Vale: Lex Marinos

Stage and screen actor / director Lex Marinos, best known for Kingswood Country, Embassy, The Slap, has died aged 75.

He was diagnosed with low-grade leukemia in 2005 which he managed, but sadly returned in 2023.

His family posted on Facebook saying he died at home on Friday at his Sydney home, “at a moment of his choosing, surrounded by family and the sounds of Bob Dylan accompanying our vigil. There was so much love in the room.”

The son of a Greek father and Greek-Australian mother, he grew up in Wagga Wagga, graduating with a BA from University of NSW, with Honours in Drama. He studied with renowned American acting teacher, Stella Adler, going on to 5 decade career as actor, director, writer, broadcaster and teacher.

Early roles included The Rovers, The Aunty Jack Show, Alvin Purple, Matlock Police, Certain Women, Chopper Squad, Cop Shop.

But Marinos is perhaps best remembered for his role in Kingswood Country as Bruno, the Italian son-in-law of Ted Bulpitt (Ross Higgins). He was the target of Ted’s racism, the ‘wog’ who was always being told to ‘Leave the money on the fridge.’

Period comedy may offend.

Other credits would include Home Sweet Home, Embassy, GP, Water Rats, Pizza, TheatreSports, The Slap, Live and Sweaty, Ballzup, Good News Week, World Series Debating, Rake, Glitch, Fighting Season, The Twelve, Mother & Son and NCIS: Sydney.  He was also a judge quiz history Histrionics for TVS.

Films include Cathy’s Child, Goodbye Paradise, Hoodwink, Last Days of Chez Nous, Bedevil, Backyard Ashes and numerous short films.

He was a producer and presenter on 2JJ / 2JJJ in the 1970s, going on to present on ABC and commercial radio in the following decades.

In 2013’s Who Do You Think You Are he identified strongly with his Greek heritage, growing up as ‘an outsider’ in an assimilationist White Australia era.

He also acted in theatrical productions with Nimrod, the APG Sydney Theatre Company, Melbourne Theatre Company and Company B. He led the multicultural festival Carnivale 1996-1999 and the Yeperenye Festival in Alice Springs for the Centenary of Federation.

His directing credits included the films An Indecent Obsession and Boundaries of the Heart, the television series Bodyline, Embassy, A Country Practice and a number of documentaries and theatre productions.

His writing appeared in The Bulletin, The Weekend Australian, and the Good Weekend.

A recipient of the Medal of the Order of Australia for his services to the performing arts, Marinos was the former deputy chair of the Australia Council as well as a member of the creative and production team for the Opening Ceremony of the Sydney 2000 Olympics.

To pay tribute to Marinos’s career, Wagga Wagga’s Museum of the Riverina is planning to hold an exhibition later this year, titled The Lex Factor: From Wagga to the World Stage.

Source: ABC