Towards the end of 2006, Gary spent three months in Broome, filming the SBS miniseries The Circuit in which he plays a circuit court Magistrate, Peter Lockhart. Earlier in the year, he played the title role in The Tumbler, directed by Marc Gracie; this film is in post-production, and will be released in 2007. He also took part in Dancing with the Stars. Apart from learning to dance, his reason for being a part of this project was to raise money for his favourite charity The Bone Growth Foundation. In the recently released feature film Macbeth Gary made a great impact as Duncan which he’d shot in 2005. He also gifted some time to shoot some scenes for the film 2:37 which starred his eldest son Frank.
In 2004 he completed his third series of Stingers, as the mercurial bi-polar police detective, Luke Harris produced by Beyond Simpson LeMesurier for the Nine Network. Then he turned to the other side of the law and joined the cast of Seven Network’s highly popular Blue Heelers, for a short time, to play Danny O’Keefe.
Originally from Adelaide, South Australia, Gary attended Flinders University where he studied to become a teacher. After graduating, he won the role of “Magpie” Maddern in the long running television series The Sullivans in 1980.
Perhaps best known for the role of Mickey in the ABC’s long-running television series Police Rescue, produced by Southern Star Xanadu, Gary reprised the role for the feature film adapted from the series, and directed by Michael Carson. Also for Southern Star, Gary played the title role in the telemovie series Cody; followed by the series, The Big Sky. Notable long form television credits are Bodyline (Kennedy Miller); The Great Bookie Robbery (PBL Productions); The Battlers (Seven Network); Blue Murder and Dog’s Head Bay (both for the ABC).
In 2001, Gary enjoyed a very successful season playing Josh in Tony McNamara’s play, The Recruit for the Melbourne Theatre Company. Whilst, not being known as a singer, he starred as Paul Burns in the musical Oh! What a Night, which brought Gary back to the theatre and gave the audience a great performance.
This rolled on from playing the lead role of Steve in Alexandra’s Project, Gary’s second film for the acclaimed director, Rolf deHeer. This film enjoyed official selection In Competition at the 2003 Berlin Film Festive. The film will open in New York in January 2005.
His first, The Tracker, in which he played The Fanatic, had its world premiere at the Adelaide Festival of the Arts in March 2002. The Tracker opened the 2002 Melbourne International Film Festival, and was in competition at the 2002 Venice Film Festival.
In 2003 Gary appeared in the feature film Getting’ Square playing the role of Chicka Martin, directed by Jonathan Teplitzky for Mushroom Pictures. The film was released later in the year and enjoyed great success at the 2004 Australian Film Institute Awards winning Best Actor for David Wenham.
Also, he guest-starred in an episode of the very popular English television series Cold Feet produced by Granada Television.
Gary appeared in all of the GIV films produced by David Lightfoot and shot in South Australia in 2000 as well as Rachel Ward’s short film The Big House, which received much acclaim throughout Australia. Other films include leading roles in Carl Schultz’ Love in Ambush; What the Moon Saw directed by Pino Amenta; Indecent Obsession for Lex Marinos; The Dreaming – Mario Andreacchio; Fever – Craig Lahiff; and The Lighthorsemen for Simon Wincer.
In 1991 and 1992 Gary won the Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actor in a Television Series (Police Rescue), won the Variety Club Heart Award for Television Actor of the Year and TV Week Silver Logie Award in two categories – Most Outstanding Actor on Australian Television and Most Popular Actor in a Television Series. He won the People’s Choice Award for Most Popular Movie Star, Most Popular Male Television Star and Most Popular Movie 1994.
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