Post by corsair67 on May 31, 2011 18:24:23 GMT 12
Very sad life he's had for the past 25 years.
Final curtain for tragic actor Jon Blake
Andrew Fenton
From: The Advertiser
May 31, 2011 12:00AM
FOREVER remembered as a charismatic actor on the brink of stardom, Jon Blake was just 28 when a car crash confined him to a darkened room for a quarter of a century.
Left severely disabled, his dreams of stardom cruelly cut short, he relied on his mother until she died in 2007.
His son Dustin recently won the right to become his caregiver and they moved into a new home. Weeks later, Blake, 52, has again been robbed of a new chapter in his life, succumbing to pneumonia yesterday morning.
With his good looks and charisma making him a rising star in TV shows, miniseries and movies during the 1980s, Blake had been widely touted as the next Mel Gibson and many believed he was destined for superstardom.
Channel Ten entertainment reporter Angela Bishop tweeted late yesterday afternoon that Blake's son Dustin "would like to thank all the nurses & volunteers who cared for him over 25 years. RIP".
The tweet sparked an outpouring of sympathy online - demonstrating just how highly Blake is still regarded, even a quarter of a century after his last role.
Born in New Zealand in 1958, he moved to Australia at 13 and trained to be a professional boxer before moving into acting with an appearance on soap opera The Restless Years.
Roles in the mini-series Boys in the Bush and A Country Practice followed, but it was his rakishly charming performance as Private Flanagan in the high-profile mini-series Anzacs that saw his career truly take off.
The high-rating World War I series also gave a boost to co-star Paul Hogan, who went on to make the world-beating Crocodile Dundee a year later.
Director George Miller said he had planned to cast Blake as Mel Gibson's Mad Max character in a TV series based on the movie.
Tragically, while driving home from the final day of shooting The Lighthorsemen in December 1986, Blake was involved in a car accident near Port Augusta and left with permanent, severe brain damage.
After several long and complex legal battles, he was awarded a multimillion-dollar compensation payout on the basis he was expected to achieve considerable success in Hollywood.
He was originally awarded $33 million but that was reduced to $7.6 million on appeal.
For the next 25 years he was confined to bed or a wheelchair and spent his days in a darkened room in the family home in the Sydney harbourside suburb of Castlecrag.
His mother and primary carer, Mascot, passed away in 2007, after 21 years of caring for her son. This sparked another legal battle for the family home, which she had given away in her will to a deregistered doctor.
His son Dustin vowed to become his father's carer and protector.
One of the final memories Dustin will have of his father is watching The Lighthorsemen with him during its limited re-release in April.
It was the first time Blake had ever seen his final movie on the big screen. His funeral will be held later this week.
------------------
THE TRAGEDY OF JON BLAKE
Born: June 26, 1958, in New Zealand. He moved to Australia with his parents when he was 13.
Life and career: Blake trained as a professional boxer before he started his acting career. Touted as one of Australia's best acting talents, his best known work included his role in the soap opera The Restless Years and in the Australian television mini-series Anzacs. The good-looking, private actor was named as one of Cleo magazine's most eligible bachelors in 1986.
Accident: In December 1986, Blake was driving back from filming in the feature film, The Lighthorseman, and was in a car crash that left him totally incapacitated.
www.adelaidenow.com.au/ipad/actor-jon-blake-dies/story-fn6bqpju-1226065998021
Final curtain for tragic actor Jon Blake
Andrew Fenton
From: The Advertiser
May 31, 2011 12:00AM
FOREVER remembered as a charismatic actor on the brink of stardom, Jon Blake was just 28 when a car crash confined him to a darkened room for a quarter of a century.
Left severely disabled, his dreams of stardom cruelly cut short, he relied on his mother until she died in 2007.
His son Dustin recently won the right to become his caregiver and they moved into a new home. Weeks later, Blake, 52, has again been robbed of a new chapter in his life, succumbing to pneumonia yesterday morning.
With his good looks and charisma making him a rising star in TV shows, miniseries and movies during the 1980s, Blake had been widely touted as the next Mel Gibson and many believed he was destined for superstardom.
Channel Ten entertainment reporter Angela Bishop tweeted late yesterday afternoon that Blake's son Dustin "would like to thank all the nurses & volunteers who cared for him over 25 years. RIP".
The tweet sparked an outpouring of sympathy online - demonstrating just how highly Blake is still regarded, even a quarter of a century after his last role.
Born in New Zealand in 1958, he moved to Australia at 13 and trained to be a professional boxer before moving into acting with an appearance on soap opera The Restless Years.
Roles in the mini-series Boys in the Bush and A Country Practice followed, but it was his rakishly charming performance as Private Flanagan in the high-profile mini-series Anzacs that saw his career truly take off.
The high-rating World War I series also gave a boost to co-star Paul Hogan, who went on to make the world-beating Crocodile Dundee a year later.
Director George Miller said he had planned to cast Blake as Mel Gibson's Mad Max character in a TV series based on the movie.
Tragically, while driving home from the final day of shooting The Lighthorsemen in December 1986, Blake was involved in a car accident near Port Augusta and left with permanent, severe brain damage.
After several long and complex legal battles, he was awarded a multimillion-dollar compensation payout on the basis he was expected to achieve considerable success in Hollywood.
He was originally awarded $33 million but that was reduced to $7.6 million on appeal.
For the next 25 years he was confined to bed or a wheelchair and spent his days in a darkened room in the family home in the Sydney harbourside suburb of Castlecrag.
His mother and primary carer, Mascot, passed away in 2007, after 21 years of caring for her son. This sparked another legal battle for the family home, which she had given away in her will to a deregistered doctor.
His son Dustin vowed to become his father's carer and protector.
One of the final memories Dustin will have of his father is watching The Lighthorsemen with him during its limited re-release in April.
It was the first time Blake had ever seen his final movie on the big screen. His funeral will be held later this week.
------------------
THE TRAGEDY OF JON BLAKE
Born: June 26, 1958, in New Zealand. He moved to Australia with his parents when he was 13.
Life and career: Blake trained as a professional boxer before he started his acting career. Touted as one of Australia's best acting talents, his best known work included his role in the soap opera The Restless Years and in the Australian television mini-series Anzacs. The good-looking, private actor was named as one of Cleo magazine's most eligible bachelors in 1986.
Accident: In December 1986, Blake was driving back from filming in the feature film, The Lighthorseman, and was in a car crash that left him totally incapacitated.
www.adelaidenow.com.au/ipad/actor-jon-blake-dies/story-fn6bqpju-1226065998021
