Serge Lazareff

Serge Constantine Lazareff (7 August 1944 – 20 August 2021) was an Australian actor and screenwriter/editor, who was born in Shanghai, China. He appeared in 54 screen roles from the late 1960s until 1999, before starting a second career as a writer for TV series.

Career Lazareff performed in many Australian television series from the late 1960s to the late 1990s. He featured in The Sullivans and made numerous appearances in Crawford Productions police procedural shows including Homicide, Division 4, Matlock Police and Chopper Squad. He had a featured part in the 1970 ABC-TV drama series Dynasty as John and Kathy’s university student son, Christopher. He also starred in Cash and Company, a 1970s historical adventure series, as the bushranger of the title, Sam Cash, and in cult soap opera Prisoner as David Andrews.

Lazareff is probably best remembered by Australian audiences for his role as Ray Turner in the 1970s TV drama Young Ramsay, in which he starred alongside friend and co-star John Hargreaves.

In 1976, Lazareff starred in six-part ABC sitcom The Rise and Fall of Wellington Boots as Alexander 'Boots' Wellington, a latter-day Huckleberry Finn. He also appeared in The Young Doctors, playing fake Dr Ian Parish (whose real name was revealed to be Jack Trainer).

Further television credits included Spyforce, Boney Glenview High, Cop Shop, Bellamy, Carson's Law, A Country Practice, Special Squad, and Sons and Daughters. In 1988, he starred as Neil Travers in short-lived soap opera Richmond Hill, and in 1989 E Street he played rapist and murderer Sam Bullmer.

His film credits include biographical bushranger film Ned Kelly (1970) alongside Mick Jagger, western comedy The True Story of Eskimo Nell (1975) and World War I film The Lighthorsemen (1987).

From the late 1980s, Lazareff worked primarily as a writer and script editor for TV series including Heartbreak High, A Country Practice, Water Rats, All Saints, Home and Away, Neighbours, Mission Top Secret and Head Start.

Death Lazareff died in August 2021, after apparently having been ill for some time. Although there were no mainstream media reports, he was included in the 2022 Logie Awards "In Memoriam" montage, alongside Bert Newton, Shane Warne, Jeanne Little and Dieter Brummer, while Tim Minchin performed an accompanying musical tribute.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Type 1971 3 to Go: Judy Mike Short film 1972 Flashpoint David Feature film 1975 Sidecar Racers Bluey Wilson Feature film The True Story of Eskimo Nell (aka Dick Down Under) Mexico Pete Feature film 1976 Eliza Fraser Doyle Feature film 1977 Say You Want Me Tony Crosby Feature film 1982 The Best of Friends Colin Feature film 1986 Departure Simon Swift Feature film 1987 The Lighthorsemen Major George Rankin Feature film 1989 Luigi's Ladies Trev Feature film

Television

Theatre Year Title Role Notes Ref1967 The Insect Play Otto UNSW with NIDA Camino Real Casanova (ACT III) / The Dreamer (Act I/II) Old Wives Tale Clunch / Huanebango / Sexton Viet Rock Production Course Graduation Plays: The Blind Men King Lamprido Jane St Theatre, Sydney with UNSW / NIDA 1968 A Singular Man Ensemble Theatre, Sydney An Enemy of the People 1970 We Bombed in Newhaven Australian tour with Ensemble Theatre, Sydney Tom Nimrod St Theatre, Sydney with MTC 1972 Rooted Nimrod St Theatre, Sydney 1975 Down Under Stables Theatre, Sydney with King O'Malley Theatre Company The Joss Adams Show Nimrod St Theatre, Sydney 1976 Perfectly Alright 1979 The Warhorse Q Theatre, Penrith 1983 All My Sons Sydney Opera House with Ensemble Theatre 1987 D Week Stables Theatre, Sydney with Griffin Theatre Company 1988 The Warhorse Ensemble Theatre, Sydney Source: