If you grew up anywhere near a television in Australia during the eighties, you didn't just know who Andrew McFarlane was—you probably had a bit of a crush on him. Or your mom did. Or both. Honestly, the man has been a fixture of the living room for over fifty years. But there's a weird thing that happens when you search for Andrew McFarlane movies and tv shows lately. You get this digital collision between the legendary Aussie actor and the American actor of the same name who played Tony on My Wife and Kids.
Let’s be clear: we’re talking about the Albany-born icon. The guy who gave us Dr. Tom Callaghan. The man who, even in 2026, is still appearing in high-octane dramas like Spartacus: House of Ashur. He’s not just a "legacy" actor; he’s one of the few who successfully transitioned from heartthrob to a gritty, nuanced character actor without losing an ounce of relevance.
The Role That Changed Everything: The Flying Doctors
You can't talk about his career without the Royal Flying Doctor Service. When The Flying Doctors premiered as a miniseries in 1985, Andrew McFarlane became the face of outback heroism. He played Dr. Tom Callaghan, a character so popular that when he left the show to pursue theatre, the ratings actually felt the hit.
The show was a massive international hit, especially in the UK and Scandinavia. It’s funny looking back—the hair was bigger, the shorts were shorter, and the drama was thick. But McFarlane brought a genuine gravity to the role. He eventually came back for the fifth season, and that "will-he-won't-he" tension with the rest of the cast kept people glued to their CRTs for years.
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Early Hits and The Sullivans
Before he was a doctor, he was a Sullivan. The Sullivans was basically the blueprint for Australian period drama. McFarlane played John Sullivan, and he was so well-liked that the writers literally couldn't kill him off when he wanted to leave. They reported him "missing in action" just in case he changed his mind. Spoiler: He did, returning for The John Sullivan Story in 1979.
Moving Into the Modern Era: Glitch and Cleverman
A lot of actors from the "golden age" of Aussie TV sort of faded into the background or ended up doing insurance commercials. Not this guy. If you haven’t seen him in Glitch, you’re missing out. He played Vic Eastley, and it was a masterclass in playing a character that makes your skin crawl while you're trying to figure out if he's the hero or the villain.
Then there’s Cleverman. In a series that was bold, political, and steeped in Indigenous mythology, he played Geoff Matthews. It was a sharp pivot from his "nice guy" roots. He’s also popped up in Secret City as an Air Chief Marshal and in the 2025 season of The Newsreader as Richard Bertrand.
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What's really impressive is his range. He can go from the voice of Big Nutbrown Hare in Guess How Much I Love You to a priest with a dark history in Devil's Playground. He actually won an ASTRA Award for that priest role (Father Andrassi), and it’s arguably some of the best work of his entire life.
The American Namesake Confusion
Okay, let's address the elephant in the room. If you’re looking for Dance Flick or The Secret Life of the American Teenager, you’re looking for the American Andrew McFarlane. He's great, but he’s a totally different person born in Florida in 1986.
Our Andrew—the Australian one—was born in 1951. He trained at NIDA. He's the one who spent decades on Play School teaching toddlers how to make things out of toilet paper rolls while simultaneously being the biggest star in the country. It’s a very specific brand of Australian versatility.
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Recent Projects: 2025 and 2026
If you think he's slowing down at 74, think again. Just this month, in January 2026, he’s been back on stage at the Ensemble Theatre in Sydney for David Williamson’s The Social Ladder. He’s also recently been seen in Spartacus: House of Ashur playing Gabinius. It’s a weird, wild career trajectory that goes from The Sullivans to a blood-and-sand gladiator epic.
Why He Still Matters
He’s survived in an industry that usually eats its young. Part of that is his willingness to take small, weird roles in indie projects like It’s Fine, I’m Fine or one-off episodes of The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart. He doesn't seem to have an ego about "leading man" status anymore.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Collectors
If you're trying to track down his best work, don't just stick to the hits. Here is how you should actually dive into his filmography:
- Watch Devil’s Playground first. It’s the role that proves he’s a heavyweight actor, not just a TV doctor.
- Check out Glitch on Netflix. It’s the best entry point for his modern "darker" roles.
- Don't ignore his voice work. If you have kids, his work on Guess How Much I Love You is surprisingly soulful.
- Avoid the mix-ups. When browsing streaming services, always check the release year. If it’s an American teen comedy from 2009, it’s the other guy.
- See him live if you can. He’s currently active in the Sydney theatre scene, and seeing a NIDA-trained veteran on stage is a completely different experience than watching him on a screen.
The legacy of Andrew McFarlane movies and tv shows isn't just about nostalgia. It's about an actor who learned how to evolve with the medium. Whether he's playing a doctor in the 80s or a corrupt politician in 2026, he remains one of the most reliable faces in the business.