Peter Bensley (born 6 February 1954) is an Australian actor.

Career

Television and film

One of Bensley's earliest roles was as Dennis Braithwaite on the Seven Network drama series Class of '75. He also appeared in ABC Television children's show, Waterloo Street. In 1976, he appeared in an episode of Rush, followed by a guest appearances in Chopper Squad and Tickled Pink in 1978.

Bensley appeared in several Grundy Television soap operas, starting with The Restless Years in 1979. He then took on his one of his most well known roles as Dr. Mike Newman in The Young Doctors from 1980. He had to have his hair cut short for the role and he did his own stunts. He joined Home and Away in 1988 as school teacher Andrew Foley. In 1992, he appeared as Dr. John Austin in the Australian miniseries The New Adventures of Black Beauty. Two years later, he guested in the G.P. episode "Ties of the Blood". The following year, he played Andrew Teigan, father of Jo Teigan, in the Australian/New Zealand co-production Mirror, Mirror.

Bensley starred as Chief Inspector Jeff Hawker in the police procedural drama series Water Rats for the entire run from 1996 until 2001. In 2009, he returned to Neighbours for a two-episode guest role as Dean Naughton. He also featured in an advertisement for Palmolive Gold, in which he is seen in bed with fellow The Young Doctors actress Judy McBurney, and semi-naked in a shower.

Author

His first fiction book, On a Wing and a Prayer, was published in 2006.

Personal life

Bensley and his partner have 3 children.

Filmography

Film

{| class="wikitable"

!Year

!Title

!Role

!Notes

|-

| 1984

| Stanley

| Stanley

| Feature film

|-

| 2010

| Tangerine

| Alex

| Short film

|-

| 2017

| Don't Tell

| Karen's Father

| Feature film

|-

| 2020

| Romance on the Menu

| Dale Whitely

| Feature film

|-

|}

Television

{| class="wikitable"

!Year

!Title

!Role

!Notes

|-

| 1975

| Class of 74

| Dennis Braithwaite

| Series regular

|-

| 1976

| Rush

| Patsey O'Halloran

| Episode: "Welcome Back Sergeant McKellar"

|-

| 1978

| Chopper Squad

| Vince

| Episode: "A Pride of Lions"

|-

| 1978

| Tickled Pink

| Penny

| Episode: "The Family Business"

|-

| 1979

| The Restless Years

|

| TV series

|-

| 1979

| Cop Shop

| Gary Sinclair

| Episode 186

|-

| 1980–1983

| The Young Doctors

| Dr Mike Newman

| Series regular

|-

| 1984–1985

| Prisoner

| Matt Delaney

| Recurring

|-

| 1986

| Neighbours

| Tony Chapman

| Recurring

|-

| 1988–1990

| Home and Away

| Andrew Foley

| Recurring

|-

| 1991–1994

| G.P.

| Dean Noonan

| Episodes: "Nowhere to Run", "Ties of the Blood"

|-

| 1992

| Round the Twist

| Mr Shelford

| Episode: "Nails"

|-

| 1992

| Police Rescue

| Phil Dorrick

| Episode: "The Hard Way"

|-

| 1992

| The Time Game

| Electricity Serviceman

| TV film

|-

| 1992–1994

| The New Adventures of Black Beauty

| Dr. John Austin

| Recurring

|-

| 1994

| Ship to Shore

| Taxi Driver

| Guest

|-

| 1994

| Paradise Beach

| Martin Taylor

| Episode 130

|-

| 1995

| Mirror, Mirror

| Andrew Tiegan

| Series regular

|-

| 1996–2001

| Water Rats

| Chied Inspector Jeff Hawker

| Series regular

|-

| 1997

| Roar

| Alwyn

| Episode: "The Eternal"

|-

| 2001

| Corridors of Power

| Mail Man

| Recurring

|-

| 2009

| Neighbours

| Dean Naughton

| Guest

|-

| 2009–2010

| Packed to the Rafters

| Derek

| Recurring

|-

| 2010

| Cops LAC

| Chief Superintendent

| Episode: "The Killer Wore Sneakers"

|-

|}

As director

{| class="wikitable"

!Year

!Title

!Notes

|-

| 1992

| Steam Across the Mountain

|}

References

  • Peter Bensley – "The Young Doctors"
  • Peter Bensley – "Water Rats"
  • Peter Bensley – "Water Rats"
  • Author page at Random House publishers