A story in a Melbourne newspaper caught my eye this week. A former AFL player is about to make his acting debut in a TV show about notorious Melbourne gangster of the early 1900s, Squizzy Taylor. Though never a star, Ricky Nixon managed to play 63 games of top-level footy for Carlton, St Kilda and Hawthorn from 1983 to 1993. He later becoming a player agent who often found himself in trouble with not only the AFL but the law as well.
In his acting debut he will again be on the wrong side of the law, although in a theatrical sense only, playing a gangster known as ‘Tommy the Nut’.
Nixon’s move from football to film prompted me to think about other footballers and sports stars who have made a name for themselves on the screen outside of sport.
Another new example is tennis star Todd Woodbridge. Like many former players, Woodbridge moved into tennis commentary after court days were over, but now he’s also become a game show host. He can be seen on Channel 9 every evening as contestants try and win $20,000 on ‘Tipping Point’.
Other crossover examples include OJ Simpson, a US football star who famously landed roles in the ‘Naked Gun’ series of films, and Bradley Walsh. Although he never quite reached the top level, Walsh was a professional footballer before becoming host of the UK version of ‘The Chase’ game show and an companion to the Doctor in ‘Dr Who’.
I’m sure there must be many other examples. Whose name can you add to the list?
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