Brian Thomas Wenzel is an AustralianLogie Award-winning actor, comedian, director and singer He has been in the entertainment business for 75 years, including circus, stage, television and film;. After numerous character roles in Crawford Productions serials and films he became best known for his permanent role of Sgt. Frank Gilroy, an original character on television programA Country Practice. from its inception pilot in November 1981 until the series conclusion in 1993, the only original along with Shane Porteous to appear the duration of the series run, and at the time one of the longest roles on Australian television. He was a cast member of Rove McManus's show Rove Live in 2009.
Early life
Wenzel was born to Harold Wenzel, a grocer who served with the RAAF and Kathleen Wenzel in 1929. One of eight, he grew up in South Australia suburbs Mile End, Torrensville and Thebarton. He had an unsettled early life and spent much of his childhood in remand homes run by various organisations including the Christian Brothers and the Salvation Army. Wenzel ran away several times. At age 14, he left school and joined the Sole Bros. circus as a pony groom and dog trainer. During World War II, he was greatly criticised because of his German sounding surname but nevertheless started acting professionally in 1946 when his first performance in an acting role came at the age of 17 in a comedy stage play. He subsequently appered in numerous stage plays, musicals, pantomine and children's theatre, icluding production's of Death of a Salesman, The Crucible, The Imaginary Invalid and Summer of the Seventeenth Doll, he has worked with the Adelaide Festival of the Arts and the South Australian Theatre Company.
Professional career
Television
After many years in the industry, primarily in live comedy and theatre, Wenzel appeared on the small screen from then late 1960s including in the drama series Division 4, Matlock Police, Homicide, The Young Doctors, Cop Shop and Certain Women. It was the role in the latter that won him the part of old-fashioned and affable policeman Frank Gilroy, originally a constable later sergeant in A Country Practice, he would appear in the series from its inception in 1981, winning a Silver Logie for his role, later episodes would later eventually see Gilroy retire from the police force to become the local RSL clubs barman and chef, after "Cookie" retired. He also had the guest role playing NSW Police Officer in the series Home Sweet Home with John Bluthal. Wenzel became very popular with the NSW Police due to his role as Sgt. Gilroy, and was once presented with a leather police jacket from former commissioner John Avery as the fictional country town of Wandin Valley was located in the state New South Wales.
Film
He appeared in many Australian films during the 1970s and 1980s including Caddie, The Odd Angry Shot and Alison's Birthday however more recently in the crime thriller in 2014 .
Theatre
He appeared in the David Williamson play Travelling North in 2000.
Controversy
In 2009 Wenzel appeared in a TV advert in the role for a sexual dysfunction therapy. His Sgt. Gilroy, arrives to save the day when a newlywed wife complains about her husband "speeding" in the sack – and then prosecutes him in court. This advert created much controversy and Wenzel was featured on A Current Affair, defending the advert and stating that he was "an actor and this is what I do" and being thrown into the spotlight after almost 20 years out of it. In May, he appeared on a spoof of the ad that was aired on Rove Live.
''A Country Practice'' re-boot
Wenzel, as well as Shane Porteous and Joyce Jacobs appeared in the first episode of A Country Practice in November 1981 and stayed with the series until it ended in 1993. However, after the series was cancelled that year by the Seven Network it was picked up by rival Network Ten for a single season in 1994, with a new setting and mostly new cast, Joyce Jacobs was the only original who stayed with the show, both Wenzel and Shane Porteous did not reprise their roles in the reboot. Following the death of Jacobs in 2013 aged 91, as of 2020, he is the oldest surviving cast member from that series now also aged 91.
