Norman Coburn
Born (1937-03-06) 6 March 1937
EducationAustralian Elizabethan Theatre Trust
OccupationActor
Years active1955–2008, 2019

Norman Coburn (born 6 March 1937) is an Australian former actor and playwright best known for his television serial and soap opera roles. He started his early career in theatre, film and television in the United Kingdom in the late 1950s.

Coburn became famous as High School English teacher, Deputy/headmaster Donald Fisher in the early years of soap opera Home and Away, as one of 16 original cast members, he appeared from the pilot episode in 1988 until 2003, and reprised the character making brief sporadic returns between 2004 and 2007. Coburn retired in 2008, with the exception of a rare TV series appearance in 2019 with Home and Away co-star Debra Lawrence.

Early life

Coburn was born in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia [2] and trained with the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust in North Sydney, Australia, before travelling to Britain in the 1950s to pursue an acting career. He appeared briefly in iconic British TV shows such as Dixon of Dock Green and Coronation Street.[3] He quit acting for a time and worked as a restaurateur in London before moving to Cornwall in the south west of the country. Here he owned a vineyard and was involved in converting BBC ventriloquist and artist Francis Coudrill's studio in St Ives into The Mermaid Seafood Restaurant.[4][5] After being in Cornwall for a number of years in the 1970s, he returned to Australia in the early 1980s and decided to take on acting roles again, one of which, would be the role of Donald Fisher in soap opera Home and Away.

Career

Coburn is best known for his portrayal of Donald Fisher, the principal of Summer Bay High School, in the Australian soap opera Home and Away. He appeared from the show's pilot episode in 1988 until 2003.[6] Coburn was featured in the Guinness World Records as the longest serving actor in an Australian serial, along with co-stars Ray Meagher and Kate Ritchie.[7] Since his departure from Home and Away, he has returned in consecutive guest appearances, the last being in 2007.[3]

In 2014, 11 years after leaving Home and Away, he was featured in a photo shoot for New Idea, in a reunion with former cast members Nicolle Dickson who played his daughter Bobby, Ross Newton (Greg) and Ryan Clark who played his grandson.

Coburn has also appeared briefly in guest roles in soap opera including The Young Doctors, A Country Practice, Sons and Daughters, Special Squad, The Hollowmen and Rosehaven.

Personal life

Coburn originally resided in Perth, and later Brisbane, Queensland. He currently resides on Bruny Island, and located off the south-eastern coast of Tasmania, Australia. His daughter Nana Coburn, (born 28 September 1971) is an actress best known her two roles as Vicki Baxter and Lisa Matthews on Home and Away.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1960 Circle of Deception Carter (uncredited) Feature film
1961 On the Fiddle Uncredited Feature film
1962 Carry on Cruising Wireless Operator (uncredited) Feature film
1962 The Ghost Sonata Coffin Bearer TV movie
1963 Tomorrow at Ten Desk Man Feature film
1981 A Step in the Right Direction TV movie
1983 At Last... Bullamakanka: The Motion Picture Walter Williams Feature film

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1958 Dixon of Dock Green Jimmy Season 5, episode 3
1962 Suspense 2nd Ambulance Man Season 1, episode 1
1962 The Andromeda Breakthrough Crowd Extra Season 1, episode 2
1962 Compact James Crown Episodes 73-75
1982 A Country Practice Neville Roebuck Season 2, episodes 1-2
1982 1915 English P.O.W. Miniseries, episode 7
1983 Five Mile Creek Stage Coach Passenger Season 1, episode 1
1984 Special Squad Griffin Season 1, episode 5
1986 Sons and Daughters Fred Sykes Season 5, episode 42
1987 Rafferty's Rules Const. Skeggs / Doug 2 episodes
1988-2003, 2004-05, 2007 Home and Away Donald Fisher Seasons 1-16 (main; 1,489 episodes)
Seasons 17-18, 20 (recurring; 36 episodes)
2008 The Hollowmen Jeff Season 2, episode 6
2019 Rosehaven Gareth Season 3, episode 2

Theatre

sourced from AusStage
Title Year
Happy Returns 1955/1956
Twelfth Night 1956
The Rivals 1956
Blood Orange 1956
Hamlet 1957
The Relapse 1957
White Nancy 1982
A Night in the Arms of Raeleen 1982
Once in a Blue Moon 1983
Quartermaines Terms 1983
Hanging Together 1984
Visitor from Mamaronick 1985
Whose Life Is It Anyway? 1987
D Week 1987
The Diary of Anne Frank 1987
Married Together 1992
Humble Boy 2004
Retreat From Moscow 2005
Death of a Salesman 2008

References

  1. "Norman Coburn".
  2. "Norman Coburn".
  3. 1 2 O'Leary, Abigail (4 May 2016). "What happened to the stars of Home and Away? From major Hollywood success to devastating tragedy". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
  4. "Mermaid Seafood Restaurant".
  5. "Wine hopes for UK". The Canberra Times. 21 July 1970. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
  6. Bellman, Annmaree (27 February 2003). "Preview". The Age. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
  7. Barnier, Linda (17 January 2003). "Channel surfing – The TV week". Newcastle Herald. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
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