Alex Papps

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Alex Papps
Papps in 2015
Born (1969-02-11) 11 February 1969 (age 56)
Melbourne, Australia
Occupations
  • Actor
  • television host
  • writer
  • singer
Years active1985−present
Known for
AwardsLogie Award for Most Popular New Talent (1988)

Alex Papps (born 11 February 1969) is an Australian actor, television host, writer and singer.

Early life

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Papps was born in Melbourne in 1969, to Apollo Papps who, though identifying as Greek, was born in Cairo, Egypt and a mother of English and Jewish descent. Both his parents were teachers and later amateur theatre directors.[1] He attended Belgrave Kindergarten, Upwey South Primary School, Tecoma Primary, and Upwey High School. He performed in a number of theatre productions prior to leaving school.[citation needed]

Papps went on to study drama and media at Box Hill College of TAFE in Melbourne.[2] In 1995, he graduated as an actor from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA).[3] Later in his career, he graduated as a director from the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) in 2007.[4]

Career

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In 1987, Papps guested in TV serial Neighbours as arsonist Greg Davis.[2] He went on to secure his first major television role in children's series The Henderson Kids II, which aired on Network Ten. He attended an open audition for the show and after a couple of screen tests, he was cast as Vinnie Cerantino, the leader of the Brown Street Boys gang.[2]

Papps became better known for his role in Home and Away as Frank Morgan.[5] Frank was the first character to appear on the series, in its 1988 pilot, and the first foster kid taken in by Pippa and Tom.[6] The following year, he won the Logie Award for Most Popular New Talent.[3]

From 1987 to 1989, Papps was also co-host of music program The Factory, alongside Andrew Daddo,[4] airing on the ABC on Saturday mornings. He next joined the cast of medical drama The Flying Doctors, as the local mechanic, Nick Cardaci, from 1989 to 1990.[7]

After his agent made several attempts to secure him an audition for ABC children's show Play School,[8] he began his tenure as a long-time presenter in 2005, alongside former Home and Away co-star Justine Clarke (who had played his girlfriend Roo Stewart,[9] and with whom he also later appeared in the ABC drama series The Time of Our Lives).

In 2014, Papps released an album of children's songs, called Let's Put the Beat in Our Feet.[4][10] which was nominated for an ARIA Award.[11]

In 2017, Papps had a guest role on ABC series Seven Types of Ambiguity, playing the role of Robert Henshaw.[12] The same year, actively on the audition trail, and committed to kick-starting a new phase of his acting career,[13] Papps made a guest appearance on drama series Offspring.[14] He played the role of Simon, who had a fling with single mother Billie Proudman (Kat Stewart), towards the end of her marriage.

The following year, Papps returned to Home and Away, alongside co-star Nicolle Dickson (who played his foster sister and later, wife) to celebrate the Home and Away 30th-anniversary commemoration.[15]

Papps' other acting credits include Fisk, Ms Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries, Seven Types of Ambiguity and Blue Heelers, [4] Preacher, Australia On Trial, City Homicide, MDA, Stingers, Prisoner, State Coroner and The Saddle Club.[10]

Papps' film credits include playing the role of Peter in Ana Kokkinos’ 1998 LGBT romantic drama film Head On (alongside Alex Dimitriades) and Anthony in Five Moments of Infidelity[10] in 2006.

On stage, Papps has performed for the Melbourne Theatre Company in theatre productions of This Old Man Comes Rolling Home, Mad Forest, and as Romeo in Romeo and Juliet.[4] He also performed in several pantomimes in the UK[10] in the early 1990s, including Snow White and Cinderella.[16]

Papps is also a director and writer. His directing credits include Aladdin at Assembly Rooms, Royal Tunbridge Wells, UK), Broken for the Melbourne Fringe Festival (2002), Riders to the Sea (2007), The Mercy Seat for Red Stitch Actors Theatre (2008), Randy's Postcards from Purgatory (2009), Sober (2011), Randy's Anticrisis and The Last Temptation of Randy once again for the Melbourne Fringe Festival (2013).[10][17]

He has written for Home and Away and Play School.[10] He also worked as a dialogue coach on 2009 feature film Blessed and 2019 SBS miniseries The Hunting.[10]

Papps has also taught at several acting institutions in Melbourne.[10]

Controversy

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In 2013, an arts and craft segment on an episode of Play School went viral on social media, when Papps and co-host Rachael Coopes constructed a device that unintentionally resembled a homemade bong.[18]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1998 Head On Peter Feature film
2006 Five Moments of Infidelity Anthony / Husband Feature film (segment 4)

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1985 Prisoner Boy 2 Season 7, episode 8
Neighbours Ian Episode 149
1987 Greg Davis Recurring
The Henderson Kids Vinnie Cerantino Series regular
1988–1989, 1991–1992,
2000, 2002 		Home and Away Frank Morgan Series regular
1989–1990 The Flying Doctors Nick Cardaci Series regular
1997 State Coroner Dr. Hamish Campbell Season 1, episode 13
2000 Blue Heelers Stephen Farrow Season 7, episode 15
Stingers Derek Mason Season 3, episode 11
2001 The Saddle Club Ben Lawrence Season 1, episode 8
2002 MDA Dr. Hamish McGregor Season 1, episode 6
2003 Blue Heelers Jamie Kingston Season 10, episode 3
2006–present Play School Presenter
2008 City Homicide Supt. Campbell Harland Season 2, episode 10
2012 Australia on Trial William Hobbs Miniseries, episode 3
2013 The Time of Our Lives Tom Reid Season 1, episodes 7 & 10
2017 Seven Types of Ambiguity Robert Henshaw Season 1, episodes 5 & 6
Offspring Simon Season 7, episode 4
2018 Endless Summer: 30 Years of Home and Away Himself TV documentary special
2019 Preacher Child Services Driver Season 4, episode 3
Part-Time Private Eyes Ian Season 1, episodes 1 & 2
2021 Ms Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries Barry McBride Season 2, episode 4
2021–2022 Fisk Petro Andarakis Seasons 1–2, 2 episodes
2022 La Brea Professor Season 2, episode 5

Theatre

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As actor

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Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1990 This Old Man Comes Rolling Home Russell St Theatre, Melbourne with MTC [4][19]
1991 The Marriage of Fabio Singer Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne with Victoria State Opera [19]
Mad Forest Radu Antonescu Russell St Theatre, Melbourne with MTC [4][19][20]
1991–1992 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Muddles Sunderland Empire Theatre, UK [21]
1993–1994 Cinderella Buttons Pavilion Theatre, Weymouth, UK, Sunderland Empire, Sands Centre, Carlisle [22][16]
1996 Emma Griffith Ex-Servicemens Club with Riverina Theatre Company [19]
2003 Stones in His Pockets Griffith Regional Theatre with Riverina Theatre Company [19]
2004 Gaudi and the Turtle Gaudi Arts House Meat Market, Melbourne with Tortuga Theatre [19][23]
2006 Sleepless Night Fairfax Studio, Melbourne with Arts Centre Melbourne for Short+Sweet [19]
2010 Becky Shaw Andrew Porter MTC with Echelon Productions [19][24]
Romeo and Juliet Romeo Southbank Theatre, Melbourne with MTC [4]

As director

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Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2002 Broken Director Chapel Off Chapel, Melbourne with Grail Theatre Company for Melbourne Fringe Festival [19][10]
2007 Riders to the Sea / Woyzeck Director Space 28, Melbourne with VCA [19][10]
2008 The Mercy Seat Director / Sound Designer Red Stitch Actors Theatre, Melbourne [19][25][10]
2011 Sober Director [10]
Randy's Anticrisis Director [10][13]
2013 The Last Temptation of Randy Director Lithuanian Club, Melbourne for Melbourne Fringe Festival [10][13]
Aladdin Director Assembly Rooms, Royal Tunbridge Wells, UK [10]

Awards and nominations

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Year Work Award Category Result
1988 Home and Away Logie Awards Most Popular New Talent Won
2014 Let's Put the Beat in Our Feet ARIA Awards Best Children's Album Nominated

References

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  1. ^ Oram, James "Home and Away: Behind the Scenes" p.45, Angus and Robertson, 1989
  2. ^ a b c "Leader of the pack!". TV Week. 18 July 1987. pp. 64–65.
  3. ^ a b "Don't bet on it". The Sydney Morning Herald. 5 May 2003.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h "Alex Papps". www.abc.net.au. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
  5. ^ Kent, Melissa (8 February 2009). "Cast and fans of Home and Away well on the way to belonging forever and ever". The Age.
  6. ^ Daley, Keira (12 September 2014). "Home and Away Stars: Where Are They Now?". www.keiradaley.com. Retrieved 11 December 2025.
  7. ^ Halls, Brady. "TV stars reflect on time filming The Flying Doctors". Nine Now. Retrieved 11 December 2025.
  8. ^ "We sat down with Alex Papps to talk all things Play School!". www.mouthsofmums.com.au. 31 May 2016. Retrieved 11 December 2025.
  9. ^ Wright, Fiona (18 May 2021). "EXCLUSIVE: Play School is still loved by kids (and adults) after 55 years on air and there's a good reason why". www.bountyparents.com.au. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "Alex Papps". www.bravestudios.com.au. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
  11. ^ Gracie, Elizabeth (24 January 2023). "Home and Away's original cast: Where are they now?". www.nowtolove.com.au. Retrieved 12 December 2025.
  12. ^ "Seven Types of Ambiguity: cast". www.australiantelevision.net. Retrieved 11 December 2025.
  13. ^ a b c Vickery, Colin (18 July 2017). "Play School host Alex Papps hopes his role on Offspring will lead to more acting offers". Herald Sun. Retrieved 11 December 2025.
  14. ^ Rigden, Clare (19 July 2017). "Flashback with Home And Away's Alex Papps". www.nowtolove.com.au. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
  15. ^ "Bad girl Bobby returns to Home and Away". www.thewest.com.au. 17 July 2018.
  16. ^ a b "The Flying Doctors". www.pantoarchive.com. Retrieved 12 December 2025.
  17. ^ Ward, Michael (23 September 2013). "Comedy review: The Last Temptation of Randy, Lithuanian Club". Herald Sun. Retrieved 13 December 2025.
  18. ^ "Play School lights up internet with accidental bong". SBS. 9 October 2015. Retrieved 11 December 2025.
  19. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Theatre credits". AusStage. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
  20. ^ "Mad Forest". Theatregold. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
  21. ^ "Sunderland Empire". www.pantoarchive.com. Retrieved 11 December 2025.
  22. ^ "Guide to the Pantomimes (UK): programs and related material collected by the National Library of Australia". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
  23. ^ "Gaudi and the Turtle". The Age. 6 September 2004. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
  24. ^ Andrew, Paul (29 October 2010). "Melbourne Reviews: Becky Shaw". www.australianstage.com.au. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
  25. ^ MacMillan, Lola (10 February 2008). "Melbourne Reviews: The Mercy Seat – Red Stitch Actors Theatre". www.australianstage.com.au. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
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