Brian Wenzel

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Brian Wenzel
Born
Brian Thomas Wenzel

(1929-05-24)24 May 1929
Rove Live
(TV series) (recurring)
Spouse
Linda Wenzel
​
(m. 1953)​
[2]

Brian Thomas Wenzel (24 May 1929 – 6 May 2024) was an Australian actor, comedian, director and singer.[1] He was in the entertainment business for 75 years, including circus, stage, television and film.

After numerous character roles in Crawford Productions serials and films, and after appearing in the ABC serial Certain Women and The Young Doctors, he was cast in the permanent role of Frank Gilroy, an old-fashioned and upright police sergeant (later chef and barman) of the fictional Wandin Valley in A Country Practice, opposite co-star Lorrae Desmond, which he played from 1981 to 1993.

Wenzel had a small role in 1995 in

Rove Live
in 2009.

Life and career

Early life

Wenzel was born in 1929 of German descent

Salvation Army. Wenzel ran away several times. At age 14, he left school and joined the Sole Brothers' Circus as a pony groom and dog trainer. During World War II, he was criticised because of his German surname[3]

Early theatre

Wenzel started acting professionally in 1946 when his first performance in an acting role came at the age of 17 in a comedy stage play. He subsequently appeared in numerous stage roles, musicals, pantomime and children's theatre, including productions of

South Australian Theatre Company.[5]

Television and film

After many years in the entertainment industry, primarily in live comedy and theatre, Wenzel appeared on the small screen starting from the late 1960s, including the

John Avery as the fictional country town of Wandin Valley was located in New South Wales.[citation needed
] Wenzel did not reprise his role as Frank Gilroy when A Country Practice was revived for a single season in 1994.

Wenzel appeared in many Australian films during the 1970s and 1980s, including Caddie (1976), The Odd Angry Shot (1979) and Alison's Birthday (1981). He also appeared in the 2014 crime thriller John Doe: Vigilante[6]

Rove Live and advertising

Wenzel was a semi-recurring presence on the Rove McManus light entertainment series

Rove Live.[3]

Personal life and death

Wenzel was married to his English-born wife Linda Wenzel for 70 years.[citation needed]

He was an

Victoria and a lifelong supporter of the Carlton Football Club.[citation needed
]

Wenzel had two mini strokes in 2018.[10] He went into an Adelaide nursing home in September 2022 with dementia, and died on 6 May 2024, at the age of 94.[11][12]

Awards

Event Year Award Production Results
Logie Awards of 1983[13] 1983[13] Best Supporting Actor in a Series[13] A Country Practice as Sgt. Frank Gilroy[13] Won[13]

Filmography

Year Title Role
1968 Hunter Harrison – Sargeant Reynolds
1970 The Long Arm Det. Sgt Harrison
1972–1973 Boney Sgt. Cox
1967–1973 Homicide 8 roles
1971–1973 Matlock Police 7 roles
1969–1973 Division 4 10 roles
1974 Movin' On
1973–74 Ryan 3 roles
1973–74 The Evil Touch Mr. Jiggs
1973–1976 Certain Women Barry Gardiner
1976 Caddie Doctor
1976 The Young Doctors Mr. Cox
1979 Glenview High
1979 The Odd Angry Shot Bill's Dad
1979 Ride on Stranger Detective
1980 Skyways Frank Richmond
1980 Young Ramsay Ken Cooper
1981 Punishmnent Wally Webber
1981 Alison's Birthday Police sergeant
1982 Deadline ASIO agent
1981–1993 A Country Practice Frank Gilroy
1995 Neighbours Gordon "Flakey the Clown" Orchard
2002
Marshall Law
 Murray
2014 John Doe: Vigilante Judge

References

  1. ^ a b c "Wenzel, Brian". Trove, National Library of Australia. Archived from the original on 29 August 2019. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  2. EBSCOhost 88351346
    .
  3. ^ a b c d Davies, Nathan (17 June 2017). "Brian Wenzel, better known as Sgt Frank Gilroy, on his troubled childhood and a lifetime in showbiz". Herald Sun. Melbourne: News Corp Australia. Archived from the original on 6 May 2024. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
  4. ^ a b Davies, Nathan (18 June 2017). "Bashed in boys' homes, the Adelaide lad who ran away to the circus and became a TV star". Sunday Mail. Adelaide: News Corp Australia. p. 8. Archived from the original on 6 May 2024. Retrieved 6 May 2024 – via NewsBank.
  5. ^ "Brian Wenzel". Hennessy Harman Management. Archived from the original on 12 March 2020. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  6. ^ "Brian Wenzel, best known for role in A Country Practice, dies aged 94". ABC News. 6 May 2024. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
  7. ^ B&T Australia (26 May 2009). AMI Bedroom Police Ad (Advertisement). Archived from the original on 19 December 2021 – via YouTube.
  8. ^ "Country Practice cop patrols bedrooms in weirdest role". The Advertiser. Adelaide: News Limited. 3 March 2009. Archived from the original on 10 March 2009.
  9. ^ Burke, Kelly (26 May 2009). "Men's sexual health TV ad scrapped". WAtoday. Perth: Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
  10. ^ Koch, Phillip (31 October 2021). "EXCLUSIVE: Brian Wenzel: 'I miss Lorrae dearly'". New Idea. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  11. ^ Knox, David (6 May 2024). "Vale: Brian Wenzel". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 6 May 2024. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
  12. ^ Gossling, Bronte (6 May 2024). "The Young Doctors and A Country Practice's Brian Wenzel dies aged 94". 9Honey Celebrity. Nine Entertainment. Archived from the original on 6 May 2024. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
  13. ^ a b c d e "1983: The 25th Annual TV Week Logie Awards". Yahoo!7. 2014. Archived from the original on 28 January 2015. Retrieved 6 May 2024.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Brian_Wenzel&oldid=1225186939"