Pete O'Herne
Peter O'Herne (30 November 1961 – 12 December 2010) was a New Zealand actor, known for his collaborations with director Peter Jackson. He appears in Jackson directed films The Valley (1976) and Bad Taste (1987).
Pete O'Herne | |
|---|---|
 O'Herne in Bad Taste (1987) | |
| Born | 30 November 1961 Wellington, New Zealand |
| Died | 12 December 2010 (aged 49) Wellington, New Zealand |
| Nationality | New Zealand |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1975–2010 |
He died in 2010 of heart failure.
Early life
O'Herne was born 30 November 1961 in Wellington, New Zealand. He became friends with future Hollywood director Peter Jackson at the age of 9.[1][2]
Career
At the age of 14, O'Herne appeared in Jackson's 1976 short film, The Valley, which aired on children's television show Spot On. After this, he, Jackson and fellow friends Mike Minett, Craig Smith, Terry Potter, Dean Lawrie and Ken Hammon worked on their next project, Bad Taste (1987). The film took four years to create, only filmed on weekends when the friends were able to meet up.[3] O'Herne later turned down a role in Jackson's 1992 film Braindead.[1] In 2010, he made his first film appearance in nearly 25 years in the American film God of Vampires. This was his final film role.
Death
On 12 December 2010, O'Herne died of congestive heart failure. His funeral was held on 21 December of that year and was attended by Peter Jackson in person, who delivered a speech.[4] He is survived by his brother.[4]
Personal life
O'Herne enjoyed watching science fiction films and television shows such as Star Trek and The X-Files. He also enjoyed horror films such as George A. Romero's Dawn of the Dead. He was also a fan of professional wrestling.[1]
In 1989 he suffered a back injury that severely limited his work opportunities. Despite this, he remained active and frequented the gym in the years before his death.[2]
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | The Valley | Unknown | Short film |
| 1987 | Bad Taste | Barry / 3rd Class Alien | Also miscellaneous crew |
| 1988 | Good Taste Made Bad Taste | Himself | Documentary |
| 2010 | God of Vampires | The Fixer | Final film role |
References
- "INT: Peter O'Herne". JoBlo.com. 1 February 2001. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
- "Peter O'Herne Interview". badmovies.org. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
- Selymen, Nick De (10 December 2014). "Empire's Bad Taste Reunion". Empire. Archived from the original on 23 March 2016. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
- "RIP Pete O'Herne". Blu-ray Forum. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
External links
- Pete O'Herne at IMDb
- Pete O'Herne's profile at the New Zealand Film Commission