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Ian Smith (actor)

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Ian Smith
Smith in 2001
Born (1938-06-19) 19 June 1938 (age 86)
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Other namesIain Smith
Occupations
  • Actor
  • television producer
  • screenwriter
Years active1958–present
Known forNeighbours as Harold Bishop
Notable workPrisoner (known internationally as Prisoner: Cell Block H - Executive Producer Screenwriter - Actor
SpouseGail Smith

Ian Smith (born 19 June 1938)[1] is an Australian actor, television producer and screenwriter.

Smith is best known for his television roles most especially his lengthy tenure on serial Neighbours as Harold Bishop from 1987 until 1991, he returned as a regular again in 1996 and left in 2009, though has returned in guest parts in 2011 2015 and 2022 respectively.

Previously he had appeared on the cult series Prisoner in the recurring roles as Head of the Corrections Department, Ted Douglas. Smith also worked on that series as an executive producer and screenwriter.

In 2023 Smith stated he would make some guest appearances in the relaunch of Neighbours, but also said he was happy to call it a day. However in 2024 he returned to the role. [2]

Career

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Early career

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Smith started appearing in television roles in the late 1960s in guest roles in drama series for Crawford Productions, in police dramas Homicide, Division 4, Matlock Police and Bluey.

After having appeared in numerous guest parts, he got his major break gaining a regular role in television serial Bellbird; after this he made a guest appearance in serial The Box in 1975.

Prisoner

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Smith had guest roles in the Grundy Production series Glenview High and Chopper Squad. He worked concurrently behind the scenes with Grundy's as the associate producer and script editor of cult serial Prisoner, but also had a semi-regular role in the series as head of the Corrections Department, Ted Douglas.

Smith was not scheduled to play Ted Douglas, but the actor who had been contracted for the role did not show up on the day of filming and, given his acting experience, the crew said Smith should change hats and get in front of the camera.[3]

Neighbours

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Smith became famous through his portrayal of bumbling Harold Bishop in the soap opera Neighbours from 1987 to 1991, returning in 1996. He switched to recurring status from 2008 to 2009, becoming one of the program's longest-serving characters after 2,132 episodes. For his portrayal of Harold, Smith received a nomination for a Gold Logie Award in 2009.

In December 2010, Ryan Moloney revealed to TV Week that Smith would be returning to Neighbours in 2011. Smith appeared for six weeks from May 2011.[4] Smith returned to Neighbours in 2015, with former co-star Anne Charleston for the 30th anniversary. He also appeared in a documentary celebrating the anniversary titled Neighbours 30th: The Stars Reunite, which aired in Australia and the UK in March 2015.[5][6]

In April 2018, Smith admitted that he should have left Neighbours sooner and admits he felt typecast. Smith admitted "he wasn't aware he was becoming 'Harold from Neighbours while he was on the show" and joked that when he auditioned for other roles he would be told "Oh you were in Neighbours, you were Harold, you couldn't possibly be a murdering paedophile".[7]

In February 2022, Laura-Jayne Tyler of Inside Soap reported that Smith would be reprising his role to play a part in the show's finale.[8] Smith has filmed a part in an upcoming film titled Residence, playing Mike the Thaumaturge.[9]

I'm a Celebrity

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Smith featured in Series 11 of I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! to set the camp-mates challenges. He did not join the camp-mates.[10]

Theatre

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Smith has also worked in theatre since the late 1950s, including for companies J. C. Williamson's, Tivoli and Melbourne Theatre Company, in roles in productions Merry Widow, Camelot, My Fair Lady, Fiddler on the Roof, Antony and Cleopatra.

Personal life

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Smith was 54 when his mother Connie Smith, realising she had very little time to live, told him that he had been adopted. After her death, Smith went in search of his natural mother Peg Kline, whom he finally found. According to Kline's story, Smith was conceived when she was fourteen, the product of rape, and was put up for adoption. Kline eventually married and had two children from this marriage. She never told anyone besides her husband about her first son until she was contacted by Smith via a letter. Kline contacted Smith's wife Gail, who mentioned that her husband was a prominent Neighbours actor, to which Kline replied, "I've never seen Neighbours in my life". Smith and Kline were reunited and he built a strong relationship with his mother and two half-brothers, although Smith said that he did not feel a mother–son relationship. He called Kline "one of my best friends". Kline died in May 2005 after a battle with cancer. Smith told his story in an exclusive interview on the biographical documentary series Australian Story in March 2005. He had also described the situation in a BBC interview some years before.[citation needed]

Although Smith was brought up as a Roman Catholic,[11] in a 2008 interview, he identified as an atheist.[12]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
TBA Residence Mike the Thaumaturge Film
2009 Remembering Nigel Himself Film
1997 The Last of the Ryans Sir Arthur Rylah Film
1993 Body Melt Dr. Carrera Feature film

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
2023 Talking Prisoner Self Podcast Series, 1 episode
2021 How to Stay Married Father Michael TV series
2018 Hughesy, We Have a Problem Himself (Celebrity Problem segment) TV series
2015 Neighbours 30th: The Stars Reunite Himself TV special
2011 The British Soap Awards Presenter TV awards special
OK! TV Himself TV series
Loose Women Himself TV series
I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! Special guest TV series, season 11
2010 Underbelly: The Golden Mile Ken Wallis TV series
2009 Talkin' 'Bout Your Generation Himself TV series
The Jesus Spoon Buck Senior
2008 Loose Women Guest TV series
2007 Little Britain Down Under Himself Special thanks
2005 Australian Story Himself TV series
2002 It Shouldn't Happen to a... Soapstar Himself
2001 The Big Breakfast Guest TV series
2000 Neighbours Revealed Himself
Harold Bishop		 TV special
1996 The Genie from Down Under Race Judge TV series
1994 Blue Heelers Clive Burton TV series
1992 Noel's House Party Himself TV series
1991 Pebble Mill at One Himself TV series
That's Showbusiness Himself TV series
1990 Happy Birthday, Coronation Street Himself TV special
1987–91, 1996–2009, 2011, 2015, 2022, 2023–present Neighbours Harold Bishop TV series
1981 I Can Jump Puddles Mr. Slade TV series
1979–86 Prisoner Ted Douglas,
Rev. Potter,
Policeman		 TV series (also writer, script editor & associate producer)
1978 Chopper Squad TV series
1977 Glenview High Rocky TV series
Bluey Sen. Det. Davidson TV series
1975 Division 4 Mike Chapman TV series
Matlock Police Barry TV series
Quality of Mercy TV series
1974 Ryan TV series
Alpha Scorpio Unknown TV series
1972 Homicide Johnny Reid TV series
1971–73 Matlock Police Larry Fisher
Rick Cameron,
David Wishart,
Const. Graham Browning,
Estate Agent,
John Roberts		 TV series
1971 Homicide Michael Edmunds TV series
1969 Detective Dick Spencer
1967 Belbird Russell Ashwood TV series
1966 Homicide Ray Fox TV series

Theatre

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References

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  1. ^ "Interview Ian Smith". YouTube.
  2. ^ David Knox (21 April 2023). "Ian Smith: "I do want to retire"". TV Tonight.com.
  3. ^ Talking Prisoner Cell Block H Interview with Ian Smith Ted Douglas 2023 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtYTgYgBBxE
  4. ^ Millar, Paul (28 December 2010). "Harold Bishop returning to Ramsay Street". Digital Spy. Hachette Filipacchi UK. Retrieved 9 May 2011.
  5. ^ Knox, David (28 February 2015). "Airdate: Neighbours 30th: The Stars Reunite". TV Tonight. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  6. ^ Kilkelly, Daniel (4 March 2015). "Neighbours 30th anniversary schedule confirmed by Channel 5". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on 5 March 2015. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
  7. ^ Sandwell, Ian (18 April 2018). "Neighbours legend Ian Smith wishes he'd quit Harold Bishop role sooner". Digital Spy. Retrieved 13 May 2018.
  8. ^ Tyler, Laura-Jayne (26 February – 4 March 2022). "Harold comes home!". Inside Soap. No. 9. p. 13.
  9. ^ "Cast". Residence the film. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
  10. ^ Dean, Sarah (20 November 2011). "'I'm A Celebrity' Day 7: Ian Smith Joins The Jungle, Things Heat Up Between Emily Scott And Mark Wright, Sinitta Freaks Out AGAIN". The Huffington Post UK. Retrieved 6 September 2014.
  11. ^ Sale, Jonathan (13 December 2007). "Passed/Failed: An education in the life of Ian Smith, actor in 'Neighbours'". Independent.co.uk. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
  12. ^ " Ian himself is the longest-serving member of the cast, and fans are often shocked when they meet him, expecting him to be an old fuddy duddy like his famous alter ego. "I can't argue with any of his morals on life," Ian says. "He believes in honesty, in not doing anybody any harm, and doing an honest day's work for an honest day's pay. "As far as those things go, I pretty much base him on my own values, but I swear, I drink booze and I'm an atheist, so I am different to Harold." "Gemma Quaid interviewing Smith, 'Blue skies over Erinsborough', Birmingham Post, 9 February 2008, Features, TV & Radio, p. 32.
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