John Clarke (satirist)

For the American actor, see John Clarke (actor).

John Morrison Clarke (29 July 1948 – 9 April 2017) was a New Zealand-born Australian comedian, writer, and satirist. He was born in Palmerston North, New Zealand. He lived in Australia from the late 1970s. He was a well known actor and writer. His work appeared on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) in both radio and television and also in print.

In 1982, he was nominated for an AFI award for co-writing the acclaimed Paul Cox movie Lonely Hearts.

During the 1980s and early 1990s, Clarke featured in several movies, including Never Say Die, Death in Brunswick, alongside another New Zealand actor, Sam Neill, and Blood Oath.

Clarke was also known for his mock interviews for A Current Affair until 1997, satirising a range of figures including Paul Keating, Alexander Downer, George Bush, and Alan Bond. After a break, the pair reappeared on ABC TV's The 7.30 Report in a similar format.

Clarke died while walking in the Grampians National Park in the Australian state of Victoria on 9 April 2017. He was 68. He died because of the heart attack.