Tony Gerard, an Australian actor, began his career in theater before transitioning to television, where he gained recognition for his memorable villainous roles in Homicide (1964). His breakthrough performance came as enemy espionage agent Kragg in Hunter (1967),the arch nemesis of the title character played by Tony Ward.
Gerard's portrayal of Kragg proved so popular with audiences that the producers decided to change the character's allegiance, making him an ally to Hunter. Following Ward's departure from the series, Gerard took on the lead role, and later, he was given his own show, playing Detective Frank Banner in Division 4 (1969).
Gerard's performance as Banner lasted for six years and earned him numerous awards, including two gold Logies as the most popular personality on Australian television. After his long stint as Banner, Gerard appeared in many successful series and mini-series, such as Tandarra (1976),Against the Wind (1978),and The Last Outlaw (1980).
Gerard's preference was to be part of an ensemble cast rather than the star, so he took on roles in established series, like the airport manager in Skyways (1979),and later as the dependable Luke Mitchell in The Flying Doctors (1986). He continued his acting career in both movies and television, with one of his more recent roles being a memorable gangland patriarch in the controversial mini-series Underbelly (2008).
However, Gerard will always be identified for his realistic portrayals of idealist agent Kragg and dedicated cop Frank Banner, roles that made him a reluctant television celebrity, rather than the versatile character actor he had intended to become.
