# Michael Caton

Michael Caton (born 21 July 1943) is an Australian actor, comedian and television host, best known for playing Uncle Harry in the Australian television series The Sullivans, Darryl Kerrigan in 1997's low-budget hit film The Castle, and Ted Taylor in the television series Packed to the Rafters.

## Early life

Caton was born in Monto, Queensland, was educated in Gympie at St Patrick's College, a Boarding School, where he had his first experience as an actor, and then grew up in Woolloongabba, Brisbane.

## Media career
### Television

In 1976, Caton starred as Uncle Harry Sullivan in the long running Channel 9 war family drama The Sullivans.
Caton starred in the Australian drama series Five Mile Creek from 1983 until 1985. He then appeared in the risqué 1990s soap opera Chances (in 1991 and 1992).
Since 1999, Caton has hosted two lifestyle programs – Hot Property and Hot Auctions – on the Seven Network until 2009, and Channel Nine since 2010.
In 2005, he was a contestant on the third series of the Australian version of Dancing with the Stars.
He was in the Channel 7 dramedy Packed to the Rafters, playing Ted Taylor, father of Julie Rafter, and grandfather to all the grandchildren and their partners.
Caton works with the Queensland rugby league team as 'cultural ambassador', a role which he inherited from deceased long-time team manager Dick Turner.

## Filmography
### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1969 | Skippy | Young Man | 1 episode (#3.83 El Toro) |
| 1970 | Division 4 | Steve | 1 episode (#69 The Man from Lightning Ridge) |
| 1970–74 | Homicide | Bruce Perkins / Ambrose | 2 episodes (#247 A Time for Grieving / No. 403 A Thing of the Past) |
| 1974 | Ryan | Claude | 1 episode (#1.37 Goodbye Holly Beckett) |
| 1976 | King's Men | Joey Oslow | 1 episode (#1.10 Public Enemy Number 1) |
| 1976–77 | The Sullivans | Uncle Harry Sullivan | 737 episodes |
| | Holiday Island | Charlie Watson | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1982–93 | A Country Practice | Max Grainger / Dwayne, Trev & Lennie Kerby / Clive Bradley / Malcolm Fellows | 8 episodes |
| 1983 | The Weekly's War | Les Haylen | TV miniseries |
| 1983–85 | Five Mile Creek | Paddy Malone | 38 episodes |
| 1987 | The Flying Doctors | Noel Farley | 1 episode (#2.22 Every Day a Gift) |
| 1988 | Home and Away | Barry Davenport | 2 episodes (#1.61/#1.63) |
| 1988 | Hey Dad..! | Chris Gordon | 1 episode (#2.33 VW for Sale) |
| 1991 | Chances | Bill Anderson | |
| 1993 | Paradise Beach | Ken Hayden | 1 episode (#1.139) |
| 1996 | G.P. | Michael Ree | 1 episode (#8.7 New Confusions) |
| 1997 | Heartbreak High | Barney | 1 episode (#4.24) |
| 1997 | Blue Heelers | Ken Norse | 1 episode (#4.6 Fowl Play) |
| 1998 | Wildside | Brian Savini | 1 episode (#1.15) |
| 1998 | All Saints | Bob Parkin | 6 episodes |
| 1999 | Stingers | Benny | 1 episode (#1.11 Ten Feet Tall and Bullet Proof) |
| 1999–current | Hot Property / Hot Auctions | Himself | Host |
| 1999 | All-Star Squares | Self | Panellist |
| 2000 | The Track | Voice over | TV documentary |
| 2001 | Always Greener | Jack | 1 episode (#1.8 Dog Days) |
| 2002 | Dossa and Joe | Joe Bailey | 6 episodes |
| 2002–03 | Bad Cop, Bad Cop | Detective Sergeant Red Lilywhite | 8 episodes |
| 2002 | The Weakest Link | Self | Contestant – Celebrity Special episode |
| 2003 | The Fat | Self | 1 episode (#6.16) |
| 2005 | Dancing with the Stars | Self | 5 episodes, series 3 |
| 2006 | How the Hell Did We Get Here? | Self | 2 episodes |
| 2008–2013 | Packed to the Rafters | Ted Taylor | 111 episodes |
| 2018 | Underbelly Files: Chopper | Keith Read | 2 episodes |
| 2021 | Back to the Rafters | Ted Taylor | 6 episodes |

### Film

| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
| 1972 | Private Collection | | |
| 1979 | The Last of the Knucklemen | Monk | |
| 1981 | Hoodwink | Shapley | |
| 1982 | Fluteman | Oswald Snaith | |
| 1982 | Monkey Grip | Clive | |
| 1986 | Great Expectations, the Untold Story | Travis | TV movie |
| 1988 | The 13th Floor | Dr Fletcher | |
| 1988 | Joe Wilson | Dave Regan | TV mini-series |
| 1990 | The Paper Man | Leonard Webb | TV mini-series |
| 1990 | Shadows of the Heart | Frank Barrett | TV movie |
| 1996 | The Thorn Birds: The Missing Years | Bill Masters | TV movie |
| 1997 | The Castle | Darryl Kerrigan | |
| 1998 | Never Tell Me Never | Max Shepherd | TV movie |
| 1998 | 13 Gantry Row | Mr Hob | TV movie |
| 1998 | The Echo of Thunder | Bill Gadrey | TV movie |
| 1998 | The Interview | Barry Walls | |
| 2001 | The Animal | Dr Wilder | |
| 2004 | Strange Bedfellows | Ralph Williams | |
| 2015 | Last Cab to Darwin | Rex | |
| 2017 | Three Summers | Henry | |
| 2020 | Rams | Les | |

## Stage

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1971 | Hair | | Melbourne |
| 1972 | Jesus Christ Superstar | Priest | |
| 1973 | The Tooth of Crime | | Nimrod Theatre Company |
| 1982 | The Stripper | Sheriff Lavers | Sydney Theatre Company |
| 2007–08 | Priscilla Queen of the Desert - the Musical | Bob | |

## Discography

Caton, playing the role of a Priest, is part of the Chorus singing on the original Australian cast recording of Jesus Christ Superstar, 1972. He is the major voice talking in the background on John Paul Young's 1975 hit "Yesterday's Hero". From Caton's role in the movie he sings on many tracks on Ed Kuepper – Last Cab to Darwin – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, 2015.

## Accolades
### Honours

Caton has been inducted into the Australian Film Walk of Fame in honour of his work in Australia's cinema and television industries.

### Awards & nominations

| Year | Association | Category | Nominated work | Result |
| 2007 | Australian Film Institute | Best Actor in a Television Drama | The Castle | Nominated |
| 2011 | Logie Awards | Logie Award for Most Popular Actor | Packed to the Rafters | Won |
| 2016 | AACTA Awards | Best Lead Actor | Last Cab to Darwin | Won |

## Personal life

Caton is married to Helen Esakoff. His son Septimus narrates My Kitchen Rules and Robot Wars.