Frank Whitten

Frank Whitten plays the clever, irascible, fitfully senile ex-safecracker on Outrageous Fortune. But his acting career stretches back to 1984's landmark film Vigil, and beyond.

Growing up in the Waikato in the 50s, Whitten considered becoming a jockey, or an artist. But the elaborate stories told by his grandfather kickstarted an interest in acting. Aged 21, "with very little experience and even less money", he left for England to become an actor.

Over the next eighteen years Whitten worked in a children's theatre company that developed plays with, and for, working-class children. He also spent time as an improvisational tutor at leading British drama school the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.

In 1982 Whitten returned to New Zealand and began acting in theatre. Two years later, he appeared as an exploitative guru of a commune in Trespasses, the movie spin-off of police show Mortimer's Patch.

The same year, Whitten commanded attention as the enigmatic farmer who strides into  the isolated rural world of a young child in Vigil - the first feature directed by Vincent Ward. The film won praise around the world, with the Los Angeles Times hailing it as "an extraordinary visual and psychological experience".

The mid-80s proved an especially busy period for Whitten. He joined actors Michael Hurst and Jay Laga-aia on teen series Heroes, playing roadie to a group of young musicians. Whitten followed it by playing one of the main roles on historical drama Heart of the High Country, based on the novel by English author Elizabeth Gowans.

Ensemble drama Open House premiered in a prime time 7.30pm slot in June 1986. Whitten played the co-ordinator of the community house at the centre of the show. Open House set out to explore bicultural issues in an urban setting, but those explorations were curtailed by disappointing ratings.

Since then Whitten has continued to act extensively in both New Zealand and Australia, often as "nasty" characters. The New Zealand work has included the acclaimed short film Accidents, and small movie roles in the romance Arriving Tuesday, the thriller Zilch, ghost story The Returning, and two forgotten international thrillers shot down under: Chill Factor and Restless (also known as Hot Target).

On television, Whitten has appeared in episodes of Erebus: The Aftermath, Gloss, City Life cult-themed mini-series The Chosen, and Kiwi-filmed international co-productions The Ray Bradbury Theatre and Mysterious Island.

His resume of Australian productions is extensive: including hospital series All Saints, the live action remake of Peter Pan and award-winning mini-series The Leaving of Liverpool, which follows two English children transplanted to Australia after World War 2.

In 2007, Whitten's ongoing role on Outrageous Fortune won him a best supporting actor award at the Air New Zealand Screen Awards. He argues that the show has been successful because it "reflects a kind of fantasy, blue-collar New Zealand."

Aside from having written an acclaimed play of his own - Trifecta - there is another Whitten role that should be mentioned: for twelve straight years, he appeared on the Speights ‘Southern Man' advertisements, and wryly delivered the iconic "good onya mate" line.