Alex Papps

Alex Papps (born 11 February 1969) is an Australian actor, television host, writer and singer.

Early life Papps was born in Melbourne in 1969, to Apollo Papps who, though identifying as Greek, was born in Cairo, Egypt and a mother of English and Jewish descent. Both his parents were teachers and later amateur theatre directors. He attended Belgrave Kindergarten, Upwey South Primary School, Tecoma Primary, and Upwey High School. He performed in a number of theatre productions prior to leaving school.

Papps went on to study drama and media at Box Hill College of TAFE in Melbourne. He went on to secure his first major television role in children's series The Henderson Kids II, which aired on Network Ten. He attended an open audition for the show and after a couple of screen tests, he was cast as Vinnie Cerantino, the leader of the Brown Street Boys gang. Frank was the first character to appear on the series, in its 1988 pilot, and the first foster kid taken in by Pippa and Tom. The following year, he won the Logie Award for Most Popular New Talent.

From 1987 to 1989, Papps was also co-host of music program The Factory, alongside Andrew Daddo, airing on the ABC on Saturday mornings. He next joined the cast of medical drama The Flying Doctors, as the local mechanic, Nick Cardaci, from 1989 to 1990. After The Flying Doctors, Papps appeared in several theatre productions and studied acting in Perth for three years. He appeared in the feature film Head On and guested in an episode of Stingers. he began his tenure as a long-time presenter in 2005, alongside former Home and Away co-star Justine Clarke (who had played his girlfriend Roo Stewart, and with whom he also later appeared in the ABC drama series The Time of Our Lives).

In 2014, Papps released an album of children's songs, called Let's Put the Beat in Our Feet. which was nominated for an ARIA Award.

In 2017, Papps had a guest role on ABC series Seven Types of Ambiguity, playing the role of Robert Henshaw. The same year, actively on the audition trail, and committed to kick-starting a new phase of his acting career, Papps made a guest appearance on drama series Offspring. He played the role of Simon, who had a fling with single mother Billie Proudman (Kat Stewart), towards the end of her marriage.

The following year, Papps returned to Home and Away, alongside co-star Nicolle Dickson (who played his foster sister and later, wife) to celebrate the Home and Away 30th-anniversary commemoration.

Papps' other acting credits include Fisk, Ms Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries, Seven Types of Ambiguity and Blue Heelers,

He has written for Home and Away and Play School.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1998 Head On Peter Feature film 2006 Five Moments of Infidelity Anthony / Husband Feature film (segment 4)

Television

Theatre As actor Year Title Role Notes Ref. 1990 This Old Man Comes Rolling Home Russell St Theatre, Melbourne with MTC 1991 The Marriage of Fabio Singer Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne with Victoria State Opera 1991–1992 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Muddles Sunderland Empire Theatre, UK 1993–1994 Cinderella Buttons Pavilion Theatre, Weymouth, UK, Sunderland Empire, Sands Centre, Carlisle 1996 Emma Griffith Ex-Servicemens Club with Riverina Theatre Company 2006 Sleepless Night Fairfax Studio, Melbourne with Arts Centre Melbourne for Short+Sweet Romeo and Juliet Romeo Southbank Theatre, Melbourne with MTC 2011 Sober Director Randy's Anticrisis Director 2013 The Last Temptation of Randy Director Lithuanian Club, Melbourne for Melbourne Fringe Festival Aladdin Director Assembly Rooms, Royal Tunbridge Wells, UK

Awards and nominations Year Work Award Category Result 1988 Home and Away Logie Awards Most Popular New Talent 2014 Let's Put the Beat in Our Feet ARIA Awards Best Children's Album