Biography for
Jack Thompson (I) More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

31 August 1940, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Birth Name

John Hadley Payne

Height

5' 10½" (1.79 m)

Mini Biography

Australian actor Jack Thompson was born on August 31, 1940 in Manly, New South Wales, a suburb of Sydney. Outside of Oz, he is best known for his appearances in The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith (1978), Breaker Morant (1980), The Man from Snowy River (1982), Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (1997) and Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002). "'Breaker' Morant" in which he played a military defense attorney defending three soldiers accused of murder during the Boer War, won him internationally renown. Thompson was cited as Best Supporting Actor at the Cannes Film Festival and won the Australian Film Institute's Best Actor award for the role.

In the early part of his career, Thompson balanced a career with the United Nations with his acting: The acting won out. Now, at 65 years old, his career has been recognized by the Critics Circle of Australia, which awarded him its Lifetime Achievement Award, and by the Cinema Owners Association of Australia, which gave him its Award for Outstanding Contribution to Australian Film Entertainment. Thompson lived for a while in a menage a trois with his now-wife Leona King, by whom he has a son, and her sister Bunkie. Though the living arrangement came to an end after several years, Thompson has no regrets, saying "I wouldn't have missed it for quids." He was awarded Member of the Order of Australia in the 1986 Queen's Birthday Honours List for his accomplishments in film.

IMDb Mini Biography By: Jon C. Hopwood

Spouse

Dorothy Hall	(1963 - 1968) 1 child
Leona King	(? - ?) 1 child

Trivia

Educated at the University of Queensland.

Adopted brother of television presenter and producer, Peter Thompson.

Made honorary member of the Australian Cinematographers Society (ACS). [2002]

First establishing himself in a number of Australian television series ("Spyforce" (1971)) in the early 1970s, he later was honored with the Order of Australia for his contributions to the Australian film industry and has been Australian's Goodwill Ambassador to the United Nations for a number of years.

In 1994, the Film Critics Circle of Australia named him Best Actor for his work as a father adjusting to his gay son in The Sum of Us (1994) opposite Russell Crowe.

Veteran Australian leading character star whose versatile skills earned him the Best Supporting Actor award at the Cannes Film Festival and the Best Actor award from the Australian Film Institute for his performance in Bruce Beresford's internationally acclaimed film Breaker Morant (1980).

His brother is the movie reviewer Peter Thompson.

Father of Patrick Thompson.

He was awarded the A.M. (Member of the Order of Australia) in the 1986 Queen's Birthday Honours List for his services to the film industry.

Where Are They Now

(January 2009) Ulong, New South Wales, Australia