David McPhail

David Alexander McPhail (11 April 1945 – 14 May 2021) was a New Zealand comedic actor and writer whose television career spanned four decades. McPhail first won fame on sketch comedy show A Week of It, partly thanks to his impressions of New Zealand prime minister Robert Muldoon. He went on to appear in multiple series of sketch show McPhail and Gadsby, and hit comedy Letter to Blanchy. All three shows featured his longtime friend Jon Gadsby.

Early life and family McPhail was born in Christchurch on 11 April 1945, the son of Alexander Edward McPhail and his second wife, Ivy Freda Halford. His father was described as a "devout atheist" of Scottish descent who was a businessman and chairman of New Zealand Rugby. His half-siblings included Neil McPhail and Clement McPhail, both of whom represented Canterbury at rugby. David McPhail was educated at Cathedral Grammar School and Christchurch Boys' High School, and went on to study at the University of Canterbury.

McPhail went on to create and appear in at least seven series of skit show McPhail and Gadsby, co-starring his A Week of It colleague Jon Gadsby, and backwoods comedy Letter to Blanchy, which spawned a 2008 play.

McPhail starred in the two seasons of the series Seven Periods with Mr Gormsby. McPhail plays Gormsby, a dominating, old-fashioned school teacher who ruffles feathers when he begins teaching at a low-decile school i.e. a school in a low-income area. McPhail went on to play eccentric superhero The Green Termite in The Amazing Extraordinary Friends. He was presented the Reilly Comedy Award from the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand in 2003. In the 2008 New Year Honours, he was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to television and the theatre.

Personal life McPhail married Anne McLeod on 25 February 1967. He had two children. He was 76, and suffered a heart attack prior to his death.

Credits Television A Week of It (1977–1979) McPhail and Gadsby (1980–1987, 1997–1998) Issues (1991) The Life & Times of Te Tutu (director) Crumpy (director) Then Comes Love by James Griffin (director) Amazing Extraordinary Friends (2007–2010)

Theatre Then Comes Love (director, 2005) Muldoon – Downstage Theatre, Wellington, (25 June – 17 July 2004) — a play about the former New Zealand Prime Minister Robert Muldoon