Noel Hodda (born 1954) is an Australian actor, writer, dramaturge, director and teacher, he was born in Albury, New South Wales.
Career
Acting and narration Hodda was a founding member of the Riverina Theatre Company, located in Wagga Wagga and Project TYER, a Theatre In Education Co., for whom he also wrote and appeared in the play Strata Digger. Subsequently, he graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) at the UNSW Sydney and then worked as an actor for the Sydney Theatre Company, the Queensland Theatre Company, the Griffin Theatre Company, the Ensemble Theatre, the Q Theatre, Marian Street Theatre, Sport for Jove at the Seymour Centre and others. He also performed in major national and international tours, including The Removalists, Are You Lonesome Tonight?, The Club, Life of Galileo, Chasing the Dragon, Diving for Pearls and Dinner.
He has appeared in numerous Australian television series and tele-dramas as both a lead and guest character. His first major television gig was a regular role in the drama Sons and Daughters as Rob Keegan, from 1982 to 1984. He played celebrity TV doctor David Fielding in E Street from 1989 to 1991 and patriarch Ron O'Donnell in Out of the Blue in 2008. Hodda has also had guest roles in Neighbours, Janet King and Rake.
His film appearances include A Step in the Right Direction (1981), The Highest Honour (aka Heroes of the Krait/Southern Cross) (1982), Silver City (1984), Emoh Ruo (1985) and The Bet (2006) among others.
Hodda began recording books as a student at NIDA as a means of earning extra money. He became a long-standing narrator for Vision Australia from 1977 to 2009. In gaps between his work in the theatre, films and television, he has recorded hundreds of talking books for them, as well as the ABC and commercially. He has been shortlisted for several Talking Book Awards and won the National Library TDK Australian Audio Book Award for his narration of the novel Cold Mountain. He has also performed voiceover work for numerous advertisements.
Writing Hodda has written and staged numerous plays including Issues Addressed, The Secret House, Half Safe, Photographs, On The Public Record, The Sculpture Garden, In This Light and Threat: Norma, Norm & the Dog. A selection of his plays titled "Plays: Noel Hodda" was published by Janus Imprint.
His play Later (eventually known as Across the Water) was chosen to be workshopped at the prestigious Banff playRites Colony, in Banff, Canada in 2004. His play Rehearsing Julie (now re-drafted and titled Manda) was nominated for a Silver Gull Play Award in 2024. His one act play Norma was made into a short film.
His television writing credits include episodes of the ABC TV G.P. drama.
Hodda was writer in residence both at Charles Sturt University School of Performing Arts and University of Wollongong Faculty of Creative Arts.
Directing and teaching Hodda is an Honorary Life Member of Griffin Theatre Company, where he was a board member, Chairman of the Board, Director of D-Week and a member of the Literary Committee. Currently, he still acts, directs and teaches.
He assesses plays for Page to Stage (a young playwrights' organisation) and Parnassus' Den. He has also been a script assessor for the Australia Council for the Arts, The Australian National Playwright's Centre and Belvoir Street Theatre, and has conducted acting and writing workshops for many organisations. He has been Artist-In-Residence at Charles Sturt University in Wagga Wagga, and has also taught acting and voice there on short-term appointments, as well as at the University of Wollongong School of Performing Arts.
His dramaturgical work on the play Codgers by Don Reid contributed to that play winning the prestigious Rodney Seaborn Playwrights Award in 2006.
Music Hodda was the bass player in two resident bands for Griffin Theatre Company in the 1980s – The Brian Roberts Big Band (jazz, blues and country) and The Fabulous Front Girls and their backing band The Coathangers (a surf band formed to play at a 1985 benefit rally against the closure of live theatres).
Acting credits
Television YearTitleRoleNotes 1982 1915 Captain Barnes Miniseries, 3 episodes 1982 Holiday Island Georgio 1983 M.P.S.I.B. Kenneth 1 episode 1982–1987 Sons and Daughters Rob Keegan 238 episodes 1984 Five Mile Creek Mr Little 1 episode Bodyline Vic Bradman Miniseries, 2 episodes Cop Shop Fermer 1984–1992 A Country Practice Gareth Spencer / Murray West / Col Herbert / Mystery Caller 8 episodes 1985 Wild & Woolley Woolley 1986 Cyclone Tracy Lt. Tony Baker TV miniseries, 3 episodes 1987–1988 Neighbours Derek Morris 7 episodes 1989 Living with the Law Rich 1989–1991 E Street Dr. David Fielding 182 episodes 1992 Shortland Street Peter Sheldon 9 episodes 1995 G.P. Mark Dowling 1 episode Blue Heelers Inspector Harris 1 episode 1997 Big Sky Doug Matthews 1 episode Heartbreak High Bob Rainer 1 episode 1997–2000 Water Rats Bobby Weaver / Simon Waverly 3 episodes 1998 McFeast Elle's Dream Man 2000 Murder Call Jack Turkington 1 episode 2001 BackBerner Various 1 episode Farscape Charrid Leader 1 episode 2001; 2005 All Saints Rob Kydd / Perry Anderson 2 episodes 2005 Pizza PM's Head of Security Blue Water High George 1 episode 2007; 2017 Home and Away David Mayvers / Tim Birch 2 episodes 2008–2009 Out of the Blue Ron O'Donnell 68 episodes 2010 Mary Mackillop Father Tappeiner Documentary Tough Nuts: Australia’s Hardest Criminals Police Inspector 2014 Rake Banking Commissioner 2 episodes 2014–2017 Janet King Magistrate Hansford 3 episodes 2017 House of Bond Judge Miniseries, 2 episodes Friday on My Mind Alexis Albert Miniseries, 1 episode 2018 Dr Max Lecturer
Film YearTitleRoleNotes 1981 A Step in the Right Direction Gary TV movie 1982 The Highest Honour (aka Heroes of the Krait/Southern Cross) Able Seaman M.M. Berryman TV movie 1984 Silver City Estonian man Feature film 1985 Emoh Ruo Pete Feature film 1993 You and Me and Uncle Bob Neville TV movie 2000 Ihaka: Blunt Instrument Wickham TV movie 2006 The Bet Brian Feature film
Theatre YearTitleRoleNotesRef. 1976 How Does Your Garden Grow? Brenda Rivcol Dramaturg Club, Wagga with Stable Productions 1977 Diamond Studs Riverina Trucking Co 1977–1978 The Removalists Constable Neville Ross Much Ado About Nothing Messenger / Boy / Dogberry 1979 The Three Sisters Jane St Theatre, Sydney with NIDA The Caucasian Chalk Circle Nephew Sydney Opera House with NIDA & STC Beyond Mozambique NIDA Theatre, Sydney The Love of a Good Man Jane St Theatre, Sydney with NIDA 1980 The Women Pirates Ann Bonny and Mary Read Pierre / Thomas Deane NIDA Theatre, Sydney, University of Newcastle, Playhouse, Canberra Strife Edgar Anthony NIDA Theatre, Sydney 1981 The Incredible Vanishing Constable Jack Parker Q Theatre, Penrith The Circle Edward Luton SGIO Theatre, Brisbane with QTC 1984 When Are We Going to Manly? Colin Stables Theatre, Sydney with Griffin Theatre Co 1985 The Removalists Kenny Phillip St Theatre, Sydney 1986–1987 Are You Lonesome Tonight? Young Duke / Doctor / Company Her Majesty's Theatre, Sydney, Festival Theatre, Adelaide 1988 The Boys Stevie Sprague NIDA Parade Theatre, Sydney 1991 Caravan Pierce Churchill Theatre, Bromley, Theatre Royal, Lincoln, Adam Smith Centre, Kirkcaldy, UK 1992 The Common Day Lenny ANU, Canberra 1994 Choice Various roles NSW tour with Riverina Theatre Co & Hunter Valley Theatre Co 1995 Table for One Nick Wonderland Productions The Club Gerry Marian St Theatre, Sydney with Northside Theatre Co 1996 The Life of Galileo Monk / Mathematician Sydney Opera House with STC 1998 Chasing the Dragon Gavin Wharf Theatre, Sydney with STC 1999 Art Theatre Royal Sydney with STC Diving for Pearls Ron Ensemble Theatre, Sydney 2000 Favourite Names for Boys Les / Frank Railway St Theatre 2002 The Great Man Rhys Rogers Dunstan Playhouse, Adelaide with STCSA 2003 A Conversation Col Shorter Australian tour 2007 Dinner Hal Stables Theatre, Sydney 2009 Blackbird Ray Acton St Theatre, Canberra Embers Various roles Australian tour with HotHouse Theatre & STC 2010 The God Committee Fr. Charlie Dunbar Ensemble Theatre, Sydney 2011 The Dapto Chaser Cess Sinclair Illawarra Performing Arts Centre with Merrigong Theatre Co 2012 Time Stands Still Richard Darlinghurst Theatre, Sydney 2014 Charitable Intent Brian The Concourse, Sydney with Ensemble Theatre 2015 The Secret House (reading) Playwright Bowen Library Theatrette, Sydney 2015–2020 The Dapto Chaser Arnold Denny NSW tour & online 2016 Three Sisters Chebutykin Seymour Centre, Sydney with Sport for Jove 2017 Blackrock 2017 Stewart / Len / Roy Seymour Centre, Sydney 2018 Stalking the Bogeyman David's father Old Fitzroy Theatre, Sydney 2023 Unprecedented Various roles VIC & NSW tour with HotHouse Theatre The Lives of Eve Paul KXT On Broadway, Sydney 2024 Seventeen Tom Seymour Centre, Sydney Cut Chilli Jeff Old Fitzroy Theatre, Sydney 2025 Heaven Mal The Loading Dock – Qtopia Sydney Strata Digger Project TYER, a Theatre In Education Co
Narration / voiceover
Audiobooks YearTitleRoleRef. 1999 Cold Mountain Narrator The Hobbit Narrator The Lord of the Rings Narrator The Fortunes of Richard Mahony trilogy Narrator The Book Thief Narrator 2003 The Girl Green as Elderflower Narrator 2005 Scarecrow Army Narrator 2010 Things We Didn't See Coming Narrator 2013 The Breadmaker's Carnival Narrator 2020 The Ambassador Narrator 2021 Freedom Highway Narrator
Commercials TitleRoleRef. Australian Capital Reserve Voiceover Avis Budget Group Voiceover BRW Rich List Voiceover The Children’s Hospital at Westmead Voiceover Frontline Plus Voiceover Macquarie Bank Voiceover Mercedes-Benz C-Class Voiceover Westfield Group Voiceover
Writer / director credits
Television YearTitleRoleNotes 1994; 1996 G.P. Writer 2 episodes
Theatre YearTitleRoleNotes 1985 Yeah, But Is It Funny?: The Gummy Man in Search of Love / Issues Addressed Director Stables Theatre, Sydney with Griffin Theatre Company 1980s Issues Addressed Co-writer / Director Griffin Theatre Company 1986 Crosscuts – A Rock and Roll Cabaret Director Stables Theatre, Sydney with Griffin Theatre Company 1987–1989 The Secret House Playwright Stables Theatre, Sydney, Anthill Theatre, Melbourne, The Hole in the Wall Theatre, Perth with Griffin Theatre Company 1990 Half Safe Playwright Riverina Playhouse, Wagga Wagga, Stables Theatre, Sydney with Griffin Theatre Company Photographs Playwright Charles Sturt University School of Performing Arts On The Public Record Playwright University of Wollongong Faculty of Creative Arts 2004; 2013 Later (renamed Across the Water) Playwright playRites Colony, Banff, Canada, Laguna Community Hall with Valley Artists 2006 Codgers Dramaturg 2013 The Secret House Playwright National Theatrette, Melbourne with Australian National Theatre 2015 The Secret House (reading) Playwright Bowen Library Theatrette, Sydney 2018 The Sculpture Garden Playwright Laguna Community Hall with Valley Artists Inc 2022 In This Light Playwright / Producer Flight Path Theatre, Sydney with Ca Va Productions Threat: Norma, Norm & the Dog Playwright Later made into a short film directed by the writer 2025 Manda (formerly Rehearsing Julie) Writer Actors Benevolent Fund, Sydney Strata Digger Project TYER, a Theatre In Education Co Never a Moment's Peace East Coast Theatre Company
Awards and nominations YearWorkAwardCategoryResultRef. 1999 Cold Mountain National Library TDK Australian Audio Book Awards Unabridged Fiction Award 2016 Three Sisters Glugs Theatrical Awards Best Supporting Actor 2024 Rehearsing Julie (now re-drafted and titled Manda) Silver Gull Awards The Silver Gull Play Award
References
External links