/ Stars that died in 2023: Jon Blake, Australian actor, died from pneumonia he was , 52.

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Jon Blake, Australian actor, died from pneumonia he was , 52.

 Jon Blake was an Australian actor of the 1980s died from pneumonia he was , 52. He appeared in several TV shows and films before a car accident in 1986 left him severely disabled.

(26 June 1958 – 29 May 2011)

Biography

Paul Jon Blake was born in New Zealand in 1958. An only child, he moved to Australia with his parents when he was 13, and he trained as a professional boxer before becoming a popular actor on Australian television. He quickly progressed from a role in the soap opera The Restless Years (in which he was credited as Sonny Blake) to television miniseries and films. One of his highest-profile roles was a starring role in the Australian television miniseries Anzacs. His good looks led to him being named by Cleo magazine as one of the most eligible bachelors of 1986.
His charismatic presence and fast-rising star led to him being dubbed "the next Mel Gibson", with mentions of several work opportunities in the United States and talk of a new Mad Max film. In December 1986 he was badly injured in a car accident while driving home after the last day of filming on The Lighthorsemen in the South Australian desert. An oncoming car appeared on his path and he swerved to avoid it, crashing into a car which was parked on the side of the road. He was not expected to survive the accident. His only external injury was a light graze on his left cheek, but he sustained permanent brain damage in the accident, and was unable to care for himself.[citation needed]

Court cases

After several long and complex legal battles and appeals,[1][dead link] Blake was finally awarded $7.7 million in compensation for his care taking and lost future earnings. The amount was decided on the thought that there was a 60% to 70% chance that Blake would have achieved considerable success as an actor in the United States (earning $1 to $2 million a movie) and a 30% chance of reaching the superstar bracket. Academy Award winning filmmaker George Miller testified at the court case.[citation needed]
Until her death in 2007, his mother, Mascot Blake, was his primary caregiver. After her death, Jon Blake's son Dustin cared for his father until Blake's death.[2]

Death

Blake died on 29 May 2011, aged 52, from complications from pneumonia.[3]

Filmography

Film and television credits
Title
Year
Role
Notes
1977–1980
Alan Archer

The Slippery Slide
1980
Chris Newsbury

1982
Ron

Early Frost
1982
Peter Meadows

1982–1984
Steve Vargas

Boy in the Bush
1984
Tom Ellis
TV mini-series
1984
Trooper Wilson
1 episode
1984

1985
Private Flanagan
TV mini-series
Cool Change
1986
Pete

1987
Scotty

Running from the Guns
1987
Davie

 

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