Ian Smith
Smith in 2001
Born (1938-06-19) 19 June 1938
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Other namesIain Smith
Occupations
  • Actor
  • television producer
  • screenwriter
Years active1958–present
Known forNeighbours as Harold Bishop
Notable workPrisoner (known internationally as Prisoner: Cell Block H - Executive Producer Screenwriter - Actor
SpouseGail Smith

Ian Smith (born 19 June 1938)[1] is an Australian actor, television producer and screenwriter.

Smith is best known for his television roles most especially his lengthy tenure on serial Neighbours as Harold Bishop from 1987 until 1991, and again from 1996 as a regular until 2009, including guest returns in 2011 2015 and 2022), previously he had appeared on the cult series Prisoner in the recurring roles as Head of the Corrections Department, Ted Douglas, Smith also worked on that series as an executive producer and screenwriter.

Smith stated he would make some guest appearances in the relaunch of Neighbours, but also said he was happy to call it a day [2]

Career

Early Career

Smith started appearing in television roles in the late 1960s in guest roles in drama series for Crawford Productions, in police dramas Homicide, Division 4, Matlock Police and Bluey.

After having appeared in numerous guest parts, he got his major break gaining a regular role in television serial Bellbird, after this he made a guest appearance in serial The Box in 1975.

Prisoner

Having had guest parts in Grundy Production's series Glenview High and Chopper Squad, Smith concurrently worked behind the scenes with Grundys as the associate producer and script editor of cult serial Prisoner, however he also had a semi-regular role in the series as Head of the Corrections Department, Ted Douglas.

Smith was not supposed to have the role of Ted Douglas, but the actor who had been contracted for the role did not show up on the day of filming and having had prior acting experience the crew said he needed to change hats and get in front of the camera.[3]

Neighbours

Smith became famous through his portrayal of bumbling Harold Bishop in the soap opera Neighbours from 1987 to 1991, and returning in 1996. He switched to recurring status from 2008 to 2009, becoming one of its longest serving characters after 2,132 episodes. For his portrayal of Harold, Smith received a nomination for a Gold Logie Award in 2009.

In December 2010, Ryan Moloney revealed to TV Week that Smith would be returning to Neighbours in 2011. Smith appeared for six weeks from May 2011.[4] Smith returned to Neighbours in 2015, with former co-star Anne Charleston for the 30th anniversary. He also appeared in a documentary celebrating the anniversary titled Neighbours 30th: The Stars Reunite, which aired in Australia and the UK in March 2015.[5][6]

In April 2018, Smith admitted that he should have left Neighbours sooner and admits he felt typecast. Smith admitted "he wasn't aware he was becoming 'Harold from Neighbours while he was on the show" and joked that when he auditioned for other roles he would be told "Oh you were in Neighbours, you were Harold, you couldn't possibly be a murdering paedophile".[7]

In February 2022, Laura-Jayne Tyler of Inside Soap reported that Smith would be reprising his role to play a part in the show's finale.[8] Smith has filmed a part in the upcoming film titled Residence, playing Mike the Thaumaturge.[9]

I'm a Celebrity

Smith featured in Series 11 of I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! to set the camp-mates challenges. He did not join the camp-mates.[10]

Theatre

Smith has also worked in theatre since the late 1950s, including for companies J. C. Williamson's, Tivoli and Melbourne Theatre Company, in roles in productions Merry Widow, Camelot, My Fair Lady, Fiddler on the Roof, Antony and Cleopatra.

Personal life

Smith was 54 when his mother Connie Smith, realising she had very little time to live, told him that he had been adopted. After her death, Smith went in search of his natural mother Peg Kline, whom he finally found. According to Kline's story, Smith was conceived when she was fourteen, the product of rape, and was put up for adoption. Kline eventually married and had two children from this marriage. She never told anyone besides her husband about her first son until she was contacted by Smith via a letter. Kline contacted Smith's wife Gail, who mentioned that her husband was a prominent Neighbours actor, to which Kline replied, "I've never seen Neighbours in my life". Smith and Kline were reunited and he built a strong relationship with his mother and two half-brothers, although Smith said that he did not feel a mother–son relationship. He called Kline "one of my best friends". Kline died in May 2005 after a battle with cancer. Smith told his story in an exclusive interview on the biographical documentary series Australian Story in March 2005. He had also described the situation in a BBC interview some years before.

Although Smith was brought up as a Roman Catholic,[11] in a 2008 interview, he identified as an atheist.[12]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
TBAResidenceMike the ThaumaturgeFilm
2009Remembering NigelHimselfFilm
1997The Last of the RyansSir Arthur RylahFilm
1993Body MeltDr. CarreraFeature film

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2023Talking PrisonerSelfPodcast Series, 1 episode
2021How to Stay MarriedFather MichaelTV series
2018Hughesy, We Have a ProblemHimself (Celebrity Problem segment)TV series
2015Neighbours 30th: The Stars ReuniteHimselfTV special
2011The British Soap AwardsPresenterTV awards special
OK! TVHimselfTV series
Loose WomenHimselfTV series
I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!Special guestTV series, season 11
2010Underbelly: The Golden MileKen WallisTV series
2009Talkin' 'Bout Your GenerationHimselfTV series
The Jesus SpoonBuck Senior
2008Loose WomenGuestTV series
2007Little Britain Down UnderHimselfSpecial thanks
2005Australian StoryHimselfTV series
2002It Shouldn't Happen to a... SoapstarHimself
2001The Big BreakfastGuestTV series
2000Neighbours RevealedHimself
Harold Bishop		TV special
1996The Genie from Down UnderRace JudgeTV series
1994Blue HeelersClive BurtonTV series
1992Noel's House PartyHimselfTV series
1991Pebble Mill at OneHimselfTV series
That's ShowbusinessHimselfTV series
1990Happy Birthday, Coronation StreetHimselfTV special
1987–91, 1996–2009, 2011, 2015, 2022, 2023-presentNeighboursHarold BishopTV series
1981I Can Jump PuddlesMr. SladeTV series
1979–86PrisonerTed Douglas,
Rev. Potter,
Policeman		TV series (also writer, script editor & ssociate producer)
1978Chopper SquadTV series
1977Glenview HighRockyTV series
BlueySen. Det. DavidsonTV series
1975Division 4Mike ChapmanTV series
Matlock PoliceBarryTV series
Quality of MercyTV series
1974RyanTV series
Alpha ScorpioUnknownTV series
1972HomicideJohnny ReidTV series
1971–73Matlock PoliceLarry Fisher
Rick Cameron,
David Wishart,
Const. Graham Browning,
Estate Agent,
John Roberts		TV series
1971HomicideMichael EdmundsTV series
1969DetectiveDick Spencer
1967BelbirdRussell AshwoodTV series
1966HomicideRay FoxTV series

Theatre

References

  1. ↑ "Interview Ian Smith".
  2. ↑ David Knox (21 April 2023). "Ian Smith: "I do want to retire"". TV Tonight.com.
  3. ↑ Talking Prisoner Cell Block H Interview with Ian Smith Ted Douglas 2023 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtYTgYgBBxE
  4. ↑ Millar, Paul (28 December 2010). "Harold Bishop returning to Ramsay Street". Digital Spy. Hachette Filipacchi UK. Retrieved 9 May 2011.
  5. ↑ Knox, David (28 February 2015). "Airdate: Neighbours 30th: The Stars Reunite". TV Tonight. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  6. ↑ Kilkelly, Daniel (4 March 2015). "Neighbours 30th anniversary schedule confirmed by Channel 5". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on 5 March 2015. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
  7. ↑ Sandwell, Ian (18 April 2018). "Neighbours legend Ian Smith wishes he'd quit Harold Bishop role sooner". Digital Spy. Retrieved 13 May 2018.
  8. ↑ Tyler, Laura-Jayne (26 February – 4 March 2022). "Harold comes home!". Inside Soap. No. 9. p. 13.
  9. ↑ "Cast". Residence the film. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
  10. ↑ Dean, Sarah (20 November 2011). "'I'm A Celebrity' Day 7: Ian Smith Joins The Jungle, Things Heat Up Between Emily Scott And Mark Wright, Sinitta Freaks Out AGAIN". The Huffington Post UK. Retrieved 6 September 2014.
  11. ↑ Sale, Jonathan (13 December 2007). "Passed/Failed: An education in the life of Ian Smith, actor in 'Neighbours'". Independent.co.uk. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
  12. ↑ " Ian himself is the longest-serving member of the cast, and fans are often shocked when they meet him, expecting him to be an old fuddy duddy like his famous alter ego. "I can't argue with any of his morals on life," Ian says. "He believes in honesty, in not doing anybody any harm, and doing an honest day's work for an honest day's pay. "As far as those things go, I pretty much base him on my own values, but I swear, I drink booze and I'm an atheist, so I am different to Harold." "Gemma Quaid interviewing Smith, 'Blue skies over Erinsborough', Birmingham Post, 9 February 2008, Features, TV & Radio, p. 32.
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