| Birth date | 6 February 1954 (age 72) |
|---|---|
| Birth place | Warialda, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation | Actor, author |
| Years active | 1973–present |
| Known for | Dr. John Austin in The New Adventures of Black Beauty Chief Inspector Jeff Hawker in Water Rats Andrew Teigan in Mirror, Mirror Dr Mike Newman in The Young Doctors Matt Delaney in Prisoner Andrew Foley in Home and Away |
Peter Bensley (born 6 February 1954)[1] is an Australian actor.
Career
Television and film
One of Bensley's earliest roles was as Dennis Braithwaite on the Seven Network drama series Class of '75.[2] He also appeared in ABC Television children's show, Waterloo Street. In 1976, he appeared in an episode of Rush, followed by a guest appearances in Chopper Squad and Tickled Pink in 1978.[2][3]
Bensley appeared in several Grundy Television soap operas, starting with The Restless Years in 1979. He then took on his one of his most well known roles as Dr. Mike Newman in The Young Doctors from 1980.[2] After The Young Doctors was cancelled in 1983, Bensley played the title role of Stanley Dunstan in the 1984 comedy film Stanley.[4] He had to have his hair cut short for the role and he did his own stunts.[4] He followed this with a stint in Prisoner in 1984 as Matt Delaney, one of the three male prisoners.[2]
In 1986, Bensley played Tony Chapman in Neighbours.[5] He joined Home and Away in 1988 as school teacher Andrew Foley.[6] In 1992, he appeared as Dr. John Austin in the Australian miniseries The New Adventures of Black Beauty.[7] Two years later, he guested in the G.P. episode "Ties of the Blood".[8] The following year, he played Andrew Teigan, father of Jo Teigan, in the Australian/New Zealand co-production Mirror, Mirror.
Bensley starred as Chief Inspector Jeff Hawker in the police procedural drama series Water Rats for the entire run from 1996 until 2001.[9] In 2009, he returned to Neighbours for a two-episode guest role as Dean Naughton.[5] Bensley appeared in the 2020 romantic comedy Romance on the Menu.
Advertisements
In the 1980s, Bensley appeared as a nude centrefold in Cleo magazine wearing only strategically placed scuba gear.[10] He also featured in an advertisement for Palmolive Gold, in which he is seen in bed with fellow The Young Doctors actress Judy McBurney, and semi-naked in a shower.
Author
His first fiction book, On a Wing and a Prayer, was published in 2006.
Personal life
Bensley and his partner have 3 children.
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Stanley | Stanley | Feature film |
| 2010 | Tangerine | Alex | Short film |
| 2017 | Don't Tell | Karen's Father | Feature film |
| 2020 | Romance on the Menu | Dale Whitely | Feature film |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | Class of 74 | Dennis Braithwaite | Series regular |
| 1976 | Rush | Patsey O'Halloran | Episode: "Welcome Back Sergeant McKellar" |
| 1978 | Chopper Squad | Vince | Episode: "A Pride of Lions" |
| 1978 | Tickled Pink | Penny | Episode: "The Family Business" |
| 1979 | The Restless Years | TV series | |
| 1979 | Cop Shop | Gary Sinclair | Episode 186 |
| 1980–1983 | The Young Doctors | Dr Mike Newman | Series regular |
| 1984–1985 | Prisoner | Matt Delaney | Recurring |
| 1986 | Neighbours | Tony Chapman | Recurring |
| 1988–1990 | Home and Away | Andrew Foley | Recurring |
| 1991–1994 | G.P. | Dean Noonan | Episodes: "Nowhere to Run", "Ties of the Blood" |
| 1992 | Round the Twist | Mr Shelford | Episode: "Nails" |
| 1992 | Police Rescue | Phil Dorrick | Episode: "The Hard Way" |
| 1992 | The Time Game | Electricity Serviceman | TV film |
| 1992–1994 | The New Adventures of Black Beauty | Dr. John Austin | Recurring |
| 1994 | Ship to Shore | Taxi Driver | Guest |
| 1994 | Paradise Beach | Martin Taylor | Episode 130 |
| 1995 | Mirror, Mirror | Andrew Tiegan | Series regular |
| 1996–2001 | Water Rats | Chied Inspector Jeff Hawker | Series regular |
| 1997 | Roar | Alwyn | Episode: "The Eternal" |
| 2001 | Corridors of Power | Mail Man | Recurring |
| 2009 | Neighbours | Dean Naughton | Guest |
| 2009–2010 | Packed to the Rafters | Derek | Recurring |
| 2010 | Cops LAC | Chief Superintendent | Episode: "The Killer Wore Sneakers" |
As director
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Steam Across the Mountain |
References
- ^ "Actors' Birthdays - Reference and Information - Home and Away". Backtothebay.net. 15 April 2007. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
- ^ "What happened to? Peter Bensley". TV Week. 6–12 June 1998. p. 6.
- ^ "Sun-Herald TV Guide - ABN 2". The Sun-Herald. 1 October 1978. Retrieved 10 March 2026. – via Newspapers.com
- ^ "Can Stanley save soap star's career?". TV Week. 24 March 1984. p. 25.
- ^ "Peter Bensley reunites with the Neighbours". Holy Soap. 10 July 2010. Archived from the original on 19 July 2009. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
- ^ Brown, David (8 April 1989). "Showdown!". TV Week. p. 2.
- ^ Brown, David (29 August 1992). "Showbuzz". TV Week. p. 4.
- ^ "Television". The Age. 12 July 1994. Retrieved 10 March 2026. – via Newspapers.com
- ^ Rowe, Darren (13 March 2009). "Ex 'Water Rats' star joins 'Neighbours'". Digital Spy. Retrieved 10 March 2026.
- ^ Woodhouse, Ursula (14 February 1982). "Do men like being chased by women?". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 10 March 2026. – via Newspapers.com
External links
- Peter Bensley at IMDb
- Peter Bensley – "The Young Doctors"
- Peter Bensley – "Water Rats"
- Peter Bensley[dead link] – "Water Rats"
- Author page at Random House publishers