Sean Scully (actor)

Sean Scully (born 28 September 1947) is an Australian actor and singer, active in film, television and theatre.^[2]

Early life

Born in Sydney, New South Wales, Scully is the son of actress and radio host Margaret Christensen^[3] and Vern Scully, a violinist with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.^[4]

Career

Scully began his acting career in the Cinerama South Seas Adventure, after which he relocated from Australia to London in 1959, at age 11, with his mother. Once in the UK, he initially attended Claremont Fan Court School, a Christian Scientist school in Surrey, followed by a school in Buckingham Gate. He then moved on to attend Arts Educational Schools, in London.^[5] Scully was signed to an agent^[4] and within the month he landed the lead role in children's series Mill of Secrets in 1960.^[6]

He starred in 1960 Children's Film Foundation film Hunted in Holland,^[5] which won the Diploma of Honour at the Cannes Film Festival.^{[citation needed]} A TV play called The Boy with the Telephone (1960) was written specially for him.^[7] Following that, he was signed by Walt Disney Management and starred in a number of Technicolor family feature films for the studio, including The Prince and the Pauper^[3] (1962), in which he played both title characters, alongside Guy Williams, as Miles Hendon. Scully starred as Peter in the 1962 Disney movie Almost Angels,^[4] (retitled Born to Sing in the UK), and appeared as young John Banks, opposite Patrick McGoohan in Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow (1963).^[8]

Scully was cast opposite Spike Milligan and John Woodvine as Jim Hawkins in a production of Treasure Island at the Mermaid Theatre in London.^[9] On Broadway, he starred as King Nicholas III in The Girl Who Came to Supper, Noel Coward’s musical version of Terence Rattigan's 1953 play, The Sleeping Prince^[4][7] from 1963 to 1964.^[10] winning him a Charlotte Cushman Award.^[11]

On his return to the UK in 1964, Scully found it increasingly difficult to land acting work, so he worked in a timber yard,^[7] before returning to Australia in 1965, at the age of 18.^[3] He appeared in television plays including A Phoenix Too Frequent (1966), Serjeant Musgrave's Dance (1967) and as Romeo in Romeo and Juliet (1967),^[6] all while playing Ron Wilson in TV soap opera Bellbird for two years.^[6] His character was temporarily written out due to his stage commitments, including a production of Forty Carats,^[3] in which he played the juvenile lead. He appeared in numerous plays throughout his career, including many for the Melbourne Theatre Company.^[2] He toured nationally in Butterflies are Free in 1971, together with Wendy Hughes.^[5]

Scully's more substantial television roles include starring as Eddie Corrigan in the 1976 miniseries Power Without Glory, based on the historical novel by Frank Hardy. In 1978, he played the recurring role of Sam Kendall in wartime drama The Sullivans. In 1982, he appeared as wealthy French aristocrat Louis de Bourget in the romantic period drama miniseries Sara Dane.^[12] From 1984 to 1985, he played Jim O'Brien in the soap opera Sons and Daughters.^[6] and the following year he played Dan Moulton in Prisoner.^[5] He starred as Ian Cochrane in crime drama series Phoenix^[13] from 1992 to 1993. Throughout 1995, he played the regular role of Neville Loman in short-lived soap opera Echo Point, alongside Rose Byrne and Martin Henderson.^[14]

He has had recurring guest roles in Matlock Police, Division 4, E Street, Medivac, Neighbours, Blue Heelers and Stingers. Other television credits include Homicide, Cop Shop, The Restless Years,^[15] The Flying Doctors, A Country Practice, Police Rescue, G.P., State Coroner and The Doctor Blake Mysteries.

Scully's film credits include A City's Child (1971),^[5] Australian New Wave film Sunday Too Far Away (1975) with Jack Thompson,^[16] Eliza Fraser (1976),^[17] Heaven Tonight (1989) alongside Guy Pearce,^[18] Turtle Beach (1992) opposite Greta Scacchi and Shotgun Wedding (1993) with Aden Young.^[19] In 1988, he starred in the cult film Phobia, earning him an Australian Film Institute Awards nomination for Best Actor that year.^[5]

Scully has also featured in radio, playing Steven Rossiter in long running radio show Blue Hills from 1974.^[3]

Personal life

Scully met actress Wendy Hughes when they were touring the stage show Butterflies are Free around Australia. They lived together for two years before getting married in 1971, but were divorced by 1973. Scully cited their young age as the reason.^[5] After their divorce, the pair remained friends until Hughes' death from cancer in 2014.

Scully also dated English actress Jane Asher, after having previously appeared with her in The Prince and the Pauper.^[5]

Scully was best man at Be Our Guest co-star Jacki Weaver's wedding to series director David Price in Sydney in 1966.^[20]

Filmography

Theatre

^[2]

Awards

References

External links

• Sean Scully at IMDb
• Official Website