Dean Spanley
This offbeat father and son feature was written by Scotsman Alan Sharp, and mostly filmed in the UK by a Fijian-Brit Kiwi. Lawrence of Arabia legend Peter O'Toole plays a stiff upper lip Englishman whose frosty relationship with his son warms after hearing an extraordinary tale of reincarnation from Reverend Dean Spanley (Sam Neill). Based on an Edward Plunkett novella, Toa Fraser's second feature won praise for its cast, and mix of comedy and poignancy, "intertwined to the last" (The Age). Spanley won a host of Qantas awards; GQ rated it their film of the year.
Hanlon - In Defence of Minnie Dean
Dunedin barrister Alf Hanlon’s first — and most famous — defence case was the first episode in this award-winning drama series about his career. In 1895, alleged baby farmer Minnie Dean was charged with murdering two infants in her care. Hanlon’s inspired manslaughter defence was undermined by the judge’s direction to the jury; and Dean became the only woman to be hanged in NZ. Hanlon vowed none of his future clients would ever suffer this fate. Emmy-nominated and a major critical success, the episode contributed to a re-evaluation of Dean’s conviction.
Dean Parker
2013 Arts Foundation Laureate Dean Parker has written extensively for stage, television, radio and print. Alongside his own projects, he has shown himself as a skilled adaptor of everyone from Nicky Hager (The Hollow Men) to Ronald Hugh Morrieson (movie classic Came a Hot Friday).
Dean Cornish
Globetrotting director Dean Cornish's credit reel ranges from Intrepid Journeys to bold buildings, Extreme Tribes to Rachel Hunter, sex trafficking to This Town. Trained at Christchurch's NZ Broadcasting School, Cornish has produced films in more than 90 countries and crafted a reputation as a go-to guy for travel stories. He shared a Best Director gong at the 2011 Aotearoa Film and TV Awards for Making Tracks.
Dean Mills
Dean Mills joined the new second television channel in 1978, straight from school. After six months dragging cables around, he moved into camera work. Over eight years he was behind the camera on everything from wrestling (On the Mat) and song and dance shows, to an unforgettable interview with Muhammad Ali. Mills has never left cameras totally behind: based now in Sydney, he works for technology company Jenoptik.
Michael Dean
Palmerston North-born Michael Dean won fame as a longtime presenter on pioneering BBC arts show Late Night Line-Up. Although his three decade broadcasting career was mostly spent in England, Dean also did time downunder. In 1972 he presented an opinionated Survey special on how New Zealand had changed, followed by talk show Dean on Saturday. He passed away in England on 5 October 2015.
Dean Hewison
Dean Hewison’s debut feature — stalker rom-com How to Meet Girls from a Distance — was a breakout 2012 NZ Film Festival hit; the Make My Movie contest winner later earned a theatrical release. Hewison honed his filmmaking skills via a decade of 48Hours entries (his Traces of Nut team were national champs in 2013). The NZ Broadcasting School alumnus has directed kids TV and ads; he is also an acclaimed playwright.
Dean O'Gorman
Dean O’Gorman starred in his first movie (Bonjour Timothy) at the age of only 17. Since then he has had leading roles in another four, including a 2017 remake of classic road movie Goodbye Pork Pie. En route O'Gorman has played dwarves (The Hobbit), jealous brothers (The Bad Seed), American movie legends (Trumbo) and Norse gods (The Almighty Johnsons).
Deane Waretini
Adrian Waretini was born in Rotorua in 1946, the son of Deane Waretini, a celebrated Māori singer in the 1930s and 1940s. After his father died, Adrian began singing his songs and adopted his Christian name as a music career beckoned. Waretini Junior went on to perform with the Māori show bands in the 1970s. In 1980, he recorded a song written by his cousin (and Te Arawa elder) George Tait. Initially self-released, ’The Bridge’ was picked up by CBS; it became the first number one single to be sung in te reo after it topped the New Zealand chart for two weeks in April 1981.
Dean O’Gorman: An almighty hobbit...
Actor Dean O’Gorman won his first lead role in a movie with Bonjour Timothy aged only 17. Soon after he joined the cast of Shortland Street, before appearing in a long list of international and local TV dramas including Young Hercules, McLeod’s Daughters and The Almighty Johnsons.