The Biography

Jon Douglas Finlayson (23 March 1938 - 12 September 2012) was an Australian stage and screen character actor and writer, director, producer and singer He was known for his roles in the films Lonely Hearts and The Magic Show. At the age of eight, Jon began his long career in the performing arts, touring all over Australia for many years as a boy soprano for the Australian Boys Choir. He was actively involved in theatre throughout school and, as a teenager, began performing weekly on The Fakermagangees, the long-running children's radio serial on 3DB. This was followed by many other Australian radio dramas over the years. After matriculating Finlayson threw himself into amateur theatre productions for some years. He spent many years performing in musicals at the Comedy Theatre, Her Majesty's, the Princess and Russell Street Theatre, including The Fantasticks, Robert and Elizabeth, Bells Are Ringing, For Amusement Only, Lock Up Your Daughters and Auntie Mame. He was also well-known from his numerous television roles, such as Colonel Archibald Spencer in Zoo Family (1985) and as James Gleeson in Snowy River: The McGregor Saga (1995–1996). He wrote sketches for The Mavis Bramston Show. He was noted for his hospitality as well as his 'Sunday Soirees' in the Melbourne show business community.