08/11/2025
Australia has had dozens of iconic actors who have found fame and acclaim overseas. Then there are those who carve out their career in Australia, becoming a different kind of iconic.
John Hargreaves was one of those actors.
The first line of his IMDb bio reads "John Hargreaves was the quintessential Australian man" which is the perfect summation of his career from films like Don's Party (1976) to Long Weekend (1978) and Malcolm (1986).
He was able to be the hero and the heel, and often a complex blend of both. His characters would unfold from restrained to untethered, suave to slimeball, or unsavoury to lovable.
In 1994, after collecting three AFI awards, John received the Byron Kennedy Award for "not only the brilliance and daring of his acting, but for his ability to inspire."
He passed far too soon, which is still a shame to this day. When we spoke to the Cairnes Brothers about Malcolm (1986), they mourned their generation's missed chance to work with John Hargreaves.
But still, his performances remain for us to admire!
1945-1996
