Shane Connor

Shane Connor
Born (1959-04-03) 3 April 1959 (age 66)
Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
Other namesShane Feeney-Connor
EducationVictorian College of the Arts at University of Melbourne
OccupationActor
Years active1981–present
Known forNeighbours as Joe Scully
Spouse(s)
Karen Connor
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​
(m. 1987; div. 1992)​

​
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(m. 1994; div. 1997)​
Children3

Shane Connor (born 3 April 1959) also billed/credited as Shane Feeney-Connor, is an Australian actor, who has had extensive experience in stage, television and film productions, both locally and internationally in the United Kingdom and United States. He is probably best known for his role in TV serial Neighbours as patriarch Joe Scully.

Early life

Connor was born in Woodville, South Australia in April 1959 and graduated from University of Melbourne drama division the Victorian College of the Arts in the early 1980s. He worked steadily in film, theatre and television for many years.

Career

Connor's television credits include the Channel Seven series Fire, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation drama Heartland, the miniseries The Harp in the South and Poor Man's Orange and Halifax f.p. (1998). He appeared in the USA television network miniseries Moby Dick as Flask.

Connor also played guest roles in Australian soap operas: He played Kevin, husband of Cheryll (Lisa Aldenhoven), in the women's prison drama serial Prisoner. Then in 1986 he returned to the series in the recurring role of biker Bongo Connors, the brother of Glenda Linscott's character, Rita Connors. He later appeared in its re-imagined series Wentworth on Foxtel.[1] playing the partner of Leah Purcell's updated version of the very same character. Connor had a brief role as another biker, Angel, in another soap opera Sons and Daughters, in 1986.

Awards include the 1984 Penguin Award for Best Actor and the 1995 Green Room Award for Outstanding Fringe Performer. He also received a nomination for the 1998 AFI Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Television Drama (for Halifax f.p.).[2]

Neighbours

In July 1999, Connor joined the cast of Neighbours and began filming the ongoing role Joe Scully of builder and family patriarch, with his first scene's going on air in October.[3] The show's producers invited him to audition for the role, and he decided to accept when he found out that he would be working with actress Janet Andrewartha, who plays Joe's on-screen wife Lyn Scully.[3] Connor had previously played a guest role in the series as character Phil Hoffman debuting on-screen on 26 March and appearing until 16 April 1991.[4] Joe Scully gave Connor the chance to play a character who was not a "bad guy, a confrontational type, a man on the verge".[3] Connor was initially contracted with Neighbours for three years, with 12-month renewal options.[3]

Connor was fired from the series in September 2003, several months after receiving a written warning from producers and overcoming an amphetamine habit. There had been ongoing hostility between him and Andrewartha; who had been the source of the vast majority of complaints about him.[5] He sued the show's producer, Grundy Television, for wrongful termination of his contract, seeking about $200,000.[5]

The court hearing heard that he had an amphetamine drug habit while performing on the show. Connor's older brother died in June 2001 and he had been badly affected by this, leading to the drug habit. Members of the cast and crew had complained about his behaviour at work. This included alleged aggressive behaviour and lateness that delayed production. After being confronted about his problem, he met with the cast in May 2003 and admitted the problem and apologised.[5] Connor won the case and was awarded by the Supreme Court of Victoria over $230,000 in libel damages.[6]

After Neighbours

Connor worked in the United Kingdom in pantomime.[6] He also appeared as a guest in reality TV show The Salon and Killing Time.[1]

Connor later guested in Nine Network's House Husbands.[1] He joined the cast of Wentworth in a recurring role in 2018,[1] followed by a recurring role in 2022 miniseries The Twelve.

Personal life

Connor was married to his first wife Karen from 1987 to 1992.

Connor married fellow actor Nell Feeney in July 1994.[7] They met when he guested in TV series Phoenix, in which Feeney was starring. Feeney gave birth to their twins, a son and a daughter, in 1995. They couple divorced in 1997.

Connor also has another daughter.

Filmography

Film

TitleYearRoleType
1984Street HeroYokel's MateFeature film
1984Every Move She MakesTonyTV movie
1985RootedTV movie
1985EmergingMcNairTV movie
1986Army WivesGrantTV movie
1988Tender HooksWayneFeature film
1988Breaking Loose: Summer City IISampsonFilm
1989Action ReplayFilm
1995Rainbow's EndDetective Sergeant George O'BrienTV movie
2008Playing for CharlieJoe Ruddock
2013Wolf Creek 2Senior Sergeant Gary Bulmer Jnr.Feature film
2013ManSam FlanaganShort film
2013TouchCarlFeature film
2016The MannyDadTV movie
2021OMG DadShort film

Television

TitleYearRoleType
1981Cop ShopGardener No. 1TV series, season 1, episode 339
1983; 1984Carson's LawClerk / Joe / Gil Bishop / Albert RudgeTV series, 6 episodes
1983; 1984; 1986PrisonerKevin Armstrong / Maintenance Squad Man / Brian 'Bongo' ConnorsTV series, 16 episodes
1987The Harp in the SouthCharlie RotheTV miniseries, 3 episodes
1987Poor Man's OrangeCharlie RotheTV miniseries, 2 episodes
1987Sons and DaughtersAngel JonesTV series, 5 episodes
1987; 1991The Flying DoctorsRick/Ross BecherTV series, 2 episodes
1984; 1989; 1991A Country PracticePeter Neal / Barry Hamilton / Colin ScottTV series, 6 episodes
1991NeighboursPhil HoffmanTV series, 5 episodes
1992PhoenixMannyTV series, season 1, episode 7: "Old Rules, New Games"
1992Police RescueGeoffTV series, season 3, episode 13: "Heartbeat"
1994HeartlandBen LovellTV miniseries, 3 episodes
1993–1994Law of the LandHarry MilesTV series, 26 episodes
1994Sky TrackersSergeant BlakeTV series, 2 episodes
1995FireDavid 'Giraffe' SimpsonTV series, 13 episodes
1995Snowy River: The McGregor SagaTyler MorganTV series, 2 episodes
1996The BiteThompsonTV miniseries
1997Good Guys, Bad GuysBiancoTV series, 2 episodes
1997Halifax f.p.RayTV series, season 3, episode 3: "Afraid of the Dark"
1998Raw FMDiggerTV series, season 1, episode 13: "One"
1998Blue HeelersDanny HobsonTV series, 2 episodes
1998Moby DickMr. FlaskTV miniseries, 2 episodes
1998WildsideTerry YoungTV series, 2 episodes
1999StingersTerry CollisTV series, 2 episodes
1999–2004NeighboursJoe ScullyTV series, 392 episodes
2004The SalonHimselfTV series
2005Twisted TalesBen KettleTV series, season 1, episode 10: "Cursed House"
2008Mark Loves SharonRoy WaryTV series, 2 episodes
2009Dirt GameMax MeesTV miniseries, 6 episodes
2009–2010SatisfactionKarlTV series, 6 episodes
2007; 2011City HomicideGareth Nunn / Philip CarterTV series, 2 episodes
2011Killing TimeDetective Sergeant Wayne StrawhornTV miniseries, 4 episodes
2015House HusbandsFarmer ToddTV series, 2 episodes
2018–2019WentworthRay HouserTV series, 6 episodes
2022The Twelve[8]Steve DokicTV series, 5 episodes

Theatre

TitleYearRoleType
1985The Doll TrilogyJohnny DowdMelbourne Athenaeum with MTC, Sydney Opera House with STC
1988BackbeatDan / Terry / StanStables Theatre, Sydney with Griffin Theatre Company
1988And The Big Men FlyAchilles JonesRussell Street Theatre with MTC
1989Kid StakesRooPlayhouse, Newcastle, with Hunter Valley Theatre Company
1989–90Byzantine FlowersEddieSTC[9]
1990This Old Man Comes Rolling HomeGeorgeRussell Street Theatre with MTC
1991Summer of the Seventeenth DollFeaturedSeymour Centre, Sydney
1992Coast MongrelsPaulorPlayhouse, Newcastle with Hunter Valley Theatre Company
1995Nil, Cat & BuriedCatCarlton Courthouse with La Mama, Melbourne
1995The Snake PitLa Mama, Melbourne[10]
1996The Shifting HeartClarryPlayhouse, Adelaide with STCSA[11]
1997Gary's HouseGaryPlaybox Theatre, Melbourne
1999Wonderful WardMelbourne International Comedy Festival
2004Anyone for BreakfastGilbertUK tour
2012The New BlackRupertArts Centre Melbourne
Fool for LoveEddieCanberra Theatre
The Harp in the SouthVarious rolesSTC
The Custodians

[12][13][14]

Awards

YearWorkAwardCategoryResult
1984Shane ConnorPenguin AwardBest ActorWon
1987Army WivesAFI AwardBest Performance by an Actor in a TelefeatureNominated
1988Poor Man's OrangeAACTA AwardsBest Performance by an Actor in a MiniseriesNominated
1995Shane ConnorGreen Room AwardOutstanding Fringe PerformerWon
1998Halifax f.p.AFI AwardShowtime Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Television DramaNominated[2]
1998Afraid of the DarkAFI AwardBest Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Television DramaNominated

[15]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Knox, David (16 June 2018). "Shane Connor cast in Wentworth". TV Tonight. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  2. ^ a b "Neighbours turn nasty, Connor shown door". The Sydney Morning Herald. 27 October 2003. Retrieved 2 April 2010.
  3. ^ a b c d Enker, Debi (10 February 2000). "Rumblings in Erinsborough". The Age. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  4. ^ Fletcher, Mary (20 April 1992). "I'd rather be a stud than a kidnapper!". Woman's Own: 52–53.
  5. ^ a b c "Sacked from Neighbours over drugs, star sues". The Sydney Morning Herald. 21 October 2005. Retrieved 2 April 2010.
  6. ^ a b "Sacked Neighbours star gets $230,000". news.ninemsn.com.au. 1 December 2005. Archived from the original on 12 January 2009. Retrieved 2 April 2010.
  7. ^ Brown, David (30 July 1994). "Inside Info". TV Week: 6–7.
  8. ^ "The Twelve | TV Tonight". 19 June 2022.
  9. ^ "Sydney Theatre Company : Programs and related material collected by the National Library of Australia".
  10. ^ "The Snake Pit".
  11. ^ https://murraybramwell.com/?p=2081 [bare URL]
  12. ^ "Shane Connor – IMC".
  13. ^ "Shane Connor | Karen Kay Management".
  14. ^ "Notification".
  15. ^ https://www.rmk.com.au/voices/voices/shane_connor/ [bare URL]
  • Shane Connor at IMDb
  • Connor v Grundy Television Pty Ltd 2005 VSC 466
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