Marshall Napier

James Marshall Napier (22 October 1951 – 14 August 2022) was a New Zealand-born character actor, playwright and graphic artist. He is known for a succession of strong supporting roles in Australasian films and television shows. He also had a notable stage career.

Biography Napier grew up in the city of Lower Hutt and was educated at Hutt Valley High School. He is the father of James Reuben Napier, actress Jessica Napier, and Rose Napier. He is the uncle of film director James Napier Robertson.

Before becoming an actor, Napier worked variously as a labourer, factory hand, and truck driver. He also spent a year studying graphic design at the Wellington Polytechnic. He landed his first professional acting job in 1975, at Wellington's Downstage Theatre.

In 1988, he moved with his wife and two young children to Australia, hoping to further his acting career. He soon became an established name in film, theatre, and television. His play Freak Winds has been performed in Australia, New Zealand, United States and Canada; other plays have been broadcast on Australia's ABC radio.

His starring role in Bellbird (2019) resulted in the film receiving awards at several international film festivals.

Death

Napier died from brain cancer on 14 August 2022 in Canberra at the age of 70.

Theatre

As performer Year Title Role Type 1971 Marat/Sade Jaques Roux Studio Workshop 1972 The Day Flanagan Died Berney Flanagan Studio Workshop 1973 Major Barbara Bill Walker Unity Theatre, Wellington 1975 Bully Pete Downstage Theatre, NZ 1976 Ubu Roi Captain MacNure Downstage Theatre, NZ 1976 Three Sisters Rode Downstage Theatre, NZ 1976 Othello Soldier Downstage Theatre, NZ 1976 Happy Birthday, Wanda June Colonel 'Looseleaf' Harper Downstage Theatre, NZ 1977 The Tooth of Crime Hoss Unity Theatre, Wellington 1978 Twelfth Night Sir Toby Belch Centrepoint Theatre, NZ 1978 The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui Gigi / Dogsborough Circa Theatre, NZ 1978 The One Day of the Year Alf Four Seasons Theatre 1978 Huffers Tour 1979 Stiff Bix Kabaret Various Rock Theatre 1980 Steel Heels Various Unity Theatre, Wellington 1981 The Dumb Waiter Ben Tour 1982 The Duchess of Malfi Ferdinand Circa Theatre, NZ 1983 Tooth and Claw Mime Downstage Theatre, NZ 1984 Insignificance The Senator Circa Theatre, NZ 1985 Country Cops Waddell Circa Theatre, NZ 1986 Loose Connections Rick Thomas Downstage Theatre, NZ 1991 Diving for Pearls Den Belvoir Street Theatre 1994 All Souls Joe Stables Theatre with Griffin Theatre Company 1996 A View from the Bridge Eddie Carbone Belvoir Street Theatre 1996 Simpatico Carter Wharf Theatre with STC 1996 Speaking in Tongues Leon / Nick Stables Theatre with Griffin Theatre Company 1997 The Herbal Bed Dr John Hall Wharf Theatre with STC 1997 Waiting for Godot Vladimir / Estragon Q Theatre 2000 Alarms and Excursions Actor A Ensemble Theatre 2000 Freak Winds Ernest Old Fitzroy Theatre with Hydra Theatre Company 2002 Angel City Wheeler Old Fitzroy Theatre 2006 Freak Winds Ernest Arclight Theater, New York 2008 Frost/Nixon Nixon Fairfax Studio with MTC 2009 The Birthday Party Goldberg Fairfax Studio with MTC 2010 The Power of Yes Howard Davies & various Belvoir Street Theatre 2010 The Schelling Point Kubrick Old Fitzroy Theatre 2011 In the Next Room (or The Vibrator Play) Mr Daldry Sydney Opera House, Southbank Theatre Melbourne, Riverside Theatres Parramatta with STC 2011 Stainless Steel Rat Mark Stephens / Eric J Holder Jnr / Journalist Seymour Centre with Harrison Productions 2012 The Gift Ed Auckland Theatre Company 2013 Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Big Daddy Belvoir Street Theatre, Theatre Royal, Sydney 2013 All My Sons Joe Keller Eternity Playhouse, Sydney , Darlinghurst Theatre 2015–17 The Present Ivan Chekhov's Platonov adapted by Andrew Upton with STC & Broadway tour

As crew Year Title Role Type 2006 Freak Winds Director / Playwright Arclight Theater, New York

Filmography

Film

Television

Activism In 2002, he and his daughter, Jessica Napier, won $64,000 in the Australian version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? for a South Australian animal rights group. Both are animal rights supporters and vegetarians.