'Ray Meagher' (born in
Roma Queensland,
July 4,
1944) is an
Australian actor, possibly best known amongst audiences today for his long-running role of
Alfred Stewart on the television
soap opera ''
Home and Away''. Along with co star
Kate Ritchie he holds the record for the longest continuous acting role in Australia for this role.
Meagher was born and raised on a sheep and cattle station in Queensland, before attending a boarding school on the
Gold Coast from the age of nine. He became a keen sportsman at high school,
Marist College Ashgrove in
Brisbane, representing the school at a number of sports including
rugby union, a sport which he ultimately played to state level.
He first appeared on television as host of the
folk music programme ''Around Folk''. His first regular acting work on television was in soap opera ''
Number 96'', briefly appearing as the character Fred Shrimpton in
1977.
His early film roles included appearances ''
Breaker Morant'', ''
The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith'', ''
Newsfront'' and ''
My Brilliant Career''. He also continued to appear on television during this period. Subsequent television acting roles included three different roles as various villains in ''
Prisoner'', and two different guest starring roles in ''
A Country Practice''. He also had substantial roles in several 1980s
miniseries such as ''
A Fortunate Life'' and ''
The Shiralee''.
The role of Alf in ''Home and Away'' followed. He has played the part since the series began in 1988.
Filmography
★ ''Home and Away: Hearts Divided'' (
2003) (V) ....
Alfred Stewart
★ ''Home and Away: Secrets and the City'' (
2002) (V) ....
Alfred Stewart
★ ''
Luigi's Ladies'' (
1989) .... Lance
★ ''
Home and Away'' (
1988) TV Series .... Alf Stewart (1988-)
★ ''
True Believers'' (
1988) (mini) TV Series .... Tom Burke
★ ''
Spit MacPhee'' (
1988) (mini) TV Series .... Frank Arbuckle
★ ''
The Shiralee'' (1987) (mini) TV Series .... Polkadot
★ ''
The Place at the Coast'' (1987) .... Uncle Doug
★ ''
Dark Age'' (1987) .... Rex Garret
★ ''
The Great Bookie Robbery'' (1986) (mini) TV Series .... Bob Temple
★ ''
Short Changed'' (1986) .... Marshall
★ ''
Land of Hope'' (1986) TV Series
★ ''
The Blue Lightning'' (1986) (TV) .... Hale
★ ''
Five Times Dizzy'' (1986) TV Series
★ ''
Prisoner Cell Block H'' (1986) TV Series .... Ernest Craven
★ ''
Bootleg'' (1985) .... Lawker
★ ''
A Fortunate Life'' (1985) (mini) TV Series .... Bad Bob (part I: 'Starting Out' (1897-1905))
★ ''
Relatives'' (
1985) .... Herb Taylor
★ ''
The Fire in the Stone'' (
1984) .... Dosh
★ ''
Kingswood Country'' (
1984) 2 episodes .... ''Character unknown''
★ ''
Mail Order Bride'' (
1984) (TV) .... Kevin
★ ''
Mother and Son'' (
1984) .... Small appearance as house guest in episode titled 'The Card Game'
★ ''
On the Run (film)'' (
1983) .... Joe Thompson
★ ''
Who Killed Baby Azaria?'' (
1983) (TV) .... Mr. Lowe
★ ''
The Mystery at Castle House'' (
1982) .... Stakovich
★ ''
Prisoner Cell Block H'' (1982) TV Series .... Geoff Butler
★ ''
Holiday Island'' (
1981) TV Series
★ ''
Sporting Chance'' (
1981) TV Series
★ ''
Hoodwink'' (
1981) .... Shaw
★ ''
Breaker Morant'' (
1980) .... Sgt. Maj. Drummond (witness for the prosecution)
★ ''
Mystery Island (Australian TV series)'' (
1980) .... Policeman
★ ''
A Piece of Cake'' (
1980) (TV) .... Duty Sarglant
★ ''
Prisoner'' (1979) TV Series .... Geoff Butler (1979-1980)/Ernest Craven (1986)
★ ''
My Brilliant Career'' (1979) .... Mailman
★ ''
The Odd Angry Shot'' (1979) .... Range corporal
★ ''
The Journalist'' (
1979) .... Senior Investigator
★ ''
Top Mates'' (1979) TV Series
★ ''
Newsfront (
1978)'' .... Len's Second Brother
★ ''
The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith'' (1978) .... Dud Edmonds
★ ''
Because He's My Friend'' (1978) (TV) .... Kevin
★ ''
Run From the Morning'' (1978) TV Series
★ ''
Number 96'' (1972) TV Series .... Fred Shrimpton (1977)
External links
★
★
Profile at Home and Away site
★
Profile from UK TV channel Five
★
Interview with Meagher after 4000 episodes of Home and Away