“He tends to mishear things, and is not quite so quick on the uptake as the others, because although he’s perfectly intelligent he doesn’t necessarily hear what’s going on – such as being charged at by the enemy!”
“Oin also has a taste for red wine – eight to a dozen glasses at a time.”
“Oin also has a taste for red wine – eight to a dozen glasses at a time.”
QUICK BIO
BIOGRAPHY
John Callen was brought up in England. He attended the Grammar School at Blackheath before heading to New Zealand with his family at 16.
When he arrived he attended school for one more year, tried art school and then got first job copyrighting for a radio station before moving sideways into journalism. All this time he was engaged in amateur theatricals through which he met an advertising director who employed him to do voice overs. That was 40+ years ago.
Callen has appeared in a number of TV commercials and voiced more than 120 documentaries and thousands of commercials. His documentary work includes working for National Geographic, Discovery, Animal Planet and other local and international producers and broadcasters.
Callen’s voice work includes Power Rangers Jungle Fury (2008) as Sonimax. And he also reads Talking Books for the Royal New Zealand foundation of the blind.
Callen has also worked on stage in various productions including Macbeth (For which he was named Critics’ Choice), Shylock, Polonius and Claudius.
When he arrived he attended school for one more year, tried art school and then got first job copyrighting for a radio station before moving sideways into journalism. All this time he was engaged in amateur theatricals through which he met an advertising director who employed him to do voice overs. That was 40+ years ago.
Callen has appeared in a number of TV commercials and voiced more than 120 documentaries and thousands of commercials. His documentary work includes working for National Geographic, Discovery, Animal Planet and other local and international producers and broadcasters.
Callen’s voice work includes Power Rangers Jungle Fury (2008) as Sonimax. And he also reads Talking Books for the Royal New Zealand foundation of the blind.
Callen has also worked on stage in various productions including Macbeth (For which he was named Critics’ Choice), Shylock, Polonius and Claudius.
He has been awarded Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor by Wellington theatre critics, and has also won Best Actor in a Short Film for Fly
John Callen is no stranger to the small and big screen.
He has had roles in various works including Sinking of the Rainbow Warrior (1993), Goodbye Pork Pie (1981), Pictures (1981), Send A Gorilla (1988), Feathers of Peace (2000), Fly (2008), Treasure Island Kids (2004) and Love Birds (2011).
His various works on television include The Tribe (2000), Close to Home (1975-1983), Pioneer Woman (1983), Roche (1985), Moynihan (1976), 221B Baker Street, Xena, The Man Who Lost His Head (2007) and Bliss (2010)
He has also worked behind-the-scenes as a director for Shortland Street (1998-2004 & 2006), The Tribe (2000), Epitaph (1997), Taonga (2006), The Kiwi Who Saved Britain (2010) and many others.
He found the Lord of the Rings trilogy to be one of the most magnificent pieces of cinematic work ever, and when he auditioned for The Hobbit it was originally for Radagast. At the same time he did a voice audition for Smaug. And he thought he hadn’t been fortunate enough to get involved as he hadn’t heard anything for months.
John Callen is no stranger to the small and big screen.
He has had roles in various works including Sinking of the Rainbow Warrior (1993), Goodbye Pork Pie (1981), Pictures (1981), Send A Gorilla (1988), Feathers of Peace (2000), Fly (2008), Treasure Island Kids (2004) and Love Birds (2011).
His various works on television include The Tribe (2000), Close to Home (1975-1983), Pioneer Woman (1983), Roche (1985), Moynihan (1976), 221B Baker Street, Xena, The Man Who Lost His Head (2007) and Bliss (2010)
He has also worked behind-the-scenes as a director for Shortland Street (1998-2004 & 2006), The Tribe (2000), Epitaph (1997), Taonga (2006), The Kiwi Who Saved Britain (2010) and many others.
He found the Lord of the Rings trilogy to be one of the most magnificent pieces of cinematic work ever, and when he auditioned for The Hobbit it was originally for Radagast. At the same time he did a voice audition for Smaug. And he thought he hadn’t been fortunate enough to get involved as he hadn’t heard anything for months.
He had rung his agent and said “I’m finishing lecturing at the University soon and I need you to find me a job to set me up for my retirement, if ever that comes along.”
Three days later, while he was vacuuming dog hair off his sofa, his agent rang him, telling Callen of his casting for The Hobbit.
He tells us that the costume, hair and prosthetic make-up added 28 kilos to his bodyweight. His own long white hair and beard were going to add considerably to the time he would have to spend in the make-up chair. A drastic haircut and shave quickly followed.
He frequently found that at lunch time, he was eating yak hair, because of his gigantic facial hair for Oin. There have also been times where bits of food have found their home in the beard.
Callen spent some time with co-star, Peter Hambleton (Who plays Gloin), dreaming up ideas about the siblings’ past history.
Three days later, while he was vacuuming dog hair off his sofa, his agent rang him, telling Callen of his casting for The Hobbit.
He tells us that the costume, hair and prosthetic make-up added 28 kilos to his bodyweight. His own long white hair and beard were going to add considerably to the time he would have to spend in the make-up chair. A drastic haircut and shave quickly followed.
He frequently found that at lunch time, he was eating yak hair, because of his gigantic facial hair for Oin. There have also been times where bits of food have found their home in the beard.
Callen spent some time with co-star, Peter Hambleton (Who plays Gloin), dreaming up ideas about the siblings’ past history.
Callen is the oldest of the Dwarf cast, and is approaching the age of 65.
Over the period of his life, Callen has worked as a lecturer at the New Zealand drama school, Toi Whakaari, Unitec’s School of Performing and Screen Arts and the University of Auckland.
He also runs a Performing Arts course in Auckland called The Actors’ Program. He describes the course like this, “The Actors’ Program is a return to the ‘basics’, the development of core skills geared specifically to performance. It’s an exciting new venture that will deliver a new age of actors directly to New Zealand’s stage and screen industry.”
Callen has lived in Auckland for over 20 years, and is married to TVNZ executive, Judi Callen
Over the period of his life, Callen has worked as a lecturer at the New Zealand drama school, Toi Whakaari, Unitec’s School of Performing and Screen Arts and the University of Auckland.
He also runs a Performing Arts course in Auckland called The Actors’ Program. He describes the course like this, “The Actors’ Program is a return to the ‘basics’, the development of core skills geared specifically to performance. It’s an exciting new venture that will deliver a new age of actors directly to New Zealand’s stage and screen industry.”
Callen has lived in Auckland for over 20 years, and is married to TVNZ executive, Judi Callen
AWARDS
John Callen hasn't won any Film and TV awards, although he has been a part of the ensemble awards.
MOST NOTABLE MILESTONES
1988:
1993: 1998-2002: 2000: 2004: 2006: 2009: 2010: 2014: |
Played a villainous DJ in Send A Gorilla
Portrayed MP David Lange in the true story made film, The Rainbow Warrior Directed Shortland Street Directed an episode of Jackson’s Wharf Directed The Tribe Starred in the Treasure Island Kids Series which had 3 films – The Battle of Treasure Island, The Monster of Treasure Island and The Mystery of Treasure Island Directed even more of Shortland Street Directed Karaoke High Directed Taonga: Treasures of our Past Directed and wrote a Battle of Britain doco, The Kiwi Who Saved Britain Co-starred with Rhys Darby in the New Zealand filmed RomCom, Love Birds Starring in Syrenia as Joseph Ford alongside Nick Frost. The film is about a young boy creating a fantasy world through the lens of his home movie camera after the death of his parents. And is due for release in 2015. |
JOHN CALLEN PORTRAYS:
OIN
The Hobbit Trilogy
The Hobbit Trilogy