Alan Fletcher (actor)
Alan Fletcher | |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Television actor |
Alan Fletcher (born 30 March 1957 in Perth, Western Australia) is an Australian actor, best known for his role as Karl Kennedy in long-running soap opera Neighbours.
Career
Fletcher's first widely seen role was in police drama Cop Shop from 1982 until production ceased the following year. He followed this with an appearance in US series The Love Boat (1981) and various Australian feature films, TV movies, and miniseries. He briefly acted in Neighbours in the 1980s as a run-down, dishonest boxer working in Jim's garage, before taking the role of Karl Kennedy in 1994, which he continues to play to the present day.
In 2005, Fletcher starred as Henry Higgins in a production of My Fair Lady at the Melbourne Comedy Theatre. He is also a prominent member of the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance, a role which saw him become a vocal critic of the 2004 US-Australia Free Trade Agreement, including an appearance on the political talk-show Meet the Press.
In 2008, Fletcher starred as Frank McGee in the workshop performance season of Call Girl the Musical and as Captain Hook in the Pantomime Peter Pan in Aberdeen.[1]
Musical career
Fletcher is also the lead singer in a band called Waiting Room, with other members including Tommy Rando, Chris Hawker and drummer Jeff Consi. They have toured the United Kingdom several times. With a handful of their own songs they incorporate a selection of cover versions into their set. Fletcher also covers Smokie's "Living Next Door to Alice", substituting Alice, for "Susan", his on-screen wife (Jackie Woodburne). Their single, So Wrong, was released on iTunes on the 26 November 2007, followed by their new album, Live at the Elephant, on the 17 December 2007. On the 30th of November 2007 Fletcher performed a cover of Oasis' "Wonderwall" for BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge.[2]
In December 2008 Fletcher played a solo gig in Aberdeen, playing a mixture of covers and Waiting Room, material. He followed this with a second gig in the city on the 3rd January 2009 at The Lemon Tree.
On the 15th May 2009 Fletcher announced via his official website that he was to tour the UK with a new band, The X-Rays. The tour will take place in October 2009. It is unclear whether the gigs will feature any original Waiting Room material. The X-Rays are UK based musicians Johnny Lucas, Chris Hanby and Martin Stewart. Fletch continues to perform each week in Melbournewith Waiting Room.
Fletcher was a contestant on the UK TV show Soapstar Superstar,[3] in January 2007 finishing in sixth place. He performed the following songs:
- Day 1: Faith (George Michael)
- Day 2: Bridge Over Troubled Water (Simon & Garfunkel)
- Day 3: Tears in Heaven (Eric Clapton)
- Day 4: Can't Take My Eyes Off You (Andy Williams)
- Day 5: Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me (Elton John)
Personal life
Fletcher's wife is former Network Ten Melbourne newsreader Jennifer Hansen and they have two children, Veronica and Tom.
Alan is a huge Liverpool FC fan and visits Liverpool to watch the reds play when his schedule allows.
References
- ^ Neighbours doctor to star in Aberdeen panto
- ^ Alan Fletcher in the Live Lounge
- ^ "Soapstar Superstar". ITV.com. Retrieved 2006-12-12.
External links