Michael Jenkins, Australian Writer-Director Behind ‘Heartbreak High’ & ‘Blue Murder’, Dies Aged 77
08.03.2024 - 10:35
/ deadline.com
Australian writer-director Michael Jenkins, known for provocative Australia teen drama Heartbreak High, has died aged 77.
His management confirmed his death via through his partner, Amanda Robson. He had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2020. His friend, Ian Barry, wrote in a tribute that he had passed away on March 4 with Robson and close family by his side.
The statement from Jenkins’ management said that his “contributions to the entertainment industry and his legacy as a film-maker and storyteller will be well remembered.”
Known for a gritty and frenetic style of directing, Jenkins was behind some of Australia’s most notable TV series, with his internationally-popular 1990s high school drama Heartbreak High was rebooted for Netflix in 2022. He had initially co-created the series, which helped launch the career of The Mentalist actor Simon Baker, with Ben Gannon for Network Ten in 1994.
He was also behind Blue Murder, the Australian series often held up as one of the country’s best-ever crime dramas. Jenkins directed the two-part miniseries for the ABC in 1995 and then came out of retirement as producer on the 2017 reprisal, Blue Murder: Killer Cop, which was from Endemol Shine Australia.
Jenkins began his career as a reporter before moving into production at Australia’s public broadcaster, the ABC. After a decade as a director, he worked on controversial ABC police corruption drama Scales of Justice in 1983 and then directed Australian musical feature Rebel, which starred Matt Dillon, Debra Byrne and Brown Brown.
He subsequently worked on numerous TV drama series until his career really kicked off with 1993 film The Heartbreak Kid, from which Heartbreak High was spun-off a year later.
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