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Tom Oliver (born 12 June 1938) is a British naturalised Australian retired actor.

Oliver is best known locally and internationally for his long-running role in TV soap opera Neighbours as Lou Carpenter, a role he played for 25 years becoming one of the longest serving cast members. Lou was known for his constant sparring with Harold Bishop (played by Ian Smith) and romance with Madge (played by Anne Charlston), as well as his trademark dirty laugh, which Oliver noted was inspired by Sid James.

Oliver was a staple of the small screen from the early 1960s, until retiring in 2016. After appearing in numerous Crawford Productions police precedurals, he took the long term role in rural series Bellbird on the ABC, before starring in Number 96 as Jack Sellers.

Biography

Early life and military

Oliver was born in Chandler's Ford, Hampshire, England and started appearing in amateur theatricals as an adolescent in Britain before pursuing a career as a jockey. However, he failed to gain an apprenticeship owing to his size.

He joined the Merchant Navy at 16 and travelled the world, eventually settling in Sydney in 1956. Whilst in the British Forces, he worked on the Pacific Nuclear Testing Base, Christmas Island and so is a member of the British Nuclear Test Veterans Association.

Career

Early career

While in Australia, Oliver found work as a stockman, spending three years in this job, working his way around the country. He subsequently returned to the UK before beginning an overland trek across Asia to return to Australia. However, the journey was halted by illness and Oliver returned to Britain where he contacted Albert Finney who was then planning to produce the film Ned Kelly in Australia in 1963. Finney gave him a letter of introduction to an agency in Sydney and Oliver emigrated in 1963, later becoming an Australian citizen. He frequently visits Fareham, Hampshire to see his old friends.

Oliver became a busy theatre and television actor in Australia. He had many guest starring roles on Australian drama series, appearing frequently in the top-rated Crawford Productions police dramas Homicide, Division 4, Matlock Police, and in Crawford's adventure series Hunter (1967). He played Clarry in The Shifting Heart.

Oliver was then cast in serial Bellbird, playing the role of Tom Grey from 1969 to 1971, and appeared in the 1971 film Nickel Queen, directed by John McCallum. After this he returned to television guest roles for Crawfords, and other companies. He also appeared in several British TV series at the beginning of the 70's, such as Paul Temple, Thirty-Minute Theatre, and also played two roles in the Gerry Anderson series UFO – a doctor in the episode entitled "Confetti Check A-OK" as well as a SHADO technician in the episode entitled "The Sound of Silence".

Oliver also worked for a time as a presenter on Play School in 1967.

Number 96

In 1972 he joined the cast of fledgling soap opera Number 96 playing the role of Janie Somers' new beau, Jack Sellars. Back-slapping rough diamond Jack, nicknamed 'Jolly Jack Sellars' was intended as a guest character to appear for a run of just three weeks, but the makers of the show were impressed with his performance and the character was made into an ongoing lead regular in the serial. Oliver became one of the Number 96's most popular cast members.

In late 1973, along with much of the show's regular cast, he reprised his television role in a feature film spinoff of the serial, also called Number 96. Oliver stayed in the role in the series for more than two years, finally electing to leave in mid-1974. He quickly returned to guest starring roles on television and film roles of varying sizes. He briefly returned to Number 96 in the same role in September 1975.

Further film and television

Oliver's film roles included ABBA: The Movie (1977). His primary role in the film was as ABBA's gruff bodyguard; however, he additionally appeared in the film as a barman and as a chatty moustached taxi driver shown mainly from behind. Through the late 1970s and the 1980s, Oliver appeared in guest and regular roles in many Australian drama series and serials, including Prisoner, Holiday Island, Cop Shop, Sons and Daughters and A Country Practice. He also appeared in the acclaimed miniseries The Dismissal portraying Reg Withers.

Stage

Oliver also acted on the stage in numerous productions, appearing in such plays as The Knack, Cactus Flower, How the Other Half Loves and The Club.

Neighbours

Today Oliver is best known for his long-running role of Lou Carpenter in Neighbours. He first appeared for a handful of episodes as lovable rogue used-car salesman Lou, Madge Bishop's former flame, in 1988. In early 1992 the character was reintroduced to the series and was a key character until 2016. Oliver was written out of the show in 1996 but producers relented after numerous petitions from fans and he was quickly reintroduced. By 2009, he was the show's longest serving character, both in continuous and overall duration. From the 2009 season, Oliver reduced his role on Neighbours to a part-time regular member of the cast. Oliver appeared in a documentary special celebrating the show's 30th anniversary titled Neighbours 30th: The Stars Reunite, which aired in Australia and the UK in March 2015. In 2015, it was announced that Oliver had cut back further on his role as Lou and would only appear from time to time as a guest. In October 2016 it was announced that Oliver had left the role after 24 years and his last appearance aired in December 2016.

Lou did not feature in the series finale, but there was still a reference to his character in the form of a lawyers' office called "T Oliver". Executive producer Jason Herbison later revealed that he had personally called Oliver to inquire about returning for the final episode, but Oliver turned it down as he was "at a different point in his life now".

Awards

Oliver has been nominated for the AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role three times.

Personal life

During his run in Number 96, Oliver married fellow castmate Lynn Rainbow, who played Sonia Vansard, and opened a wine bar in Kensington, Sydney, named "Jack's Cellar".

Oliver has been married to his current wife Jan since 1985. Whilst acting on Neighbours, he owned a Maltese Shih Tzu called Lou. He is a keen gardener and mountain fisher.

Oliver has one daughter.

Filmography

Film

Television

Appearances (as self)

As producer

Theatre

References

1. Mark (27 February 2007). "The Inane Babble of a Backpacker: Mission Accomplished!!!". The Inane Babble of a Backpacker. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
2. Giles, Nigel. Number 96: Australia Most infamous Address
3. "Neighbours: The Perfect Blend | Interview: Tom Oliver". The Perfect Blend. 21 March 2009. Retrieved 7 November 2012.
4. "BBC – Neighbours – Who's who Page 3". 15 April 2005. Archived from the original on 15 April 2005. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
5. "BBC – Neighbours – Who's who Page 5". 21 March 2005. Archived from the original on 21 March 2005. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
6. Vagg, Stephen (7 June 2021). "Forgotten Australian TV Plays: The Shifting Heart". Filmink. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
7. ^ Atterton, Margot. (Ed.) The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Australian Showbiz, Sunshine Books, 1984. ISBN 0-86777-057-0 p 170
8. "Neighbours: The Perfect Blend | Interview: Tom Oliver". perfectblend.net. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
9. Knox, David (28 February 2015). "Airdate: Neighbours 30th: The Stars Reunite". TV Tonight. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
10. Kilkelly, Daniel (4 March 2015). "Neighbours 30th anniversary schedule confirmed by Channel 5". Digital Spy. Retrieved 5 March 2015.
11. Knox, David (25 October 2016). "Tom Oliver departing Neighbours". TV Tonight.
12. Rodger, James (30 July 2022). "Every Neighbours star who was 'snubbed' in finale as fans left devastated". BirminghamLive. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
13. Williams, Kathryn (30 July 2022). "Fans love Neighbours final's sweet nod to Lou Carpenter absence". WalesOnline. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
14. Kilkelly, Daniel (2 August 2022). "Neighbours boss addresses finale mysteries". Digital Spy.
15. "BBC – Neighbours – Who's who Page 4".
16. http://greyhoundequality.org/ambassador.html
17. "Tom Oliver". AusStage database.

External links

• Tom Oliver at IMDb
• Tom Oliver as Lou Carpenter

• 1938 births
• Living people
• Australian male film actors
• Australian male soap opera actors
• Australian male stage actors
• British Merchant Navy personnel
• Australian children's television presenters
• British children's television presenters
• British emigrants to Australia
• People from Chandler's Ford
• 20th-century Australian male actors
• 20th-century British male actors
• 21st-century Australian male actors
• 21st-century British male actors
• Naturalised citizens of Australia