Les Dayman, actor best known for his stage and television work, including leading roles in Homicide and E Street, has died at the age of 85.

His first TV roles were in plays Weather At Pinetop and Dark Corridor, both produced by ABC in Adelaide. This was followed in 1966 by his first major TV role as Detective Bill Hudson in the Melbourne-based drama, Homicide.

He starred in the series for two years before returning to Adelaide to join the South Australian Theatre Company. He continued to move between Adelaide and the eastern states as theatre and television work allowed while bringing up a family.

Later TV credits included Division 4, The Last Outlaw, I Can Jump Puddles, Cop Shop, Holiday Island, Bellamy, Sara Dane, Special Squad, Rafferty’s Rules, Bodyline, A Country Practice, Willing And Abel and The Last Frontier.

He also had brief ongoing roles in Prisoner and Sons And Daughters.

In 1989 he was one of the original cast of Network Ten‘s E Street, as Sargeant George Sullivan. It was a role he held for the show’s entire four-year run.

He later featured in Water Rats, Stingers, Blue Heelers and All Saints.

Source: IMDB, Nigel Giles. TV Times, 12 February 1972