode
2013 Inside The Visiting Doctor Short
2012 Rake (Australian TV series) Prosecution 1 episode
Jack Irish: Bad Debts Father Gorman TV Movie
2011 Underbelly Files: Tell Them Lucifer Was Here Chief Commissioner TV Movie
2011 Panic At Rock Island Paul Thorpe TV Movie
2010 Griff The Invisible Benson
2006-10 City Homicide Wilton Sparkes 11 episodes
2010 The Clinic Marvin
I Love You Too Mechanic
2009 I'm Not Harry Jenson Tom
Chandon Pictures Basil 1 episode
2007 The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep Sgt Strunk
2006-01 McLeod's Daughters[7] Harry Ryan 87 episodes
2004 Sold Out J. Edgar Crippen Short
Get Rich Quick Turf O'Keefe
2003 Travelling Lights Don Ferris
Bad Eggs Doug Gillespie
2002 Stuffed Bunny Priest Short
Black and White Prison Warden
New Skin Captain Jip
2001 Stingers Eddie Thomas 1 episode
Head Start John Allott 4 episodes
Farscape General Grynes 1 episode
1999-01 All Saints (TV series) Ian Hanrahan / Mick Mason 3 episodes
2001 The Farm Peter Collins 3 episodes
My Husband My Killer John Radij TV Movie
Jet Set Mr Birkin
2000 The Shirt Mike Hughes
Muggers Charles Lawrence
The Lost World Drakul 1 episode
1999 Airtight Norscrum
1999 In A Savage Land Geoffrey Hallerton
1999 Strange Planet Robert
1999-96 Water Rats (TV series)[8] Joe da Silva 5 episodes
1997-99 Blue Heelers John Scanlan / Jim Jamieson 2 episodes
1998 13 Gantry Row Blake TV Movie
The Sugar Factory Mr Berne
Meteorites Cass Cassidy TV Movie
1997 Diane & Me Bank Manager
1996 Twisted Tales Tom 1 episode
Dead Heart Sgt Oakes
Children of the Revolution Brendan Shaw
The Beast Commander Wallingford 2 episodes
Race The Sun Mr Cronin
1995 Blue Murder (miniseries) Tony Eustace 2 episodes
Swimming Lessons Jim TV Movie
Snowy River: The Mcgregor Saga Charlie Dunn 1 episode
Babe (film) Chairman of Judges
Halifax f.p. Dale 1 episode
1994 Spider & Rose Henderson
Paperback Romance George LePine
1994-93 Secrets Gary O'Leary 13 episodes
1993 Stark Private Detective 2 episodes
Shotgun Wedding Dave Green
Seven Deadly Sins Tom 1 episode
Time Trax Oscar 1 episode
1992 South Pacific Adventures Captain Johnson
1989-92 Police Rescue Fred Catteau 19 episodes
1991-92 G.P. Stan Brodie 2 episodes
1992 The Girl from Tomorrow Daco 12 episodes
1991 Flirting Rupert
1990 The Big Steal Desmond Clark
1989 Rafferty's Rules Alex Reed 1 episode
Mission Impossible Talbot 1 episode
E Street Bernie 1 episode
1988 The Grasscutter Det Inspector Cross TV Movie
The Navigator Searle
Georgia Frank le Mat
The Clean Machine Keith Reid
Always Afternoon Bill Kennon 4 episodes
1987 Starlight Hotel Det Wallace
1986 Dangerous Orphans Hobbes
Adventurer Mason 12 episodes
Seekers Wright 1 episode
Footrot Flats Hunk Murphy
1985 Roche Snatch 2 episodes
Lie of the Land Huddy
Heart of the High Country Hary 1 episode
Came a Hot Friday Sel Bishop
1984 Pallet on the Floor Joe Voot
Inside Straight 1 episode
Mortimer's Patch Lance Harris 1 episode
1983 Wild Horses Andy
1982 Carry Me Back Airforce Guard
Battletruck Driver
1981 Inside Every Thin Girl TV Movie
Bad Blood Trev Bond
1980 Beyond Reasonable Doubt Wyllie
Goodbye Pork Pie Police Driver
1979 The Neville Purvis Family Show Larry Lucas 6 episodes
1977 The Governor Richard Seddon 1 episode

Activism

In 2002, he and his daughter, Jessica Napier, won $64,000 in the Australian version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? for a South Australian animal rights group. Both are animal rights supporters and vegetarians.

References

  1. "Marshall Napier". Smurcher's Guide. Retrieved 12 April 2008.
  2. Cartwright, Lexie (15 August 2022). "McLeod's Daughters actor Marshall Napier dies aged 70". Herald Sun. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  3. "The Present, Starring Cate Blanchett, Ends Broadway Run March 19". Playbill. 19 March 2017. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
  4. Blake, Jason (22 February 2013). "No regrets as actor races to save day". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
  5. Coultan, Mark (5 April 2006). "A little play's battle to make it in the Big Apple". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 12 April 2008.
  6. http://www.australiantelevision.net/the-moodys/cast.html
  7. http://www.australiantelevision.net/mcleod/mcleod.html
  8. http://www.australiantelevision.net/water_rats/series2.html
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