William McInnes was born in Redcliffe in 1963 and is nationally respected as an actor, writer and columnist.
He attended Humpybong State School (1969 to 1975) and Clontarf Beach High School and thereafter went on to study at the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts, graduating in 1988. He also has a degree in law and economics.
He made his name as an actor on the small screen, starting with regular appearances in the now iconic A Country Practice in 1990. It was in Blue Heelers in 1990, that really highlighted his versatility as an actor. He continued in the series until 1998, rejoining it again in 2004 and 2005.
In 1999, he joined the cast on Seachange as Max Connors, the new love interest in the series.
He also starred in the series Marshalls Law in 2002, but the series folded after only one season.
Others parts in Crashburn and Kath and Kim followed. He appeared in several telemovies namely Stepfather of The Bride, Curtin, The Informant and East West 101 ( he won the 2008 outstanding actor award at the Logies) and Shark Net.
He appeared in My Brother Jack (winning the outstanding actor award at the Logies in 2002) Do or Die and Dirty Deeds in 2002.
From 2005 he has starred in Look Both Ways, and My Year Without Sex. (both movies directed by his late wife Sarah Watt) In 2006 Irresistible and Kokoda were followed by Unfinished Sky (for which he won the AFl best actor in a leading role award in 2008)
In 2006 William was awarded the Sydney Morning Herald, Sun Herald and the Age Australian Star of The Year Award
He has written several books and is a regular newspaper and magazine columnist.
McInnes released his first book A Man's Got to Have a Hobby on 1st August 2005.
He published Cricket Kings in 2006 and, That'd Be Right, a fairly true history of modern Australia, in August 2008.
In 2009 he was in the movie Prime Mover.
The Making of Modern Australia, was released in 2010; it was accompanied by a television documentary series of the same name on the ABC that McInnes narrated.
In 2011 he released Worse Things Happen at Sea, co-written by his wife Sarah Watt.
In 2012 the book published was The Laughing Clowns, and in 2013 the book The Birdwatcher was published.
In 2014 he released Holidays, a collection of stories loosely based around his and other people's holidays.
William wrote a regular column called "William Tells" for The Australian Women's Weekly.
In 2016 he published the book Full Bore and in 2018 Fatherhood : Stories about Being a Dad. and in 2020 William released his book Christmas Tales.
In 2009 he was appointed as Chair of the Advisory Council of the Museum of Australian Demoracy located in Canberra. In 2010 he was made a fellow of the Australian Academy of Performing Arts.
In December 2016, McInnes hosted Summer Afternoons across ABC Local Radio.
William, who now lives in Melbourne, has fond and hilarious memories of his childhood and remains friends with some of his mates from that time who enter the cooking competition in the Redcliffe Show each year.
They call themselves The Pouch Group and they’ve been waging a battle of the preserves at the Redcliffe Show for the past 12 years.
Incidentally, William is the show’s patron and attends the event when his schedule allows it.
William McInnes has won, and been nominated for, several awards including:
Won
2000 – Most Outstanding Actor at the Logie Awards, for SeaChange
2002 – Most Outstanding Actor at the Logie Awards, for My Brother Jack
2008 – Most Outstanding Actor at the Logie Awards, for East West 101
2008 – Best Actor in a Leading Role at the 50th Australian Film Institute Awards for Unfinished Sky
Nominated
1997 – Most Outstanding Actor at the Logie Awards, for Blue Heelers
1998 – Most Outstanding Actor at the Logie Awards, for Blue Heelers
2001 – Most Outstanding Actor at the Logie Awards, for SeaChange
2001 – Most Popular Actor at the Logie Awards, for SeaChange
2001 – Best Actor in a telemovie at the AFI Awards, for My Brother Jack
2001 – Best Actor in a Television Series at the AFI Awards, for SeaChange
2004 – Most Outstanding Actor at the Logie Awards, for The Shark Net
2005 – Best Lead Actor at the AFI Awards, for Look Both Ways
2008 – Best Lead Actor at the AFI Awards, for East West 101
William's public speaking website: https://www.rgm.com.au/entertainment/william-mcinnes/
William McInnes is listed on the wall of the Redcliffe Wall of Fame:
A collection of portrait and information honouring the achievements of individuals who have influenced and shaped Redcliffe. The collection is in the Jetty Arcade at 139-141 Redcliffe Parade.
For a complete list of people who appear on the wall click on the following blog post:
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