Max Phipps

Maxwell John Phipps (18 November 1939 – 6 August 2000) was an Australian actor, known for a number of roles in theatre, films and television during the 1960s until the end of the 1990s.

Max Phipps
Born
Maxwell John Phipps

18 November 1939
Died6 August 2000(2000-08-06) (aged 60)
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Life and career

Phipps was born in Dubbo and grew up in Parkes. He started his acting training in Sydney at the age of 21, at the Ensemble Theatre. There he appeared in such productions as Buffalo Skinner, Long Day's Journey into Night, Fortune and Men's Eyes, The Removalists and Rooted. In the Sydney Opera House's inaugural season he played Harry Bustle in What If You Died Tomorrow?. In London he reprised this role, as well as appearing in Don's Party. He played Dr Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Show in Melbourne in 1975–77.

His most notable screen roles included Bernie Dump in The Miraculous Mellops, The Toadie in Mad Max 2 (1981), Prime Minister Gough Whitlam in the television mini-series The Dismissal (1983), Sir Frank Packer in True Believers (1988), and Queensland Police Commissioner Terry Lewis in the Four Corners TV documentary drama Police State (1989), which helped to bring about investigations into corruption within that state's police force and political system. He was nominated for an AFI award for his role in Stir (1980). Other films included The Cars That Ate Paris (1974), Thirst (1979), Nightmares (1980), Dead Easy (1982), The Return of Captain Invincible (1983), Savage Islands (1983), which was released in the United States as Nate and Hayes, Sky Pirates (1986) and What the Moon Saw (1990). He appeared as Detective Inspector Mcallister in the Inspector Morse episode "The Promised Land" in 1991, which was set in Australia. Phipps also played the role of Edward "Dinosaur" Spence in the first season of the short lived Australian television series "FIRE" (1995) set in Queensland.

in the early to late 90s He also briefly worked on the ill-fated video game Wizardry: Stones of Arnhem at DirectSoft which was being contracted out to them by Sirtech.

Death

He died from cancer in Sydney in August 2000, survived by his three siblings. He had never married.

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleType
1964Split LevelLouisTV movie
1969You Can't See 'round CornersKeith GraysonFeature film
1974The Tony Hancock SpecialHotel ClerkTV movie
1974The Cars That Ate ParisMulrayFeature film
1975Polly Me LoveTV movie
1977Benny Hill Down UnderVarious rolesTV movie
1979Temperament UnsuitedSupervisorShort film
1979ThirstMr. HodgeFeature film
1980StirNortonFeature film
1980NightmaresGeorge D'albergFeature film
1981Mad Max 2The ToadieFeature film
1982Dead EasyFrancisFeature film
1983The Return of Captain InvincibleAdmiralFeature film
1983Savage IslandsBen PeaseFeature film
1983Who Killed Baby Azaria?Mr. Baker QCTV movie
1985Emoh RuoSam TregadoFeature film
1986Sky Pirates (aka Nate and Hayes)SavageFeature film
1986The Blue LightningBrutus CathcartTV movie
1986Body BusinessMaxTV movie
1987Dark AgeJohn BesserFeature film
1989Police StateQueensland Police Commissioner Terry LewisTV docudrama movie
1989How Wonderful!The DoctorTV movie
1990What the Moon SawMr. ZacharyFeature film
1990Sky TrackersDoctor GilesTV movie
1999Without WarningMayberryTV movie

Television

YearTitleRoleType
1964The StrangerSoshuniss CitizenTV miniseries
1964Consider Your VerdictTV series, 1 episode
1969DeltaTony SpencerTV series, 1 episode
1970Woobinda, Animal DoctorTV series, 1 episode
1971The Thursday Creek MobLieutenant WiggTV series
1971DynastyDr. LoftusTV series, 1 episode
1972CatwalkJack WilsonTV series, 1 episode
1972A Nice Day at the OfficeGraeme 'Snow' CarterTV series, 1 episode
1972BoneyMorris AnsworthTV series, 1 episode
1972Snake Gully with Dad and DaveHarry PhealyTV series, 1 episode
1972Behind the LegendTV series. 1 episode
1973RyanBradleyTV series, 1 episode
1975Shannon's MobPatrick RyanTV series, 1 episode
1979Glenview HighTV series, 1 episode
1980-81Cop ShopGlen Anderson / Harry Shelton / Clyde Hewitt / Robert DoyleTV series, 7 episodes
1981Holiday IslandMatthew KramerTV series, 2 episodes
1981BellamyEvansTV series, 1 episode
1982Women of the SunDoug CutlerTV miniseries, 1 episode
1983The DismissalPrime Minister Gough WhitlamTV miniseries, 3 episodes
1983Carson's LawInspector CullenTV series, 2 episodes
1984Special SquadArthur Lambert / ArthurTV series, 2 episodes
1985Zoo FamilyElephant JimTV series, 1 episode
1986My Brother TomJ.B.StrappTV miniseries, 1 episode
1988True BelieversSir Frank PackerTV miniseries, 2 episodes
1988Rafferty's RulesVern O'ConnorTV series, 1 episode
1989Mission: ImpossibleRudenskyTV series, 16 episode
1989This Man... This WomanBarry FarmerTV miniseries, 1 episode
1989E StreetJoseph ParkerTV series, 2 episodes
1991A Country PracticeGordon Barlow / Gus RoachTV series, 4 episodes
1991Inspector MorseDetective Inspector Glenn McAllisterTV series, episode "The Promised Land"
1991Screen OneRayTV series, 1 episode
1991-92The Miraculous MellopsBernie DumpTV series, 20 episodes
1992G.P.Derek HarwoodTV series, 1 episode
1995FireEdward 'Dinosaur' SpenceTV series, 13 episodes
1995Snowy River: The McGregor SagaCommissioner Henry DengateTV series, 1 episode
1996Naked: Stories of MenLeonardTV series, 1 episode
1996Halifax f.p.Detective Inspector DerridaTV series, 1 episode
1997Bullpitt!ArchbishopTV series, 1 episode
1998WildsideSam FarmerTV series, 1 episode
1998-99All SaintsJoe GoretskiTV series, 2 episodes
1999Big SkyEllisonTV series, 2 episodes
1999Noah's ArkJezerTV miniseries, 2 episodes
1999FarscapePa'u TuzakTV series, 1 episode

References