Mark Little (Australian actor)

Little graduated from NIDA in 1980.^[1] He appeared in a string of Australian films and TV series during the 1980s, including Short Changed (1986), written by Aboriginal playwright Bob Merritt and directed by George Ogilvie. He was nominated for Best Supporting Actor in the AFI Awards for this role.^[2]

He also performed his own comedy in Melbourne's comedy clubs throughout the eighties, while his longest-running television role was as Joe Mangel in the soap opera Neighbours, from 1988 to 1991.^[3] Owing to the show's popularity in the UK, he became known in the country and subsequently moved there.^[4]

In 1990, Little starred in Nirvana Street Murder, which was his first lead role in a feature film.^[1] That same year, he co-hosted with Tania Lacy on Countdown Revolution, a music show that was on ABC each week night. He and Lacy were fired from the show in June after their infamous protest about acts having to mime and the hosts having to pretend to like an artist, even if they didn't.^[5]

Little starred in the 1992 Australian film Greenkeeping, alongside Lisa Hensley. The part of Lenny was written for him by the film's writer and director David Caesar.^[1] In April 1994, he replaced Chris Evans as co-presenter of The Big Breakfast along with Gaby Roslin.^[4] He has also narrated cult TV series The Villa on Sky TV.^[6]

He has worked on films such as Blackball and in the West End with his one-man show Defending the Caveman, which also won the Laurence Olivier Award in 2000. He returned to Neighbours as Joe for a brief period in 2005.^[7]

Little appeared as Roy in a production of Louis Nowra's play Così at The White Bear Theatre in Kennington, London, in 2008. From the following year, he started making regular appearances on the discussion show The Wright Stuff.^{[citation needed]}

As well as extended runs of Defending the Caveman at London's Leicester Square Theatre, he toured the play around the UK in 2010.^[8]

In 2010, he made his directorial debut starring in, designing and directing Jack Hibberd's A Stretch of the Imagination at The Cock Tavern Theatre in Kilburn, London.^[9]

Little has also written comedy films and poetry. He appeared in a documentary special celebrating Neighbours' 30th anniversary titled Neighbours 30th: The Stars Reunite, which aired in Australia and the UK in March 2015.^[10][11]

In 2017, Little played the character of "Fleshcreep" in a pantomime production of Jack and the Beanstalk at the Palace Theatre, Mansfield.^[12]

In 2019, Little took part in the eleventh series of Dancing on Ice, partnered with Brianne Delcourt. They become the first couple to leave after the judges chose to save ex-cricketer Ryan Sidebottom and his skating partner Brandee Malto in the skate-off.^[13]

He has also taken many self-devised shows to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and toured them nationally throughout the UK.^[14]

In 2021, he appeared at the Middlesbrough Little Theatre in a pantomime production of Peter Pan, playing the part of Captain Hook.^[15]

In 2022, he reprised his role of Joe Mangel for a guest appearance in the then-final episodes of Neighbours.^[3]