| Jon Blake | |
|---|---|
 Jon Blake on the set of The Lighthorsemen (1986) |
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| Born | Paul Jon Blake New Zealand |
| Other name(s) | Sonny Blake |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1977-1986 |
Jon Blake (born 26 June 1958) was a promising Australian actor of the 1980’s. He appeared in several TV shows and films before a car accident in 1986 left him severely disabled.
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Paul Jon Blake was born in New Zealand in 1958. An only child, he moved to Australia with his parents when he was 13, and he trained as a professional boxer before becoming a popular actor on Australian television. He quickly progressed from a role in the soap opera The Restless Years (in which he was credited as Sonny Blake) to television miniseries and films. One of his highest-profile roles was a starring role in the Australian TV miniseries Anzacs. His good looks led to him being named as one of Cleo’s most eligible bachelors of 1986.
His charismatic presence and fast-rising star led to him being dubbed "the next Mel Gibson", with mentions of several work opportunities in the US and talk of a new Mad Max film. Blake had a reputation for privacy
In December 1986 he was badly injured in a car accident while driving home after the last day of filming on The Lighthorsemen in the South Australian desert. An oncoming car appeared on his path and he swerved to avoid it, crashing into a car which was parked on the side of the road. He was not expected to survive the accident. His only external injury was a light graze on his left cheek, but he sustained permanent brain damage in the accident, and has been confined to bed and unable to care for himself ever since.
After several long and complex legal battles and appeals,[1] Blake was finally awarded $7.7 million in compensation for his care taking and lost future earnings. The amount was decided on the thought that there was a 60% to 70% chance that Blake would have achieved considerable success as an actor in the US (earning $1 to $2 million a movie) and a 30% chance of reaching the superstar bracket. Academy Award nominee George Miller (Lorenzo’s Oil) testified at the court case.
Until 2007, his mother, Mascot Blake, was his primary carer. In 2007, Blake's mother died. Blake, with his son Dustin, attended her funeral from a wheeled stretcher. Since her death, Dustin has assumed the caretaking duties. .[2]
| Year | TV Series/Film | Role |
|---|---|---|
| The Restless Years (TV Series) | 1977-1980 | Alan Archer |
| The Slippery Side | 1980 | Chris Newsbury |
| Freedom | 1982 | Ron |
| Early Frost | 1982 | Peter Meadows |
| A Country Practice | 1982-1984 | Steve Vargas |
| Boy in the Bush (TV Mini-Series) | 1984 | Tom Ellis |
| Home and Away (TV Series) | 1984 (1 Episode) | Trooper Wilson |
| Five Mile Creek | 1984 (1 Episode) | Trooper Wilson |
| The Slim Dusty Movie | 1984 | Young Slim Dusty |
| Anzacs (TV Mini Series) | 1985 | Pvt. Flanagan |
| Cool Change | 1986 | Steve |
| The Lighthorsemen | 1987 | Scotty |
| Running From The Guns | 1987 | Davie |
  | Disabled actor farewells mum - Disabled actor farewells mum | The Daily Telegraph |
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