Timothy Guy Balme (born 18 January 1967) is a New Zealand actor and screenwriter. He is best known for his roles on the long-running soap opera Shortland Street and Mercy Peak, as well as lead roles in the cult film Braindead and Jack Brown Genius. He was a writer and actor on the television series The Almighty Johnsons, and the creator and a writer for The Brokenwood Mysteries.
Personal life Balme is married to actress Katie Wolfe, with whom he has two children; daughter Edie (born 2001) and son Nīkau (born 2005). Balme also has a son, Sam (born 1987) from a previous relationship.
Career Balme graduated from Toi Whakaari in 1989, and his first lead role was in the 1992 film Braindead (aka Dead Alive). Balme and his wife, along with Simon Bennett and Robyn Malcolm, founded the New Zealand Actors' Company, which ran for three productions before being dissolved. An actor for the better part of twenty years, he has recently branched out into writing, and has scripted episodes for television series such as Diplomatic Immunity and Outrageous Fortune. Balme also wrote the short film Redemption, directed by his wife, which was selected as part of the short film line-up at the Sundance Film Festival for 2011.
Balme worked as the head of development for South Pacific Pictures for three years before returning to freelancing. He currently writes for shows such as the popular Channel 7 drama 800 Words and is head writer for the murder mystery series The Brokenwood Mysteries. In 2015 he won the Best Television Screenplay award at the SWANZ (NZ Writer's Guild Awards) for Brokenwood Ep 2 "Sour Grapes".
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes1992BraindeadLionel Cosgrove1994Tin BoxAdam1994The Last TattooJim Mitchell1994La vie en rosePriestShort film1996Planet ManAntShort film1996HeadlongArthurShort film1996Jack Brown GeniusJack Brown1998Via SatelliteKen2001ExposureBradVideo2003For GoodGrant Wilson2007Jake's Father2010No ReasonPathologist No. 1
Television Year Title Role Notes1990Shark in the ParkBarry"Diversions"1991Away LaughingVariousTV series1993Marlin BayHal Hayward1 episode1994White FangBrubaker"Movie Stars Among Themselves"1994Hercules in the UnderworldLycastusTV movie1994–96Shortland StreetGreg FeeneyTV series1995CoverstoryNick Williams1 episode1998AlumEpisode: "Combat"1999Shortland StreetGreg FeeneyTV series1999Give Us a Clue1 episode1999GreenstoneFather MichaelTV series2001–02Mercy PeakKen WilderMain role2002PaulTV movie2004DeceitKevin OrdellTV movie2004Not Only But AlwaysNY Club CompereTV movie2004-05P.E.T. DetectivesThe Laughing Man"Time After Time", "Science Teacher"2006Maddigan's QuestYvesMain role2010Outrageous FortuneQuentin"The Power to Seduce", "When Both Contend"2011–12Nothing TrivialJulesRecurring role2011–13Mike JohnsonLead role
Theatre YearTitlePlaywrightRoleCompany1990Ladies NightAnthony McCarten & Stephen SinclairCraigAustralian Tour1990–1995Blue Sky BoysKen DuncumDon Everly1991Via SatelliteAnthony McCartenCamermanCirca Theatre1992Hang on a Minute MateYoung JackDownstage Theatre1993–1994Let's Spend the Night TogetherRickNational Tour1994Ladies Night II – Raging OnAnthony McCarten & Stephen SinclairCraigMercury Theatre1996HamletShakespeareHamletCirca Theatre1996One FleshFiona SamuelNeilDownstage Theatre1997–2000The Ballad of Jimmy CostelloTim BalmeJimmy CostelloNational and International tour1999Much Ado About NothingShakespeareBenedickDownstage Theatre2000ShakespeareOberon / TheseusNZ Actors Company2002Queen LeahReganNZ Actors Company2010HorseplayJames K BaxterMaidment Theatre2017Nell GwynnJessica SwaleKing Charles the secondAuckland Theatre Company
Other work Film TitleYearCredited asNotesWriterRedemption2010Short filmWhite Lies2013Script development
Television The numbers in writing credits refer to the number of episodes.
TitleYearCredited asNetworkNotesWriterInterrogation2005 (2)PrimeOutrageous Fortune2006–10 (21)TV3Storyliner Wayne Anderson: Glory Days2008PrimeScript consultantDiplomatic Immunity2009 (2)TV OneStolen2010TV3Television film2011–13 (5)Storyliner 2013Head of development Storyliner 2014–present (21)PrimeTVNZ 1Script editor Co-producer Producer 800 Words2015–17 (6)Seven NetworkTVNZ 1The Sounds2020 (3)Acorn TVNeonStorylinerUnder the Vines2021 (1)Acorn TVTVNZ 1
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Work Result1992FantafestivalBest ActorBraindead1993New Zealand Film and TV AwardsBest Male Dramatic PerformanceBraindead1996New Zealand Film and TV AwardsBest ActorJack Brown Genius2002New Zealand Film and TV AwardsBest Supporting ActorMercy Peak2010NZ Herald Best of Theatre AwardHorseplay
References
External links
TVNZ Tim Balme page