Serge Constantine Lazareff (7 August 1944 – 20 August 2021) was an Australian actor and screenwriter/editor, who was born in Shanghai, China. He appeared in 54 roles from the late 1960s until 1999, before starting a second career as a writer for TV series.
Serge Lazareff | |
|---|---|
| Born | Serge Constantine Lazareff 7 August 1944 Shanghai, China |
| Died | 20 August 2021 (aged 77) |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1970–2004 |
Acting
editLazareff performed in many Australian television series from the late 1960s to the late 1990s and made numerous appearances in Crawford Productions police shows including The Sullivans, Homicide, Division 4, Matlock Police and Chopper Squad. He had a featured part in the 1970 ABC-TV drama series Dynasty. Lazareff also appeared in Cash & Co., a 1970s historical adventure series.
Lazareff is probably best remembered by Australian audiences for his role in the 1970s TV drama Young Ramsay, in which he starred alongside friend and co-star John Hargreaves.[1]
He also appeared in The Young Doctors (playing fake Dr Ian Parish, really called Jack Trainer), Glenview High, Prisoner (as teacher David Andrews during episodes aired in 1981), Cop Shop, Bellamy, Carson's Law, A Country Practice, Special Squad, Sons and Daughters, Richmond Hill (as Neil Travers during 1988) and then E Street (in 1989 as rapist and murderer Sam Bullmer).
Writing
editFrom the late 1980s, Lazareff worked primarily as a writer and script editor for TV series including Heartbreak High,[2] Water Rats, All Saints and Home and Away.
Death
editLazareff died in August 2021. He had apparently been ill for some time. Although there were no mainstream media reports, he was included in the 2022 Logie Awards "In Memoriam" montage.
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Ned Kelly | Wild Wright | TV film |
| 1971 | 3 to Go: Judy | Mike | Short film |
| 1972 | Flashpoint | David | Feature film |
| 1975 | Sidecar Racers | Bluey Wilson | Feature film |
| 1975 | The True Story of Eskimo Nell (aka Dick Down Under) | Mexico Pete | Feature film |
| 1976 | The Judging Ring | TV film | |
| 1976 | Eliza Fraser | Doyle | Feature film |
| 1976 | McManus MPB | Mr. Charles | TV film |
| 1977 | Say You Want Me | Tony Crosby | Feature film |
| 1981 | Rusty Bugles | TV film | |
| 1982 | The Best of Friends | Colin | Feature film |
| 1986 | Departure | Simon Swift | Feature film |
| 1987 | Great Expectations: The Untold Story | Courtney | TV film |
| 1987 | The Lighthorsemen | Major George Rankin | Feature film |
| 1989 | Luigi's Ladies | Trev | Feature film |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Type | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1969-70 | The Rovers | Constable / Tony / Fisherman | TV series | |
| 1970 | The Long Arm | Neville Martin | TV series | |
| 1971 | The Thursday Creek Mob | Private Shorty MacGoohan | TV series | |
| 1970-71 | Dynasty | Christopher Mason | TV series | |
| 1972 | Quartet | TV miniseries | ||
| 1972 | Over There | TV series | ||
| 1973 | The Spoiler | Teddy | TV series | |
| 1973 | Spyforce | Lance Corporal Wayne Goodser | TV series | |
| 1972-73 | Boney | Greg Green/Dick Lake | TV series | |
| 1973 | Ryan | Patrick | TV series | |
| 1972-74 | Matlock Police | 5 character roles | TV series | |
| 1971-75 | Division 4 | 5 character roles | TV series | |
| 1975 | Cash and Company | Sam Cash | TV miniseries | |
| 1975 | The Rise and Fall of Wellington Boots | TV series | ||
| 1970-76 | Homicide | 4 character roles | TV series | |
| 1976 | The Lost Islands | Guard Quat/Guardian | TV series | |
| 1977 | The Outsiders | Brad Fraser | TV series | |
| 1976-77 | Bluey | Joey Raven/Janos | TV series, 2 episodes | |
| 1978 | Chopper Squad | Criminal | TV series | |
| 1979 | Glenview High | TV series | ||
| 1979 | The Young Doctors | Dr. Ian Parrish (Jack Trainer) | TV series | |
| 1977-80 | Young Ramsay | Ray Turner | TV series | |
| 1981 | Bellamy | Blake | TV series | |
| 1981 | Prisoner | David Andrews | TV series, 24 episodes | |
| 1982 | 1915 | Blackly Reid | TV miniseries | |
| 1978-82 | Cop Shop | Various | TV series | |
| 1984 | Special Squad | TV series, 1 episode | ||
| 1984 | Carson's Law | Ian Ainslley | TV series | |
| 1985 | Five Mile Creek | Mikey | TV series | |
| 1985 | Possession | TV series | ||
| 1987 | Sons and Daughters | Detective. Morris | TV series | |
| 1982-87 | A Country Practice | Various | TV series | |
| 1988 | The Dirtwater Dynasty | Harvey Purcell | TV miniseries | |
| 1988 | Richmond Hill | Neil Travers | TV series | |
| 1989 | E Street | Sam Bullmer | TV series | |
| 1991 | G.P. | Bert Lang | TV series | |
| 1999 | Heartbreak High | Dragon | TV series |
References
edit- ^ "Classic Australian Television - Young Ramsey". Classic Australian TV.
- ^ "Serge Lazareff - Writer and Actor". Heartbreak High.