Terry Norris (actor)

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Terry Norris
Norris in Cop Shop
Member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly
for Dandenong
In office
2 March 1985 – 2 October 1992
Preceded byRob Jolly
Succeeded byJohn Pandazopoulos
Member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly
for Noble Park
In office
3 April 1982 – 1 March 1985
Preceded byPeter Collins
Succeeded byDistrict abolished
Personal details
Born
Terence Richard Norris

(1930-06-09)9 June 1930
Richmond, Victoria, Australia
Died20 March 2023(2023-03-20) (aged 92)[1]
Political partyLabor Party
Spouse
(m. 1962)
Occupation
  • Actor
  • politician

Terence Richard Norris (9 June 1930 – 20 March 2023)[1] was an Australian stage, radio, television and film actor, and politician.

As an actor, he starred in television shows such as Bellbird and Cop Shop, and in films like Romulus, My Father, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader and Paper Planes. [2]

Norris interrupted his show business career for ten years with a stint serving in state politics, for the Labor Party with the Victorian Legislative Assembly.

Early and personal life[edit]

Norris was born in Richmond,[2] a suburb of Melbourne. His father was a boilermaker. He married the English-born Australian Julia Blake in 1962. They met in Yorkshire and often appeared together in repertory theatre. They had three children: Dominic, Jane and Sarah[1]

Norris died on 20 March 2023 after a short illness, at the age of 92.[2][1][3]

Acting career[edit]

Theatre[edit]

Norris trained at the Melbourne Tivoli Theatre[2] and started his career in the 1950s and early 1960s when he worked as an actor in England, appearing in repertory theatre in Bradford, Huddersfield and York among other places, before returning to Australia in 1963. He has performed in numerous theatre roles and was also a playwright.[4]

Television[edit]

Norris was possibly best known for two long-running television series roles. He played Joe Turner in Bellbird from 1969 until the series ended in 1977. He then played Senior sergeant Eric O'Reilly in police series Cop Shop starting December 1977. Norris has also appeared in the television series Bobby Dazzler and The Last of the Australians.

Film[edit]

His most recent film roles were in Romulus, My Father in 2007, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader in 2010, Paper Planes and Looking for Grace both in 2015, and Mortal Engines in 2018.

Political career[edit]

Entry to politics[edit]

Norris left Cop Shop in 1982 to pursue a career in state politics. His character of Sergeant O'Reilly was replaced with a new character called Senior Sergeant Reg Wallace, played by Alwyn Kurts.[5] Despite this, the show was axed the following year.[6]

Norris appeared in the Gough Whitlam It's Time TV commercial campaign[1]

Having been a member of the Australian Labor Party for the preceding 16 years, sought and gained preselection to contest the seat of Noble Park as an ALP candidate at the 1982 Victorian state election.[7] Only needing a swing of just over 1% to gain the seat from sitting member Peter Collins, Norris was elected to the Victorian Legislative Assembly with a swing of over 4%.[7][8]

He held the seat until the electorate was abolished in 1985 in a redistribution.[9] He then successfully stood for election in the seat of Dandenong at the 1985 election, succeeding his colleague Rob Jolly who was elected to the newly created seat of Doveton.[10]

Views[edit]

Speaking during a grievance debate in 1984, Norris suggested there should be private screenings of pornographic films for Victorian members of parliament to assist them in debates about censorship laws and the classification of movies with objectionable content, similar to what had been arranged for their New South Wales counterparts.[11]

Following the release of a ministerial committee report on the subject of underage drinking in 1986, Norris proposed the legal drinking age in Australia be increased to the age of 20, citing the positive effects of similar laws in the United States and Sweden.[12] He also said the issue of underage drinking was being exacerbated by the growing trend of alcohol advertising deliberately being targeted to a young demographic.[12]

Throughout his parliamentary career, Norris' television experience was advantageous when speaking out on a number of issues relating to the media. In 1985, he accused a Network 10 reporter of having a conflict of interest, claiming he had been working as a media advisor for the Mountain Cattlemen's Association while he was also working as a Ten News reporter during the 1985 Nunawading Province state by-election.[13] Norris questioned the reporter's ethical standards while alleging he had links to the Liberal Party which needed to be investigated.[13] The reporter denied working as a media advisor for the association.[13]

In 1987, Norris was part of a delegation which also included Sheila Florence, Gil Tucker, Terry Donovan and Maggie Kirkpatrick who met with premier John Cain after a mass sacking of 78 employees from HSV-7.[14] The delegation told Cain that the end of television production in Melbourne would mean that there would no longer be training opportunities for actors, technicians, and production staff.[14]

Norris spearheaded the "Make It Australian" campaign in 1988, lobbying against de-regulation of the television industry and campaigning for the local drama quota for the networks to be increased from 104 to 365 hours per year as well as more regional production, children's drama and a guaranteed independence of the Australian Broadcasting Tribunal.[15] He gained the support of Hector Crawford, Rupert Hamer and David Williamson.[15]

Overseas trip controversy[edit]

Arguably Norris' most controversial political endeavour came in July 1992, just prior to his retirement. When Norris, Legislative Assembly speaker Ken Coghill, and Legislative Council president, Alan Hunt, went on a lengthy overseas bicameral and bipartisan goodwill visit to Asia with their wives, debate ensued.[16] Jeff Kennett and Graeme Weideman were among the critics of the 18-day trip.[17] It was questioned why Norris and Hunt were selected to go on such a journey just prior to their respective retirements, as was the use of public funds for the trip.[16] Confusion arose about who authorised the expenditure when it was discovered additional money had been allocated for the trip under a parliamentary budget.[16] To clarify what had happened, premier Joan Kirner called a special media conference where she blamed a senior bureaucrat for mistakenly authorising extra public funds for the trip.[16] In an editorial, The Age newspaper also questioned whether such a trip could be justified given the state was in recession and the Victorian Government in deficit.[18] The newspaper endorsed Kennett's views that the trip was inappropriate.[18] Norris denied the trip had been a "junket" and condemned the criticism of the trip, becoming concerned about the potential damage to Asia-Pacific relations, stating: "If anything that's happened as a result of the speculation made about our trip, (should) damage that relationship, be it on the heads of the mental midgets who have done the bad-mouthing."[17]

Retirement from politics[edit]

After ten years in the Victorian Legislative Assembly, during which time he rose to become Deputy Speaker, Norris retired from politics in 1992 and was succeeded as the Member of Dandenong by John Pandazopoulos.[19][20]

Awards and nominations[edit]

Award Honour Year Results
Silver Logie Award[2] Best Supporting Actor in a Series for Cop Shop 1980 Won
Film Critics Circle of Australia[21] Best Supporting Actor Male for 'Innocence' 2001 Won
Equity Ensemble Awards Lifetime Achievement Award 2008 Won[22]
Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role[23] Innocence 2000 Nominated

Filmography[edit]

Film[edit]

Year Title Role Type
1964 Nude with Violin Sebastien Lacreole TV movie
1964 The Sponge Room Colin TV movie
1964 Corruption in the Palace of Justice Judgr Cust TV movie
1964 The Physicists Beutler TV movie
1964 Six Characters in Search of an Author Letho TV movie
1964 Luther Martin Luther TV movie
1964 A Man for All Seasons King Henry VIII TV movie
1965 The Winds of Green Monday Mate Roberts TV movie
1965 Othello Roderigo TV movie
1971 Stork Anna's Father Feature film
1975 The Great Macarthy Vera's Dad Feature film
1977 High Rolling in a Hot Corvette Farmer Feature film
1994 Paperbook Romance Judge
1997 Road to Nhill Ted Feature film
1998 Deathbed of an Undertaker Bert Short film
1998 Mrs Craddock's Complaint Short film
2000 Innocence John Feature film
2000 Waiting at the Royal Diana's Father TV movie
2001 Hostage to Fate Mr Boyle
2001 Bowl Me Over Bob Short film
2004 Human Touch Ouspensky Feature film
2005 Three Dollars Alfred Price Feature film
2006 Irresistible Magistrate Feature film
2006 The Barrows Mr. Barrow Short film
2006 The Society Murders Paul King TV movie
2007 Romulus, My Father Tom Lillie Feature film
2008 Valentine's Day Stump Woods TV movie
2008 Salvation Gallery Guide Feature film
2008 Zyco Rock Granpa
2010 Hawke Clem Hawke TV movie
2010 The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader Lord Bern Feature film
2012 Jack Irish: Black Tide Eric Tanner TV movie
2012 Jack Irish: Bad Debts Eric Tanner TV movie
2014 Jack Irish: Dead Point Eric Tanner TV movie
2014 Paper Planes Grandpa Feature film
2015 Force of Destiny Derek
2015 Looking for Grace Morris Feature film
2015 The Dressmaker Septimus Feature film
2018 Mortal Engines Professor Arkengarth Feature film
2019 Judy and Punch Scaramouche Feature film
2022 The King's Daughter Great Chamberlain Feature film

Television[edit]

Year Title Role Type
1961 The Eggheads TV series
1964 Barley Charlie Herb TV series
1963–64 Consider Your Verdict Crown Prosecutor TV series
1967–77 Bellbird Joe Turner TV series
1968–69 Hunter 3 roles: Delaney, Grant, Peter Kramer TV series
1969 Dynasty Jim Richards TV series
1964–1972 Homicide

12 roles: Terence Garrick, Chris Lodge, Sean Rogan, Frank Lord, Vance Pritchard, Vince, Dr. Pringle, Des Bishop, John Jackson, Noel Franklin, Herb Thomas, Lennie Walker || TV series, 16 episodes

1973 Ryan Fruit picker TV series
1972–75 Matlock Police 5 roles: Herbie Marsh, Bill Thomas, Clive Atkinson, Sam Rigby, Frank Simpson TV series
1969–75 Division 4 4 roles: Des Phillips, Joe Swithen, Les Jackson, Fred TV series
1975–76 The Last of the Australians Blue Dawson TV series
1976 Solo One TV series
1976 Power Without Glory Ron Lassiter TV series
1969–77 Bellbird Joe Turner TV series
1977 Young Ramsay "Old Wombat" Thompson TV series
1977–78 Bobby Dazzler Uncle Oz TV series
1977–80 Cop Shop Senior Sgt. Eric O'Reilly TV series
1994 The Damnation of Harvey McHugh Judge. Brown TV series
1998 Driven Crazy Gentleman Bowler #1 TV series
1999 Noah's Ark High Priest TV miniseries
1999 Pig's Breakfast TV series
1996–99 Blue Heelers Max Arnold TV series
2001 Something in the Air Fred TV series
2001 Horace and Tina Ern TV series
2001 Changi Old Bill Dwyer TV miniseries
2002 Marshall Law Mr. Grand TV series
2002 Stingers Arthur Gascon TV series
2003 CrashBurn TV series
2010 City Homicide Bill Lalor TV series
2011 Killing Time Rod Fraser TV series
2012 Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries Franklin D. Weston TV series
2018 Romper Stomper Arty TV series
2016–21 Jack Irish Eric Tanner TV series, 15 episodes
2019–20 Bloom TV series, 10 episodes

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e Quinn, Karl (22 March 2023). "'They just loved him': Family, friends farewell Terry Norris, Sarge from Cop Shop". The Sydney Morning Herald. ...died on Monday night
  2. ^ a b c d e Callanan, Tim (21 March 2023). "Actor Terry Norris, star of Cop Shop and former Victorian Labor MP, dies at 92". ABC News. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  3. ^ Knox, David (21 March 2023). "Vale: Terry Norris". TV Tonight. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  4. ^ "Terry Norris". AusStage.
  5. ^ Lewis, Jacqueline Lee (11 April 1982). "Alwyn will replace the 'cop' politician". The Age. p. 43. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  6. ^ Courtis, Brian (8 October 1983). "'Cop Shop' puts up shutters on six good years". The Age. p. 5. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  7. ^ a b "TV actor seeks a political role". The Age. 21 April 1980. p. 14. Retrieved 22 March 2023. Mr Norris, who has been a member of the ALP for 16 years, predicted that transport would be the big issue in the next election. He needs a swing of just over 1 per cent to capture Noble Park for Labor.
  8. ^ Frail, Rodney (5 April 1982). "Vic ALP takes Liberal areas". The Age. p. 12. Retrieved 22 March 2023. In the sand belt it won Sandringham, Syndal and Noble Park, the last seat being won by one of the stars of Cop Shop, Mr Terry Norris, who defeated the Secretary to the Cabinet, Mr Collins.
  9. ^ Broadbent, David (18 November 1983). "11 Cain MPs must find new seats". The Age. p. 1. Retrieved 22 March 2023. Government MPs who will have to find new seats for the next election are Mr Norris (Noble Park)...
  10. ^ "Cain's historic win: The results". The Age. 4 March 1985. p. 16. Retrieved 22 March 2023. DANDENONG: Fotheringham, I (Lib) 9,058, *Norris, T (ALP) 14,561... Status: Retained by ALP; DOVETON: *Jolly, R (ALP) 15,799, Starr, M (Lib) 8,475... Status: Won by ALP
  11. ^ Reilly, Graham (6 April 1984). "MP wants X-rated preview". The Age. p. 17. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  12. ^ a b Freeman-Greene, Suzy (17 December 1986). "Lift drinking age to 20 and penalise parents, report urges". The Age. p. 6. Retrieved 22 March 2023. The Labor MLA for Dandenong, Mr Terry Norris, yesterday said he had suggested 20 as the legal drinking age because...
  13. ^ a b "TV networking will hurt Victoria, actors tell Cain". The Age. 1 May 1987. p. 5. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  14. ^ a b Hooks, Barbara (21 July 1988). "Turning the heat on the television industry". The Age. p. 14. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  15. ^ a b c d Kelly, Hugo (16 July 1992). "MPs' trip blamed on official's mistake". The Age. p. 4. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  16. ^ a b Kelly, Hugo (22 July 1992). "Norris slams critics of 'friendship' trip". The Age. p. 3. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  17. ^ a b "Editorial: An untimely and unnecessary trip". The Age. 16 July 1992. p. 13. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  18. ^ Terry Norris Actor Photos & Pics, Celebrity Pictures – Flixster
  19. ^ "Norris, Terence Richard". re-member. Parliament of Victoria. Retrieved 27 October 2008.
  20. ^ Maddox, Garry (10 February 2001). "Chopper floors favourite as critics bypass politics and take their pick". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 4. Retrieved 22 March 2023. Simon Lynon, from Chopper, and Terry Norris, from Innocence, share the supporting actor award
  21. ^ "Lifetime achievement award for Julia Blake and Terry Norris". 12 November 2018.
  22. ^ Schembri, Jim (17 November 2000). "The winner, by half an ear..." The Age. p. 44. Retrieved 22 March 2023. Best supporting actor: For his performance as Read's "friend" in Chopper, Simon Lyndon will easily win over Terry Norris, who plays a beleaguered husband in Innocence...

External links[edit]

Parliament of Victoria
Preceded by Member for Noble Park
1982–1985
District abolished
Preceded by Member for Dandenong
1985–1992
Succeeded by