Peter Hayden

Peter John Hayden MNZM (born 1948/49)[1] is a New Zealand actor, and television series writer, producer and presenter. Hayden is known to New Zealand audiences as the writer and narrator of nature documentaries series including Wild South and Journeys Across Latitude 45.

Peter Hayden

MNZM
Born1948 or 1949 (age 74–75)
NationalityNew Zealand
Occupation(s)Actor, presenter and writer
Known forNature documentaries

Early life

Hayden grew up in Napier, and attended Marist Primary School and St John’s College. He obtained a Bachelor of Science degree from Massey University in 1972.[2]

In 1973, Hayden graduated from the QE II Arts Council Drama School, and was an apprentice actor at Downstage Theatre for two years. He worked as a reporter/ director for TVNZ at Avalon Studios, Lower Hutt, on the programmes Today at One and Country Calendar.[2]

Documentaries

Hayden joined the television production company Natural History New Zealand (subsequently NHNZ) in 1980.[1] He is widely known for his work over the following three decades on writing, producing and presenting television documentaries.[3] His most significant work with NHNZ includes:

  • writing and hosting the Wild South series[4]
  • writing and co-hosting the Wildtrack series for children[1][5]
  • writing and presenting the series Journeys across Latitude 45 (1985)[6]
  • writing and presenting the series Journeys in National Parks (1987)[7]
  • producing and directing the series Moa's Ark (1990) with well-known presenter David Bellamy[8]

Between 1997 and 2008, Hayden worked as Executive Producer and Head of Development. He was the supervising producer of a series on evolution, Life Force, between 2008 and 2011.[2] Hayden's work as a producer for NHNZ included the 13-part series Buggin' with Ruud featuring entomologist and broadcaster Ruud Kleinpaste.[3]

Hayden left NHNZ in 2012 to focus on his career in the performing arts.[1]

Film and television drama

Hayden has appeared in film and television dramas including the Maurice Gee television serial The Fire-Raiser (1986),[9] Arriving Tuesday (1986),[10] Illustrious Energy (1988),[11] Footrot Flats: The Dog's Tale (1986),[12] and Beyond Reasonable Doubt (1980).[13][14]

Career in theatre

Hayden has acted in theatre productions in Dunedin, Wellington and Auckland including performances of: The Sea, Oh Temperance, Marat/Sade, Tales from Hollywood, The Importance of Being Earnest, A Doll's House, Glorious Ruins, Oleanna, Horseplay, The Daylight Atheist, Leah, The Raft, Lysistrata, The Vertical Hour, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, A Short Cut To Happiness, The Motel, Other Desert Cities, Trees Beneath the Lake, Time Stands Still, Ladykillers, You Can Always Hand Them Back, Under the Mountain, and Winding Up.[2]

Honours and awards

In the 2017 Queen’s Birthday Honours, Hayden was appointed an Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to film and television.[15] Other awards include:

  • 1982, 1983, 1984 Feltex Awards: Best Children's Programme: Wildtrack [16]
  • 1986 National Mutual GOFTA Awards: Best Non-Drama Script: Peter Hayden for Journeys Across Latitude 45 South, episode 2, A Little Continental[17]
  • 1988 Listener Film and Television Awards: Best Writer, Non-Drama (Peter Hayden) for Journeys in National Parks [18]
  • 1988 NZ Film and TV Awards: Best Supporting Male Performance (Peter Hayden) for Illustrious Energy[19]

References
  1. "Queen's Birthday honours: Southern recipients". Otago Daily Times. 5 June 2017. Archived from the original on 20 August 2021. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  2. "Peter Hayden". NZSO. Archived from the original on 11 August 2021. Retrieved 11 August 2021.
  3. "Peter Hayden – Biography". NZ On Screen. Archived from the original on 20 August 2021. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  4. "Wild South – television series 1981–1997". NZ On Screen. Archived from the original on 16 May 2021. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  5. "Wildtrack – television series 1981–1991". NZ On Screen. Archived from the original on 19 August 2021. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  6. "Journeys Across Latitude 45 South – television series 1985". NZ On Screen. Archived from the original on 12 August 2021. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  7. "Journeys in National Parks – television series 1987". NZ On Screen. Archived from the original on 19 August 2021. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  8. "Moa's Ark". NZ On Screen. Archived from the original on 20 August 2021. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  9. "The Fire Raiser (1986)". NZ On Screen. Archived from the original on 20 August 2021. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  10. "Arriving Tuesday". NZ Film Commission. Archived from the original on 20 August 2021. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  11. "Illustrious Energy". NZ On Screen. Archived from the original on 20 August 2021. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  12. "Footrot Flats: The Dog's Tale". NZ On Screen. Archived from the original on 20 August 2021. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  13. "Beyond Reasonable Doubt". NZ On Screen. Archived from the original on 10 May 2019. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  14. "ScreenTalk: Peter Hayden". The Big Idea. 17 November 2010. Archived from the original on 11 August 2021. Retrieved 11 August 2021.
  15. "Queen's Birthday honours list 2017". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 5 June 2017. Archived from the original on 11 May 2021. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  16. "Wildtrack – Television (1981–1991)". NZ On Screen. Archived from the original on 19 August 2021. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  17. "Journeys Across Latitude 45 South (1985) – Awards". NZ On Screen. Archived from the original on 19 August 2021. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  18. "Journeys in National Parks (1987) – Awards". NZ On Screen. Archived from the original on 19 August 2021. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  19. "Illustrious Energy". NZ Film Commission. Archived from the original on 20 August 2021. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
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