A star of Australian stage and screen, John Wood first captured national attention for his role of Michael Rafferty in Rafferty’s Rules back in the ‘80s, before playing Senior Sergeant Tom Croydon in the much-loved ‘90s television series, Blue Heelers. These days, he’s showing no signs of slowing down, with the seasoned actor returning in season five of The Doctor Blake Mysteries on ABC later this year and appearing in Hamish & Andy’s current Nine Network series, True Story. Catch John when he performs at the Events Centre Caloundra on 6 July as part of the hilarious stage show, Bakersfield Mist.

I grew up in… the Ringwood/Croydon area in outer Melbourne. It was pretty much the bush when we moved there but it’s now a suburb. I had a very ordinary, typical childhood, but a happy one. Unlike most of my peers I actually liked school. I was a boy scout and played footy and cricket, but I had little talent at either.

My first job was... a school holiday job at Angliss’ Abattoir and Meatworks, where my father had worked as a cold storage labourer since returning from the war. I got a proper job with the railways as a clerk much later.

If I could be better at anything, it would it be… many things, but particularly music. I never really learned because pianos were expensive – as were tennis racquets, believe it or not.

If I couldn’t act, I… don’t know what I’d do. I have no skill or talent for anything else. Besides, I’ve never really wanted to do anything else.”

When I’m not working... I read, I write (sometimes even for money), and I play guitar, even more badly now that I have rheumatoid arthritis. I also work around the house and muck around with vintage cars.

My favourite character to play was… possibly Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Or Sir Toby Belch in Twelfth Night.

If I couldn’t act, I… don’t know what I’d do. I have no skill or talent for anything else. Besides, I’ve never really wanted to do anything else.

I’m currently reading... Nutshell by Ian McEwen. Levon Helm’s look at his life with The Band is also very interesting, as are any of Ian Rankin’s Rebus novels.

The quality I most admire in other people is... truthfulness.

The person I would most like to meet is... Pete Townshend (the lead guitarist and songwriter of The Who) because of his amazing use of words as song lyrics, not to mention those incredible power chords. I think he’s pretty much a genius.