Norman Coburn
| Norman Coburn | |
|---|---|
| Born |
March 6, 1937 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation | Character Actor |
| Years active | 1956–present |
Norman Coburn (born 6 March 1937 in Sydney) is an Australian television character-actor, notable for his roles primarily in soap operas, most especially his long-standing role as Donald Fisher in Home and Away between 1988-2003.
Career
Coburn trained with the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust in North Sydney, Australia, before travelling to Britain in the 1950s to pursue an acting career. He appeared in iconic British TV shows such as Dixon of Dock Green and Coronation Street. He quit acting for a time and worked as a restaurateur in London and owned a vineyard in Cornwall in the 1970s.[1]
However, he returned to acting and to Australia in the 1980s. Coburn is best known for his portrayal of Donald Fisher, the fictional headmaster of Summer Bay High School, in the Australian soap opera Home and Away,[2][3] from the beginning of the series in 1988. He was featured in the Guinness World Records as the longest serving actor in an Australian serial, along with co-stars Ray Meagher and Kate Ritchie. Since his departure from Home and Away, he has returned in consecutive guest appearances, the last being in 2007.
He has also appeared briefly as Fred Sykes in the Seven Network soap opera Sons and Daughters, and had guest appearances in The Young Doctors, Special Squad and A Country Practice.
Personal life
Coburn originally resided in Sydney, and later Perth, Western Australia. He currently resides on Bruny Island south of Hobart, Tasmania. With his wife Tina, he has one daughter, actor and director Nana Coburn, who has also appeared in Home and Away.
In 2014, 10 years after leaving Home and Away, he was featured in a photo shoot for New Idea, in a reunion with former cast members Nicolle Dickson who played his daughter Bobby, Ross Newton (Greg) and Ryan Clark who played his grandson Sam Marshall. He said he was still surprised that people still remember him as "Flathead" Fisher[4]
Filmography
| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1960 | A Circle of Deception | Carter | |
| 1961 | On the Fiddle | Uncredited | |
| 1965 | Tomorrow at Ten | Desk Man | |
| Television | |||
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1958 | Dixon of Dock Green | Jimmy | 1 episode: A Whiff of Garlic |
| 1962 | The Ghost of Sonata | Coffin Bearer | Television film |
| Suspense | Ambulenceman | 1 episode: The Man in My Shoes | |
| The Andromeda Breakthrough | Crowd Extra | Uncredited; 1 episode: Gale Warning | |
| 1981 | A Step in the Right Direction | Television film | |
| 1982 | A Country Practice | Neville Roebuck | 2 episodes: Golden Fleece: Parts 1 & 2 |
| Sons and Daughters | Fred Sykes | ||
| 1915 | English P.O.W. | Mini-series | |
| 1983 | Five Mile Creek | Stage Coach Passenger | 1 episode: Making Tracks |
| 1984 | Special Squad | 1 episode: Counterfeit Lady | |
| 1988–2007 | Home and Away | Donald Fisher | Main role (1988–2003), guest star (2005 & 2007) |
| 2008 | The Hollowmen | Jeff | 1 episode: A Quiet January |
References
- ↑ "Wine hopes for UK". The Canberra Times. 21 July 1970. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
- ↑ "Fisher, Donald". backtothebay.net. Retrieved 8 July 2011.
- ↑ "Donald Fisher". utvinternet.com. Retrieved 8 July 2011.
- ↑ Alicia Vrajlal (3 July 2014). "Home and Away reunion! Bobbi goes back the bay as Home And Away's original Fisher Family return to the shores of Palm Beach". Daily Mail. Retrieved 6 March 2015.