Actor Brian Wenzel, known for his role as Sergeant Frank Gilroy on A Country Practice, has died aged 94.
According to reports, Wenzel passed away in an Adelaide nursing home on Monday, just weeks shy of his 95th birthday.
The veteran performer spent more than two-thirds of his life in the entertainment industry, having left school at age 14 before becoming a professional actor at 17.
He appeared in his first stage play – a musical comedy in Adelaide – which led to more work across stage productions, musicals, pantomime, and children’s theatre, including Death of a Salesman, The Crucible, The Imaginary Invalid and Summer of the 17th Doll.
Wenzel also appeared in four productions for the Adelaide Festival of Arts and was in the first three productions of the South Australian Theatre Company.
His television credits span Neighbours, Rove Live, Marshall Law, The Evil Touch, Katch Kandy, Behind the Legend, Over There, Punishment, Bellamy, Home Sweet Home, Skyways, Tickled Pink, Certain Women, Glenview High, Cop Shop, The Young Doctors, Chopper Squad, Boney, The Restless Years, Hunter, The Death Train, The Long Arm, Division 4, Matlock Police, Ryan, Ride on Stranger, Young Ramsay and Homicide.
In 1983, he was awarded Best Supporting Actor in a Series for his role as Sgt. Frank Gilroy in A Country Practice, which he starred in for 12 years.
Wenzel’s A Country Practice co-star Michael Muntz paid tribute to the late actor on social media, describing him as a “lovely and generous guy” whose friendship he’d “always treasure”.
“So sad to hear of Brian Wenzel’s passing … my best buddy on the A Country Practice set … probably mostly due to our mutual love of AFL and single malt scotch,” he posted.
“Often after a day’s shoot, we’d go back to his place near the 7 studios in Epping and sample some obscure scotch he’d managed to procure. . . Thanks for the many memories amigo.”
Wenzel, who had been suffering from dementia, went into nursing care in September 2022, according to his wife Linda.