Peter Regan, actor and entertainer best known from The Box, has died at age 92.
English-born, he was initially studying to become a solicitor but soon decided the law was not for him. He then began in amateur theatre which then led to musical theatre and performances in nightclubs and radio. He first came to Australia for the stage musical Charlie Girl in the early 1970s, reprising the role he’d previously played in the English production. While he was in Australia he auditioned for Crawford Productions and after returning home he was later contacted by Crawfords and offered the part of tonight show host Gary Burke for its new serial drama, The Box, set behind the scenes at a TV station.
With The Box‘s heavy emphasis on adult themes, early episodes featured Gary Burke being caught missing his cue to return from a commercial break. He is later found to be ‘distracted’ by a young female, Felicity (Helen Hemingway), in his dressing room. Not only was Felicity young but also under-age (though Hemingway was not).
“I hope I’m not at all like Gary Burke,” he told TV Times in 1975. “Naturally most actors have a basic quality of insecurity as a result of the nature of our profession but I am definitely not desperately insecure like he is. Our business is competitive, but I don’t feel the same way about competition as he does.”
He stayed with The Box, playing the part of the TV host until 1976. He then moved across to ABC to take on the role of a real-life TV host, presenting the National Music Industry Awards, the talent series Quest ’76 (later Quest ’77 and Quest ’78) and the 1979 special Peter Regan’s Musical World. He also hosted a variety show from NBN3, Newcastle.
Later acting credits on television included Cop Shop, Prisoner, Carson’s Law, Janus and MDA.
Peter Regan was married to English-born Australian actress Olivia Hamnett, who died in 2001.
YouTube: THE HEHR ARCHIVE
Source: TV Tonight, IMDB. TV Times, 30 March 1974, 8 March 1975, 7 July 1979.
