Chips Rafferty
Biography
Chips Rafferty was an Australian actor who began his screen career at Cinesound Studios in his thirties, making his debut in Dad Rudd, M.P. (1940). He became internationally known for Forty Thousand Horsemen (1940), one of the three leads in Charles Chauvel's film about the Battle of Beersheba. Ealing Studios then cast him in The Overlanders (1946), the cattle drive story that established him as a film star and led to a long-term contract. He later appeared in Kangaroo (1952) and The Desert Rats (1953), and moved into production with Lee Robinson, starring in and producing The Phantom Stockman (1953). Other films included The Wackiest Ship in the Army (1960), Mutiny on the Bounty (1962), They're a Weird Mob (1966) and Double Trouble (1967). His final film role was in Wake in Fright (1971), and in 1971 he was appointed an MBE for services to the performing arts.
62years old at death
- Born Broken Hill
- Died Sydney
- Star sign: AriesThe sign runs March 21 to April 19
Movie Career
- Films
- 8
- Career span
- 19 years1952 to 1971
First and latest
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First role
Chips Rafferty made his film debut playing a fireman in Ken G. Hall's 1940 comedy Dad Rudd, M.P. Hall wanted someone tall and skinny to stand out visually from the rest of the cast.
A role that slipped away
Rafferty played Peter Lalor, leader of the rebellion, in Eureka Stockade, though some wanted Peter Finch in the part. The film flopped and reviewers criticized Rafferty, one calling his casting among the worst in Australian cinema.
Behind the camera
Rafferty and Robinson made The Phantom Stockman in 1953, with Robinson directing and Rafferty starring. It made money, and King of the Coral Sea did better still and gave Rod Taylor his first cinema audiences.
Beyond film
In 1963 Chips Rafferty made a long play record called A Man and His Horse for Festival Records. On it he narrated Australian verse by writers such as Banjo Paterson, Adam Lindsay Gordon and Will H. Ogilvie.
Chips Rafferty movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
Lewis Milestone directed two of these films. Four actors appear in two of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Charles 'Bud' Tingwell's page
John Alderson's page
John Meillon's page
Slim DeGrey's page
Lewis MilestoneDirector, 2 films, 1952 to 1962
All films by Lewis Milestone
Awards
One award and honor.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other honors | |||
| Member of the Order of the British Empire | Won | ||
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.