| Honorific Suffix: | OAM |
| Birth Place: | Lausanne, Switzerland |
| Nationality: | Australian |
| Education: | University of Sydney |
| Years Active: | 1963−present |
| Organization: | Ensemble Theatre |
| Known For: | Mother And Son, I'm Not A Dentist (theatre) |
| Television: | Palace of Drams |
| Spouse: | Mary Ann Severne |
| Children: | Josh Szeps |
Henri Szeps (born 1943), also spelt Henry Szeps, is a Swiss-born Australian character actor of theatre and television. He has also featured in films and worked in voice roles, and has worked in productions in the United Kingdom.
Henri Szeps was born in 1943 in Lausanne, Switzerland, to Polish parents. Prior to the German invasion of Poland during World War II, his parents fled to France in 1938. His father left the family to join the French Resistance. In 1943, his mother and three-year-old sister made their way to a refugee camp in Lausanne, where Henri was born. At 1 months he was fostered to a Swiss couple in Blumenstein. His mother reclaimed him when he was three years old, and returned to the Swiss couple when he was 4. He was reclaimed by his mother to Paris, and due to her illness, at the age of six was placed at the Rothschild Orphanage. He came to Sydney, Australia, at the age of eight in 1951 or 1952 with his mother and sister.[1] [2]
Szeps studied acting at Ensemble Theatre during weekends, under the direction of Hayes Gordon, while gaining science and electrical engineering degrees at Sydney University. In 1963, while sitting for the BSc in maths and physics during the day he was appearing every night at the Ensemble Theatre in his first play there, called The Physicists, which ran for six months.
Szeps is probably best known for his role as selfish dentist Robert Beare in the classic Australian television comedy series Mother and Son (1984 to 1994), with Garry McDonald, Ruth Cracknell and Judy Morris. Another prominent role was in Palace of Dreams for which he received a Penguin Award.He played the Doctor in the world première of David Williamson's play, Travelling North, and was asked to repeat the performance in the 1987 film, with Leo McKern and Graham Kennedy.
He appeared in 1981 TV movie A Step in the Right Direction.
Szeps won the Penguin Award for best actor for ABC's 10 part series Palace of Dreams.
He has performed in five one-man shows, produced by the Ensemble Theatre, the last three self-penned: The Double Bass (1990), Sky (1992) (written for him by John Misto, I'm Not a Dentist (1997), Why Kids (2003) and Wish I'd Said That (2010).
He has written a book on acting, All in Good Timing (1996), which is used by drama schools.
| Association | Year | Award | Work | Results | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best Actor in a mini-series | Palace of Dreams | ||||
| 1997 | Outstanding Performance | I'm Not a Dentist[3] | |||
| 2001 | Medal of the Order of Australia | "For service to the arts, and to the community through the Australia Day Council and the National Centre for Childhood Grief"[4] | |||
| 2003 | Best Male Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical | Cabaret | |||
| 2014 | The Henri Szeps Green Room | ||||
| Glugs Awards | 2015 | Lifetime Achievement Award |
| Year | Title | Role | Type | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | You Can't See 'round Corners | Peter | Feature film | |
| 1977 | Say You Want Me | Jim Morton | TV movie | |
| 1979 | The Plumber | David Medavoy | TV movie | |
| 1980 | A Toast to Melba | Thomas Beecham Buffalo Bill Mayor of Brisbane | TV movie | |
| 1980 | Fatty Finn | Mr. Zilch | Feature film | |
| 1981 | A Step in the Right Direction | TV movie | ||
| 1981 | Run Rebecca, Run | Manuel Cortes | Film | |
| 1982 | Wilde's Domain | Shenko | TV movie | |
| 1982 | Mystery at Castle House | Mr. Wilberforce | TV movie | |
| 1983 | Now and Forever | Barry York | Feature film | |
| 1983 | The Return of Captain Invincible | Chief Security Officer | Feature film | |
| 1983 | Sherlock Holmes and the Valley of Fear | Voice | Animated TV movie | |
| 1983 | Sherlock Holmes and a Study in Scarlet | Voice | Animated TV movie | |
| 1983 | Platypus Cove | Winston Bell | TV movie | |
| 1984 | A Tale of Two Cities | Voice | TV movie | |
| 1985 | Warming Up | Sergeant Peter Sullivan | Feature film | |
| 1985 | The Pickwick Papers | Voice | Animated TV movie | |
| 1987 | The Edge of Power | Steve Traynor | Film | |
| 1987 | Les Patterson Saves the World | Dr. Charles Herpes Desiree Herpes | Feature film | |
| 1987 | Travelling North | Saul | Feature film | |
| 2001 | South Pacific | Benoit | TV movie | |
| 2001 | Elixir | Bob Sommerville | ||
| 2009 | No Junk Mail | Short film | ||
| 2010 | The Bris | Dobinski | Short film | |
| 2012 | Bathing Franky | Rodney | Feature film | |
| 2013 | McLean's Money | Edward McLean |
| Year | Title | Role | Type | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | Skippy the Bush Kangaroo | Bob | TV series | |
| 1969 | Riptide | Des Dawkins | TV series | |
| 1967-69 | Homicide | Peter Scott (1967) Alan Shaw (1969)- David Yates (1969) | TV series | |
| 1971 | Misleading Cases | Pierre | TV series | |
| 1971 | Spyforce | Dingo | TV series | |
| 1971 | The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes | Laval | TV series | |
| 1972 | Spyder's Web | Policeman | TV series | |
| 1972 | Spy Trap | The Frenchmen | TV series | |
| 1972 | The Strauss Family | Edi's Dresser | TV miniseries | |
| 1974 | Barlow | Corsican | TV series | |
| 1973–74 | Colditz | De Crossait Captain Henry LeVevre | TV series | |
| 1974 | Crown Court | Dr. Herman Abel | TV series | |
| 1975 | Dixon of Dock Green | Onion Man | TV series | |
| 1969–75 | Division 4 | Jeff Taylor (1969) Brian Martin (1971) Jimmy Dunn (1975) | TV series | |
| 1974 | Armchair Cinema | TV series | ||
| 1976 | Number 96 | Phillip Chambers | TV series | |
| 1976 | God Knows Why, But It Works | Dr. Archie Kalokerinos | TV series | |
| 1977 | The Dick Emery Show in Australia | Various characters | TV series | |
| 1978 | Chopper Squad | Falconio | TV series | |
| 1977–78 | Cop Shop | Steven Halliday (1977) Vincent Morelli (1978) | TV series | |
| 1979 | Ride on Stranger | Vincent Sladder | TV series | |
| 1981 | Daily at Dawn | Joe Parker | TV series | |
| 1982 | The Best of Friends | Lilo | ||
| 1982 | M.P.S.I.B | Tran Van | TV series | |
| 1982–83 | A Country Practice | Perc Hobbs Ralph Bianchi | TV series | |
| 1980–84 | Kingswood Country | Mr O'Grady Eric the Postman | TV series | |
| 1984 | City West | Dr. Mikus Kuskis | TV series | |
| 1985 | Palace of Dreams | Mick Mendel | TV miniseries | |
| 1987 | Vietnam | TV miniseries | ||
| 1988 | Rafferty's Rules | Uncle Aniello | TV series | |
| 1989 | Hannay | Police Inspector | TV series | |
| 1990 | Mission: Impossible | Esteban Magdalena | TV series | |
| 1991 | Hampton Court | Mr. Verstak | TV series | |
| 1992 | The Adventures of Skippy | Frank | TV series | |
| 1992 | Seeing Red | Louie Leeds | ||
| 1984–94 | Mother and Son | Robert Beare | TV series | |
| 1991–95 | G.P. | Charlie Cassidy -Ibram Hanaf | TV series | |
| 1996 | Jacob Verkovic | TV series | ||
| 1999–09 | All Saints | George Bresnic (1999) -Victor McGregor (2009) | TV series | |
| 2000 | Stingers | Norman Sagar | TV series | |
| 2001 | Flat Chat | Cardinal Del Gardia | TV series | |
| 2001 | Escape of the Artful Dodger | Dr. Hartman | TV series | |
| 2015 | Dee Anthony | TV miniseries |