Australian character actor Terry Norris dies at the age of 92
Australian actor Terry Norris – known for his roles in Jack Irish and Cop Shop – has died at the age of 92
Australian actor Terry Norris died on Monday at the age of 92.
He is survived by his three children Dominic, Jane and Sarah, his wife Julia Blake, and their four grandchildren TV tonight.
Norris was one of Australia’s most accomplished actors with nearly 80 screen credits to his name, in addition to a ten-year term in the Victorian Labor government.
He was best known for his roles in Cop Shop, Bellbird and Jack Irish.
He met his wife, an actress known for starring in Bed of Roses, Prisoner and Traveling North, in a British theater troupe when he was 21. Both actors received the 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Equity Foundation.
Australian actor Terry Norris (pictured) died on Monday at the age of 92
After his stint in the United Kingdom, Norris returned to Melbourne in 1962, where he was ‘for 20 years the luckiest of any actor on earth’.
‘I was never, never without a job. Sometimes two and three at a time, because in those days there were a lot of bits and pieces,” he once told TV Tonight.
He portrayed mechanic Joe Turner in Bellbird, which was filmed for eight years at ABC’s Ripponlea TV studios, while also appearing at Tikki & John’s Theater Restaurant and Brian Hannan’s Squizzy’s.
Norris (left) is survived by his three children Dominic, Jane and Sarah, his wife Julia Blake (right) and their four grandchildren. (Pictured in Sydney on December 13, 2000)
Norris (pictured here in Cop Shop) was one of Australia’s most accomplished actors with nearly 80 screen credits to his name, as well as a ten-year term in the Victorian Labor government
After several more guest roles, he landed a starring role as Senior Sergeant Eric O’Reilly in the police comedy show Cop Shop, for which he won a Silver Logie for Best Supporting Actor.
In 1982, Norris made a sharp turn for the worse in politics, serving ten years as a member of the Victorian Labor government, representing the electorate of Dandenong.
He said it was a natural step forward from his union work for Actors Equity.
After the end of his political career, Norris scored several more film and TV roles, most notably playing a barfly in the Prince of Prussia pub in Guy Pearce’s drama Jack Irish.
After a stint working in the UK, Norris (pictured in 2004) returned to Melbourne in 1962, where he was ‘for 20 years the luckiest of any actor on earth’.
Martin Foley, former Labor member for Albert Park, posted a tribute to the late actor and politician on Twitter.
A sad loss for Victorian Labor following the news of Terry Norris’s death at the age of 92. Actor, reformer, gentlemen and MP for SE Melbourne,” he wrote.
A great mentor to all who followed him. My deepest condolences to Julia and his family and many friends. Vale Terry Norris. Deeply missed.’
After the end of his political career, Norris scored several more film and TV roles, most notably playing a barfly in the Prince of Prussia pub in Guy Pearce’s (centre) drama Jack Irish.