Peter Phelps

Peter Phelps
Phelps in 2012
Born (1960-09-20) 20 September 1960 (age 64)
Occupation(s)Actor, singer, writer
Years active1977−present
Known forJohn Palmer in Sons and Daughters
Trevor Cole in Baywatch
Peter Church in Stingers
SpouseDonna Fowkes (2000–present)
ChildrenAja Blue Phelps (b. 2002)
Polly Elsie Rose Phelps (b. 2005)
Parent(s)George Thomas Phelps
Shirley Amy Gunston
RelativesKerryn Phelps (sister)
Bryan Robson (cousin)
AwardsAFI: Best Actor in a Television Drama 1993
Logie: Most Popular Actor 2002.
Websitepeterphelps.com.au

Peter Phelps (born 20 September 1960 in Sydney) is an Australian actor, singer and writer. He is notable for his role as Trevor Cole in Baywatch. Phelps is also known for his roles in the internationally successful Australian series Sons and Daughters and Stingers and has appeared in feature films including Blackwater Trail with Judd Nelson. He is the brother of Professor Kerryn Phelps.

Career

[edit]

Phelps began his acting career in the early 1980s with an ongoing role in the Network Ten teen soap opera The Restless Years produced by the Reg Grundy Organisation. After that series ended he had a starring role in new Grundy soap opera Sons and Daughters. It was Phelps who came up with the "Pat the Rat" moniker in the series.

In 1988 he had a brief role in the mini series The Dirtwater Dynasty. Peter featured as David Eastwick, the first-born son of the main character Richard Eastwick, played by Hugo Weaving (who is fewer than six months older than Phelps).

From 1989–1990, he was one of the lifeguards (Trevor Cole) in the first season of Baywatch, and had a minor role in the film Point Break. He also had roles in A Country Practice and The Flying Doctors. In 1993, Phelps won an Australian Film Institute Best Actor award for his role in the G.P. episode, "Exposed".[1]

From 1998 until 2004, he starred in Stingers, a role that won him the 2002 Logie Award for Most Popular Actor.

Phelps also played a recurring role as doctor Doug "Spence" Spencer on the medical drama, All Saints starting 4 October 2005.

In 2009, Phelps had a busy year. He appeared in two television dramas — Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities playing detective inspector Joe Messina; and as Vince Marchello (Station Co-ordinator) in Rescue: Special Ops. Also in 2009, he also had a role as a police officer in the film Stone Bros.

In 2009, he appeared in a new public awareness campaign by the NSW Rural Fire Service about the need to prepare for bushfires. This included television and radio advertisements. The campaign was subsequently adopted by the Tasmania Fire Service.[2]

In 2021, Phelps appeared in channel 7's series Australia's Sexiest Tradie.[3]

In 2023 Phelps appeared in channel 7 soap Home and Away as Gary Morrow.[4] Phelps also appeared in the theatre play La Cage Aux Folles.[5] Phelps in 2024 appeared in 7plus series Roast Night which was written by his co-star Rick Donald.[6] Phelps was later announced to appear in ABC series Return to Paradise (2024 TV series).[7]

Personal life

[edit]

In 2015, Phelps was one of many victims who were scammed by financial advisor Brad Sherwin who stole more than $400,000 of Phelps' superannuation.[8]

Filmography

[edit]

Television appearances

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
2025 Optics Rob Ryan TV series
2024 Plum Mo Hanlon 2 episodes
Return to Paradise Vince TV series 1 episode
Roast Night Wayne Turner 6 episodes
2012-24 Home and Away Alan Henderson / Gary Morrow 28 episodes
2021 Australia's Sexiest Tradie Boss Man Wayne 6 episodes
2020 Drunk History Australia Lee Robinson / Olympic Crowd 1 episode
2019 Les Norton Mick Matthews 1 episode
Blue Water Empire Commanding Officer TV series
2017 Blue Murder: Killer Cop Abo Henry 1 episode
2013-15 Wonderland Warwick Wilcox 23 episodes
2014 Old School Malcolm Dwyer 8 episodes
2014 Modern Family Wise Australian 1 episode
2013 Mr & Mrs Murder Paul Craven 1 episode
2009-11 Rescue: Special Ops Vince Marchello 48 episodes
2009 Underbelly Joe Messina 13 episodes
2007 Chandon Pictures Eddie Connolly 2 episodes
2005-07 All Saints Doug Spencer 16 episodes
2006 Small Claims: The Reunion Paul Lloyd TV movie
1998-04 Stingers Peter Church 192 episodes
1998 Water Rats Jimmy 3 episodes
1997 Reprisal Borodin TV movie
1997 One Way Ticket Mick Webb TV movie
1996 Police Rescue Alex Willis 3 episodes
The Feds: Betrayal Brian Petrie TV movie
1995 Blue Murder Abo Henry 2 episodes
Fire Nick Connor 13 episodes
1994 Heartbreak High Phil North 4 episodes
1993-94 R.F.D.S Dennis Taylor 13 episodes
1981-93 A Country Practice Chris / Hector / Jeff 10 episodes
1993 G.P. Sam Hill 1 episode
1991 The Young Riders Hack Wilkins 1 episode
Chances David Hensen 1 episode
1990 Rafferty's Rules James 1 episode
1989-90 Baywatch Trevor Cole 21 episodes
1989 Baywatch: Panic At Malibu Pier TV movie
1988 Rock 'N' Roll Cowboys Eddie TV movie
1986-87 The Challenge Will 2 episodes
1988 The Dirtwater Dynasty David Eastwick 5 episodes
Australians Les 1 episode
1986 Prime Time TV series
1984 The Cowra Breakout Terry Moyes 5 episode
1982-84 Sons and Daughters John Palmer 421 episodes
1981-82 The Restless Years Kevin Ryan 6 episodes

Film appearances

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
2021 Him Neil Espers
Beverely Short
2019 Locusts Sgt Harvey
2016 Drone Blake
Embedded Cassidy
2010 Caught Inside Skipper Joe
2009 Stone Bros. The 'New Age' Copper
2008 Forever Strong Referee
The Square Jake
2007 Without Warrant The Buyer
2006 Footy Legends Billy Major
2003 Ned Kelly Constable Lonigan
2002 Teesh and Trude Rod
2001 Lantana Patrick
1996 Zone 39 Leo Melgaw
1995 Blackwater Trail Frank
1995 Rough Diamonds Dozer Brennan
1993 Merlin John Pope
1991 Point Break Aussie Surfer
1989 Maya Peter
1988 Breaking Loose: Summer City II Ross
1987 Starlight Hotel Patrick
The Lighthorsemen Dave
1986 Playing Beatie Bow Judah
1983 Undercover Theo

Stage appearances

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
The Club
Miranda by Stephen Sewell
Nicholas Nickleby
The Sum of Us
Twelve Angry Men
2023 La Cage aux Folles (play)

Awards and nominations

[edit]
Year Category Award Series Result
1993 Best Actor in a Leading Role in a TV Drama AFI Award G.P. Won
2002 Best Supporting Male Actor FCCA Award Lantana Nominated
2002 Most Popular Actor Logie Award Stingers Won

Writings

[edit]

Books

[edit]
  • Sex without Madonna: The True Confessions of a Hired Gun in Tinseltown (autobiography), Pan Macmillan Publishers Australia, 1994
  • The Bulldog Track: A grandson's story of an ordinary man's war and survival on the other Kokoda trail, Hachette Australia, 2018[9][10]

Magazine contributor

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Default Parallels Plesk Panel Page". afi.org.au.
  2. ^ NSWRFS. YouTube.
  3. ^ Rigden, Clare (2 September 2021). "Rick Donald's quest to be crowned our Sexiest Tradie". The West Australian. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  4. ^ Foster, Dan (21 January 2023). "Home and Away introduces Felicity's foster father Gary". Back to the Bay. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  5. ^ McLoughlin, Sean (10 September 2023). "New cast to join la cage aux folles". Aussie Theatre.
  6. ^ "Watch Roast Night Online: Free Streaming & Catch Up TV in Australia". 7plus.com.au. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  7. ^ Knox, David (12 August 2024). "Airdate: Return to Paradise (Aussie Death in Paradise spin-off) | TV Tonight". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
  8. ^ "Australian actor Peter Phelps lost $400,000 at hands of disgraced investment adviser". www.9news.com.au. 20 May 2015. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  9. ^ "Peter Phelps shares the story of his grandfather who made it home from PNG via the Bulldog Track". Redland City Bulletin. 9 July 2018. Retrieved 6 August 2018.
  10. ^ "The other Kokoda trail". abc.net.au. abc.net.au. 2 August 2018. Retrieved 6 August 2018.
[edit]