Peter Cummins Explained

Peter Cummins (2 June 1931 – October 2024) was an Australian actor of stage and screen and chorister who was especially prominent in the 1970s and appeared in some of the most famous Australian films of the period.

Cummins was part of the Carlton group that were influential in Australian theatre of the early 1970s, which also included David Williamson, Max Gillies, Graeme Blundell and Bruce Spence.^[2] He died in October 2024, at the age of 93.^[3]

Filmography

Film

• Nothing Like Experience (1970)
• Country Town (1971)
• Bonjour Balwyn (1971) as TV repairman
• Stork (1971) as Sculptor
• Brumby Innes (1973)
• Dalmas (1973) as Plastic Man
• Alvin Purple (1973) as Cab Driver
• Between Wars (1974)
• The Firm Man (1975) as Gerald Baxter
• Sunday Too Far Away (1975) as Arthur Black
• The Great Macarthy (1975) as Rerk
• The Removalists (1975) as Sergeant Simmonds
• The Dreamers (1976)
• God Knows Why, But it Works (1976)
• Mad Dog Morgan (1976) as Gibson
• Storm Boy (1976) as Hideaway Tom
• High Rolling (1977) as Bus Driver
• Blue Fire Lady (1977) as McIntyre
• Trial of Ned Kelly (1977)
• The Lion's Share (1978)
• Double Deal (1983)
• Robbery Under Arms (1985)
• I Live with Me Dad (1985)
• Twelfth Night (1986) as Malvolio
• The Local Rag (1986)
• Sky Pirates (1986) as Colonel Brien
• Frog Dreaming (1986)
• The Fish Are Safe (1986) as Ned Foley
• Kangaroo (1987) as Struthers
• The Umbrella Woman (1987) as Ned Hopper
• Slate, Wyn & Me (1987) as Old Man Downer
• Ground Zero (1987) as Ballantyne
• The Man from Snowy River II (1988) as Jake
• Rikky and Pete (1988) as Delahunty
• Beyond Innocence (1989)
• Turn It Up (1991)
• The Forest (2003)

Television

• The Outsiders (1976)
• Phoenix (1993) as Superintendent Wallace (13 episodes)

Theatre roles

• Oklahoma! (1965)
• Commitment (1968)
• Dimboola (1969, 1973, 1977)
• Escape (1969)
• I Don't Know Who to Feel Sorry For (1969)
• May Day (1969)
• Mr Big the Big Big Pig (1969)
• The Elephant Calf / The Exception and the Rule (1969)
• The Kitchen Table (1969)
• Whatever Happened to Realism? (1969)
• Customs and Excise (1970)
• The Coming of Stork (1970)
• The Front Room Boys (1970)
• The Man from Chicago (1970)
• [Life of] Galileo (1971)
• The Removalists (1971, 1977)
• A Stretch of the Imagination (1972, 1973)
• Bastardy (1972)
• Brumby Innes (1972)
• One of Nature's Gentlemen (1972)
• One of Nature's Gentlemen / O / Just Before the Honeymoon / Mrs Thally F (1973)
• The Waltzing Matilda Pantomime (1973)
• The Floating World (1974, 1995)
• Chidley (1976)
• The Overcoat (1976)
• Waiting for Godot (1976)
• Memories of a Carlton Bohemian: Revival (1977)
• Ravages: Heels Over Head / Dropping In (1977)
• Oh / Let Me In (1978)
• Errol Flynn's Great Big Adventure Book for Boys (1979)
• Flexitime (1979)
• The Club (1979)
• The Hypothetical End of Bert Brecht (1979)
• A Month in the Country (1980)
• The One Day of the Year (1980, 1986)
• The Seagull (1980)
• The Ship's Whistle (1980)
• Fanchen (1981)
• I Sent a Letter to My Love (1981)
• True West (1981)
• A Midsummer Night's Dream (1982, 1983)
• Lighthouse Playreading (1982)
• Mother Courage and Her Children (1982)
• Royal Show (1982)
• Signal Driver (1982)
• Silver Lining (1982)
• Spellbound (1982)
• The Prince Of Homburg (1982)
• Netherwood (1983, 1984)
• Pal Joey (1983)
• Sunrise (1983)
• The Blind Giant is Dancing (1983)
• The Marriage of Figaro (1983)
• Twelfth Night (1983)
• The Christian Brothers (1984)
• The Threepenny Opera (1984)
• Glengarry Glen Ross (1985)
• Trumpets and Raspberries (1985)
• Heartbreak House (1986)
• The Servant of Two Masters (1986)
• Away (1987)
• And the Big Men Fly (1988)
• Romeo and Juliet / As You Like It (1988)
• A Marriage Proposal / A Respectable Wedding (1988)
• Little Murders (1989)
• The Cherry Orchard (1989)
• Top End (1989)
• On Top of the World (1990)
• Diving For Pearls (1991)
• On Our Selection (1991)
• The Crucible (1991)
• The Taming Of The Shrew (1991)
• Coriolanus (1993)
• Nowhere (2001)

Notes and References

1. Web site: Peter cummins. AusStage.
2. http://www.abc.net.au/tv/talkingheads/txt/s2605233.htm 'Graeme Blundell'
3. Web site: State Theatre Company South Australia would like to acknowledge the passing of a stage and screen legend who rose to prominence in the early 70s and was instrumental in shaping Australian theatre, Peter Cummins. . State Theatre Company South Australia on Instagram . 10 October 2024 . 10 October 2024.