Ian Rawlings
Ian Rawlings | |
|---|---|
| Born | 9 March 1959 |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1982−2023 |
| Known for | Wayne Hamilton in Sons and Daughters Philip Martin in Neighbours |
| Spouse | Lee Dowling |
| Children | 2 |
Ian Rawlings (born 9 March 1959) is an Australian actor. He is best known for his long-running roles in soap operas Sons and Daughters and Neighbours. He also appeared in the short-lived serial The Power, The Passion.
Early life
[edit]Rawlings was born on 9 March 1959,[1] in Whyalla, South Australia.[citation needed] He developed a keen interest in betting on horse racing after his father and grandfather took him to the races in Adelaide.[2]
Rawlings worked as a storeman in Adelaide for a computer company, before becoming a model when he was 18.[3] He later worked loading trucks at a large freight company,[2] and as a tow-truck driver.[4]
Career
[edit]Rawlings had little acting experience when he signed for the Grundy Organisation in 1981 to play Wayne Hamilton in Sons and Daughters.[5] He had spent two years trying to secure substantial acting work, and appeared in several amateur productions and as an extra in films produced by the South Australian Film Corporation.[4] He was initially contracted for 15 weeks.[5] In 1985, Rawlings also portrayed his character's look-alike Gary Evans.[5] That same year, he won the Logie Award for Best Supporting Actor in A Series.[5] Rawlings continued in the role of Wayne for the show's entire 1982–1987 run.[6] Ahead of production ending in March 1987, Rawlings formed his own production company, after completing a producers course at the Australian Film and Television School.[7]
In 1989, Rawlings appeared in the short-lived Seven Network soap opera The Power, The Passion as Ryan McAllister.[2] After The Power, The Passion was cancelled, Rawlings took on a job as a salesman at the freight company he previously worked for prior to his acting career taking off.[2] He said it was a "natural place to go back to" with no acting work forthcoming. He found that being well known to the public helped him with sales.[2]
In 1992, Rawlings had a guest role as Marcus Stone in the Network Ten soap opera Neighbours.[8] A few months later, he joined the main cast as Philip Martin, taking over the role from Christopher Milne.[2] Rawlings played Philip until 1999.[9] He briefly reprised this role in episodes commemorating the programme's 20th anniversary in 2005.[10] Rawlings reprised the role for the Neighbours vs Time Travel webseries in 2017.[11] Rawlings made a cameo appearance in the final episode of Neighbours in mid-2022,[12] and again in late 2023, when the series was picked up once again.[13]
Rawlings struggled to find work after leaving Neighbours, and launched his own entertainment business Trivial Fun and Games for clubs and hotels.[14] He made guest appearances in Stingers and MDA in 2003.[14] In 2019, Rawlings was working as a bingo caller at the Werribee Rotary Club.[15]
Personal life
[edit]Rawlings met his wife, model Lee Dowling, while he was performing at an opening ceremony for a chicken takeaway shop.[2] He proposed after six weeks,[2] and they married four months later in September 1984 on the Isle of Capri. Several of his Sons and Daughters co-stars were in attendance, along with his brother and Dowling's daughter from her marriage to Garry Dowling.[16] Rawlings and Dowling also have one child together, a daughter.[14]
Filmography
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982–1987 | Sons and Daughters | Wayne Hamilton / Gary Evans | Series regular |
| 1989 | The Power, The Passion | Ryan McAlistor | Series regular |
| 1990 | Mission: Impossible | Gibbs | Episode: "Cargo Cult" |
| 1992 | Neighbours | Marcus Stone | Guest |
| 1992–1999, 2005, 2022, 2023 | Neighbours | Philip Martin | Series regular |
| 1999 | Night Fever | Contestant | Episode: "Millennium Eve Special" |
| 2000 | It's Anybody's Guess | Contestant | |
| 2000 | Blue Heelers | Matthew Quinn | Episode: "Life Class" |
| 2003 | Stingers | Tyrone Pattison | Episode: "New Blood" |
| 2003 | Blue Heelers | Dennis Morgan | Episode: "Every Man and His Ute" |
| 2003 | MDA | Paul Rees | Episode: "Bigger Fish to Fry" |
| 2006 | Temptation | Contestant | Episode: "Superchallenge: Heat 3" |
| 2006 | Where Are They Now? | Guest | |
| 2017 | Neighbours vs Time Travel | Philip | Webseries |
References
[edit]- ^ "Profile – Ian Rawlings". Inside Soap. No. 26. October 1994. pp. 36–37.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Quit acting to become a salesman". The Weekly News. 21 February 1998. Retrieved 24 April 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ Pogorelske, Paulyne (11 December 1982). "Self-confessed ladies' man". TV Week. pp. 2–3.
- ^ a b "Newcomers feature in Nine's new show". TV Week. 7 November 1981. p. 47.
- ^ a b c d "Ian's wicked, winning ways". TV Week. 4 May 1985. p. 97.
- ^ Mercado, Andrew (2004). Super Aussie Soaps: Behind The Scenes of Australia's Best Loved TV Shows. Pluto Press Australia. p. 181. ISBN 1-86403-191-3.
- ^ Cook, Stephen (20 December 1986). "Kids' stuff". TV Week. p. 14.
- ^ Davey, Tim (29 September 1993). "Tim's TV chat". Bristol Evening Post. Retrieved 24 April 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Soaps in crisis". The Sunday Mail. Brisbane, Australia. 28 November 1999. p. 7.
- ^ Bell, Adam; Koch, Phillip (17 July 2005). "When good friends step back in time". The Sunday Mail. Brisbane, Australia. p. 4.
- ^ Dainty, Sophie (31 October 2017). "Neighbours brings back Philip Martin and Stingray Timmins for Halloween time-travelling series". Digital Spy. Retrieved 24 April 2025.
- ^ Gracie, Elizabeth (7 February 2023). "Where are the cast of Sons & Daughters now?". Woman's Day. Retrieved 24 April 2025.
- ^ Hibbs, James (6 November 2023). "Neighbours confirms major cast returns with teaser for flashback week". Radio Times. Retrieved 24 April 2025.
- ^ a b c Brygel, Jackie; Gray, Sigourney (1–7 January 2005). "Former residents". TV Week. No. 1. p. 20.
- ^ Macaulay, Charlene (27 February 2019). "Eyes down for serious fun". Star Weekly. Retrieved 24 April 2025.
- ^ Cook, Stephen (27 October 1984). "Wedding fever – two stars say 'I do'". TV Week. pp. 6–7.