A working-class stiff from Newcastle, rough-hewn actor-singer-writer Jimmy Nail first came to prominence as one of the gang of bricklayers in the immensely popular British TV series "Auf Wiedersehen Pet" (1983-84) and, after appearing on American TV in the miniseries "Master of the Game" (CBS, 1984) and "Wallenberg: A Hero's Story" (NBC, 1985), reprised his role as Oz for a second "Auf Wiedersehen Pet" (1986) series. Nail co-created and starred as the melancholy detective "Spender" (BBC, 1991-93) before writing, co-executive producing and starring in "Crocodile Shoes" (BBC, 1994), playing a Newcastle factory worker and budding country singer-songwriter. Outstanding as Latin lover Augustin Magaldi, the tango singer who first introduces the young Eva Peron to Buenos Aires, in the film version of "Evita", he returned to the small screen for the sequel "Crocodile Shoes II" (1997). He also reteamed with the writers of "Auf Wiedersehen Pet" (Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais) for the feature "Still Crazy" (1998), about the reunion of a British rock band in which he played a singer now working as a roofer.
- Born:
March 16, 1954 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, United Kingdom
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Job Titles:
Actor, Producer, Singer, Songwriter, Writer
Milestones
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1983 First came to prominence as Oz, one of a gang of bricklayers, in British TV s massively successful Auf Wiedersehen Pet , written by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais
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1984 Made American TV debut in the CBS miniseries Master of the Game , based on the novel by Sidney Sheldon
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1985 Appeared as Vilmos in NBC miniseries Wallenberg: A Hero s Story
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1986 Reprised Oz for a second Auf Wiedersehen Pet series, in which the gang journeyed to Spain
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1989 Played Rabbetts in Danny, the Champion of the World (Disney Channel)
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1994 Wrote, co-executive produced and starred in the seven part Crocodile Shoes (BBC) as a Newcastle factory worker and budding country singer-songwriter; also wrote and sang the program s theme music, which went straight into the British pop charts at Number Eight; a second Crocodile Shoes series aired in 1997
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1996 Portrayed Augustin Magaldi, the tango singer who first introduces the young Eva Peron to Buenos Aires, in the film version of Evita
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1998 Acted in Still Crazy , about a British rock band reuniting after 20 years; feature reunited him with writers Clement and La Frenais
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Co-created (with La Frenais) and starred in the BBC undercover detective series Spender , which led to his writing a best-selling Spender novel