# Adrian Wright

Adrian Wright (1 July 1947 – 28 November 2015) was an English-Australian actor known for his roles in the 1970s children's television series Freewheelers and the Australian serial Prisoner in which he played male nurse Neil Murray.

## Early life

Wright was born in Maidenhead, England, to Matvyn and Kay Wright. He was one of four brothers, including Martyn, Gareth and Gavyn. His father Matvyn was an artist and animator, best known for illustrating the British Andy Pandy children's books. His brother Gavyn is a violinist and orchestra leader who has worked with artists including Elton John, Tina Turner and Simply Red.

## Career

Wright first appeared as an actor in repertory theatres in England and Wales. He subsequently moved to Australia where he continued his career.
He appeared as Mike Hobbs in the British children's television series Freewheelers from 1979 to 1982, and was known for his role in the Australian prison drama series Prisoner from 1979 to 1982, in which he played male nurse Neil Murray, after having previously played a minor guest role as an off-duty policeman in episode 10. He also played the recurring role of Phillip Garrick in Carson's Law in 1984. Later in his career, he played Lieutenant Jean Morlais in all 22 episodes of Tales of the South Seas from 1998 to 2000.
He also had guest roles in many prominent television series throughout the 1970s and 1980s, including Division 4, Homicide, Bluey, Chopper Squad, Skyways, Bellamy, Cop Shop, Five Mile Creek and Mission: Impossible. In the 1990s he guested in Janus, Halifax f.p. and Snowy River: The McGregor Saga. He also appeared in several miniseries including Tandarra (1976), Against the Wind (1978), Water Under the Bridge and The Last Outlaw (both 1980), 1915 (1982) and All the Rivers Run (1983).
Wright's most notable film credits include thriller End Play (1975), mystery Summerfield (1977) both of which he appeared in alongside John Waters, World War I film The Lighthorsemen (1987), thriller Gross Misconduct (1993) alongside Naomi Watts and sci-fi comedy horror Body Melt (also 1993).
Wright performed in the theatre with productions for Russell Street Theatre, St Martins Theatre and La Mama, including Travesties, Of Mice and Men and Othello. He also performed in ABC Radio plays.

## Personal life and death

Wright was married to Australian actress and singer Abigail until his death.
In 2011, Today Tonight reported that Abigail and Wright were living as squatters in a derelict church. The following evening, A Current Affair correctly reported that they had in fact been living there temporarily, with permission, while their home that had been damaged in the 2011 floods was being rebuilt.
Wright died on 28 November 2015.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1975 | End Play | Andrew Gifford | |
| 1977 | Summerfield | Peter Flynn | |
| 1980 | Fatness, Foods and Fads | Various characters | Short film |
| 1980 | Energy, Food and Exercise | Various characters | Short film |
| 1981 | The Survivor | Goodwin | |
| 1986 | Sky Pirates | Valentine | |
| 1987 | The Lighthorsemen | Lawson | |
| 1990 | What the Moon Saw | Kurt | |
| 1990 | Friday on My Mind | | |
| 1992 | Come Rain or Shine | | |
| 1993 | My Forgotten Man (ask Flynn) | Harold Watts | |
| 1993 | Gross Misconduct | Kenneth Carter | |
| 1993 | Body Melt | Thompson Noble | |
| 1995 | The Final Stage | The Man | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1968 | ITV Playhouse | Ronnie | 1 episode: "Premiere: Foxhole in Bayswater" |
| 1969 | Judge Dee | Demon | 1 episode |
| 1971 | Jamie | Lt. Pascoe | 1 episode |
| 1972 | The Befrienders | Larry | 1 episode |
| 1972 | Doomwatch | David | 1 episode |
| 1970–1972 | Freewheelers | Mike Hobbs | 52 episodes |
| 1974 | Village Hall | Andy | 1 episode |
| 1975 | Division 4 | Dick | 1 episode |
| 1975–1976 | Homicide | Various characters | 4 episodes |
| 1976 | Andra | | |
| 1976 | Tandarra | Paddy Flynn | Miniseries, 1 episode |
| 1977 | Bluey | Geoff Eastman / Alan Palmer | 2 episodes |
| 1978 | Chopper Squad | Tony Cochran | 1 episode |
| 1978 | Against the Wind | Lieutenant Burke | Miniseries, 3 episodes |
| 1979 | Skyways | Tom Davies | 3 episodes |
| 1980 | Water Under the Bridge | Leading Man | Miniseries, 1 episode |
| 1980 | The Last Outlaw | Constable Fitzpatrick | Miniseries, 4 episodes |
| 1981 | Holiday Island | Lindsay Todd | 1 episode |
| 1981 | Bellamy | Terry | 1 episode |
| 1981 | The Homicide Squad | Teddy Carmichael | TV movie |
| 1978–1982 | Cop Shop | 8 roles | 17 episodes |
| 1982 | 1915 | Oliver Melrose | Miniseries, 4 episodes |
| 1979–1982 | Prisoner | Graham Lang / Neil Murray | 17 episodes |
| 1983 | All the Rivers Run | Alastair Rayburn | Miniseries, 4 episodes |
| 1984 | Carson's Law | Phillip Garrick | 23 episodes |
| 1985 | Five Mile Creek | The Innkeeper | 1 episode |
| 1988; 1990 | Mission: Impossible | Don Regehr / Captain Hamidou | 2 episodes |
| 1989 | Space Knights | Sir Cuthbert Cosmos (voice) | 1 episode |
| 1992 | Cluedo | Charles Letan | 1 episode |
| 1995 | Janus | Alex Robbins | 1 episode |
| 1995 | Halifax f.p. | David Onslow | Season 1, episode 2 |
| 1995 | Snowy River: The McGregor Saga | John Hardy | 1 episode |
| 1998–2000 | Tales of the South Seas | Lt. Jean Morlais | 22 episodes |

## Theatre

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1975 | The Revenger's Tragedy | | St Martins Theatre, Melbourne with MTC |
| 1976 | Travesties | | Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne with MTC |
| 1976 | Of Mice and Men | | Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne with MTC |
| 1976 | Othello | | Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne with MTC |
| 1979 | The Two Tigers | The Man | La Mama, Melbourne with Everyman's Theatre Collective |

## Radio

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1979 | Paradise Disdained | Stinaslas | ABC Radio Melbourne |
| 1979 | Kind Hearts and Coronets | Hallward | ABC Radio Melbourne |
| 1979 | Cymbeline | Posthumus | ABC Radio Melbourne |