John Waters (actor) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids John Waters
John Waters rehearsing in stage version of The Addams Family as Gomez
Born	John Russell Waters 1948 (age 76–77) London, England
Occupation	Actor musician songwriter playwright theatre performer TV presenter
Years active	1967−present
Children	5

John Waters, born in England in 1948, is a famous Australian actor, singer, and musician. He has worked in movies, theatre, and TV for over 50 years! You might know him best from the Australian children's show Play School, where he was a presenter for 18 years. His dad was also an actor named Russell Waters.

John Waters' Career

John Waters performing live

Music Career

John Waters was born in London, England. He started his music journey in the 1960s. He was a singer and bass guitar player in a blues band called The Riots. Later, he moved to Australia and decided to stay there.

He is a very talented musician. Since 1992, he has toured many times with his show Looking Through a Glass Onion. This show is a special tribute to John Lennon. It features Lennon's music, words, and images. The show has toured Australia many times. It also played for six months in London and 120 times in New York City in 2014.

John Waters has released several music CDs. These include:

• The Story of Pilliga Pete and Clarrie the Cocky (2010): A family story and music CD.
• Brel (2010): A live album sung in French, honoring Belgian singer Jacques Brel.
• John Waters Looking Through A Glass Onion (2011): A double live album from his show.
• Cloudland (2011): His first album with his own original songs.

Theatre Performances

John Waters got his first big break in musicals. In 1969, he played Claude in Hair in Sydney. He also played Judas in Godspell. He was Pontius Pilate in the Australian concert of Jesus Christ Superstar.

In 1978, he starred as Dracula in a theatre play. He was also in the first Australian show of They're Playing Our Song in 1980. He performed with actress Jacki Weaver.

In 2000, John Waters played Captain von Trapp in The Sound of Music. He acted alongside Lisa McCune. In 2005, he starred in the play Influence. He played a radio host named Ziggi Blasko.

He played The Narrator in Richard O'Brien's Rocky Horror Show in Sydney in 2008. From 2006 to 2007, he toured Australia, Hong Kong, and New Zealand. He was in a play called The Woman in Black. In 2013, he starred as Gomez Addams in The Addams Family musical. In 2024, he returned to the stage in The Woman in Black as Arthur Kipps.

Television Roles

Many Australians remember John Waters from Play School. He was a presenter on this children's show from 1972 to 1991. That's almost 20 years! During this time, he also narrated trailers for ABC-TV children's videos.

He is also well-known for playing Sergeant Robert McKellar. This was in the 1974–76 TV series Rush. In 1983, he appeared in the Australian miniseries All the Rivers Run.

In 2002, he was in the drama Young Lions. He also played Perry Luscombe in Fireflies in 2004. From 2006 to 2009, John Waters joined the cast of All Saints. He played Dr. Mike Vlasek, the head of surgery.

He was a guest star in Sea Patrol and City Homicide in 2010. In 2012, he starred in the ABC TV mini-series The Mystery of a Hansom Cab. He also appeared in the TV series Offspring. From 2015, he joined the cast of the ABC TV series Rake. In 2018, he played lawyer Travis James in the ABC TV series Mystery Road.

Film Appearances

In 1980, John Waters played Captain Alfred Taylor in the film Breaker Morant. In 1982, he was in the World War II film Attack Force Z. He acted alongside Mel Gibson and Sam Neill. In 2013, he starred in a local film called Adios.

Other Work

John Waters has appeared in many TV advertisements. He has promoted products for companies like Cinzano, Bird's Eye, and Toyota. He has also narrated TV programs. These include Mind Games: Real Life Adventures and Triple Zero Heroes.

Awards and Recognition

In 1975, John Waters won the George Wallace Memorial Logie for Best New Talent. This was for his role in Division 4.

In 1988, he won an AFI Award for Best Actor. This was for his role as Tom Garfield in the film Boulevard of Broken Dreams.

He has also been nominated for other awards. These include:

• Best Lead Actor (1978 for Weekend of Shadows)
• Best Supporting Actor in a Drama (2006 for All Saints)
• Most Popular Actor in a Telemovie or Mini-Series (1992 for Which Way Home)

ARIA Music Awards

The ARIA Music Awards are a big music awards show in Australia.

Personal Life

John Waters has been married three times and has five children. His first marriage was to Jenny Cullen, and they had two children. His second marriage was to Sally Conabere. His third marriage was to Zoe Burton in 2002. They have three children together, including twins. John Waters lives with Zoe and their children in the Southern Highlands, NSW.

Community Work

John Waters supports many community events. He helped with DUETS 2012, a concert for The Australian Children's Music Foundation (ACMF). This foundation was started by his fellow Play School presenter Don Spencer. He also supports Carols in the Domain. He is an ambassador for The Australian Children's Music Foundation.

Filmography

Films

Television Shows

See also

In Spanish: John Waters (actor) para niños