Tony Bonner

Anthony Frederick Bonner (born 23 November 1943) is an Australian television, film, and stage actor and singer. Bonner became famous in the 1960s children's television series Skippy the Bush Kangaroo, later moving on to lead roles in the dramas Cop Shop and Skyways.

Early life and education Anthony Frederick Bonner was born in Manly, a northern beach suburb of Sydney. His grandfather, James Bonner, was a former Mayor of Manly and founding President of the Manly Life Saving Club. His father, Frederick Bonner, was a musical comedy actor at Her Majesty's Theatre, Sydney. His mother was born Josephine Sheidow and was, a 1935 article announcing her engagement to Frederick Bonner claimed, 'well known in the swimming world.' She was also known as a singer.

After leaving school Bonner started work for a company supplying mannequins and other equipment for window dressing. He also worked part-time in his father's theatre as a wardrobe attendant, fostering his interest in acting.

Career Acting Bonner's first professional stage acting job was in 1961, aged 18. His first major role was as helicopter pilot Jerry King on the television series Skippy.

Bonner went on to appear in many Crawford Productions television series, including The Box, Matlock Police, Division 4, Cop Shop, Skyways, and Carson's Law.

In 1970–71, he had a guest role in one episode of the UK-based ITC television series The Persuaders! starring Tony Curtis and Roger Moore. He featured in an advertising campaign for the Ballajura real estate development in Western Australia in the late 1970s.

His notable film roles include Eyewitness (1970), You Can't Win 'Em All (1970), Creatures the World Forgot (1971), Inn of the Damned (1975), The Mango Tree (1977), Money Movers (1978), The Man from Snowy River (1982), The Highest Honor (1983), Quigley Down Under (1990), Dead Sleep (1990), Hurricane Smith (1992), and Liquid Bridge (2003). He has twice portrayed Australian World War I soldier Murray Bourchier, to whom he bears a remarkable likeness, in the 1987 film The Lighthorsemen and a 1993 episode of The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles.

Bonner also starred in the 1985 TV mini-series Anzacs. He played Lieutenant (later Captain) Harold Armstrong, commanding officer of the 8th Battalion (Australia) of the First Australian Imperial Force in 1914, from the Gallipoli in 1915 to the Western Front.

Bonner has done advertising work, such as playing veteran burger-naming expert Ken Thomas in a 2007 McDonald's ad campaign.

In September 2008, Bonner sued Fauna Productions Pty Ltd, the production company for Skippy the Bush Kangaroo, seeking residuals from merchandising and DVD sales.

He acted in William Kelly's War (2014) and Landfall (2017), both filmed and produced in Australia.

Music Bonner recorded a cover version of the Bee Gees song "Wine and Women" in 1968. He later appeared with Barry Gibb on an episode of Bandstand.

Later in his career Bonner appeared in several stage musicals, including Annie Get Your Gun and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Type 1965 Rusty Bugles TV movie 1965 Tartuffe Valere TV movie 1966 They're a Weird Mob Lifesaver Feature film 1970 Eyewitness Tom Jones Feature film 1970 You Can't Win 'Em All Reese Feature film 1971 Creatures the World Forgot Toomak 'The Fair Boy' Feature film 1975 La polizia accusa: il servizio segreto uccide (aka Silent Action) Uncredited Feature film 1975 Inn of the Damned Trooper Moore Feature film 1976 2000 Million Years Later Short film) 1977 The Alternative Peter TV movie 1977 End of Summer TV movie 1977 The Mango Tree Captain Hinkler Feature film 1978 Money Movers Leo Bassett Feature film 1978 Image of Death Karl TV movie 1989 Players in the Gallery TV movie 1980 Hard Knocks Bar Patron Feature film 1981 Intimate Strangers Jerome Hartog TV movie 1982 The Man from Snowy River Kane Feature film 1983 The Highest Honor Lieutenant W.G. Carey Feature film 1986 The Last Frontier Tom Hannon TV movie 1988 The Tourist John Ramsden TV movie 1987 The Lighthorsemen Murray Bourchier Feature film 1990 Quigley Down Under Dobkin Feature film 1990 Dead Sleep Dr. Jonathan Heckett Feature film 1992 Hurricane Smith Howard Fenton Feature film 1992 Academy Jack Steele Feature film The Venus Factory Roger Hammond Feature film 2003 Liquid Bridge Bob McCallum Feature film 2008 Punishment Stephen Dunbar Feature film 2009 Inseperable Coil Dr Peterson Short film 2014 William Kelly's War Mr Kelly Feature film 2017 Landfall Trevor Feature film 2018 Dots The Doctor Short film 2018 Beats Pa Short film 2021 Him Reg Feature film 2023 Handled Don Short film

Television Year Title Role Type 1965 My Brother Jack TV miniseries, 1 episode) 1966 My Name's McGooley, What's Yours? Party Bloke TV series, 1 episode 1968-79 Skippy Jerry King TV series, 207 episodes 1970-71 The Persuaders! Jon TV series, 1 episode 1974 The Box Monte TV series 1974 The Evil Touch Pilot / Tom Leeds TV series, 2 episodes 1974 Division 4 Chris Rapp TV series, 1 episode 1974 Marion Joe TV miniseries, 1 episode 1974 Matlock Police Graham Cotton TV series, 1 episode 1974 Certain Women TV series, 2 episodes 1975 Cash and Company Titus Ruffler TV miniseries, 1 episode 1975 The Rise and Fall of Wellington Boots TV series 1975-76 Homicide Denny Connell / Brett Chilton / Ric Parsons / Russell Craig TV series, 4 episodes 1976 Bluey James Conder TV series, 1 episode 1976 Power Without Glory Brendan West TV miniseries, 6 episodes 1977 Chopper Squad Frank TV series, 1 episode 1977-78 Cop Shop Detective Snr Constable Don McKenna TV series, 29 episodes 1980 Lawson's Mates Joe Wilson TV series, 1 episode 1978-80 Skyways Paul MacFarlane TV series, 83 episodes 1981 Outbreak of Love Russell Lockwood TV miniseries 1984 Special Squad Carver TV series, 1 episode 1984 Carson's Law Chris Dalton TV series, 25 episodes 1985 Anzacs Lieutenant (later Captain) Harold Armstrong TV miniseries, 4 episodes 1986 Murder, She Wrote First Secretary Henry Claymore TV series, 1 episode 1993 The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles Murray Bourchier TV series, 1 episode 1992-93 E Street Roger Tate TV series, 4 episodes 1996 Pacific Drive TV series 1999 Home and Away Roger Lansdowne TV series, 5 episodes 2000 Pizza SAS Captain TV series, 1 episode 2002 Neighbours Martin Cook TV series, 15 episodes 2015 Shit Creek Diamond Jack TV miniseries

Theatre Bonner has had experience as a stage actor and director, including: As actor Year Title Role Type 1987 The Three Musketeers Playhouse, Melbourne 1996 Only When I Laugh Newcastle Civic Theatre, Regal Theatre, Perth 1996 The Cellophane Ceiling Twelfth Night Theatre 2001 Are You Being Served? Twelfth Night Theatre Annie Get Your Gun How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

As director Year Title Role Type 2008 One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Director Cavern Theatre Noosa, Cremorne Theatre

Personal life Bonner was married to Australian actress and model Nola Clark. One daughter, Chelsea Bonner, is the owner and director of a plus-size modelling agency.

Bonner is patron of several charities including The Smith Family and the Wesley Mission suicide prevention program. He has also served on the board of the Variety Club and is Publicity Officer and past President of the Manly Life Saving Club.

In 2017 Bonner was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for significant service to the performing arts as an actor, to surf lifesaving, and to the community through charitable organisations.