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Alex Papps
Australian actor From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Alex Papps (born 11 February 1969) is an Australian actor, television host, writer and singer.
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Early life
Papps was born in Melbourne in 1969, to Apollo Papps who, though identifying as Greek, was born in Cairo, Egypt and a mother of English and Jewish descent. Both his parents were teachers and later amateur theatre directors.[1] He attended Belgrave Kindergarten, Upwey South Primary School, Tecoma Primary, and Upwey High School. He performed in a number of theatre productions prior to leaving school.[citation needed]
Papps went on to study drama and media at Box Hill College of TAFE in Melbourne.[2] In 1995, he graduated as an actor from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA).[3] Later in his career, he graduated as a director from the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) in 2007.[4]
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Career
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Perspective
In 1987, Papps guested in TV serial Neighbours as arsonist Greg Davis.[2] He went on to secure his first major television role in children's series The Henderson Kids II, which aired on Network Ten. He attended an open audition for the show and after a couple of screen tests, he was cast as Vinnie Cerantino, the leader of the Brown Street Boys gang.[2]
Papps became better known for his role in Home and Away as Frank Morgan.[5] Frank was the first character to appear on the series, in its 1988 pilot, and the first foster kid taken in by Pippa and Tom.[6] The following year, he won the Logie Award for Most Popular New Talent.[3]
From 1987 to 1989, Papps was also co-host of music program The Factory, alongside Andrew Daddo,[4] airing on the ABC on Saturday mornings. He next joined the cast of medical drama The Flying Doctors, as the local mechanic, Nick Cardaci, from 1989 to 1990.[7]
After his agent made several attempts to secure him an audition for ABC children's show Play School,[8] he began his tenure as a long-time presenter in 2005, alongside former Home and Away co-star Justine Clarke (who had played his girlfriend Roo Stewart,[9] and with whom he also later appeared in the ABC drama series The Time of Our Lives).
In 2014, Papps released an album of children's songs, called Let's Put the Beat in Our Feet.[4][10] which was nominated for an ARIA Award.[11]
In 2017, Papps had a guest role on ABC series Seven Types of Ambiguity, playing the role of Robert Henshaw.[12] The same year, actively on the audition trail, and committed to kick-starting a new phase of his acting career,[13] Papps made a guest appearance on drama series Offspring.[14] He played the role of Simon, who had a fling with single mother Billie Proudman (Kat Stewart), towards the end of her marriage.
The following year, Papps returned to Home and Away, alongside co-star Nicolle Dickson (who played his foster sister and later, wife) to celebrate the Home and Away 30th-anniversary commemoration.[15]
Papps' other acting credits include Fisk, Ms Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries, Seven Types of Ambiguity and Blue Heelers, [4] Preacher, Australia On Trial, City Homicide, MDA, Stingers, Prisoner, State Coroner and The Saddle Club.[10]
Papps' film credits include playing the role of Peter in Ana Kokkinos’ 1998 LGBT romantic drama film Head On (alongside Alex Dimitriades) and Anthony in Five Moments of Infidelity[10] in 2006.
On stage, Papps has performed for the Melbourne Theatre Company in theatre productions of This Old Man Comes Rolling Home, Mad Forest, and as Romeo in Romeo and Juliet.[4] He also performed in several pantomimes in the UK[10] in the early 1990s, including Snow White and Cinderella.[16]
Papps is also a director and writer. His directing credits include Aladdin at Assembly Rooms, Royal Tunbridge Wells, UK), Broken for the Melbourne Fringe Festival (2002), Riders to the Sea (2007), The Mercy Seat for Red Stitch Actors Theatre (2008), Randy's Postcards from Purgatory (2009), Sober (2011), Randy's Anticrisis and The Last Temptation of Randy once again for the Melbourne Fringe Festival (2013).[10][17]
He has written for Home and Away and Play School.[10] He also worked as a dialogue coach on 2009 feature film Blessed and 2019 SBS miniseries The Hunting.[10]
Papps has also taught at several acting institutions in Melbourne.[10]
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Controversy
In 2013, an arts and craft segment on an episode of Play School went viral on social media, when Papps and co-host Rachael Coopes constructed a device that unintentionally resembled a homemade bong.[18]
Filmography
Film
Television
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Theatre
As actor
As director
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Awards and nominations
References
External links
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