Alister Smart
Alister Smart also credited as Alastair Smart, is an Australian retired television presenter, actor, television director and screenwriter. A staple of the small screen, he appeared in productions in England, before returning to Australia, and had roles in television plays, telefilms and soap opera/serials with numerous credits from the late 1950s until the mid-1990s.
Smart is best known for his extended role as a presenter on the children's TV series Play [School (Australian TV series)|Play School] spanning from 1966 to 1993. He is also recognized for his appearances with fellow members of Play School, including Don Spencer on tie-in records released for ABC Music, as well as in audiobooks. As a presenter on Play School he had one of the longest stints on television in Australia, co-hosting alongside Spencer, Lorraine Bayly, Benita Collings, John Hamblin, Noni Hazlehurst, John Waters, Philip Quast and Anne Haddy.
In addition to his presenting work, Smart made significant contributions as a television director. He directed 88 episodes of soap opera Sons and Daughters and, briefly, four episodes of the police procedural series Blue Heelers.
Career
Actor
Smart started his career in local theatre in 1957, and continued working in stage drama throughout his life. His theatre roles include Shakespeare's Macbeth, King Henry V, Jean Anouilhs The Lark and a tour of Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?.In the early 1960s, Smart expanded his career to television in England, where he appeared in televised plays. He performed in anthology series including ITV Play of the Week and Comedy Playhouse, as well as serials like Emergency Ward 10. In the latter part of the 1960s he returned to Australia, where he appeared in guest roles in soap operas and made-for-television movies. His credits in Australia included You Can't See 'round Corners, Homicide. Division 4, The Sullivans and Cop Shop. Smart had a prominent role as a new character, journalist Duncan Hunter, in the film adaptation of Number 96. Smart later appeared in the original series the film was based on, playing Frank Hobson in Number 96 in 1976.
Television director
Smart pursued a career in directing both movies and TV series from the early 1970s until his retirement in 1994. His directorial work included notable projects such as the 1975 ABC series sitcom Scattergood: Friend of All, as well as A Country Practice.He is best known however for directing the popular 1980s drama series Sons and Daughters, over a some 88 episodes.
Other later directing included selected episodes of Richmond Hill, Prisoner, E Street, Neighbours and Blue Heelers.