Alex Menglet

Film and television

Menglet is best known for his roles as chef Ray 'Gay Ray' Proctor in the 1984 season of Prisoner^[3] and as Zoran Baranoff in SBS series Kick in 2007.

Menglet's early television credits include several Crawford Productions series including Skyways, The Sullivans, Cop Shop and a six-week role in Carson's Law, playing the role of Lazlo Novack.^[3] In 1985, he appeared in miniseries Anzacs and The Dunera Boys.^[1] and played the lead role of Vladimir Petrov, a Soviet spy masquerading as a diplomat in Canberra in 1987 miniseries The Petrov Affair.^[4]

He went on to play the recurring role of Mr Hohenhaus in Halfway Across the Galaxy and Turn Left in 1994, and Mihaly Bassa in 1995 miniseries Bordertown the following year. He then appeared as Alexei in High Flyers in 1999 and Davorin in Eugénie Sandler P.I. in 2000.

He had numerous guest roles in Wilfred II, City Homicide, Kath & Kim, Shock Jock, Janus, Phoenix. SeaChange and appeared in 1995 series Bordertown.^[1]

Menglet appeared in 2009 UKTV miniseries False Witness and played Vlad in House Rules.^[1] From 2014 to 2015, he starred as Joan Ferguson's father and fencing instructor, Ivan Ferguson in prison drama Wentworth.^[5]

Menglet's early film credits include The Clinic (1982),^[6] Sky Pirates (1986),^[3] Holidays on the River Yarra, A Woman’s Tale (both 1991) and Garbo (1992).^[6] He also appeared in the feature films Children of the Revolution (1996), He Died with a Falafel in his Hand (2001), Josh Jarman (2004), The Book of Revelation (2006), Salvation (2008)^[1] and Any Questions for Ben? (2012).^[6] In 2021, Menglet played the role of Yaroslav in the film Ascendant.^[7]

Stage

Menglet has appeared in numerous theatre productions throughout his career.^[1] He was a member of the Anthill Theatre ensemble in Melbourne in the 1980s,^[8] alongside fellow Eastern European migrant, Jacek Koman.^[8] There, he performed in productions of The Cherry Orchard, Uncle Vanya, The Imaginary Invalid, Three Sisters, The Crimson Island, The School for Wives, Mother Courage and Her Children and The Immigrants.^[1]

He went on to perform in Melbourne Theatre Company productions such as The Visit alongside Zoe Caldwell and Cyrano de Bergerac opposite David Wenham.^[8] He reunited with Koman, starring together in a production of Waiting for Godot.^[8] Other MTC credits include Rock 'n' Roll, The Madwoman of Chaillot, Cyrano de Bergerac, Julius Caesar, The Woman in the Window, When She Danced, The Selection, The Marriage of Figaro and The Taming of the Shrew.^[1] He also translated Chekhov's The Seagull for MTC in 2001.^[8]

Additionally, Menglet has performed in Goodbye Vaudeville Charlie Mudd for Malthouse Theatre, Don Juan and Miss Julie for Sydney Theatre Company, The Seagull and Picasso at the Lapin Agile for Belvoir.^[1] Other theatre credits include The Forest for Queensland Theatre Company, The Abduction from the Seraglio for Victoria State Opera and If Winter Comes for Church Theatre.^[1] He also starred in a revival of Twelve Angry Men, winning a 2005 Green Room Award for his performance.^[1][9]

Menglet has also directed for the stage including productions of Crime and Punishment and The Red and The Black for the Stork Theatre, and Rites of Passage, Yellow Moon, Jack Goes Boating and a 2005 production of Playing the Victim for Red Stitch Actors Theatre,^[1] starring Jim Daly and Angus Sampson.^[7]

Menglet has also worked for ABC Radio drama and the Russian Language Program on SBS Radio, and as a director and translator.^[1][7]

Film

Television

As actor

As director / translator

^[17][6]