Michael Veitch

Michael Veitch (born 29 November 1962) is an Australian author, actor and broadcaster, best known for his roles on the sketch comedy television shows The D-Generation, Fast Forward and Full Frontal, as well as for his books on World War II aviation, marine science and travel.

Life and career Television Veitch attended Melbourne Grammar School and the University of Melbourne (where he completed an arts degree) where he participated in Melbourne University Revues. After one performance, producers from the ABC in 1985 commissioned The D-Generation, a half-hour weekly sketch comedy series. It was followed by a second season in 1987. Veitch performed a variety of characters over both seasons of the show, and went on to write and perform in the sketch comedy shows Fast Forward and Full Frontal on the Seven Network between 1989 and 1995.

As one of the lead performers, Veitch became known for impersonations and characterisations of current film and TV personalities such as Sonny (Skippy parody), Clive Robertson and Clive James as well as creating original characters, such as Wayne the airline steward which he created and performed alongside Steve Vizard.

In 2005, Veitch made a short-lived return to sketch comedy in Let Loose Live. Prior to the show's debut, Veitch had said in an interview with the Melbourne Age that

From 2006 to 2009, Veitch presented ABC Television's flagship arts magazine program, Sunday Arts; this was one of the roles which he had performed in parody a decade before on Fast Forward.

In 2012, Veitch starred in the award-winning short film Best Kept Secret, a mockumentary spoof on tourist promotion, filmed in Tasmania and directed by David Pyefinch.

Veitch joined the ensemble cast of the sketch comedy series Open Slather which began airing on Foxtel's The Comedy Channel in May 2015.

Books Veitch has written eleven books on the topics of history, military history, travel and Australia's role in the Pacific War. He has also pursued a lifelong interest in the aviation of the Second World War, the subject of his first three books. Flak – True stories from the men who flew in World War II published in 2006 by Pan Macmillan and later, Fly: True stories of courage and adventure from the airmen of World War II published by Penguin Australia in August 2008.

A third book, The Forgotten Islands, exploring the lesser-known islands of Bass Strait, was published by Penguin Australia in August 2011. In 2015, Veitch wrote Southern Surveyor, a book about the CSIRO's Marine National Facility's research vessel.

Also in 2015, Veitch produced a third volume of Second World War airman stories, Heroes of the Skies, published by Penguin Books. In July 2016, he released 44 Days – 75 Squadron and the Fight for Australia through Hachette Australia. This work explores the six-week period in early 1942 when a single squadron of RAAF airmen defended Port Moresby against the ascendant Japanese. His seventh book, detailing the ordeal of an Australian airmen fighting with the French Resistance in 1944, was released by Hachette in late 2017.

Radio In 2010, Veitch moved to Hobart, Tasmania, to host afternoons on 936 ABC Hobart local ABC radio. At the beginning of 2012, he began hosting the evening program across Tasmania. Later that year, he left ABC local radio to commence working with a theatre production, with his final broadcast occurring on 20 September 2012.

Theatre In 2003, Veitch played one of the lead roles in the Australian production of the musical The Full Monty, based on the 1997 film. In 2004, he starred in the musical comedy It's a Dad Thing which toured nationally.

In 2009, Veitch played the lead role of Molly Meldrum in the Melbourne musical comedy Countdown, a tribute to the iconic Countdown TV show of the 1970s and '80s. Veitch was praised for his performance, one reviewer remarking (of the show's return in 2011), "renowned Australian actor Michael Veitch brings the role of Molly Meldrum to life – his portrayal is nothing short of outstanding. One would be forgiven for thinking that Meldrum himself was back on stage. Veitch's imitation skills are flawless and his comic timing is second to none."

In 2014 and 2015, Veitch toured Australia in Flak – True stories from the men who flew in World War Two, a one-man stage version of his aviation books, in which he performs, in character, several of the men whose war stories he uncovered in his books Flak and Fly.

Personal life Veitch has a daughter who edited the student magazine Farrago, and two sons. In 2020, he was admitted into the RAAF as a Special Reservist officer, joining the History and Heritage Branch as a Community Liaison Officer with the rank of Squadron Leader.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Type 1984 The Bark is Worse than the Byte Short film 1992 Garbo Town Clerk Feature film 1993 A Royal Commission Into the Australian Economy Alan Bond / Prime Minister Paul Keating TV movie 1993 The Making of Nothing Morris Burke TV movie 1994 Lucky Break (aka Paperbook Romance) Det Sgt Scott Feature film 1996 Brilliant Lies Paul Connor Feature film 1996 Turning April Additional voice Feature film 2000 The Magic Pudding Fergus the Bandicoot (voice) Animated feature film 2002 The Real Thing Commercial Director Feature film 2003 Take Away Barry Burgie in Burgies TV Commercial (uncredited / voice) Feature film 2005 The Extra Doctor Feature film 2005 The Adventures of Roman Pilgrim Guardian of the Threshold Short film 2005 Ten Feet Tall Doug Short film 2012 Best Kept Secret Short film 2017 The Fox Timekeeper Short film

Television Year Title Role Type 1986–87 The D-Generation Sonny / Clive Robertson / Clive James / Wayne the airline steward TV series, 16 episodes 1988–89 The D-Generation Goes Commercial Various characters TV specials, 4 episodes 1989 Space Knights Blunderblock Puppetry TV series 1989–92 Fast Forward Kelvin Cunnington / Redmond Herring / various characters TV sketch series, 90 episodes 1992 Bligh Governor William Bligh TV series, 13 episodes 1993 Stark TV Presenter TV miniseries 1993–94 Full Frontal Various characters/ Announcements TV sketch series, 20 episodes 1995 Halifax f.p. Doctor Baker TV series, 1 episode 1995 Jimeoin Various characters TV sketch series, 10 episodes 1996 Mercury Rocco Kostas TV series, 2 episodes 1996 In Melbourne Tonight Various characters (including Fergie) TV variety series 1996; 2003 Blue Heelers John Garris / Det Sgt Daryl Darcy TV series, 2 episodes 1997 Eric Various characters TV sketch series, 9 episodes 1997 Ocean Girl First Officer Danton TV series, 10 episodes 1997 Get a Life Trevor Bayliss TV series 1998 Driven Crazy Mr Bellows TV series, 1 episode 1997–98 Li'l Elvis and the Truckstoppers Duncan (voice) Animated TV series, 26 episodes 1999 Chuck Finn Franke Tingalla TV series, 1 episode 1999 The Late Report Various characters TV sketch series 2000 Something in the Air Ralph Dewey TV series, 3 episodes 2000; 2003 Pizza Nerd / John Pokonjak TV comedy series, 2 episodes 2001–02 Shock Jock Jack Piper TV series, 26 episodes 2002 McLeod's Daughters Lenny Bradshaw TV series. 2 episodes 2003 Comedy Inc TV series 2004 Stingers Donny Swan TV series, 1 episode 2005 Let Loose Live Various characters TV series, 2 episodes 2005–09 Sunday Arts Presenter TV series 2006–11 Dogstar Mark Clark (voice) Animated TV series, 52 episodes 2010 City Homicide Scott Meyers TV series, 1 episode 2011 Dogstar: Christmas in Space Mark Clark (voice) Animated TV movie 2014 Black Comedy Guest cast TV series, 1 episode 2015 Open Slather Various characters TV series, 20 episodes

Theatre Year Title Role Location 1981 The Cherry Orchard Pyetya Trofimov University of Melbourne, The Mill Theatre, Newtown, College Church Hall, Parkville 1981 Saved Harry University of Melbourne with The Previous Theatre Company 1984 Ivanov Anthill Theatre, Melbourne with Australian Nouveau Theatre 1985 Too Cool for Sandals University of Melbourne, The Last Laugh, Collingwood 1986 Macbeth Warehouse, South Melbourne with Australian Nouveau Theatre 1991 A Royal Commission into the Australian Economy Universal Theatre for Melbourne International Comedy Festival 1993 The Dutch Courtesan Master Mulligrub Russell Street Theatre with Melbourne Theatre Company 1993 Much Ado About Nothing Borachio Playhouse, Melbourne, Theatre Royal, Hobart, Princess Theatre, Launceston with Melbourne Theatre Company 1994 Loot Mietta’s, Melbourne (also director) 1994 Red Nose Comedy Night Festival Theatre, Adelaide 1994 See How They Run Mietta’s, Melbourne 2002 All Het Up Czech House, Melbourne for Melbourne Fringe Festival 2003 The Full Monty Harold Nichols State Theatre, Melbourne & Australian national tour 2004 It's a Dad Thing Australian national tour 2009; 2011 Countdown Molly Meldrum Melbourne production 2011 The Sound of Music Herr Zeller Hobart with Exit Left Productions 2014–15 Flak – True stories from the men who flew in World War Two One man show - various characters Australian national tour 2018 Opening Gala Concert MC / Compere Opera Pavilion, Olinda for Yarra Valley Opera Festival 2018 The Handmaid’s Tale Professor Pieixoto Opera Pavilion, Olinda for Yarra Valley Opera Festival 2019 A Very Very Very Short History of Opera MC / Narrator Memorial Hall, Healesville for The Opera Studio