Jeremy Kewley
From his professional debut at the age of 14 in Fred Schepisi's AFI award-winning motion picture THE DEVIL'S PLAYGROUND (1975), followed by MAD DOG MORGAN (1976) opposite Dennis Hopper and Jack Thompson, through to his 2011 starring role in UNDERBELLY FILES: TELL THEM LUCIFER WAS HERE; his lead role as American film producer Jerry Goldman in the upcoming motion picture FRANK & JERRY (2012); and performing around Australia on stage in the national tour of WEST SIDE STORY (2010-2011), actor Jeremy Kewley has enjoyed a solid and diverse career in the entertainment industry.
Kewley starred as Snr Sgt Bryan Gray on STINGERS (2000-2004) for five years, and for nine years he played semi-regular local journalist Tony Timms in BLUE HEELERS (1997-2005).
He’s played lead roles in a number of series, from ABC-TV’S rural drama BELLBIRD (1976-1977) and teen-heartthrob Robbie Stewart in Network Ten’s ill-fated soapie ARCADE (1979-1980), through to the critically acclaimed ABC-TV drama series JANUS (1994-1995) where he played Crown Prosecutor Vic Manoulis (1995 Logie Award Winner for Best Actor and Best Drama).
And he’s appeared in dozens of iconic Australian series - everything from BELLBIRD to THE SULLIVANS to THE YOUNG DOCTORS in the 1970s; from COP SHOP to PRISONER to THE HENDERSON KIDS in the 1980s; from NEIGHBOURS to SEACHANGE to THE MAN FROM SNOWY RIVER in the 1990s; and from THE SECRET LIFE OF US to McLEOD’S DAUGHTERS to BED OF ROSES in the 2000s.
He was nominated for an AFI Award for his performance in ‘The First Stone’, a powerful and shocking episode of CITY HOMICIDE (2010); and starred in the situation comedy series WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THAT GUY? (2009) on Foxtel's The Comedy Channel.
He has appeared in a number of motion pictures including starring in two American pictures - DISAPPEARANCE (2002), a mystery thriller set in New Mexico, and THE X TEAM (2003), a snow-bound action adventure shot in the New Zealand Alps for Touchstone Pictures.
His Australian feature film credits include Bruce Beresford's THE GETTING OF WISDOM (1977); through to 1990s hits like Jimeoin's THE CRAIC (1998) and starring opposite Rachel Griffiths in AMY (1997).
Since it began in 1994 he has been the warm-up comedian for the AFL version of THE FOOTY SHOW, including all the shows done from Sydney, Perth, Adelaide and Hobart, and the live broadcasts from the Theatre Royal in London (2001, 2005) and the Prinz Regent Theatre in Munich (2006).
One of only a handful of television ‘audience warm-up comedians’ working in Australia, Kewley has also been a vital part of dozens of classic shows from YOUNG TALENT TIME and CANDID CAMERA ON AUSTRALIA to AUSTRALIA’S BRAINIEST KID, 1 VS 100, TEMPTATION and THE MARNGROOK FOOTY SHOW on ABC2. And he is in demand as the pre-show Master of Ceremonies at annual television events like THE AFI AWARDS.
Recent stage roles include the male lead in CALL GIRL THE MUSICAL (2009) at Melbourne’s Chapel Off Chapel Theatre; IT’S ALL FUN AND GAMES UNTIL SOMEONE GETS HURT (2011) at the Melbourne Cmedy Festival; and powerful monologues in FRIDAY NIGHT, IN TOWN (2009) at La Mama’s Carlton Courthouse Theatre and SHE’S MY BABY at the 2009 Melbourne Fringe Festival.
From August 2010 to January 2011 he toured Australia in WEST SIDE STORY (Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane & Adelaide).
On radio he can currently be heard every Wednesday on Melbourne's #1 talk station 3AW, on AFTERNOONS WITH DENIS WALTER.
He wrote and produced the documentaries FUNNY BY GEORGE: THE GEORGE WALLACE STORY (2000) for ABC-TV, and YOUNG TALENT TIME TELLS ALL (2001) for Network Ten.
One of Kewley’s favourite assignments each year is being an Australia Day Ambassador ... he considers it a great privilege to share his passion for this great country...through his love affair with words and our larrikin sense of humour.
Every January 26th since 2002 he has been an Australia Day Ambassador for the NSW Australia Day Council, travelling to towns as diverse as Bega, Deniliquin, Goulburn, Narrabri, North Sydney, Cobargo, Menindee, Merriwagga, Cowra, Wee Waw, Moama, Goolgawi, Hillston, White Cliffs, Coonamble and The Huon Valley in Tasmania.