Peter Whitford had celebrated 17 prolific years in show business as one of Australia’s leading actors before he was ever required to sing publicly in the commercial theatre. This was as the wily Governor in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. Eight years later he trod the musical boards again in another Mike Walsh produced delight; Anything Goes as Moonface Martin; public enemy number 13, opposite Geraldine Turner. Another musical was to follow with Me and My Girl as Sir John, opposite Sheila Bradley.
Born in Adelaide, his early stage ventures came though university theatre. Graduating from NIDA in 1963, Peter did an ABC radio play, King of Hearts, and never looked back.
His professional stage experience was in the Old Tote’s inaugural production of The Cherry Orchard. His theatre performances include Ghosts at Belvoir Street; See How They Run, Why Me? And A Small Family Business for the Northside Theatre Company; and The Country Wife for the Sydney Theatre Company.
Other credits on his vast list include Hedda Gabler for the Royal Queensland Theatre Company, Butley and The Season at Sarsaparilla for the Old Tote, Cyrano de Bergerac and A Map of the World for the Sydney Theatre Company, When the Wind Blows for Belvoir Street, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and Catch Me If  You Can for Northside, and Kennedy’s Children for the Melbourne Theatre Company.
For television, Peter’s performances include roles in I’ve Married a Bachelor, Water Under the Bridge, Division 4, Number 96, Carson’s Law, A Country Practice, Bodyline, The Last Bastion, The Henderson Kids, Land of Hope, Rafferty’s Rules, All Saints and the spin-off series for Kingswood Country known as Bullpitt! Some audience members may even remember him as Jack in ABC radio’s Blue Hills. Peter’s last acting credit was an episode of Rake in 2010.
Peter has appeared in many films including My Brilliant Career, Phar Lap, Careful He Might Hear You, Dead End Drive-in, Running from the Guns and Warm Nights on a Slow Moving Train. Perhaps his most indelible screen performance was as the flamboyant Les Kendall in Baz Luhrmann’s Strictly Ballroom.
Our stage and screen elders possess such a wealth of knowledge and experience. It’s so vital that we hear these stories. It was an enormous treat to access those stories via Peter Whitford. Enjoy!
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