Frankie J. Holden (born Peter Brian; 18 December 1952), also known as Frank Holden, is an Australian singer, actor and TV presenter. In the 1970s, he fronted Ol' 55, which had a hit with "On the Prowl" from their debut album, Take It Greasy which peaked at number three on the Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart in 1976.McFarlane (1999). Encyclopedia entry for . Retrieved 1 February 2010.Spencer et al, (2007) OL 55 entry. Retrieved 1 February 2010. NOTE: Used for Australian Singles and Albums charting from 1974 until ARIA created their own charts in mid-1988. In 1992, Kent back calculated chart positions for 1970–1974. For Return Home Holden was nominated for Best Actor in a Lead Role at the 1990 AFI Awards.
Singing career
During the 1970s, Holden was the frontman for the Australian retro-rock band Ol' 55, which also included Wilbur Wilde and Jimmy Manzie. In the early 2000s, Holden re-emerged on the music scene with the Ol' Skydaddies, a band featuring members from Ol' 55, Daddy Cool and Skyhooks.
Television career
Actor In the 1980s, Holden appeared in two episodes of Channel Ten's drama series Prisoner (1982–1983), all episodes of c/o The Bartons and in 1989 was cast in the first season of the Channel 7 children's program Round the Twist (1990).
In 1990, Holden appeared in the Australian caper film The Big Steal as a used car salesman named "Frank" and as Arthur 'Ozzie' Oswald in The Flying Doctors.
In the early 1990s, he appeared in four episodes on the Seven Network's A Country Practice, and in 1992 starred in the short-lived Late for School.
He then played Senior Sergeant Glenn "Spider" Webb on the ABC's Police Rescue (1994–1996). The series was about the New South Wales Police Rescue Squad based in Sydney.
In 1996 he appeared in four episodes on Seven's police drama Blue Heelers as Senior Detective Jack Woodley. In 1999, he appeared in an episode of Halifax f.p..
From 2000 until 2002, he played ex-cop, then local publican, Stuart McGregor in ABC1's Something in the Air. This series was notable for its high output, producing 320 episodes in just two seasons.
In 2008, Holden was in two Nine Network dramas – Underbelly and The Strip.
In 2013, Holden joined the cast of Seven's A Place to Call Home, a drama set in rural Australia in the 1950s. He plays the part of Roy Briggs, described as "a rugged, unbreakable man capable of charm, good humour as well as a crusty grumpiness".
In 2022, Holden played the role of Ted Grimley, father of Melissa Caddick, in the Nine Network drama Underbelly: Vanishing Act.
Presenter From 1996 until 1998, Holden was the host of the revamped Monday evening variety show In Melbourne Tonight, co-featuring Julia Morris and Denise Drysdale. For the show's second year, he switched from being billed as 'Frankie J Holden' to 'Frank Holden'.
In 2009, Holden co-presented, alongside his wife Michelle, Discover Downunder, a half-hour Australia-based travelling/caravanning program for the Nine Network. In 2010, he co-hosted What's Up Down Under on Channel Seven. This show is similar in format to Discover Downunder.
Film Frankie Holden has starred in films as recent as 2007 with Clubland. He was also in Proof, The Big Steal, Return Home, Evil Angels and High Tide. He also had a cameo appearance in Michael Thornhill's 1977 movie The FJ Holden.
Filmography
Film YearTitleRoleNotes 2011 Blood Brothers Henry TV movie 2007 Introducing the Dwights (aka Clubland) John Feature film 1995 Cody: The Tipoff Jimmy Cotter TV movie 1994 Ebbtide Ernie Feature film 1994 Fortunes of War Rodger Crawley Feature film 1993 The Leaving of Liverpool Bunger TV movie 1993Hammers Over the AnvilBushman Marshall Feature film 1992Eight BallMal Feature film 1991 Rose Against the Odds Tom Price TV movie 1991 Proof Brian Feature film 1990 The Big Steal Frank Feature film 1990 Return Home Steve Feature film 1990 Police Crop: The Winchester Conspiracy Max Chapman TV movie 1989The Humpty Dumpty Man Noel Calderwood Film 1988 Raw Silk Detective TV movie 1988 Evil Angels (aka A Cry in the Dark) Leslie Thompson Feature film 1988 Outback Bound Purdy TV movie 1980 The Chain Reaction Farts Feature film 1979 The Journalist Investigator Feature film 1979 Cathy's Child Detective Plummer Feature film 1979 The Odd Angry Shot Spotted Soldier Feature film 1977The FJ Holden Frankie J Holden Feature film
Television YearTitleRoleNotes 202? Love, Tea, Epiphany Stanley 2022 Underbelly: Vanishing Act Ted Grimley TV miniseries, 2 episodes 2019–20 Home and Away Ian Shaw TV series, 10 episodes 2013–18 A Place to Call Home Roy Briggs TV series, 66 episodes 2010 Sleuth 101 Kyle TV series, 1 episode 2010 What's Up Down Under Co-presenter TV series 2009 Discover Downunder Co-presenter TV series 2009 All Saints Andy McKenzie TV series, 1 episode 2008 The Strip Max Nielson TV series, 13 episodes 2008 Underbelly Garry Butterworth TV miniseries, 13 episodes 2006 Lost and Found Kilroy 2004 Stingers Mitch TV series, 1 episode 2000–02 Something in the Air Stuart McGregor TV series, 320 episodes 1999 Chuck Finn Syd TV series, 1 episode 1999 Halifax f.p. Leo Birse TV series, 1 episode 1997 Good Guys, Bad Guys Sgt Brann TV series, 1 episode 1996–04 Blue Heelers Terry Kennedy / Jack Woodley TV series, 5 episodes 1996–98 In Melbourne Tonight Host TV series 1994 Sky Trackers Mal TV series, 1 episode 1994 Under the Skin Mr Reid TV series, 1 episode 1993–96 Police Rescue Senior Sergeant Glenn 'Spider' Webb / Eric Temple TV series, 20 episodes 1993 Neighbours David TV series, 4 episodes 1991–93 A Country Practice Jack / Malcolm TV series, 4 episodes 1992 Bony Croft TV series, 1 episode 1991 Kelly Landers TV series, 1 episode 1991 The Miraculous Mellops Narrator TV series, 19 episodes 1991 The Flying Doctors Arthur 'Ozzie' Oswald TV series, 1 episode 1991 Boys from the Bush Danno TV series, 1 episode 1990–92 Embassy Terry Blake TV series, 36 episodes 1990 Col'n Carpenter Graham TV series, 1 episode 1989 Round the Twist Mr Gribble / Foxy TV series, 11 episodes1988 Rafftery's Blues Quiz TV series, 1 episode 1988 C/o The Bartons Robert Barton TV series, 12 episodes 1987 John and the Missus Nish Morris Feature film 1987 Hey Dad...! Have a Go Judge TV series, 1 episode 1983–84 Carson's Law Various TV series, 4 episodes 1984Special Squad TV series, 1 episode1982-83PrisonerBrad / Errol TV series, 2 episodes1982The SullivansKO Carter TV series, 1 episode1982The Daryl Somers ShowMan Playing Pool TV series, 1 episode
Personal life Holden married his first wife Leigh Hunter in the mid seventies, divorcing in the early 80s. He had 3 daughters from his second marriage, to dancer Melda Rees, who died in 1997 from cancer. He married actress Michelle Pettigrove two years later. They have had one daughter together.
Holden currently resides on the Sapphire Coast of New South Wales Australia and is still performing around Australia as a successful entertainer.
In 2010, Frankie and Michelle, with two other couples, purchased Tathra Beachside, a seaside holiday park in Tathra, NSW.
Honours In 2016, Holden was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia, in the 2016 Queens Birthday Honours List, for service to the arts as an entertainer, and to the community of the Sapphire Coast.
Frankie J. Holden has a star in Caloundra's "Walk of Stars" between Red Symons and Daryl Somers.https://mysunshinecoast.com.au/events/events-display/caloundra-walk-of-stars-gala-evening,33252
Popular culture A caricature of Frankie J. Holden appears in the animation Hyper Parsnip Bitches by animator Paul Robertson.
Solo Discography Singles + List of singles, with selected chart positions Year Title Peak chartpositions Album AUS 1977 "My Right of Way" 90 FJ Holden "Rock Around the Clock" (with Glenn Shorrock, John Paul Young, Renée Geyer, Daryl Braithwaite and Graeme Strachan) - 1980 "Boomerang" -
References
General Note: Archived [on-line] copy has limited functionality. Note: [on-line] version established at White Room Electronic Publishing Pty Ltd in 2007 and was expanded from the 2002 edition.
Specific
External links
Tathra Beach Family Park