Les Dayman, a prolific actor known to Australian TV viewers, has died. He was 85.

Dayman is most famous for the role of Sergeant George Sullivan in the soap series E Street. Dayman was with the show for its entire run from 1989 to 1993.

TV actor dies

Dayman's long and prolific career in TV included many roles in soaps and police dramas. Some of his other notable roles include Detective Bill Hudson on Homicide, Geoff Macrae on Prisoner and the businessman Roger Carlyle in Sons & Daughters. 

He also had notable appearances in A Country Practice, Division 4, Bellamy, Cop Shop, Holiday Island, Water Rats, Stingers, All Saints, Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries and Sara Dane.

He appeared as an artillery officer in Gallipoli, with other movies including Holy Smoke, Oscar & Lucinda, Molly, and The Silence.

Reflecting on E Street, he once recalled, "One of the best storylines I was involved in was featured early in E Streets’ run – where George’s old mate, a retired police officer of high rank is found guilty of a crime – a hit and run I think! George found out and was in an awful dilemma, turned back to the booze but bounced back after doing what he had to do…"

"One of the more hilarious consequences of public recognition was the fact I was often mistaken for Brian Wenzel, who was in the long running TV show A Country Practice and vice versa.”

Tributes pour in

The son of professional soccer player Les Dayman, he was also a stage actor and the director of the South Australian Theatre Company from 1968 to 1969

Author Nigel Giles called Dayman a "fine actor and beloved friend."

"I'll miss him. Condolences to his darling wife Rosie and family," Giles wrote.

Vale Les Dayman, a fine actor and beloved friend. His career across stage & screen spanned 50+ years, beginning in Adelaide in the 1950s. #Homicide #Prisoner #EStreet
I'll miss him. Condolences to his darling wife Rosie and family pic.twitter.com/8ZSt84nFXb

— Nigel Giles (@Number96Bk) October 22, 2023

Dayman's former co-star Mez Howard, who played the role of Sergeant Sullivan's daughter Alice, paid tribute to Dayman in a post.

“Rest in Peace beautiful Les Dayman. Couldn’t have wished for a better on-screen dad in my E- Street days,” she wrote.

“Your gorgeous eyes always reminded me of my dad’s eyes so it was so lovely to play your daughter. PS. Interesting fun fact — we shared the same birthday!”

RIP.