Having graced our screens for more than five decades, you might assume acting was inevitable for Ray Meagher. But in the 1970s when opportunities came calling, and others dwindled, the TV legend says it was the furthest thing from his mind.
In our exclusive interview with Ray, ahead of his trip down memory lane for a special episode of This Is Your Life, he reveals that his career is not the result of unbridled ambition, but an endless pursuit of happiness.
Born and raised on a cattle station in Roma, Queensland, Ray took his talent to the sporting field, representing both Brisbane City and the Queensland Reds in rugby union.
Despite his love of the game, opportunities to play professionally were few and far between. One afternoon, he “was talked into it by a guy in a football club” and tried his hand at amateur theatre. But there was something holding him back.
In our exclusive interview with Ray Meagher, ahead of his trip down memory lane for a special episode of This Is Your Life, he reveals that his career is not the result of unbridled ambition, but an endless pursuit of happiness.
(Image: Seven)“There was somebody in an amateur show I did – probably the second or third show I’d ever done – who had just graduated from NIDA [National Institute Of Dramatic Arts] and was being paid to do this thing [act]. I thought, ‘This guy’s making a living out of this, I wonder if that’s a possibility?'” Ray, 78, recalls to TV WEEK.
“I talked to my eldest brother about it, thinking, ‘He’s the one I’ve got to get it past’ – and this is 1970s Australia, where views weren’t quite as broad as they are now – so I thought I’d better go to him about it before I try to make a go of this funny old stuff they call ‘acting’. He said to me, ‘Yeah, we’re [Australia] making a bit of stuff… if you want to do it, go and give it a crack.’
“I thought, ‘That’s fantastic!’ I loved and respected him enormously, so to get his blessing was a big thing.” In 1973, Ray booked a role on Matlock Police and went on to star in more than 50 productions, both here and abroad.
Then, between 1987 and 1988, between filming two miniseries – Spit MacPhee alongside Sir John Mills and True Believers – Ray was handed the script for Home And Away.
In 1973, Ray booked a role on Matlock Police and went on to star in more than 50 productions, both here and abroad. Then, between 1987 and 1988, between filming two miniseries – Spit MacPhee alongside Sir John Mills and True Believers – Ray was handed the script for Home And Away.
While it was the thought of regular work that appealed at first, the cast and crew have become his reason to remain with H&A for the past 34 years, totalling more than 7000 episodes. “I hadn’t been at home regularly for a while and I thought, ‘Jeez, it’s nice to be in my own bed again.’
And when Home And Away went to series, you slept in your own bed the whole time. It was almost like a regular job!” he says. “[But] the basic crew of Home And Away – some of them are still here – were just absolutely fantastic.”
Today, Ray holds a Guinness World Record [for the longest-serving cast member in an Australian drama], has a TV WEEK Gold Logie Award and occupies a special place in both TV history and our hearts as the “Godfather Of Australian TV”.
It’s the title given him by Hollywood star (and former H&A cast member) Chris Hemsworth, who helps celebrate Ray’s legacy in This Is Your Life.
Today, Ray holds a Guinness World Record [for the longest-serving cast member in an Australian drama], has a TV WEEK Gold Logie Award and occupies a special place in both TV history and our hearts as the “Godfather Of Australian TV”. It’s the title given him by Hollywood star (and former H&A cast member) Chris Hemsworth, who helps celebrate Ray’s legacy in This Is Your Life.
In a surprise visit, host Mel Doyle travelled to Palm Beach in Sydney where Ray, who’s played Alf Stewart in H&A since 1988, was busy filming. With the signature red book in hand, she readied him for a star-studded evening of special guests and memorable moments.
From sport to stage and screen, Ray was reunited with former rugby stars John Eales and Nick Farr-Jones, who relates a particularly amusing moment in Wales, to past and present H&A stars such as Judy Nunn, Kate Ritchie, Bec Hewitt, Julian McMahon, Ryan Kwanten, Ada Nicodemou, Lynne McGranger and Georgie Parker.
“Judy Nunn, Vanessa Downing, Roger Oakley… those sort of people were incredible to see,” he says. “And of course, the ones who are still there. They’re all amazing people and they said such lovely things. It brought a tear to my eye.”
Having played Alf since the series’ inception, Ray and his character’s no-nonsense quips such as “Strewth” and “Flamin’ galah!” have become part of the Australian vernacular. He even has his own wax figure at Madame Tussauds in Sydney. Ray credits the hard work of the team around him for contributing to his success…
“I just go to work and try to do the best I can each day,” he says. “What other people judge you as – be that good or bad – is up to them.”
Earlier this year, Ray told TV WEEK, “There are probably 10 or 20 blokes who could have played the role; it’s about the show and character, not the individual actor.”
From sport to stage and screen, Ray was reunited with former rugby stars John Eales and Nick Farr-Jones, who relates a particularly amusing moment in Wales, to past and present H&A stars such as Judy Nunn, Kate Ritchie, Bec Hewitt, Julian McMahon, Ryan Kwanten, Ada Nicodemou, Lynne McGranger and Georgie Parker.
Perhaps the most heart-warming moment on This Is Your Life is when Ray speaks of his family. He reveals his difficult childhood as an orphan who went to boarding school and who was raised by his sister-in-law, Pat. When she joins him on stage, Ray is overcome with emotion.
“She was like a mum to me,” he says. “I was the youngest of four kids by a fair way and it was wonderful to have her there.” Then, in a rare public moment, Ray is also joined by his wife Gilly and stepdaughter Rebecca. The couple, who married in 2010, share unseen wedding photos and reflect on their quiet life together.
And, as in every reunion, family, friends and colleagues spoke of his character: humble, loyal and strong. It would seem Ray’s own pursuit of happiness comes from how happy he makes others – from those who know him best, to the strangers who feel as if they do.
“I feel pretty good right now,” Ray says. “And I intend to keep on keeping on for some considerable time.”
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