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PeterBland

  • Actor
  • Poet
Peter-Bland-Key-Profile.jpg

Peter Bland’s creative career encompasses two cultures, dozens of poems, the creation of Wellington’s Downstage Theatre and at least 30 screen roles – among them, his star turn as conman Wes Pennington in Came a Hot Friday.

Screenography

The Unexpected Mrs Pollifax
1999 Actor Television
1995 As: The Prince of Wales (episodes 1 & 2) Television
Murder Most Horrid
1991 - 1999 As: Editor Series
1989 As: Stipan (Leo's dad) Television
1987 As: Bill Porteous Television

Biography

Peter Bland has described the first part of his life as “the beginning of a restless journeying between the land of my birth and the country of my adoption”.

Bland grew up in the Yorkshire town of Scarborough. Until 11, he stayed mostly with relatives — his parents were in Nigeria, where his English father traded cocoa and peanuts. His mother died when Bland was 13, and his father soon after.

Awards

1989 Listener Film & Television Awards
Nominated for Best Performance, Male: for Porters

1986 National Mutual GOFTA Awards
Best Male Performance in a Leading Role - Film: for Came a Hot Friday
Nominated for Best Male Performance  - Television: for Heart of the High Country

“How many actors could put tragic overtones into such a line as 'You left me standing around in there like some prize dork?'”

Nicholas Reid, on Peter Bland's performance in Came a Hot Friday

Related images

Came-A-Hot-Friday-Gallery-1.jpg
Billy T James (left) as the Tainuia Kid and Peter Bland as conman Wesley Pennington in Came a Hot Friday.
© Mirage Films
Came-A-Hot-Friday-Gallery-3.jpg
Director Ian Mune on set with Peter Bland
© Mirage Films
Came-A-Hot-Friday-Gallery-5.jpg
Peter Bland (left) and Phillip Gordon in 1984 movie Came a Hot Friday. 
© Mirage Films