Simon Burke

Simon Gareth Burke (born 8 October 1961) is an Australian actor, active in films, television and theatre.

Biography Simon Burke began his career at the age of 12, starring in Michael Cove's Kookaburra (1974); a painful look at a dysfunctional working-class family, focusing particularly on an almost autistic young boy. Soon after at the age of 13, Burke starred in Fred Schepisi's acclaimed feature film The Devil's Playground for which he won the AFI Award for Best Actor at the Australian Film Institute Awards. He remains the youngest person ever to be honoured with this award. Since then he has enjoyed great success both in Australia and internationally in film, television, stage, concert appearances and cabaret.

In 2014, Burke starred in Matchbox Pictures/NBC-Universal's highly acclaimed miniseries Devil's Playground in which he reprised the role of Tom Allen that he created as a 13-year-old. He was the co-creator and executive producer of the project, and in the same year it won both the AACTA and Logie Award for Most Outstanding Telefeature or Miniseries.

He has since starred in numerous film, television and theatre productions in Australia and the UK. He starred as Captain Georg von Trapp in The Sound of Music at the London Palladium alongside Connie Fisher and then Summer Strallen. He also played the role of Mr Banks in Mary Poppins in Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and Auckland.

Burke was Federal President of Actors Equity Australia (2004–14). He is currently a Vice President of the International Federation of Actors (FIA), a global federation of performers, trade unions, guilds and professional associations.

On 10 September 2015, at the Queens Birthday Honours ceremony presided over by the Governor of New South Wales, General David Hurley, Burke was made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) with the following citation: For distinguished service to the performing arts as an actor, singer and producer, and through senior advocacy roles for performers' rights and access to professional development and education programs.

Simon Burke is also well remembered for his long term stint as a presenter on the children's television series Play School from 1988 to 2007 then 2013 and again in 2020.

Personal life In 2016 he publicly identified himself as being gay.

Filmography

Film

Television

Theatre Year Title Role Notes 1974 Kookaburra Nimrod Theatre Company 1979: Romeo and Juliet Nimrod Theatre Company 1980 Pirates at the Barn Nimrod Theatre Company 1981 The Choir Nimrod Theatre Company 1983 Are You Lonesome Tonight? Nimrod Theatre Company 1985 Jonah Jones Waxy Wharf Theatre for Sydney Theatre Company 1986 Jonah Jones Jonah Jones Wharf Theatre for Sydney Theatre Company 1986 Company Harry Sydney Opera House for Sydney Theatre Company 1987–88 Les Misérables Marius Theatre Royal 1989–90 Anything Goes Billy Crocker Australia/New Zealand tour - won Green Room Award for Best Actor in a Musical 1992-93 The Phantom of the Opera Raoul Her Majesty's Theatre, London Leonardo the Musical: A Portrait of Love Leonardo Old Fire Station Oxford Cabaret Cliff Crucible Theatre, Sheffield The Life of the World to Come Almeida Theatre The Wild Party Burrs Take Flight George Puttnam 1994: Nosferatu the Vampire The Innkeeper Concept cast recording 1994 Jeffrey Steve London premiere at Greenwich Theatre They're Playing Our Song Vernon 1994 Falsettos Whizzer Sydney Opera House, then tour of Victoria, Hobart & Canberra for Sydney Theatre Company - nominated Best Musical Performance Sydney Theatre Critics' Circle Awards 1996 A Little Night Music Carl-Magnus Royal National Theatre with Dame Judi Dench 1998 The Herbal Bed Rafe Smith Sydney Theatre Company interstate tour 1999 She Stoops to Conquer Sydney Theatre Company 1999–2000 Chicago Billy Flynn Sydney, Perth, Brisbane, Singapore, Hong Kong 2001 Up for Grabs Gerry World premiere at Sydney Opera House for Sydney Theatre Company 2002 Mr. Kolpert Bastian Sydney Theatre Company 2004 High Society CK Dexter Haven State Theatre, Victorian Arts Centre for The Production Company 2005–06 Three Furies – Scenes from the Life of Francis Bacon Francis Bacon Sydney Festival, Perth Festival & Adelaide Festival - nominated Best Actor Sydney Theatre Awards 2006 2007 Company Harry Theatre Royal for Kookaburra Musical Theatre 2007 October Detective Dick World premiere for Griffin Theatre Company 2007 The Adventures of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie and Little Ragged Blossom Mr Lizard / Baby Koala Theatre Royal 2007–08 The Sound of Music Captain Georg von Trapp London Palladium 2009 When the Rain Stops Falling Joe Almeida Theatre, European premiere Australia Plays Broadway Host / Performer Carnegie Hall Take Me Out Mason Marzac Australian premiere for Melbourne Theatre Company Satango World premiere for Griffin Theatre Company 2009 La Cage aux Folles Georges Playhouse Theatre, London 2010 The Sound of Music Captain Georg von Trapp Princess of Wales Theatre, Toronto 2010 Holding the Man Dick Conigrave Trafalgar Studios, London 2010–12 Mary Poppins Mr Banks Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Auckland 2013 Mrs. Warren's Profession Praed Wharf Theatre for Sydney Theatre Company 2014 La Cage aux Folles Georges Victorian Arts Centre for The Production Company 2017 The Homosexuals, or Faggots Warren Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne 2017 Noises Off Lloyd Dallas Queensland Theatre Company, Melbourne Theatre Company 2018 Strangers in Between Peter Fortyfivedownstairs, Melbourne 2019 Mary Stuart Amias Paulet Kate Mulvany's adaptation at Roslyn Packer Theatre, Sydney Theatre Company 2020–21 Pippin Charlemagne Sydney Lyric Theatre 2021–24 Moulin Rouge! The Musical Harold Zidler Regent Theatre, Melbourne, Capitol Theatre, Sydney, QPAC Brisbane) - winner of Sydney Theatre Award for Best Performance in a Supporting role in a Musical 2022 2024 Wicked The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Australian Tour2026The Elocution of Benjamin FranklinRobert O'BrienGriffin Theatre Company