Richard Pyros
Encyclopedia
Richard Pyros is a British-born Australian actor who first achieved fame in the hit Australian Channel Seven
TV show, Big Bite
which was nominated for two AFI
Awards in 2003. Still studying at drama school, Pyros was selected to create an array of characters including the memorably disheveled newsreader, 'Tee Pee Moses', and for his impersonation personalities such as Rob Sitch
, Michael Caton
, Harry Potter
and Detective Lennie Briscoe
from Law & Order
.
He subsequently moved into theatre, performing with leading Australian theatre companies including the Sydney Theatre Company
, Bell Shakespeare Company
and Malthouse Theatre. He is an accomplished comedian and writer; his TV writing credits include BackBerner
, Big Bite, Comedy Inc.
and currently, Stand Up Australia
! (Foxtel
) writing material for host, Cameron Knight
. In 2007, Richard toured his show, Gilgamesh to the Barbican Theatre, London for the world-renowned 'Bite' season, as well as to The Beijing Oriental Pioneer Theatre, The Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre and the Sydney Opera House
. His feature film version of Hamlet (in which he plays the lead) had its world premiere at the Melbourne International Film Festival
and his performance was critically acclaimed.
Other film credits include Noise by Matthew Saville
(official selection, 2007 Sundance Film Festival
), In Your Dreams by Greg Williams, and Is God a DJ by Ben Chessell. He was a member of the comedy troupe 'Enter The Datsun' with Charlie Pickering
, Michael Chamberlin
and Charlie Clausen
, and featured in several Melbourne International Comedy Festival
s. In 2003, he was awarded The Irene Mitchell Award for Acting, VCA
Drama School.
Pyros is now a member of the resident acting ensemble at Sydney Theatre Company
, which was selected by Co-Artistic Directors, Cate Blanchett
and Andrew Upton
.
Seven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
TV show, Big Bite
Big Bite
Big Bite was an Australian sketch comedy television series, which ran on the Seven Network from 8 May, 2003 to 4 March, 2004 in a prime time timeslot on Thursdays...
which was nominated for two AFI
Australian Film Institute
The Australian Film Institute was founded in 1958 as a non-profit organisation devoted to developing an active film culture in Australia and fostering engagement between the general public and the Australian film industry...
Awards in 2003. Still studying at drama school, Pyros was selected to create an array of characters including the memorably disheveled newsreader, 'Tee Pee Moses', and for his impersonation personalities such as Rob Sitch
Rob Sitch
Robert Ian Sitch , is an Australian director, producer, screenwriter, actor and comedian.-Early life:Sitch attended St Kevin's College and graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery from the University of Melbourne, where he resided at Trinity College. He worked at the Royal Womans Hospital...
, Michael Caton
Michael Caton
Michael Caton is an Australian television, film and stage actor, and television host, best known for playing Uncle Harry in the Australian television series, The Sullivans, playing Darryl Kerrigan from 1997's low budget hit film The Castle and playing in the popular Packed to the Rafters. He is...
, Harry Potter
Harry Potter
Harry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by the British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter and his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
and Detective Lennie Briscoe
Lennie Briscoe
Leonard W. "Lennie" Briscoe is a fictional character on NBC's long running police procedural and legal drama television series Law & Order. He was featured on the show for 12 seasons, from 1992 to 2004. He was created by Walon Green and René Balcer, and was portrayed by Jerry Orbach...
from Law & Order
Law & Order
Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,...
.
He subsequently moved into theatre, performing with leading Australian theatre companies including the Sydney Theatre Company
Sydney Theatre Company
The Sydney Theatre Company is one of Australia's best-known theatre companies operating from The Wharf Theatre near The Rocks area of Sydney, as well as the Sydney Theatre and the Sydney Opera House Drama Theatre....
, Bell Shakespeare Company
Bell Shakespeare Company
Bell Shakespeare is an Australian theatre company specialising in the works of William Shakespeare. It was founded in 1990 by John Bell..Bell Shakespeare is Australia's only national touring theatre company. Its current practice is to tour three mainstage productions to each Australian state in...
and Malthouse Theatre. He is an accomplished comedian and writer; his TV writing credits include BackBerner
BackBerner
BackBerner was an Australian political satire sketch comedy television series, broadcast on and produced by ABC TV with Crackerjack Productions. The program was hosted by stand up comic Peter Berner and noted Australian character actor Louise Siversen...
, Big Bite, Comedy Inc.
Comedy Inc.
Comedy Inc. was an Australian sketch comedy television series, which ran on the Nine Network from 1 February 2003 to 26 December 2007. The series was produced by Crackerjack Productions. It first premiered in February 2003 in the new wave of Australian sketch comedy shows being launched across the...
and currently, Stand Up Australia
Stand Up Australia
Stand Up Australia was an Australian comedy TV program locally produced by The Comedy Channel from 2006 to 2008.It was hosted by Cameron Knight, and featured four Australian or international comedians on each one hour show...
! (Foxtel
Foxtel
Foxtel is an Australian pay television company, operating cable, direct broadcast satellite television and IPTV services. It was formed in 1995 through a joint venture established between Telstra and News Corporation....
) writing material for host, Cameron Knight
Cameron Knight
Cameron "Cam" Knight is an Australian comedian and television personality, born 1976 in Cummins, South Australia.-Career:He studied at the South Australian Centre for the Performing Arts before making his break into television as a member of the Big Bite sketch comedy show...
. In 2007, Richard toured his show, Gilgamesh to the Barbican Theatre, London for the world-renowned 'Bite' season, as well as to The Beijing Oriental Pioneer Theatre, The Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre and the Sydney Opera House
Sydney Opera House
The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in the Australian city of Sydney. It was conceived and largely built by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, finally opening in 1973 after a long gestation starting with his competition-winning design in 1957...
. His feature film version of Hamlet (in which he plays the lead) had its world premiere at the Melbourne International Film Festival
Melbourne International Film Festival
The Melbourne International Film Festival is an acclaimed annual film festival held over three weeks in Melbourne, Australia. It was founded in 1951, making it one of the oldest in the World....
and his performance was critically acclaimed.
Other film credits include Noise by Matthew Saville
Matthew Saville
Matthew Saville is an Australian television and film director, who began his career working as a titles designer for many Australian television series...
(official selection, 2007 Sundance Film Festival
2007 Sundance Film Festival
The 2007 Sundance Film Festival ran from January 18 until January 28, 2007 in Park City, Utah with screenings in Salt Lake City, Utah and Ogden, Utah. It was the 23-rd iteration of the Sundance Film Festival...
), In Your Dreams by Greg Williams, and Is God a DJ by Ben Chessell. He was a member of the comedy troupe 'Enter The Datsun' with Charlie Pickering
Charlie Pickering
Charlie Pickering he grew up in Melbourne, Australia and attended an Independent Anglican Boys' School; Brighton Grammar...
, Michael Chamberlin
Michael Chamberlin (comedian)
Michael Chamberlin is a Melbourne-based stand up comedian. Along with fellow comedian Charlie Pickering, Michael was a co-creator of influential Melbourne comedy room Stagetime....
and Charlie Clausen
Charlie Clausen
Charlie Clausen is an Australian actor most known for his role as Jake Harrison on McLeod's Daughters in 2003 and as Acting Sergeant Alex Kirby on the police drama series Blue Heelers, which he starred in for the majority of Season 12 and Season 13...
, and featured in several Melbourne International Comedy Festival
Melbourne International Comedy Festival
The Melbourne International Comedy Festival is the third-largest international comedy festival in the world and the largest cultural event in Australia. Established in 1987, it takes place annually in Melbourne over four weeks in April typically opening on or around April Fool's Day...
s. In 2003, he was awarded The Irene Mitchell Award for Acting, VCA
Victorian College of the Arts
The Faculty of the VCA and Music is a faculty of the University of Melbourne, in Victoria . VCAM is located near the Melbourne central business district, on two campuses, one - the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music - on the Parkville campus of the University of Melbourne, and the other - the...
Drama School.
Pyros is now a member of the resident acting ensemble at Sydney Theatre Company
Sydney Theatre Company
The Sydney Theatre Company is one of Australia's best-known theatre companies operating from The Wharf Theatre near The Rocks area of Sydney, as well as the Sydney Theatre and the Sydney Opera House Drama Theatre....
, which was selected by Co-Artistic Directors, Cate Blanchett
Cate Blanchett
Catherine Élise "Cate" Blanchett is an Australian actress. She came to international attention for her role as Elizabeth I of England in the 1998 biopic film Elizabeth, for which she won British Academy of Film and Television Arts and Golden Globe Awards, and earned her first Academy Award...
and Andrew Upton
Andrew Upton
Andrew Upton is an Australian playwright, screenwriter, and director. He is the husband of the actress Cate Blanchett.-Career:As a playwright, Upton created adaptations of Hedda Gabler, The Cherry Orchard, Cyrano de Bergerac, Don Juan and Uncle Vanya for the Sydney Theatre Company and Maxim...
.