Tim Robertson (1944 – ) was an Australian actor and writer.
Early life Robertson was born in Braintree, Essex, England, in 1944. He relocated to Australia in 1952.
He was a graduate of the University of Western Australia (1965). After graduating, he taught drama at various institutions including Antioch College in the US (1967-1968) and Flinders University in Adelaide (1969-1972) where he also began adapting and directing plays.
In 1972, he joined the Australian Performing Group at the Pram Factory in Melbourne, where he wrote, acted and directed plays.
Career Robertson made his first onscreen appearance in 1974 on the television series Rush. The same year he also featured in the cult Ozploitation horror film The Cars That Ate Paris.
He is known for his role as Arthur West in the 1976 award-winning drama miniseries Power Without Glory. From 1983 to 1984, he played various roles in the comedy series Australia You're Standing In It. He then appeared in the 1987 Kennedy Miller miniseries Vietnam alongside Nicole Kidman in one of her early roles. From 1991 to 1992, Robertson had a regular role as Jack Taylor in the risqué soap opera Chances. He also appeared in two roles in police procedural crime drama series Stingers from 1999 to 2003.
Robertson had numerous television guest roles in series such as Matlock Police, Homicide, Rush, Division 4, Bluey, The Sullivans, Skyways, Cop Shop, Young Ramsay, Special Squad, Carson's Law, Prisoner, Rafferty's Rules, Round the Twist, Neighbours, The Flying Doctors, Ocean Girl, Halifax f.p., Snowy River: The McGregor Saga, CrashBurn and Last Man Standing.
He also starred in several miniseries including Tandarra (1976), Against the Wind (1978), Scales of Justice (1983), The Heroes (1989) and All the Rivers Run II (1990).
Robertson appeared in numerous films throughout his career. Early films included Petersen (1974) with Jack Thompson, football comedy The Great MacArthy (1975), Fred Schepisi's The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith (1978), John Duigan's Dimboola (1979) and biographical drama Phar Lap (1983).
He appeared in the 1987 coming-of-age John Duigan film The Year My Voice Broke starring Ben Mendelsohn and Noah Taylor. The following year he was in Evil Angels opposite Meryl Streep and Sam Neill. He appeared opposite Mendelsohn again in the 1990 hit comedy The Big Steal and the 1997 drama Amy. He was then in the 1999 film Holy Smoke with Kate Winslet and Harvey Keitel.
Later films included 2001 comedies He Died with a Felafel in His Hand alongside Noah Taylor and The Man Who Sued God opposite Billy Connolly and Judy Davis, the 2010 drama Matching Jack, the 2011 film The Eye of the Storm opposite Geoffrey Rush and the 2014 Angus Sampson comedy The Mule.
In 2001, he published a history of the Pram Factory.Tim Robertson. The Pram Factory
On 28 December 2025, it was announced that Robertson had died at the age of 81.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1974 The Cars That Ate Paris Les 1974 Petersen 3rd Bikie 1975 The Great MacArthy Herb 1975 Pure S Cop 1978 The Irishman Bill Bryant 1978 The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith Healey 1979 Dimboola Father O'Shea 1979 The Last of the Knucklemen Man in Bar 1980 Buckley's Chance William Buckley Short film 1983 Phar Lap Policeman at Stables 1983 Distinguished Guests Professor Wiseman Short film 1984 The Bark is Worse than the Byte Short film 1985 Wrong World Psychiatrist 1985 Bliss Alex Duval 1985 Jenny Kissed Me Sergeant Blake 1985 Niel Lynne Detective 1986 Kangaroo O'Neill 1987 Going Sane Owen Owen 1987 The Year My Voice Broke Bob Leishman 1987 Bachelor Girl Grant 1987 The Time Guardian Sergeant McCarthy 1987 With Time to Kill Jack Keane 1988 Evil Angels (aka A Cry in the Dark) Wallace 1990 Father George Coleman 1990 Aya Willy 1990 The Big Steal Desmond Johnson 1990 Beyond My Reach Burroughs 1994 Ebbtide Realtor 1997 Amy Dr Pascoe 1999 Holy Smoke Gilbert Barron 2001 He Died with a Felafel in His Hand Melbourne Detective 1 2001 The Man Who Sued God Judge 2002 Black and White Mr Kjng 2006 Riot or Revolution: Eureka Stockade 1854 Douglas Huyghue Documentary film 2010 Matching Jack Professor Langley 2011 The Eye of the Storm Dr Treweek 2011 The First Interview Nadar Short film 2014 The Mule Judge Irving
Television Year Title Role Notes 1974 Matlock Police Peter Gibson 1 episode 1974 Marion Reg Dargie Miniseries, 1 episode 1974 Homicide Engineer 1 episode 1974 Rush Constable Colvin 1 episode 1975 Division 4 Ambulance Driver 1 episode 1975 Cash and Company Reed 1 episode 1976 Tandarra Storekeeper Miniseries, 1 episode 1976 The Professional Touch TV movie 1976 Power Without Glory Arthur West Miniseries, 14 episodes 1977 Bluey Paul Hendy 1 episode 1978 Catspaw Instructor 1978 Against the Wind Holt Miniseries, 2 episodes 1978 The Tea Ladies 8 episodes 1978 The Sullivans Slicker 4 episodes 1979 Skyways Bert Dyer 1 episode 1979 Cop Shop Hedley Barrett 1 episode 1979 The Dolebludgers Mr Price TV movie 1980 Young Ramsay Russell Scott 1 episode 1980 Locusts and Wild Honey Reverend Charles Miniseries, 3 episodes 1983 Home Tom 3 episodes 1983 Scales of Justice Detective Sergeant Mick Miles Miniseries, 2 episodes 1984 The Last Bastion Admiral Ernest King Miniseries, 3 episodes 1984 Special Squad Roberts Episode 2: "The Expert" 1984 Carson's Law Det Sgt Brent 2 episodes 1983–1984 Australia You're Standing In It Various 16 episodes 1985 A Thousand Skies Jack Lang Miniseries, 1 episode 1979–1995 Prisoner Various roles 9 episodes 1986 Pokerface Huck Miniseries, 3 episodes 1986 Vietnam Pascoe Miniseries, 3 episodes 1988 Rafferty's Rules Mervyn Starkey 1 episode 1988 The Clean Machine Dr Michael Millius TV movie 1989 The Heroes Colonel Mott Miniseries 1989 Round the Twist Mr Henderson 1 episode 1989 Bodysurfer Rex Lang Miniseries, 2 episodes 1989 Neighbours Gordon Davies 4 episodes 1990 All the Rivers Run II Blackwell Miniseries, 2 episodes 1990 Police Crop: The Winchester Conspiracy Detective Sergeant Brian Lockwood TV movie 1990 Skirts Harrison 1 episode 1989; 1990 The Flying Doctors Dan Jackson / Bernie Gallagher 2 episodes 1991 Strangers Father TV movie 1991 Boys from the Bush Bobby 1 episode 1991–1992 Chances Jack Taylor Episodes 1-90 1993 Time Trax Joe the Sheriff 1 episode 1994 Ocean Girl Blunt 1 episode 1995 Halifax f.p. Joe Mandle Episode: "Hard Corps" 1995 Snowy River: The McGregor Saga Trooper John Clarke 1 episode 1997 Kangaroo Palace Charles Reid TV movie 1999 Thunderstone General Cardell 2 episodes 2001 Beastmaster Solon 1 episode 2001 Shock Jock Dr Arnold Kipax 1 episode 2002 Bootleg Prime Minister Tom Turner Miniseries, 3 episodes 1999–2003 Stingers Fergus McCallum / George Tyndall / Sgt Noel Harrison 3 episodes 2003 CrashBurn John 2 episodes 2005 Last Man Standing Bride's Dad 1 episode
Theatre
As actor Year Title Role Notes 1964 Doctor Faustus University of Melbourne 1972 Bastardy Pram Factory, Melbourne, with APG 1972 He Can Swagger Sitting Down / The Joss Adams Show Pram Factory, Melbourne, with APG 1972 A Night in Rio and Other Bummers Pram Factory, Melbourne, with APG 1973 The Dragon Lady's Revenge Pram Factory, Melbourne, with APG 1973 Dimboola Pram Factory, Melbourne, with APG 1976 Knuckle Patrick Pram Factory, Melbourne, with APG 1976 The Dudders Colonel Coop / Phil Furley Pram Factory, Melbourne, with APG 1977 Ravages: Heels Over Head Cecil La Mama, Melbourne 1978 It's a Mad World, My Masters Pram Factory, Melbourne, with APG 1978 No Room for Dreamers Chidley Canberra for Australian National Playwrights Conference 1980 Bremen Coffee Gottfried Melbourne Athenaeum with MTC 1980 Shakespeare the Sadist Bill Melbourne Athenaeum with MTC 1981 Upside Down at the Bottom of the World DH Lawrence Theatre 62, Adelaide with STCSA 1981 Teeth 'n' Smiles Saraffian Nimrod, Sydney 1984 The World Is Made of Glass Carl Jung St Martins Theatre, Melbourne with Playbox Theatre Company 1985 Nine Little Australians! Season Two YMCA, Melbourne with MTC 1993 Picasso at the Lapin Agile Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne with Playbox Theatre Company 2004 The Frail Man Henry Frail Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne with Playbox Theatre Company 2006 Romeo and Juliet Playhouse, Melbourne, Sydney Opera House with Bell Shakespeare 2007 Dimboola Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne
As director/playwright Year Title Role Notes 1973 Dimboola Director Chevron Hotel, Melbourne 1973 The Waltzing Matilda Pantomime Designer Pram Factory, Melbourne, with APG 1974 The River Jordan Director Pram Factory, Melbourne, with APG 1975 Mary Shelley and Her Monsters Playwright Pram Factory, Melbourne, with APG 1976 Fiery Tales / Looney Tunes (The Lamentable Reign of King Charles the Last) Librettist Scott Theatre, Adelaide with New Opera South Australia for Adelaide Festival 1976 The Overcoat Director Pram Factory, Melbourne, with APG 1977 Waiter, There's a Circus in My Soup Director The Last Laugh, Melbourne with Last Laugh Theatre Restaurant & New Circus Ensemble 1980 Tram Director Melbourne Comedy Cafe 1981 Wild Honey Writer National Theatre, Melbourne with Australian Contemporary Dance Company 1981 Squirts Writer Playhouse, Adelaide, Universal Theatre, Melbourne with STCSA 1982 Tristram Shandy Adaptor Nimrod, Sydney 1985 Mary Shelley and the Monsters Playwright Rocks Players Theatre, Sydney for Sydney Festival 1988 Manning Clark's History of Australia – The Musical Playwright Princess Theatre, Melbourne 1988 Tristram Shandy – Gent Adaptor Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne, with MTC for MICF 1994 Waltzing Matilda (with Tomato Sauce) Writer The Street Theatre, Acton, Canberra with Eureka! Theatre Company 1997 Mary Shelley and the Monsters Playwright Carlton Courthouse, Melbourne with La Mama
References
External links
Tim Robertson at Film Reference