Steven Vidler (born 9 August 1960) is an Australian actor, screenwriter and director known for his part in the Scottish–Australian series Jeopardy.
Early life and education Vidler was born on 9 August 1960 in Sydney, Australia. He grew up in the Australian Outback, in a family of Vietnam veterans.
In 1981, Vidler began his formal trained at Sydney's National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA), graduating in 1983 with a Bachelor of Dramatic Art and Acting. From 1993 to 1994, he studied a Graduate Diploma in Film Directing at Swinburne University of Technology. He then continued his studies at NIDA, undertaking an Actor-Director relationship course, run in collaboration with AFTRS from 1994 to 1995.
Vidler also studied writing and directing at UCLA while on a fellowship as an intern for Atman Entertainment. He also studied Playwriting at NIDA in 1992. He obtained a research PhD in screenwriting from Macquarie University in 2015, which used cognitive neuroscience to explore viewer engagement with characters in film.
Career
Film Vidler's first film appearance was in 1984 WWII television film The Blood of Others opposite Jodie Foster. He played Sugar, the younger brother, in pre-WWII 1987 film The Good Wife (also known as The Umbrella Woman) alongside Rachel Ward, Bryan Brown and Sam Neill. Other early film roles include Dick Marston in TV movie Robbery Under Arms (1985) alongside Sam Neill, the lead role of Eddie in sci-fi film Incident at Raven's Gate (1988) and Jack Donaghue in Outback (1989) also known as Wrangler or Minnamurra.
Vidler played Lieutenant Gore in 1998 American war epic The Thin Red Line. He worked with Heath Ledger, when he played alongside him as 'The Man' in 1999 crime thriller Two Hands, also featuring Rose Byrne and Bryan Brown. That same year, he played Captain William in 1999 survival film Dog Watch, alongside Joel Edgerton. He then had roles in comedy films The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course (2002) and Bad Eggs (2003).
Vidler played officer Frank Williams in 2006 horror film See No Evil, as well as its sequel the following year. In 2013, he played Neil Webster, Tara's father in the Australian drama film Dance Academy.
Television Vidler had an early television role as Tropp in 1985 miniseries, The Dunera Boys. He had recurring roles in several television series in the 1990s, including playing Phil McCarthy in ABC drama miniseries Heartland, opposite Cate Blanchett and Ernie Dingo. Others included Frankie's House, Janus and MDA. He also appeared in the 1998 miniseries The Day of the Roses, based on the real life story of the 1977 Granville rail disaster.
In 2001, Vidler had a guest role as Captain Askwith in the third season of action adventure series The Lost World, an adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s 1912 novel of the same name. Beginning in 2002, he played the part of the teacher in BAFTA award-winning children's sci-fi drama series Jeopardy. In 2004, he featured in several miniseries, including The Mystery of Natalie Wood as Richard Gregson, Through My Eyes as Charlwood and Salem's Lot as Sheriff Parkins Gillespie.
In 2006, Vidler appeared as Steve in critically-acclaimed series Love My Way, alongside Claudia Karvan and Asher Keddie. From 2007 to 2008, he played the recurring role of Noel Anderson on long-running soap opera Home and Away. Vidler played the recurring role of a police commander in the 2012 season of Underbelly (Underbelly: Badness). He also had recurring roles as Mark Mackey in Packed to the Rafters in 2013) and as the Premier in two seasons of Rake in 2012 and 2014.
Throughout his career Vidler has also had guest roles in numerous television series including A Country Practice, G.P., Bony, Snowy River: The McGregor Saga, Halifax f.p., Police Rescue, State Coroner, Big Sky, Wildside, Water Rats, Stingers, SeaChange and McLeod's Daughters.
Writing and directing Vidler made his feature film directorial debut with the award-winning 1997 film Blackrock, known for being Heath Ledger's first film role. Together with Nicholas Hammond, Vidler co-wrote 1998 miniseries A Difficult Woman, which won the Silver World Medal for best miniseries at the New York Festivals.
Vidler wrote and directed 2019 film Standing Up for Sunny, starring Breaking Bad's RJ Mitte. The film won the award for Best Indie Film at the 2020 AACTA Awards.
Vidler currently works as a screenwriter, director and script assistant with his company Sidekick Pictures, based in Hollywood.
Acting credits
Film Year Title Role Note 1984 The Blood of Others Autre Manifestant 1985 Robbery Under Arms Dick Marston 1987 The Good Wife Sugar Hills Also known as The Umbrella Woman 1988 Incident at Raven's Gate Eddie Also known as Encounter at Raven's Gate 1989 Outback Jack Donaghue Also known as Minnamurra or Wrangler 1990 Harbour Beat Lance Cooper 1993 Desperate Journey: The Allison Wilcox Story Lieutenant Commander Jack Harkin 1994 No Worries Gary Hay 1995 Napoleon Snake / Galah / Mouse 1996 The Territorians Robert McCabe 1998 The Thin Red Line 2nd Lieutenant Gore 1999Two Hands The Man Dog Watch The Captain 2001 Finding Hope Nobby 2002 The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course Deputy Director Ansell A Ring of Endless Light Mr. Gray 2003 Bad Eggs Detective Pendlebury 2006 See No Evil Officer Frank Williams 2007 The Home Song Stories Bill See No Evil 2 Officer Frank Williams
Television Year Title Role Note 1984 Displaced Persons Alexander TV movie 1985 The Dunera Boys Tropp Miniseries 1987 The Perfectionist Erik TV movie1991 A Country Practice Phillip Dalton 2 episodes G.P. Doug 1 episode Bony Jackson 1 episode Heartland Phil McCarthy 6 episodes 1992 Frankie's House Steve Cotler 1995 Snowy River: The McGregor Saga Daniel Larson 1 episode Janus Danny Wyatt 4 episodes Halifax f.p. Steve Kingsley 1 episode Police Rescue Scuderi 1 episode1997 State Coroner Salmon 1 episode Big Sky Cameron 1 episode1998 The Day of the Roses Dick Lamb Miniseries Wildside Trevor Kierney 1 episode1999 Water Rats Brian Geary 1 episode Stingers Todd Tregear 1 episode SeaChange The Ghost 1 episode MDA Nick Clarke 3 episodes Young Lions Sergeant Brian Graham 1 episode 2000 The Love of Lionel's Life Robbie TV movie2001 Child Star: The Shirley Temple Story Darryl F. Zanuck TV movie Blonde Warren TV movie2004 The Mystery of Natalie Wood Richard Gregson TV movie Through My Eyes Inspector Graeme Charlwood Miniseries Small Claims Ross TV movie Salem's Lot Sheriff Parkins Gillespie Miniseries 2005 Jeopardy Gerry Simmons 19 episodes2006 Love My Way Steven 9 episodes McLeod's Daughters Hugh Doyle 1 episode 2007–2008 Home and Away Noel Anderson 23 episodes 2009 Satisfaction Terence 3 episodes 2012 Underbelly: Badness Police Commander 8 episodes2013 Packed to the Rafters Mark Mackey 3 episodes Dance Academy Neil Webster 8 episodes 2014 Rake NSW Premier 3 episodes
Theatre Year Title Role Note Ref. 1980 The Jubilee Horror or Sherlock Holmes' Finest Hour Q Theatre Workshop member Bankstown Town Hall Theatre Restaurant with Q Theatre 1982 Spring Awakening Melchior NIDA Theatre, Sydney The Cherry Orchard Simeonov-Pishchik Measure for Measure Angelo 1983 The Money or the Box? Traitors Joseph Rubin Love's Labour's Lost Dull NIDA Theatre, Sydney, Playhouse, Canberra, University of Newcastle Summer Rain Peter Bannister NIDA Theatre, Sydney 1985 A Midsummer Night's Dream Lysander Seymour Centre, Sydney 1987 Hamlet / Henry IV, Part 1 STC Onkaparinga Festival of Sydney with DT2 Company 1987–1988 Away Tom / Ric Sydney Opera House with STC 1988 Tom Pepsico Summerfare New York with STC Summer of the Seventeenth Doll Johnny 1841 Sydney Opera House with STC, Playhouse, Adelaide with STCSA The Seagull Konstantin Playhouse, Adelaide with STCSA 1989 The Tempest Caliban 1990 Words of One Syllable Robert Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney 1991 Henry IV, Part 1 Gadshill / Douglas / various Sydney Olympic Park, Blackfriars Theatre, Sydney with STC King Golgrutha Achilles / Simon from Loans / Georg, the Ex Playhouse, Adelaide with STCSA 1992 Britannicus Nero NIDA Theatre, Sydney Lost in Yonkers Uncle Louie / Eddie Australian tour with STC 1993 Picasso at the Lapin Agile Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne with Playbox Theatre Company 1994 Hamlet Fortinbras / various Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney 1999 Popcorn Bruce Pictures This Productions Undated Planet Pres Hero Playhouse, Perth Undated Death of a Salesman STC Undated Development Site HSC Schools Program with STC Undated King Lear Goneril / various STC
Writer / director credits
Film Year Title Role Note Ref. 1984 The Blood of Others Trainee assistant director 1991 Blood Runners Director Short film 1993 Fishing Writer / Director / Producer Short film 1994 Hell, Texas & Home Writer Short film 1995 Audacious Script editor Short film 1997 Blackrock Director / Script editor 2009 Handyman Writer As yet unproduced 2010 Horrendo's Curse Writer As yet unproduced 2012 The Fourth Knot Writer As yet unproduced 2019 Standing Up for Sunny Writer / Director
Television Year Title Role Note Ref. 1995 G.P. Writer Season 7, episode 9: "Not Fade Away" 1998 A Difficult Woman Co-writer Miniseries, 3 episodes 2000 Above the Law Writer Season 1, episode 19: "Redline" 2001 Corridors of Power Writer Season 1, episode 2 Finding Hope Second Unit Director TV movie 2003 La bête du Gévaudan (aka Beast of Gévaudan) Storyboard artist TV movie 2011 SLiDE Script producer 2011; 2012 Neighbours Writer 3 episodes Undated Home and Away Script producer Undated Hi-5 Writer / Lyricist
Theatre Year Title Role Note Ref. 2025 The Vanya Variations Writer
Awards and nominations Year Work Award Category Result Ref. 1987 The Good Wife Australian Film Institute Awards Best Actor in a Supporting Role 1993 Fishing (graduate film) Cinevex Script Award Best Screenplay 1995 Steven Vidler National Institute of Dramatic Art The Gloria Payten and Gloria Dawn Fellowship Hell, Texas & Home Australian Film Institute Awards Best Screenplay in a Short Film Halifax f.p. (episode: "Hard Corps" Australian Film Institute Awards Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Drama 1997 Blackrock Mystfest Best Film Australian Film Institute Awards Best Film Australian Film Institute Awards Best Adapted Screenplay AWGIE Awards Best Screenplay Adaptation AWGIE Awards Best Script 1998 A Difficult Woman New York Festivals Silver World Medal for Best Miniseries 2009 Handyman First Glance Screenwriting Competition 2012 The Fourth Knot Emerging Screenwriters Competition 2014 Horrendo's Curse Screencraft Family Film screenwriting competition Best Screenplay 2019 Standing Up for Sunny AACTA Awards Best Indie Film 2025 The Vanya Variations New Theatre The Silver Gull Play Award
References
External links
Steven Vidler at Shanahan Steven Vidler at AusStage