Ross Higgins

Infobox actor
name = Ross Higgins


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birthdate = Birth date and age|1930|6|14|mf=y
birthplace = Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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yearsactive = 1946 - present
spouse = Nadine
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Ross Higgins (born Sydney, New South Wales June 14, 1930) is an Australian actor, best known for his role as Ted Bulpitt in the television situation comedy series "Kingswood Country".

Ross Higgins' entertainment industry career began in 1946, when he took a cadetship at Sydney's Radio 2GB at the age of 16. This led to an on-air announcing position, and hosting of breakfast, and later, evening variety shows. A trained singer, he soon began recording singles which lifted his profile around Australia. His flair for comedy came to the fore in the 1950's, when he became a cast member of the very popular "The Jack Davey Show". He moved between commercial radio and the ABC, touring the country, hosting and singing with the ABC show band. It was during this period he performed with luminaries such as Peter Dawson, Slim Dusty and Mel Torme. His radio career reached a peak in the mid 1950's, and when television arrived in 1956, he successfully made the transition, appearing on variety shows, hosting game shows (7 Network) and in the early '60's on "Singalong" and Bobby Limb's "Sound of Music" (9 Network).

During the 1960's, he consolidated his position as a leading voiceover artist, creating character voices for TV and radio ads and cartoons. His earliest character voice - "Louie the Fly" (an animated fly for the Mortein fly-spray commercials), is still recorded by him - most recently in 2008. It is now the longest continuously running campaign in television history, having run continuously for 50 years (1958-2008). During the mid 1960's, Higgins worked in theatre, doing several back-to-back seasons at Sydney's Menzies Theatre Restaurant - a popular nightspot where musicals were staged under the direction of Hayes Gordon. He had an ongoing role playing the role of a priest in an early Australian soap opera "Motel" in (1968), and took guest roles in various series including "Division 4" and "Skippy". Throughout the 1970's, he and voiceover colleague Kevin Golsby dominated Australian airwaves in the voiceover field, and while enjoying this success another break-through role came in 1977, where he was a key regular performer in sketch comedy series "The Naked Vicar Show". He played various characters in that series, which lasted two seasons. In 1980, a spin-off series based on a bombastic, Holden Kingswood driving character he had portrayed in one sketch of "The Naked Vicar Show" was created, titled "Kingswood Country". This series had a successful five year run, completing five-and-a-half seasons.

After the series ended he played a straight dramatic role in soap opera "Richmond Hill" (1988). His character, a dour policeman, was the show's main authority figure. In 1992, he starred in the Ten Network's sitcom "Late for School" (which launched the TV careers of Matthew Newton and Stephen Curry). Higgins' most recent role was a reprise of the Ted Bullpitt character in the situation comedy "Bullpitt!" in 1997, which had two seasons on the 7 Network.The series "Kingswood Country" has more recently found new audiences via cable TV, and DVD sales continue in 2008.

Ross Higgins has used his vocal talents on thousands of projects during his 60 years in radio and television, including recording the song "Monster Mash" for "ABC For Kids Video Hits", recording an album of himself reading the classic Australian children's story "Blinky Bill".

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