Jon Finlayson

Jon Douglas Finlayson 23 March 1938 12 September 2012 was an Australian stage and screen character actor and writer director producer and singer He was known for his roles in the films Lonely Hearts and The Magic Show At the age of eight Jon began his long career in the performing arts touring all over Australia for many years as a boy soprano for the Australian Boys Choir He was actively involved in theatre throughout school and as a teenager began performing weekly on The Fakermagangees the longrunning childrens radio serial on 3DB This was followed by many other Australian radio dramas over the years After matriculating Finlayson threw himself into amateur theatre productions for some years He spent many years performing in musicals at the Comedy Theatre Her Majestys the Princess and Russell Street Theatre including The Fantasticks Robert and Elizabeth Bells Are Ringing For Amusement Only Lock Up Your Daughters and Auntie Mame He was also wellknown from his numerous television roles such as Colonel Archibald Spencer in Zoo Family 1985 and as James Gleeson in Snowy River The McGregor Saga 19951996 He wrote sketches for The Mavis Bramston Show He was noted for his hospitality as well as his Sunday Soirees in the Melbourne show business community