JON ENGLISH : Rest Well Legend

Jon  and the Cast of

 "All Together Now"

Jon was a bonza singer, songwriter, musician and actor. He emigrated to Australia in 1961. Yep, he was one of the flood of ten pound poms that created Aussie rock n roll....He was an early vocalist and rhythm guitarist for Sebastian Hardie but left to take on the role of Judas in the Australian version of the stage musical Jesus Christ Superstar from May 1972,  which was broadcast on television. Jon also racked up a huge amount of hits ; his Australian top twenty hit singles include "Turn the Page", "Hollywood Seven", "Words are Not Enough", "Six Ribbons" and "Hot Town".

AND he could act , English was acclaimed for his starring role in the 1978 Australian TV series Against the Wind – he won the TV Week Logie Award for 'Best New Talent in Australia'. 

 He also co-wrote and performed the score with Mario Millo (ex-Sebastian Hardie). The series had international release, known as Mot alla vindar (1980) in Swedish, where both "Six Ribbons" and "Against the Wind" were released as singles, both singles and the soundtrack album peaked at No.1 on the Norwegian charts  the first single, "Six Ribbons" and the album, peaked at No.4 on the Swedish charts.

From 1983 to 1985, English won four Mo Awards with three consecutive 'Entertainer of the Year' awards and a further 'Male Vocal Performer' in 1985.  English has performed in Gilbert and Sullivan's operettas The Pirates of Penzance, The Mikado and H.M.S. Pinafore from 1984.

 Performances of Essgee Entertainment's productions of the Gilbert and Sullivan trilogy from 1994 to 1997 were broadcast on Australian TV, they were all released on VHS and subsequently on DVD.

Deb and I had the great good fortune to see him at Central Coast Leagues in 2013, helluva show

He died during surgery ...he shoulda went out rocking

Rest Well Legend  and Fare Thee Well

Albums
Jesus Christ Superstar – Original Australian Cast Recording (1972, MCA)
Wine Dark Sea (1973, Warm and Genuine / Phonogram) Produced by Michael Carlos
It's All a Game (1974, Polydor Records) Produced by G. Wayne Thomas
Ned Kelly – Studio Cast Recording (1974)
Hollywood Seven (1976, Polydor) Produced by Rod Thomas & William Motzing
Minutes to Midnight (1977, Polydor)
Words Are Not Enough (1978, Polydor) Produced by Bruce Brown & Russell Dunlop
Against the Wind aka Mot alla vindar No.10 AUS, No.1 NOR, No.4 SWE (1978, Polydor/Frituna; with Mario Millo)
English History (1978 compilation, Polydor / 1980, Frituna)
Calm Before the Storm (1980, Mercury Records/Frituna) Produced by Bruce Brown & Russell Dunlop
InRoads (1981, Mercury/Frituna) Produced by Tim Friese-Greene
Beating the Boards (1982, WEA/Frituna) Produced by Jon English, David Williams & the Foster Brothers
Jokers and Queens No.36 (1982, Midnight Records/WEA; with Marcia Hines) Produced by Jon English & Charlie Hull
Some People... (1983, WEA/Frituna) Produced by David MacKay
Dark Horses (1986, Chase Records/1987, Frituna) Produced by Jon English & Mario Millo
The Busker aka Busking (1988, BMG) Produced by David MacKay
Paris (1990, WEA) Produced by David MacKay
20th Anniversary Album (1993, BMG)
The Pirates of Penzance – Australian Essgee Cast Recording (1994)
Buskers and Angels (2000)
English History II (2001)

Singles

1973: "Handbags and Gladrags" - No. 50
1975: "Turn the Page" - No. 20
1975: "Lovin' Arms" - No. 55
1976: "Laid Back in Anger" (with Trevor White)
1976: "Hollywood Seven" - No. 13
1977: "Behind Blue Eyes"
1978: "Words Are Not Enough" - No. 6
1979: "Six Ribbons" (with Mario Millo) - No. 5 AUS, No. 1 NOR, No. 4 SWE
1979: "Get Your Love Right" - No. 27
1980: "Hot Town" - No. 11
1980: "Carmilla" - No. 27
1982: "Jokers and Queens" - No. 62
1983: "Some People (Have All The Fun)" - No. 50
1984: "Every Beat of My Heart" (with Renée Geyer)
1987: "Lover Please" (with Renée Geyer)
1993: "All Together Now"

Filmography

1972 Jesus Christ Superstar TV broadcast, as self / Judas Iscariot, first TV appearance
1975 Matlock Police one episode called "The Grass is Greener" of the TV police drama, as Quinlan, first TV acting role
1978 Against the Wind 13 episode TV mini-series, as main character Jonathan Garrett
1980 Touch and Go film, as Frank Butterfield, first film as leading male character
1991–1993 All Together Now 101 episode TV series, as main character Bobby Rivers
1994 The Pirates of Penzance TV broadcast of theatre performance, first of Gilbert and Sullivan trilogy from Essgee Entertainment
1995 Frontline Himself, one episode, Let the Children Play
2000 Pizza one episode of TV comedy series
2000 Walk the Talk film, as Phil Wehner, last known film acting role
2006 Countdown Spectacular as self/performer, last known TV appearance
2008 Time Trackers children's television series, as Old Troy, last known TV acting role
Stage and theatre works
1972–75, 1979 – Jesus Christ Superstar 700+ performances as Judas Iscariot
1974 The Bacchoi
1984–86 The Pirates of Penzance as Pirate King
1987 Rasputin as Rasputin
1988 Big River as Pap Finn
1994 The Pirates of Penzance as Pirate King, Essgee Entertainment production
1995–96 The Mikado as Pooh-Bah, Essgee Entertainment production
1997 H.M.S. Pinafore as Dick Deadeye, Essgee Entertainment production
1998 Noises Off
1998–99 A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum as Pseudolus, Essgee Entertainment production
2001 Are you being Served? [36] as Mr. James "Dick" Lucas
2003 Paris (co-writer with David Mackay)
2004 Dad's Army as Sergeant Wilson
2012 Jesus Christ Superstar as Pontius Pilate
2013 Hairspray as Edna Turnblad
2014 Spamalot as King Arthur, Harvest Rain Theatre Company

Awards

1979 – TV Week Logie Award 'Best New Talent in Australia' for role in Against the Wind
1979 – TV Week/Countdown Music Awards 'Most Popular Male Performer'
1983 – Mo Awards 'Entertainer of the Year'
1984 – Mo Awards 'Entertainer of the Year'
1984 – Green Room Award for Male Actor in a Leading Role (Music Theatre) for role as the Pirate King in The Pirates of Penzance
1985 – Mo Awards 'Entertainer of the Year' and 'Male Vocal Performer'
1991 – ARIA Awards 'Best Original Soundtrack/Cast/Show Recording' for Paris shared with David Mackay