Denny Lawrence

Denny Lawrence
Born1952 (age 73–74)
London, UK
EducationNIDA, Australian Film, Television and Radio School
Occupations
  • Actor
  • writer
  • producer
  • director
Years active1967-2025

Denny Lawrence (born 1952 in London) is an Australian actor, writer, producer and director of television, theatre and film.

Early life

Lawrence studied at National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) and the Australian Film, Television and Radio School. He also studied under Stella Adler.

Career

Lawrence wrote 1983 feature film Goodbye Paradise, which earned him an Australian Film Institute Award for Best Screenplay. He was a writer and director on 1984 cricket miniseries Bodyline, starring Gary Sweet and Hugo Weaving. The following year, he directed western drama TV movie Archer, starring Nicole Kidman, comedy film Emoh Ruo, and co-wrote comedy/drama film The Coca-Cola Kid, featuring Eric Roberts. In 1987, Lawrence co-wrote the film Warm Nights on a Slow Moving Train, starring Wendy Hughes and Colin Friels.

From 1994, Lawrence was a writer and director on western drama series Banjo Paterson's The Man From Snowy River, the television spin-off of the film of the same name, set 20 years after the title character's famous ride.

In 2000, Lawrence directed the award-winning The Centurion for the BBC. In the early 2000s, Lawrence directed and produced medical defence drama series MDA, which was nominated for Best Television Series at the Australian Film Institute Awards three years in a row, winning in 2004.

Lawrence has also worked extensively as a teacher, both in Australia and abroad, including at Australian Film, Television and Radio School (AFTRS), National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA), Australian Writers' Guild (AWG), Victorian College of the Arts (VCA), Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT), Canadian Film Centre, Boston University, Griffith University, Deakin University, and the Australian Opera School. In 2005, he joined the film and television department at the New York University Tisch School of the Arts. In 2007, he was appointed Head of Acting & Directing and in 2008 also became Head of Television.

Director / writer / producer credits

Film

Year Title Role Notes Ref
The OutingShort
1983Goodbye ParadiseCo-writer
1985Emoh RuoDirector
1985The Coca-Cola KidCo-writer
1987Warm Nights on a Slow Moving TrainCo-writer
1988Afraid to DanceDirector
2008A Divided HeartDirector / producer

Television

Year Title Role Notes Ref
1975Scattergood: Friend of All
1980–1982The Young DoctorsDirector4 episodes
The Restless YearsDirector
1982–1983Sons and DaughtersDirector55 episodes
1984BodylineWriter / DirectorMiniseries, 7 episodes / 2 episodes
1985Palace of DreamsWriter / director / script editorMiniseries, 1 episode / 1 episode / 10 episodes
ArcherDirectorTV movie
1986Army WivesDirectorTV movie
1988The Last ResortDirector
AustraliansScript editor2 episodes
Rafferty's RulesScript editor10 episodes
1990; 1994A Country PracticeProducer / director86 episodes / 4 episodes
1991The BillDirector2 episodes
1992Butterfly IslandProducer1 episode
1994The Damnation of Harvey McHughDirector / script editorEpisode: "From Here to Eternity"
1995Rainbow's EndDirector / producerTV movie
1994; 1996Snowy River: The McGregor SagaDirector / writer3 episodes / 1 episode
1997The Wayne ManifestoCo-director
1997–1998Children’s HospitalProducer / director5 episodes / 1 episode
1998State CoronerDirector2 episodes
2000Easter TalesDirectorEpisode: "The Centurion"
2000–2001Something in the AirDirector10 episodes
2001–2002Blue HeelersDirector4 episodes
2002–2005MDAProducer / director34 episodes / 2 episodes
2012Tricky BusinessProducer / directorMiniseries, 13 episodes / 1 episode

Theatre

Year Title Role Notes Ref
1971The Recruiting OfficerStage ManagerSouthern Highlands Festival Theatre, Mittagong
1974Adventures in FolDirectorIndependent Theatre, Sydney
1975A Bunch of RatbagsDirectorThe Australian Theatre, Sydney
1987The Real ThingDirectorCanberra
1992–1993SkyDirectorAustralian tour with Ensemble Theatre
1993The Double BassDirectorGlen St Theatre, Sydney
The Old BoyDirectorEnsemble Theatre, Sydney
2004Loyal WomenDirectorRed Stitch Actors Theatre, Melbourne
2014BellevilleDirectorRed Stitch Actors Theatre, Melbourne
2015Love Love LoveDirectorRed Stitch Actors Theatre, Melbourne
2016All My LoveDirectorAustralian tour with HIT Productions
Always... Patsy ClineDirectorNSW tour & Theatre Royal, Hobart with HIT Productions
2018LovesongDirectorRed Stitch Actors Theatre, Melbourne
High TimeDirector
2022Reunion Day (reading)DirectorAFTRS, Sydney
Summer of the Seventeenth DollDirectorAustralian tour
2025HawkeDirectorChapel Off Chapel, Melbourne
A Woman KnowsTisch New Theatre, NY
A Soldier DreamsTheatre East, NY

Acting credits

Film

Year Title Role Notes Ref
1993The Nostradamus Kid'General Booth Enters Heaven' Strolling Player

Television

Year Title Role Notes Ref
1971Matlock PoliceReg Vinten1 episode
DynastyKidnapper1 episode
1972Number 96Kit Vansard13 episodes
1973Frank and Francesca
1974HomicideMike Jarvis1 episode
The MisanthropeTV movie
1975Scattergood: Friend of All

Theatre

Year Title Role Notes Ref
1967The Choephori (The Libation Bearers)PyladesUNSW, Sydney with NIDA
1969In the GloamingGrand-Son TweedJane St Theatre, Sydney with NIDA
Oh My DarlingActorJane St Theatre, Sydney with NIDA
Almost Like BeingChadJane St Theatre, Sydney with NIDA
1970The Night of the IguanaPancho / Jake LattaNIDA Theatre, Sydney
Cat on a Hot Tin RoofActorUNSW Old Tote Parade Theatre, Sydney with NIDA
A Midsummer Night's DreamActorUNSW Old Tote Parade Theatre, Sydney with NIDA
Blood WeddingActorUNSW Old Tote Parade Theatre, Sydney with NIDA
1971Twenty Six Efforts at PornographyActorAMP Theatrette, Sydney with Q Theatre
Emil and the DetectivesActorSouthern Highlands Festival Theatre, Mittagong
Doctor FaustusActorSouthern Highlands Festival Theatre, Mittagong
1972A Dead LibertyActorAMP Theatrette, Sydney with Q Theatre
HouseyActorNimrod, Sydney
Blop Goes The WeazelActorUNSW Old Tote Parade Theatre, Sydney
1973JumpersActorRussell St Theatre, Melbourne with MTC
The MisanthropeActorUNSW, Sydney
1974Unaccompanied CelloActorIndependent Theatre, Sydney

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "On the Couch with Denny Lawrence". artsreview.com.au. 3 June 2015. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
  2. 1 2 Christine Cremen, "Denny Lawrence", Cinema Papers, May–June 1983 p 113
  3. ↑ Vagg, Stephen (10 June 2025). "It's time to say hello again to Goodbye Paradise". InReview. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
  4. 1 2 "Bodyline". Screen Australia. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
  5. 1 2 "Archer". Screen Australia. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
  6. 1 2 "Emoh Ruo". Screen Australia. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
  7. 1 2 "The Coca-Cola Kid". Screen Australia. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
  8. 1 2 "Warm Nights on a Slow Moving Train". Screen Australia. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
  9. 1 2 "Banjo Paterson's The Man From Snowy River". Screen Australia. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
  10. 1 2 "Banjo Paterson's The Man From Snowy River series 2". Screen Australia. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
  11. ↑ Biography at Tisch School of Arts
  12. ↑ "Afraid to Dance". Screen Australia. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
  13. ↑ "Army Wives". Screen Australia. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
  14. ↑ "A Country Practice: episode guide | 1990". australiantelevision.net. Retrieved 27 October 2026.
  15. ↑ "A Country Practice: episode guide | 1994". australiantelevision.net. Retrieved 27 October 2026.
  16. ↑ "Butterfly Island". Screen Australia. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
  17. ↑ "The Damnation of Harvey McHugh – From Here to Eternity". aso.gov.au. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
  18. ↑ "Rainbow's End". Screen Australia. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
  19. ↑ "Snowy River – The McGregor Saga: episode guide | Series 2". australiantelevision.net. Retrieved 27 October 2026.
  20. ↑ "The Wayne Manifesto". australiantelevision.net. Retrieved 27 October 2026.
  21. ↑ "Children's Hospital". Screen Australia. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
  22. ↑ "State Coroner series 2". Screen Australia. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
  23. ↑ "Something in the Air series 1". Screen Australia. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
  24. ↑ "Something in the Air". Screen Australia. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
  25. ↑ "Blue Heelers: episode guide | Series 8". australiantelevision.net. Retrieved 27 October 2026.
  26. ↑ "Blue Heelers: episode guide | Series 9". australiantelevision.net. Retrieved 27 October 2026.
  27. ↑ "MDA: episode guide | Series 1". australiantelevision.net. Retrieved 27 October 2026.
  28. ↑ "MDA: episode guide". australiantelevision.net. Retrieved 27 October 2026.
  29. ↑ "Tricky Business". Screen Australia. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
  30. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 "Denny Lawrence". AusStage. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
  31. 1 2 3 4 "Meet the Creatives | Summer Of The Seventeenth Doll". HIT Productions. Retrieved 27 October 2026.
  32. ↑ "Reunion Day Reading: An Interview with Denny Lawrence". FilmInk. Retrieved 27 October 2026.
  33. ↑ "HAWKE Program (Final)" (PDF). Chapel Off Chapel. 9 October 2025. Retrieved 27 October 2026.