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Willie Fennell

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Willie Fennell
Born
William John Fennell

(1920-01-20)20 January 1920
Died9 September 1992(1992-09-09) (aged 72)
Sydney, Australia
Other names"Phooey" Fennell
Occupations
  • Actor
  • comedian
  • producer
  • scriptwriter
  • soldier
[1]
Years active1945–1992

William John Fennell OAM (20 January 1920 – 9 September 1992)[2] was an Australian radio, television (serials and mini-series), stage and film actor, comedian, producer, radio scriptwriter and writer who appeared in many Australian television series in a lengthy career spanning over 50 years, recognised by his slightly nasal, raspy voice, moustache and pork pie hat. As a comedian, his style was stated as a sad humour worth more than a belly-laugh and said to be contrasted with the blue comedy of contemporary performer Roy Rene.[1]

He appeared in numerous films, TV movies, miniseries and series, but is probably best known for his longer running roles in The Young Doctors as Arthur Simmonds and Sons and Daughters as Spider Webb.

Biography

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Early life

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Fennell was born to William Hugh Fennell, a vocational trainer, and his wife Alma Doris (née Tie). After finding employment as a travelling salesman, he pursued interests in scriptwriting, tap dancing, radio entertaining and comedy theatre, before World War II beckoned, he served with Citizen Military Forces and then the Australian Imperial Force. After being promoted to sergeant he was discharged, on 28 April 1944, taking a position with the Department of Civil Aviation Civil Aviation Force. He started appearing in theatre roles from 1947.[3]

Writing career/stage and radio

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He became interested in scriptwriting and wrote a radio program based on the comic strip characters Blondie and Dagwood. As character Phooey Fennell, a BBC race caller he started appearing on radio programs and scripted and starred in the popular radio series Life With Dexter during the 1950s and 1960s, which ran for more than 500 episodes and was also sold to New Zealand and South Africa radio,[4] and also wrote a series of books collecting the scripts of the radio show including Life with Dexter, Dexter Loses His Head, Dexter Sings, More Life with Dexter, My Third Life with Dexter, The Desert Island Wreckers, Dexter's Court, Dexter's Fit, Dexter Gets the Point, Car-razy Life with Dexter, Dexter and Ashleigh Muddle On and Dexter Detects. Fennell also wrote a book of poetry and humorous sketches entitled Mad Stuff.[2] After the advent of television to Australia, he became a notable character actor, appearing in numerous stage productions, most notably Alan Seymour's The One Day of the Year.

Film and television credits

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Film roles included Cathy's Child, Hoodwink and the mini-series A Fortunate Life. On television, he was well known for roles in the 1970s and 1980s, including Jeremiah Quizzel in The Lost Islands, Arthur Simmonds on a recurring basis in The Young Doctors from 1976 to 1978, and Sons and Daughters as Spider Webb in the mid-1980s. He regularly appeared in A Country Practice in various roles, most especially as Skeeter Martin. He appeared in G.P., Chopper Squad, The Flying Doctors and Mother and Son.

Fennell was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 1991 for "service to the entertainment industry".[5]

Actor Geoffrey Rush praised Fennell as an early influence.[1]

Personal life

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On 30 November 1946 Fennell married Joy Therese Hawkins, divorcing her in 1975. He was the father of Susan Fennell and Jane Fennell, best known as "Miss Jane" on the Australian children's television show Mr. Squiggle.

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Type
1969 Little Jungle Boy Dr. Barney O' Hara TV movie
1973 ...And Millions Die! Sid Broomberg TV movie
1976 Caddie Doctor 2 Feature film
1976 Do I Have to Kill My Child? Rob TV movie
1979 Cathy's Child The Australian Counsel Feature film
1980 The Earthling R. C. Feature film
1980 Maybe This Time Mr. Todd Feature film
1981 Hoodwink Bank Manager Feature film
1982 Deadline Old Alf TV movie
1982 Ginger Meggs Walter Fotheringay Feature film
1983 Pretty Petrol Everett Quince TV movie
1984 Stanley (aka Stanley: Every Home Should Have One) Herb the Fisherman Feature film
1987 The Place at the Coast Fred Ryan Feature film
1990 More Winners: Mr Edmund Mr. Lindstead TV movie
1992 Greenkeeping Old Player Feature film
1993 Reckless Kelly Mr. Arnold Feature film
1993 Shotgun Wedding Feature film

Television

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Year Title Role Type
1966 Australian Playhouse Rosa's father TV series
1966-67 Nice 'n Juicy Jack Hamlin TV series
1967 Contrabandits Don TV series
1968 Homicide 2 roles TV series
1969 News Revue Various characters TV series
1969 Riptide 3 roles TV series
1969 The Rovers Albert Pringle TV series
1968-69 Skippy the Bush Kangaroo 3 roles TV series
1970 Barrier Reef Pilgrim TV series
1972 Division 4 Henry Roberts TV series
1972 Boney Needle Kent TV series
1972 Behind the Legend Jim TV series
1973 Spyforce Brigenden-Smith TV series
1974 The Evil Touch Doc TV series
1974 Mac and Merle Basil Mc Inerney TV series
1974 The Love Affair Reg Bates TV series
1975 The Seven Ages of Man Terence Swanson TV series
1975 Ben Hall Piper TV miniseries
1975 The Company Men TV miniseries
1976 Luke's Kingdom Shepherd TV series, 13 episodes
1976 The Emigrants Harry TV miniseries
1976 The Lost Islands Jeremiah Quizzel TV series
1977 The Outsiders Bob Ryder TV series
1977-78 Kirby's Company Santa TV series
1978 Case for the Defence Grandpa Harris TV series
1978 Chopper Squad Rodney Coombes TV series
1978 Glenview High TV series, episode: "The Siren"
1979 One Day Miller TV series
1979 Skyways Jack Harris TV series
1977-79 The Young Doctors Arthur Simmonds TV series
1980 Spring and Fall Bob TV series
1980 Young Ramsay Ed Carroll TV series
1983 Cop Shop TV series
1984 Special Squad Sol Greenberg TV series
1984 Carson's Law Neville Childe TV series
1986 A Fortunate Life Old Man TV miniseries
1985-86 Sons and Daughters Arthur 'Spider' Webb TV series
1988 Rafferty's Rules Jim Stevens TV series
1986-99 The Flying Doctors 2 roles TV series
1990 Elly & Jools Cec TV miniseries
1982-90 A Country Practice TV series
1991 The River Kings Praying Jack TV miniseries
1991 E Street Noah TV series
1992 Mother and Son Pet shop Owner TV series
1992 G.P. Re Kirby TV series

References

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  1. ^ a b c Jacqueline Kent (19 February 2007). "Fennell, William John (Willie) (1920–1992)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University.
  2. ^ a b Arnold, John; John A. Hay; Sally Batten (2000). The Bibliography of Australian Literature. Brisbane: University of Queensland Press. ISBN 978-0-7022-3500-9.
  3. ^ "Willie Fennell". AusStage.
  4. ^ Life With Dexter for Come-back, The Age, 25 November 1955
  5. ^ "William John Fennell". Australian Honours Search Facility, Dept of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
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