# Nick Tate

Nicholas John Tate (born 18 June 1942) is an Australian actor. He is known for his extensive film work as well as roles as pilot Alan Carter in the 1970s science fiction series Space: 1999 and James Hamilton in the 1980s soap opera Sons and Daughters. He has also had a successful voiceover career in movie trailers, animation and video games.

## Early life

Tate was born on 18 June 1942 in Sydney, New South Wales. His parents were the actors John Tate and Neva Carr Glyn. His maternal grandparents were also actors, originally from Ireland and Great Britain, who performed in vaudeville. His father, of Russian descent, also had a connection to the works of Space: 1999 creator Gerry Anderson, being a secondary voice actor in Thunderbirds.
Tate grew up amongst parties and opening nights, and was often back stage while his parents performed in the theatre. He acted in all his school plays, before being scouted by the Sydney Opera Company to play Amahl in Menotti’s light opera Amahl and the Night Visitors.
At the age of 12, Tate's parents separated. The same year, as an avid surfer, he joined Sydney's Mona Vale Surf Club, where the club captain was actor Rod Taylor.

## Career

Wanting to direct, Tate joined the Australian Broadcasting Company (ABC) which was starting up Australian television. A television role as the singing telegram boy in Thornton Wilder’s Skin of our Teeth prompted Tate to quit school. He graduated from studio hand to assistant director, while working on a variety of series. In 1964 he joined an actors' workshop as his interest turned to acting, but unsure of what direction to take, he joined the Australian commandos for a year. Eventually, his surfing skills afforded him a lead role as a surfer in the thriller miniseries The Purple Jacaranda.
Tate's big break came with a lead role in the award-winning Australian television series My Brother Jack, followed by a stage production of the musical The Canterbury Tales where he played 'Nicholas the Gallant' for eighteen months on tour throughout the country. This was followed by the 1970 Australian television series Dynasty about a rich, powerful family, where he joined his father John Tate for the first time onscreen – the two playing father and son roles.
Tate portrayed astronaut Alan Carter in the British science fiction series Space: 1999, which was broadcast from 1975 to 1977, though the series began production in late 1973. In 1976, he broke through in film with an AACTA award-winning role in the movie The Devil's Playground. He continued to work in film with supporting roles in a number of theatrical films, including The Year My Voice Broke, Richard Attenborough's Cry Freedom, Return from the River Kwai, Evil Angels, and Steven Spielberg's Hook. From 1985 to 1986, he portrayed James Hamilton in the Australian soap opera Sons and Daughters. Tate has also made guest appearances on numerous American TV shows, such as The X-Files, Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, Star Trek: The Next Generation (in the 1990 episode "Final Mission"), Murder, She Wrote, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (in the 1998 episode "Honor Among Thieves"), Farscape and in the Lost episode "Tabula Rasa".
On stage, Tate appeared in the TRIP (Tony Rudlin Ingrid Pitt Productions) stage production of Duty Free (later known as Don't Bother to Dress), by Emmerdale writer Neville Siggs, which ran from 1976 to 1977 at the Bristol Hippodrome. In 2006 he played the leading role of Captain Edward J. Smith in the Australian premiere of the musical Titanic.
Tate is also known for his voiceover work in Hollywood theatrical trailers for such films as Jurassic Park, Braveheart, Schindler's List, Austin Powers, Deep Impact Independence Day, Goldeneye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World is not Enough and Double Jeopardy and clip-on bumpers for Sony Pictures Home Entertainment from 2005–2006. He has also voiced in commercials, including Lexus, Kodak and HP, and Guinness beer spots airing from 2006. Tate and four other well-known voice artists (Don LaFontaine, John Leader, Mark Elliot, and Al Chalk) parodied their individual voiceover styles en route to an awards show in a 1997 short film, 5 Men and a Limo. He has also performed voiceover work in various video games, including the voice for the Australian tycoon Ozzie Mandrill in the 2000 game Escape from Monkey Island.
Tate resides in both Australia and the US.

## Personal life

Tate married his wife, Hazel Butterfield at Dulwich College Chapel, UK in September 1977, and their son Thomas was born in 1979. They moved to Australia in 1981, where they had a second child, Jessie Josephine in 1986. Through Tom and Jessie, they have three grandchildren.
Tate also has a keen interest in technical drawing and carpentry, and has designed and built seven of his family homes.

## Awards

| Year | Work | Award | Category | Result |
| 1976 | The Devil's Playground | Australian Film Institute Award | Best Actor in a Lead Role | Won |

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Type |
| 1959 | The Skin of Our Teeth | Telegraph Boy | TV movie |
| 1959 | Turn of the Road | | Short |
| 1966 | A Man for All Seasons | Master at Arms (uncredited) | Feature film |
| 1968 | Submarine X-1 | Leading Seaman X-1 | Feature film |
| 1968 | Nobody Runs Forever | Sir James' Assistant (uncredited) | Feature film |
| 1969 | The Oblong Box | Young Man in Tavern (uncredited) | Feature film |
| 1969 | Battle of Britain | RAF Pilot (uncredited) | Feature film |
| 1973 | Chaser | Sam Larcom | TV movie |
| 1976 | The Day After Tomorrow (aka Into Infinity) | Captain Harry Masters | TV movie |
| 1976 | The Devil's Playground | Brother Victor | Feature film |
| 1977 | The Strange Case of the End of Civilisation as We Know It | 1st Australian | Feature film |
| 1977 | Summerfield | Simon Robinson | Feature film |
| 1979 | Undercover Lover (aka Licensed to Love and Kill) | Jensen Fury | Feature film |
| 1982 | Cosmic Princess | Alan Carter | TV movie |
| 1984 | The Coolangatta Gold | Joe Lucas | Feature film |
| 1985 | The Empty Beach | Brian Henneberry | Feature film |
| 1986 | Ivanhoe | Sir Cedric (voice) | Animated TV movie |
| 1987 | Rob Roy | Voice | Animated TV movie |
| 1987 | The Year My Voice Broke | Sergeant Pierce | Feature film |
| 1987 | Cry Freedom | Richie | Feature film |
| 1987 | Dangerfreaks | Narrator | Documentary film |
| 1988 | Olive | Anthony Wheeler | TV movie |
| 1988 | Evil Angels | Det. Graeme Charlwood | Feature film |
| 1989 | Return from the River Kwai | Lt. Commander Hunt | Feature film |
| 1989 | Police State | Tony Fitzgerald | TV movie |
| 1989 | Nullarbor Dreaming | Narrator | Documentary film |
| 1991 | Steel and Lace | Duncan | Feature film |
| 1991 | Hook | Noodler | Feature film |
| 1992 | The Public Eye | Henry Haddock Jr. | Feature film |
| 1992 | The President's Child | Lipton | TV movie |
| 1993 | Silent Cries | Harry Nown | TV movie |
| 1996 | Bed of Roses | Bayard | Feature film |
| 1997 | 5 Men and a Limo | Self | Short film |
| 2002 | Seconds to Spare | Commander Haggarty | TV movie |
| 2002 | Counterstrike | Admiral Lewis | TV movie |
| 2002 | The Junction Boys | Smokey Harper | TV movie |
| 2004 | Mementos | Detective (voice) | Short film |
| 2004 | Space: 1899 | Alan Carter | Short film |
| 2005 | The Vanished | Roy | Short film |
| 2006 | A Knight Lost | Frank Knight | Short film |
| 2007 | The Gene Generation | Doctor | Feature film |
| 2011 | Killer Elite | Commander B | Feature film |
| 2012 | Qian Xuesen | Kimball | Feature film |
| 2013 | The Great Gatsby | Taxi Driver | Feature film |
| 2014 | Lupin III (aka Rupan Sansei) | Thomas Dawson | Feature film |
| 2015 | The Snow Queen 2: An Icy Adventure (aka Snezhnaya Koroleva 2: Perezamorozka) | Guard (voice) | Animated feature film |
| 2018 | Firestorm | NASA Chief (voice) | Animated TV movie |
| TBA | The Eagle Obsession | Self | In production |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Type |
| 1964 | The Purple Jacaranda | Bill Armstrong | Miniseries, 6 episodes |
| 1965 | My Brother Jack | Davey Meredith | Miniseries, 10 episodes |
| 1966 | The Wednesday Play | Private Trevor James | Anthology TV series, season 6, episode 5: A "Pyre for Private James" |
| 1968 | Detective | Watt Hatchett | TV series, season 2, episode 15: "Artists in Crime" |
| 1968 | Dixon of Dock Green | Don Ross | TV series, season 15, episode 4: "An Ordinary Man" |
| 1968 | Sherlock Holmes | James McCarthy | TV series, season 2, episode 6: "The Boscombe Valley Mystery" |
| 1968 | The Champions | Landing Party Lookout #2 | TV series, season 1, episode 11: "The Dark Island" |
| 1969 | The Troubleshooters | Gurd Lingstrom | TV series, season 5, episode 12: "There's This Bird, See..." |
| 1970–1971 | Dynasty | Peter Mason | TV series, seasons 1–2, 23 episodes |
| 1971 | Matlock Police | Frank Ross | TV series, season 1, episode 4: "Any More at Home Like You" |
| 1972; 1973 | Boney | Sgt Peter Irwin | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 1972; 1973 | Division 4 | Sen. Det. Dave Edwards / Roy Adams | TV series, 3 episodes |
| 1972; 1973 | Homicide | Joseph Taylor / John Mason / Barry West | TV series, 3 episodes |
| 1972; 1973 | Spyforce | Matt Parsons | TV series, 4 episodes |
| 1973 | Over There | | TV series, season 2, episode 2: "Overload" |
| 1973 | Crown Court | Dr Stephen Saul | TV series, season 2, 3 episodes |
| 1974 | Ryan | Moore | TV series, season 1, episode 31: "A Deep Dark Place" |
| 1974 | Behind the Legend | Captain Sanderson | Anthology TV series, season 2, episode 1: "Francis Greenaway" |
| 1975 | NBC Special Treat | Captain Harry Masters | Anthology TV series, season 1, episode 3: "Into Infinity" |
| 1975–1977 | Space: 1999 | Alan Carter | TV series, seasons 1–2, 42 episodes |
| 1979 | Chopper Squad | Jeff Burns | TV series, season 2, episode 8: "The Other Man's Grass" |
| 1979 | Danger UXB | Lt. Chris Craik | TV series, season 1, episode 9: "Seventeen Seconds to Glory" |
| 1979 | A Place in the World | Kenneth Reissel | Miniseries, 2 episodes |
| 1980 | Play for Today | Steve Jackson | Anthology TV series, season 11, episode 6: "Number on End" |
| 1981 | West End Tales | Sport | TV series, season 1, episode 6: "The Wagga Wagga Handicap" |
| 1981 | Spearhead | Tim Hoffman | TV series, season 3, 4 episodes |
| 1981 | The Gentle Touch | Johnny Delvaux | TV series, season 3, episode 3: "The Hit" |
| 1981–1982 | Holiday Island | Neil Scott | TV series, 64 episodes |
| 1982 | A Country Practice | Graham Porter | TV series, season 2, 2 episodes |
| 1982 | Deadly Harvest | Narrator | TV special |
| 1983 | Patrol Boat | Major Winn | TV series, season 2, 2 episodes |
| 1983 | Scales of Justice | Attorney General | Miniseries, episode 3: "The Numbers" |
| 1984 | Special Squad | Len Harris | TV series, episode 27: "In the Cause of Justice" |
| 1984 | The Gold and the Glory | Joe Lucas | |
| 1985 | Butterfly Island | Visitor | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 1985–1986 | Sons and Daughters | James Hamilton | TV series, 30 episodes |
| 1987 | The Flying Doctors | Nigel Haughton | TV series, season 2, episode 4: "It Isn't Cricket" |
| 1988 | True Believers | Lee Hayden | Miniseries, 8 episodes |
| 1988 | Boon | Ross Townsend | TV series, season 3, episode 4: "Have a Nice Day" |
| 1989 | Dolphin Cove | Baron Trent | TV series, 8 episodes |
| 1989–1990 | Open House | Roger McSwain | TV series, 24 episodes |
| 1990 | Star Trek: The Next Generation | Dirgo | TV series, season 4, episode 9: "Final Mission" |
| 1991 | Night Court | John Taylor | TV series, 1 episode, season 9, episode 9: "The System Works" |
| 1992 | Matlock | Bob | TV series, season 6, episode 15: "The Big Payoff" |
| 1992 | Dear John | Brian Courtney | TV series, season 4, episode 13: "The Big Payday" |
| 1992 | Lady Boss | | Miniseries |
| 1992; 1996 | Murder, She Wrote | Tim Jervis / Inspector Stilwell | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 1993 | Civil Wars | Jason Gould | TV series, season 2, episode 16: "Alien Aided Affection" |
| 1994 | Red Planet | Colony Leader (voice) | Miniseries, 3 episodes |
| 1996 | Party of Five | Professor | TV series, season 3, episode 6: "Going Home" |
| 1996 | F/X: The Series | Dingo Tyler | TV series, season 1, episode 6: "Dingo" |
| 1996 | The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest | Darcy / Hunter #2 / Pirate #2 / Pirate #3 (voices) | Animated TV series, 2 episodes |
| 1997 | Cow & Chicken | English Guy 52 / Egg Buyer (voices) | Animated TV series |
| 1998 | Star Trek: Deep Space Nine | Liam Bilby | TV series, season 6, episode 15: "Honor Among Thieves" |
| 1998 | Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman | Martin 'Avishominis' Chesterfield | TV series, season 6, episode 18: "Birdman" |
| 1998–2000 | JAG | Judge / Jimmy Blackhorse | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 1999 | The X-Files | Dr. Eugene Openshaw | TV series, season 6, episode 11: "Two Fathers" |
| 2000 | Diagnosis Murder | Captain Kennedy | TV series, season 7, episode 12: "Man Overboard" |
| 2000 | HBO First Look | Narrator | TV series, season 7, episode 22: "Surviving Vertical Limit" |
| 2001 | Water Rats | Senior Sergeant Ray Bock | TV series, season 6, episode 2: "It Happened One Night" |
| 2001 | The Lost World | Dr. William Gull | TV series, season 3, episode 5: "The Knife" |
| 2002 | All Saints | Jock Laughlin | TV series, season 5, episode 27: "In the Family Way" |
| 2003 | Farscape | R. Wilson Munroe | TV series, season 4, episode 17: "A Constellation of Doubt" |
| 2004 | Lost | Ray Mullen | TV series, season 1, episode 3: "Tabula Rasa" |
| 2009 | East of Everything | Gerry Watkins | TV series, season 2, 7 episodes |
| 2010 | The Pacific | Tom Smee | Miniseries, episode 10: "Home" |
| 2011 | City Homicide | Ted Mangus | TV series, season 4, episode 23: "The Business of Fear" |
| 2011 | SLiDE | Eugene | TV series, episode 6 |
| 2013 | Pretty Little Liars | Louis Palmer | TV series, season 4, 2 episodes |
| 2016 | Rake | Julian Tallow | TV series, season 4, 2 episodes |
| 2017 | The Blacklist | Arthur Kilgannon | TV series, season 5, episode 7: "The Kilgannon Corporation (No. 48)" |
| 2019–2024 | The Strange Chores | Helsing (voice) | Animated TV series, seasons 1–3, 78 episodes |

## Video games

| Year | Title | Role | Type |
| 1996 | Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire | Prince Xizor / IG-88 (voices) | PC version |
| 2000 | Escape from Monkey Island | Ozzie Mandrill (voice) | |
| 2006 | Flushed Away | Fat Barry (voice) | |
| 2015 | Mad Max | The Mystic (voice) | |
| 2021 | Psychonauts 2 | Compton Boole / Dr. Potts (voices) | |

## Stage

| Year | Title | Role | Type |
| 1956 | Amahl and the Night Visitors | Amahl | Sydney Opera Company |
| 1963 | Sweet Bird of Youth | | Independent Theatre, Sydney |
| 1969–1970 | The Canterbury Tales | Squire Nicholas the Gallant | Theatre Royal Sydney, Comedy Theatre, Melbourne, His Majesty's Theatre, Perth with J. C. Williamson |
| 1971 | The Audition | | Theatre Royal, Hobart with AET Trust |
| 1971 | The Real Inspector Hound | | Theatre Royal, Hobart with AET Trust |
| 1972 | An Awful Rose | Brother Meehan | Jane Street Theatre, Sydney with NIDA |
| 1972 | Don's Party | Don | Old Tote Theatre, Sydney, Playhouse, Canberra with NIDA |
| 1976 | Number One Rooster | Sir Ernest | Royal Court Theatre, London |
| 1977 | Duty Free (later known as Don't Bother to Dress) | Victor | Bristol Hippodrome, Palace Theatre, Manchester, Adeline Genée Theatre, East Grinstead, Alhambra Theatre, Bradford, Victoria Palace Theatre, London with TRIP Productions |
| 1979 | Winter Journey | Bernie | Cambridge Theatre, London |
| 1983–1984 | Caravan | Parks | Sydney Opera House with Ensemble Theatre |
| 1984 | Filumena | Domenico Soriano | Melbourne Athenaeum with MTC |
| 1986 | The Foreigner | Charlie | Regal Theatre, Perth, University of Sydney, Opera Theatre, Adelaide, Noarlunga College Theatre, Adelaide with The Gordon Frost Organisation & AET Trust |
| 1992 | Woman in Mind | Gerald | Tiffany Theater, LA |
| 1998 | Seven Out | Harry | Globe Theatre, LA |
| 2006 | Titanic: The Musical | Captain Edward J. Smith | Theatre Royal Sydney with Seabiscuit Productions (Australian premiere) |
| 2012 | When Dad Married Fury | Alan Urquhart | Ensemble Theatre, Sydney |
| 2015 | Corktown '57 | Mike | Odyssey Theatre, LA |