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Shane Withington

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Shane Withington
Born (1958-08-22) 22 August 1958 (age 66)
Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia
OccupationActor
Years active1978–present
Known forA Country Practice (TV series) as Brenden Jones
Home and Away (TV series) as John Palmer
SpouseAnne Tenney

Shane Withington (born 22 August 1958) is an Australian actor, notable for roles in theatre, television, and film.

Career

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Withington is best known for roles in TV serials, with two famous character portrayals. These include his role as Brenden Jones, a farmer, nurse, and subsequently the Deputy Matron of the fictional Wandin Valley in the television series A Country Practice from 1982 until 1986. [1]

Withington first appeared in TV serial Home and Away as a guest character called Colin, before being given the permanent role of cranky but warm-hearted surf lifesaver and patrol officer John Palmer in 2009, initially as a 3-month stand-alone stint; he'd been in the role for ten years by 2019.[2]

He has also featured in Willing and Abel, as Abel Moore, and the sitcom The Family Business.

He had a guest star appearance in the film Strange Bedfellows[3] in 2004.

In 2008, he was in the BBC drama Out of the Blue, playing the detective in charge of investigating a murder.

Withington co-starred in the play The Boys Next Door in 1992.

Filmography

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Films

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Year Title Role Notes
2023 Butter Farmer Short
2018 The Confession Father Shane Short
2004 Strange Bedfellows Father Xavier Delaney
1991 Roy's Raiders Bazza
1988 Black Tulip Voice role

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
2023 Talking Prisoner Self Podcast Series 1 episode
2017 & 2019 Drop Dead Weird Wilmot Fogie / Mr O'Shea 2 episodes
2010 52nd Annual TV Week Logie Awards Himself Uncredited
2008 Out of the Blue D.S. Simon Wilson 43 episodes
2007 Gumnutz: A Juicy Tale TV movie
Voice role
Rain Shadow Harry Greene Mini-series
6 episodes
2009–present Home and Away John Palmer Main Cast, 1800+ episodes
2008–2009 Milly, Molly Narrator Two Seasons
2006–2010 Dive Olly Dive! Various characters 56 episodes
2005 Blinky Bill's White Christmas Sly (Chopper's assistant) and Johnny Rabbit TV movie
Voice role
All Saints Bob 'Smithy' Smith Season 8, episode 29
1999 Dog's Head Bay Bob Grant 13 episodes
1998 Wildside Alan Grey Season 1, episode 13
1997 Reprisal Charlie TV movie
Water Rats Det. Insp. Gordon Withers 2 episodes
1989 The Family Business Terry Jackson 13 episodes
1987–1988 The Flying Doctors Mike Lancaster 9 episodes
1987 Willing and Abel Abel Moore 26 episodes
1984 Queen of the Road Fred 'Speedy' Norton TV movie
1981–1986 A Country Practice Brendan Jones 367 episodes
1978 Chopper Squad William 'Mac' McKenna Season 2, episode 3
Glenview High Edward Lander Season 1, episode 13

Personal life

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Withington was born in Toowoomba, Queensland to a cowgirl mother, who was the daughter of a drover and an English father who worked in food processing and was a nightclub singer and champion first grade soccer player in Queensland.

After being expelled from school, Withington worked as a horsesman and jackaroo, before auditioning an acting scholarship with the Elizabethan Quest Scholarship at 16. He toured with the Twelfth Night Theatre. [4]

Withington lives in the Pittwater area of Sydney's Northern Beaches and led a community campaign to preserve the Currawong Workers' Holiday Camp.[5]

Withington is married to actress Anne Tenney, who played his character's wife Molly Jones on A Country Practice.[6]

References

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  1. ^ "Unions slash $15m off historic estate's price". SMH. 4 February 2007.
  2. ^ Jackie Brygel (20 May 2019). "Home and Away Shane Withington: My devastating heartbreak". New Idea.
  3. ^ "Shane Withington" rmk.com
  4. ^ "Talking Prisoner Presents Home and Away Interview with Shane Withington". YouTube. 2 May 2023.
  5. ^ Silmalis, Linda (3 July 2011). "They ruined my labor of love". Daily Telegraph (Sydney). Retrieved 19 October 2024.
  6. ^ "50 most memorable TV moments". TV Week. Archived from the original on 8 December 2008.
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