Mike Preston, 'Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior' star, dies at 93
English pop singer, Mike Preston.Pop group arrives from New Zealand by Qantas, for a tour of Australia and performances at the Sydney Stadium on October 1, 1965. (Photo by Trevor James Robert Dallen/Fairfax Media via Getty Images).
Mike Preston, best known for playing settler leader Pappagallo in "Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior" and Detective Bob Delaney in the Australian television series "Homicide," died June 8 in Florida at 93, according to his obituary on Legacy.com. Variety also confirmed the news earlier this month.
The backstory:
According to Variety, Preston, who was born Jack Davis, first found fame as a singer in the United Kingdom, scoring three Top 40 hits in the late 1950s before relocating to Australia, where he worked as a nightclub performer.
He later became a television personality, hosting "In Melbourne Tonight," and built a successful acting career with 42 episodes of the Australian police drama "Homicide." He also appeared in series including "Bellbird," "Dixon of Dock Green," "Tandarra," "Chopper Squad" and "Cop Shop."
Preston made his feature film debut in the 1969 movie "Stoney" before earning international recognition as Pappagallo in George Miller's 1981 film "Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior."
His other screen credits included the science fiction film "Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn," a recurring role in "Hot Pursuit" and guest appearances on shows such as "Scarecrow and Mrs. King," "Alien Nation," "Highlander," "Law & Order" and "Ellen."
His final credited role was providing a voice in the 2002 video game "The Getaway."
According to Variety, Preston is survived by his wife, Josie Preston, and two daughters.
The Source: This story was reported from Los Angeles. Variety, Legacy.com contributed.