Ray Meagher

 ( 1944 Births ) 

In 1984, Meagher was cast in the Nine Network miniseries A Fortunate Life, based on Albert Facey's book of the same name. He plays the role of evil cattle-rustler Bad Bob. Marie Ussher of TV Week observed that Meagher was often cast as the "baddie" or tough, ruthless characters in his early career. He also appeared in an episode of Five Mile Creek as Irish bushranger Lightning Ridge. Meagher won a Penguin Award for his starring role in Mail Order Bride (1984) for the ABC. He filmed the 12-part series Five Times Dizzy in Sydney in 1986. Meagher played The Red Headed Person, who was billed as "a tough standover man." Meagher liked playing "heavy" characters, who showed their lighter sides. While filming Five Times Dizzy, Meagher also flew back and forth to Melbourne to film miniseries The Great Bookie Robbery in which he plays Bob Temple. During the same period, he also made an appearance in A Country Practice as alcoholic, pub owner Wally, followed by a role in television film The Blue Lightning for America's CBS network.

Meagher joined the cast of soap opera Home and Away in 1987 and has appeared in the role of Alf Stewart continuously since the first episode aired in January 1988. Meagher holds a Guinness World Record as the longest-serving actor in an Australian serial. Meagher also appeared in the 1988 children's series Spit MacPhee, along with John Bach and Elspeth Ballantyne.

In September 2009, Meagher was the third-highest paid personality on Australian television, behind Eddie McGuire and Rove McManus.Clune, Richard (13 September 2009). "Flamin' heck! Alf Stewart's worth a quid". Sunday Mail (Adelaide).

Meagher won the Gold Logie Award for Most Popular Personality on Australian Television at the 2010 Logie Awards, where he was also nominated for "Most Popular Actor". Meagher subsequently won that Logie Award in 2018.

Meagher regularly travels to the United Kingdom to take part in the traditional Christmas . In December 2008, he played Abanazar in a production of Aladdin at the Anvil Theatre in Basingstoke and in 2009 he performed as Captain Hook in Peter Pan at the Assembly Hall Theatre in Royal Tunbridge Wells.

• Profile from UK TV channel Five