- Born
- Died
- Height5′ 11″ (1.80 m)
- Terence J. Donovan (not to be mistaken for the iconic swinging sixties fashion photographer Terence Donovan) was an Anglo-Australian actor, popular for his roles in the Aussie soaps Neighbours (1985) (Doug Willis) and Home and Away (1988) (Al Simpson).
Born in England, Donovan moved to Australia in 1951 and made his screen debut there a decade later in the legal drama Consider Your Verdict (1961). He was back in England from 1963 until 1967, interspersing theatrical appearances in repertory with minor supporting roles in British TV shows, notably Man in a Suitcase (1967), The Prisoner (1967) and The Champions (1968). Upon his return down-under, Donovan secured a contract with Crawford Productions which led to a six year-long stint as Detective Mick Peters in Division 4 (1969), later followed by another two years in the role of Detective Senior Sergeant Vic Cameron in Cop Shop (1977). During this period, he also featured prominently in the period drama miniseries Power Without Glory (1976) and as senior security supervisor Eric Jackson, mastermind of the armoured car robbery in Bruce Beresford's crime drama Money Movers (1978).
In February 1978, Donovan inaugurated the role of Harry 'Breaker' Morant (based on the play by Kenneth G. Ross) for the Melbourne Theatre Company. However, for the 1980 motion picture Breaker Morant (1980), Donovan (much to his chagrin) was relegated to playing Morant's friend Captain Simon Hunt, with Edward Woodward preferred as the eponymous character. Donovan's roles in the eighties have included Tom Burlinson's on-screen father in The Man from Snowy River (1982), a timber baron bringing up three children in 1946 rural Australia in The Winds of Jarrah (1983) and guest spots on The Flying Doctors (1986), Sons and Daughters (1982), Prisoner (1979) and A Country Practice (1981). He resumed his stage career in the UK during the nineties with a touring musical production of Peter Pan (as Captain Hook) and in Melbourne in 2006 he portrayed Australia's controversial Catholic Archbishop Daniel Mannix (1864-1963).
Donovan's son from his first marriage to television actress and news presenter Sue McIntosh is the actor and singer Jason Donovan.
- IMDb mini biography by: I.S.Mowis
- SpousesMarlene Donovan(1980 - July 18, 2026) (his death, 1 child)Sue McIntosh(1965 - 1973) (divorced, 1 child)
- ChildrenPaul Donovan
- RelativesGeorge Donovan(Sibling)Zac Donovan(Grandchild)Jemma Donovan(Grandchild)
- Was a singer before becoming an actor in 1960.
- Lived in England between 1963 and 1968.
- He was originally cast as "Sergeant to Benik", in The Enemy of the World: Episode 4 (1968), and was replaced by Andrew Staines.
- Donovan's first professional acting job was in the 1960 Garnet H. Carroll production of West Side Story. After the production closed, Donovan stayed on with the Carroll organisation and appeared in musicals The Most Happy Fella and The Sound of Music.
- He appeared in the Neighbours 30th: The Stars Reunite documentary to celebrate the show's 30th anniversary, which aired in March 2015. He reprised the role of Doug Willis in episodes of the serial in 2016, culminating in the character's death. Donovan later expressed his unhappiness with Doug's exit, saying that it was not the way he wanted to leave. He made a cameo appearance in the show's then-finale episode in July 2022, alongside his son Jason and granddaughter Jemma Donovan.
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content
