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Garry McDonald

Garry McDonald

Actor · Born October 30, 1948 (77) · Bondi, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Garry McDonald was born on 30 October 1948 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. He is an actor and writer, known for Moulin Rouge! (2001), Mother and Son (1984) and The Rage in Placid Lake (2003). He has been married to Diane Craig since 13 April 1971. They have two children.

Biography from IMDb.

Born
October 30, 1948 (77)
From
Bondi, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Works as
Actor
Titles
13 on MovieCove · 36 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 38 days to Oct 27Down 24% in 30 days

What are Garry McDonald's films like?

Across their 6 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
25%
Bonds
22%
Self
18%
Society
15%
Ideas
12%
Survival
9%
Art2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 6 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 3 · Serious 1 · Dark 2

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 1 · Stylized 3 · Heightened 2

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 1 · Charged 2 · Intense 3

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

A split, not a type: Steady 4 · Shifting 1 · Whiplash 1

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 2 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 2

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 1 · Even-paced 5 · Relentless 0

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 4 · Engaged 1 · Full focus 1

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 3 · Affecting 0 · Heavy 3

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 5 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

2 analyzed roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
2
Warm
2
Absurd
2
Dread
1
Joyful
1
Other
7

How their films linger

Feel-good3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy2
  • Bittersweet4

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Garry McDonald's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 8 of their 13 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on The Roku Channel (5).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Garry McDonald's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

36 credits, 13 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • The Light Between Oceans(2016)

    as Bill Graysmark

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Being Venice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Arthur

  • Burning Man(2011)

    as Dr. Burgess

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • A Model Daughter: The Killing of Caroline Byrne(2009)

    as Tony Byrne

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Don't Be Afraid of the Dark(2010)

    as Blackwood

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • The King (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    as Nicky Whitta

  • Stepfather of the Bride (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    as Ari

  • BlackJack: Dead Memory (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    as James

  • Two Twisted (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Show 1 episode · as Norm

  • Mary Bryant(2005)

    Show 2 episodes · as Reverend Johnson

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all shows

  • The Rage in Placid Lake(2003)

    as Doug Lake

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Bad Cop, Bad Cop (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Show 1 episode · as Howard Mays

  • Rabbit-Proof Fence(2002)

    as Mr. Neal at Moore River

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Moulin Rouge!(2001)

    as The Doctor

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Love Is a Four Letter Word (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Show 8 episodes · Actor

  • Mr. Accident(2000)

    as Kelvin Chevalier

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • All Saints(1998)

    Show 1 episode · as Dave Armstrong

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all shows

  • Fallen Angels (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Show 20 episodes · as Malcolm Lucas

  • Halifax F.P.(1994)

    Show 1 episode · as Alex Goodson

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • Eggshells (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Show 15 episodes · Actor

  • Struck by Lightning (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    as Ollie Rennie

  • Those Dear Departed (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Max Falcon

  • Playing Beatie Bow (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Composer

  • Wills & Burke (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    as Robert O'Hara Burke

  • Banduk (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    as Mr. Kool

  • Second Time Lucky (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Composer

  • Mother and Son (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Show 42 episodes · as Arthur Beare

  • Molly (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    as Jones

  • Ginger Meggs (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    as Mr. John Meggs

  • The Pirate Movie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    as Sergeant / Inspector

  • The Kids Are Alright(1979)

    as Norman Gunston

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • The Picture Show Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    as Lou

  • Picnic at Hanging Rock(1975)

    as Const. Jones

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Avengers of the Reef (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Actor

  • The Aunty Jack Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 14 episodes · Actor

  • Snake Gully With Dad 'N' Dave (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 13 episodes · Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 88th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 35 titles from 1972 to 2016; peak year 2002.

Biggest box office

Moulin Rouge! (2001)

$185M worldwide

Highest rated

The Kids Are Alright (1979)

Midcredits 97th

Most popular right now

Moulin Rouge! (2001)

Film career

19722016

Peak 2002 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

  • 1982Screen debut· The Pirate Movie

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting33 of 35: 33 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score63rdMusic2 of 35: 2 only music, 0 with another role

By decade

1970s5 · acting1980s9 · 7 acting · 2 crew1990s5 · acting2000s11 · acting2010s5 · acting

Billing

usually 10th · top billed in 0% of 7 roles

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

How do Garry McDonald's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 80th percentile, the median of all 10; across their 6 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 53rd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

53rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 6

Approval · how many liked their films

62ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 6

Reach · how many have seen their films

64thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 6

Midcredits score across 13 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up6
  • 50th to 74th4
  • 25th to 49th2
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

7 of their 13 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved3
  • Crowd Pleaser7
  • Mixed3

Most divisive · actor

Mr. Accident (2000)

78th percentile spread · 48% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

The Kids Are Alright (1979)

Midcredits 97th · 88% liked

Reviewers score the acting 60/100 in their films, across 6 reviewed titles; fans 70, detractors 38. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Garry McDonald work with?

People who share at least 2 of Garry McDonald's MovieCove titles; Jill Bilcock shares the most, 2.