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Michael Jenkins (director)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Michael Jenkins
Born1946 (1946)
Died (aged 77)
Occupation(s)Writer, producer, director

Michael Jenkins (1946 – 4 March 2024) was an Australian writer, producer and film and television director.[1][2]

Career

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Jenkins was the creator of the crime drama television series Scales of Justice, Blue Murder and Wildside, all of which deal with corruption in the New South Wales police force. He also directed the cult film The Heartbreak Kid, its spin-off series Heartbreak High, and served as a producer for the latter's 2022 reboot of the same name.[3]

Jenkins was one of the most highly regarded Australian directors of the 1990s,[4] known for his distinctive, gritty style, particularly for his use of multiple hand-held cameras and semi-improvised dialogue.[5]

Jenkins garnered controversy in 2007, when he was announced as the director of The Wrong Girl, a film about the Sydney gang rapes in 2000, written with Nicholas Hammond. The film ceased production after criticism from Premier Morris Iemma and Deputy Premier John Watkins.[6][7][8]

Jenkins was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2020, and died on 4 March 2024, at the age of 77.[9]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Director Writer
1983 Careful, He Might Hear You No Yes
1985 Robbery Under Arms No Yes
Rebel Yes Yes
1988 Emerald City Yes No
1991 Sweet Talker Yes No
1993 The Heartbreak Kid Yes Yes

Television

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Year Title Director Writer Creator Notes
1967–1973 Bellbird Yes No No
1972 Quartet No Yes No
1973–1975 Certain Women Yes No No
1973 Serpent in the Rainbow No Yes No 4 episodes
1975 I'm Here, Darlings! Yes No No TV movie;
Also producer
1976 Rush Yes No No 4 episodes
1977 Pig in a Poke Yes No No
1979 Bailey's Bird Yes Yes No Pilot episode
One Day, Miller Yes No No
1980 Young Ramsay No Yes No 1 episode
Water Under the Bridge No Yes No 8 episodes
1980–1982 Spring and Fall Yes Yes No 2 episodes
1981 Menotti No Yes No 1 episode
1983 Scales of Justice Yes No Yes 3 episodes
1986 The Gillies Republic Yes No No 6 episodes
Shark's Paradise Yes No No TV movie
1988 The Dirtwater Dynasty Yes Yes No 5 episodes
1992 The Leaving of Liverpool Yes No No 2 episodes
1994–1997 Heartbreak High Yes No Yes 2 episodes
1995 Blue Murder Yes No Yes 2 episodes
1997–1999 Wildside Yes No Yes 2 episodes
2002 Young Lions Yes No Yes 3 episodes
2017 Blue Murder: Killer Cop Yes No Yes 2 episodes

References

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  1. ^ "Michael Jenkins". Archived from the original on 22 February 2013.
  2. ^ Barry, Ian (8 March 2024). ""A prodigious creator": Vale Michael Jenkins, writer, director and producer". If Magazine.
  3. ^ "Interview with Michael Jenkins". Peter Malone's Website. 25 March 1996. Retrieved 20 August 2016.
  4. ^ Idato, Michael (8 July 2002). "Roar Talent". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 20 August 2016.
  5. ^ "Curator's notes for Wildside". Australian Screen - National Film and Sound Archive.
  6. ^ Maddox, Gary (1 February 2007). "Director Defends Rape Movie". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 20 August 2016.
  7. ^ "Misgivings over gang rape film". 29 January 2007.
  8. ^ "Sydney gang-rape movie questioned". News.com.au. 27 January 2007.
  9. ^ Sun, Michael (7 March 2024). "Michael Jenkins: Heartbreak High, Scales of Justice and Blue Murder creator dies aged 77". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
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