Nicholas Eadie

Nicholas Eadie (13 March 1958 – 22 January 2025) was an Australian television, film and theatre actor.

Early life and education Born in Sydney, New South Wales to actor and Australian Broadcasting Commission radio announcer Mervyn Eadie, he attended Waverley College from 1968 to 1976, studied Arts at University of New England for one year in 1977, and studied at the National Institute of Dramatic Art from 1978 to 1980.

Career

Film and television Eadie's career began shortly after his graduation from NIDA, landing the role of Constable Sam Phillips on Cop Shop (1981–1982). He stayed on the series for two years. He then appeared in several films, including Undercover (1983), Kindred Spirits, Run Chrissie Run! (both 1984), and Jenny Kissed Me (1986). He gained further success in family drama series The Henderson Kids (1985) alongside Kylie Minogue and Ben Mendelsohn, playing the part of the protagonists' uncle, Mike Henderson.

He won the Australian Film Institute's Best Actor in Miniseries award in 1987 for Vietnam, in which he co-starred with Nicole Kidman and Barry Otto. In 1988, he played a rich would-be suitor in The Man from Snowy River II endeavouring to court Jessica Harrison (played by Sigrid Thornton). Eadie was nominated again for his 1988 portrayal of World War II Academy Award-winning cameraman Damien Parer in John Duigan's Fragments of War

Further notable television roles included a recurring role in medical drama Medivac (1996), as well as appearing in long-running series A Country Practice (1993). In 2002, Eadie was nominated for yet another AFI Award for Halifax f.p. (for one of two episodes he appeared in).

Eadie's final screen role was as Father John Brosnan in the 2011 TV film, Underbelly Files: The Man Who Got Away, the story of Australian drug smuggler David McMillan.

Theatre Eadie worked with all the major Australian theatre companies with over 45 credits to his name. He appeared in leading roles in plays as diverse as Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie as The Gentleman Caller in a highly acclaimed performance in 1985, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof as Brick (opposite Victoria Longley as Maggie and Bud Tingwell as Big Daddy) in 1991. He played John Proctor in three separate productions of The Crucible (Royal Queensland Theatre Company in 1991, STC in 1993, and STCSA in 2002).

In Sydney's Botanical Gardens, Eadie performed for three seasons as Oberon in Glenn Elston's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. He played Sam in the original cast of Mamma Mia! in Australia for two years. He was in the world premiere productions of Michael Gow's Furious, Hannie Raison's Two Brothers, Tommy Murphy's Holding the Man and the highly acclaimed Myth, Propaganda and Disaster in Nazi Germany and Contemporary America by Stephen Sewell.

Further stage credits included Macbeth, Three Sisters, Summer of the Aliens, Two Weeks with the Queen, Furious, and Third World Blues.

Eadie's final acting role before his death was a 2015 stage production of Cock at the Old Fitzroy Theatre in Sydney.

Personal life and death In 2016, Eadie was robbed at knifepoint whilst on holiday in Barcelona, and was admitted to hospital for three days. In 2017, he was again in hospital for a major operation, resulting in a slow and difficult recovery, rendering him unable to return to acting on stage.

In his later years, Eadie worked as an Uber driver, which he claimed to love, enjoying the freedom of being 'his own boss' – while also stating he did not miss acting. His death was announced by fellow actor Will Conyers on social media.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 1983 Undercover Frank Bugden 1986 Run Chrissie Run! Toe 1986 Jenny Kissed Me Steve Anderson 1988 The Man from Snowy River II Alistair Patton Jr. 1989 Celia Ray Carmichael 1990 Prisoners of the Sun Sergeant Keenan 1990 Aya Frank 1995 Dad and Dave: On Our Selection Cyril Riley 2000 Savage Honeymoon Mickey Savage 2005 Still Life Ron Short film 2005 Jewboy Isaac

TV series Year Title Role Notes 1981–1982 Cop Shop Constable Sam Phillips 138 episodes 1984 Kindred Spirits Ben TV movie 1984 Special Squad Driscoll 1 episode 1985 The Henderson Kids Uncle Mike Henderson 24 episodes 1985 The Lancaster Miller Affair Bill Lancaster Miniseries, 3 episodes 1987 Frontier James Stephen Miniseries, 3 episodes 1987 Vietnam Phil Goddard Miniseries, 10 episodes 1988 Australians Folland Miniseries, 2 episodes 1988 Fragments of War: The Story of Damien Parer Damien Parer TV movie 1989; 1996 G.P. Dennis Harper / Emile 2 episodes 1990 Yellowthread Street Finn Episode 4: "Middleman" 1992 Tracks of Glory Floyd MacFarland Miniseries, 2 episodes 1992 Embassy Edward Logan Season 3, episode 9: "Man of Straw" 1993 A Country Practice Dave Carmody Season 13, 2 episodes 1994 Over the Hill Don Spencer 1994 Halifax f.p.: Words Without Music Ian Moffat TV movie, season 1, episode 2 1996 Medivac Dr. Red Buchanan 15 episodes 1997 Frontier Miniseries 1997 Adrenalin Cyril Riley TV movie 1998 A Difficult Woman Peter MacFarlane Miniseries, 3 episodes 2000 The Lost World Kaysan Season 1, episode 21: "Prophecy" 2000 Halifax f.p.: A Hate Worse Than Death Ian Laser TV movie, season 5, episode 3 2000 BeastMaster Arkon Season 2, episode 9: "Heart Like a Lion" 2006 The Society Murders Damian Wales TV movie 2011 Underbelly Files: The Man Who Got Away Father John Brosnan TV movie

Theatre Year Title Role Notes 1979 The Three Sisters Jane Street Theatre, Sydney, with NIDA 1979 The Caucasian Chalk Circle The Easter Revolution – Architect / The Story of Grusha – Merchant / The Story of Azdak – Farmer Sydney Opera House with STC & NIDA Jane Street Company 1979 The Fire Raisers NIDA Theatre, Sydney 1979 Saved Jane Street Theatre, Sydney with NIDA 1980 The Women Pirates Ann Bonney and Mary Read Jack Rackham NIDA Theatre, Sydney, University of Newcastle, Playhouse, Canberra with NIDA 1980 Strife William Scantlebury NIDA Theatre, Sydney, with STC 1982 Macbeth Sydney Opera House 1983 True West Q Theatre, Penrith 1983 The Sentimental Bloke Q Theatre, Penrith 1983 In Duty Bound Marian Street Theatre, Sydney 1984 Extremities Raul St Martins Youth Arts Centre, Melbourne, Space Theatre, Adelaide with Playbox 1985 The Glass Menagerie The Gentleman Caller Phillip Street Theatre, Sydney 1985 Pride and Prejudice RQTC 1986 And a Nightingale Sang Soldier Sydney Opera House with Gary Penny Productions 1988 Othello Cassio Hyde Park Barracks, Sydney with Dramaturgical Services 1988 Death of a Salesman Glen Street Theatre, Sydney, with Peter & Ellen Williams & Forest Theatre Company 1988 Don's Party Don Sydney Opera House, Melbourne Athenaeum with Gary Penny Productions, Hocking & Woods, & Kinselas Productions 1990 Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Brick Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC 1990 Three Sisters Sydney Opera House with STC 1990 Present Laughter Morris Dixon Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC 1991 The Crucible John Proctor Suncorp Theatre, Brisbane with RQTC 1991; 1994 Furious Wharf Theatre, Sydney, Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne, Space Theatre, Adelaide with STC 1992 Away Blackfriars Theatre with STC 1992; 1993 Two Weeks with the Queen Dad / Uncle Bob / Griff / Doctor Wharf Theatre, Sydney, Playhouse, Adelaide, Ford Theatre, Geelong, Her Majesty's Theatre, Ballarat, Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne, with STC & MTC 1993; 1995; 1996 A Midsummer Night's Dream Oberon Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne, Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney with ASC 1993 The Crucible John Proctor Canberra Theatre with STC 1993 Summer of the Aliens The Father Wharf Theatre, Sydney, with STC 1997 Third World Blues Sydney Opera House with STC 1997 Gulls Playhouse, Adelaide with STCSA 1997 Gary's House Adelaide Festival Centre with STCSA 1997–1998; 1999 The Taming of the Shrew Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne, Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney with ASC 1999 Big Hair in America The Butter Factory Theatre, Wodonga with HotHouse Theatre 2000 How I Learned to Drive Space Theatre, Adelaide with STCSA 2001 Dinner with Friends Marian Street Theatre, Sydney 2001 Mamma Mia! Sam Princess Theatre, Melbourne 2002 The Crucible John Proctor STCSA 2003 Myth, Propaganda and Disaster in Nazi Germany and Contemporary America Talbot Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne, Dunstan Playhouse, Adelaide, with Playbox & STCSA 2004 What the Butler Saw Dr Prentice Belvoir, Sydney 2004 Scenes from a Separation Matthew Molyneux Sydney Opera House with STC 2005 Two Brothers Tom Playhouse, Melbourne, Sydney Opera House, Playhouse, Canberra, Newcastle Civic Theatre, Glen Street Theatre, Sydney, Illawarra Performing Arts Centre with STC, MTC, CTC & Merrigong Theatre Company 2006 The Night Heron Stables Theatre, Sydney with Scorch Theatre & Stablemates 2006 Holding the Man Neil Armstrong / Scarecrow / Dick Conigrave / Bob Caleo / Derge / Woody / Franco / Doctor 1 / Theatre Director / NIDA Actor Stables Theatre, Sydney, Sydney Opera House, Belvoir Street Theatre, Sydney, Brisbane Powerhouse, Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne, with Griffin Theatre Company 2010 Orestes 2.0 Menelaus Stables Theatre, Sydney, with Cry Havoc & Griffin Independent 2010 Macbeth Macbeth Darlinghurst Theatre, Sydney 2013 Jerusalem Rooster Byron New Theatre, Sydney 2014 Scandalous Boy Hadrian The Street Theatre, Acton, Canberra 2015 Cock Boyfriend's father Old Fitzroy Theatre, Sydney, with Red Line Productions