{{Short description|Australian actor and comedian (1976–2008)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}} {{Use Australian English|date=September 2016}} {{Infobox person | name = Mark Priestley | birth_date = {{birth date|1976|8|9|df=yes}} | birth_place = Perth, Western Australia, Australia | death_date = {{death date and age|2008|8|27|1976|8|9|df=yes}} | death_place = Sydney, New South Wales, Australia | alma_mater = Aquinas College, Perth | education = National Institute of Dramatic Art | occupation = Actor comedian }} '''Mark Damien Priestley''' (9 August 1976 – 27 August 2008) was an Australian actor and comedian. Born in Perth, Western Australia, he graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) with a degree in Performing Arts (acting) in 1999. His first big TV break was when he appeared in ''The Farm'' in 2000 and met director Kate Woods. She gave him a role in her mini-series ''Changi'' in 2001.
== Career == Priestley played a semi-regular role in ''The Secret Life of Us'', had roles in two ABC mini-series-''Changi'' and ''The Farm'' and appeared in ''Blue Heelers'' before his first on-air appearance in ''All Saints'' in July 2004. Priestley was a long-time friend of Wil Traval, his co-star on ''All Saints''. The two were known to get up to countless pranks on set.
Priestley also had some notable theatre credits. He worked with the Bell Shakespeare Company, playing Silvio in ''The Servant of Two Masters'', as well as with The Sydney Theatre Company in ''Major Barbara'', both in 2003.
== ''All Saints'' ==
Priestley's character on the Australian television program ''All Saints'' (Dan Goldman) was involved with a storyline with his on-screen wife Erica when the actor took his own life. Coincidentally, the final two episodes Priestley was to play in on the program (written before his death) also involved much tragedy and sadness.
== Personal life == Priestley was the partner of actress and writer Kate Mulvany.<ref name=ausstory2012>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/austory/content/2012/s3517881.htm|title=Walking With Kate Mulvany [Transcript]| series= Australian Story|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=4 June 2012|access-date=20 July 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170220154350/http://www.abc.net.au/austory/content/2012/s3517881.htm|archive-date=20 February 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>
===Death===
On the afternoon of 27 August 2008 Priestley checked into the Swissotel in Market Street, Sydney, under the name 'Damien Barker'.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/celebrity/all-saints-star-found-dead-20080828-gdsss3.html|title=All Saints star found dead|date=28 August 2008|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|agency=Australian Associated Press|first1=Georgina|last1=Robinson}}</ref> He jumped from a window at the hotel at about 2PM. Police confirmed that his body was found in an awning. A police spokesperson said that the incident was not being treated as suspicious.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,24254076-5001021,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080831041705/http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,24254076-5001021,00.html|archive-date=2008-08-31|title=Mark Priestley dead, co-star Jolene Anderson injured|first1=Marcus|last1=Casey|first2=Holly|last2=Byrnes|first3=Kara|last3=Lawrence|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|location=Sydney|date=28 August 2008}}</ref> The actor was believed to have been suffering from depression. Priestley continued to be seen posthumously in his ''All Saints'' role until 18 November 2008.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,24254098-421,00.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080828211722/http://www.news.com.au/story/0%2C23599%2C24254098-421%2C00.html|url-status=dead|title=All Saints actor Mark Priestley found dead|archivedate=28 August 2008}}</ref>
Priestley's funeral was held on 4 September 2008 at Perth's Holy Family Catholic Church in Como, with more than 500 people in attendance. Press and camera crews were allowed to enter the church at the permission of the family, under the condition that no details of the eulogy be released in public. Priestley was privately cremated after the ceremony.<ref>{{cite news | url = http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24293113-661,00.html | title = All Saints actor Mark Priestley farewelled at Perth service | first1 = Helen | last1 = Ganska | newspaper = Herald Sun | date = 4 September 2008 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080906223222/http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24293113-661,00.html | archive-date = 2008-09-06}}</ref>
Priestley was rewarded for his acclaimed work on ''All Saints'' in April 2009, nominated for a posthumous Logie Award for Most Popular Male Actor on Television but lost out to ''Home and Away'' actor Todd Lasance. It is also noted at the end of the Channel Seven Perth Telethon 2008 telecast as being in memory of him.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25419948-5012803,00.html|title=Mark Priestley's Logies salute|newspaper = Herald Sun|date=3 May 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090506061429/http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25419948-5012803,00.html | archive-date = 2009-05-06}}</ref>
== Notable roles == * ''All Saints'' (2004–2008) – Nurse Dan Goldman * ''The Secret Life of Us'' (2005) – Marcus Nelson * ''Loot'' (2004) – McLachlan Jutsum * ''Blurred'' (2002) – Calvin Jutsum the Holden Boy * ''Changi'' (2001) – John 'Curley' Foster * ''The Farm'' (2001) – Johnno McCormick * ''Better Than Sex'' (2000) – Guy A * ''Warlords Battlecry'' (2000) (voice in videogame) * ''Water Rats'' (2000) – Luke Harris * ''Marriage Acts'' (2000) – Dan Hawkins
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == *{{IMDb name|0697365}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20080901154809/http://au.tv.yahoo.com/b/allsaints/4294/mark-priestley-a-statement-from-channel-seven/ Mark Priestley: A Statement from Channel Seven]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Priestley, Mark}} Category:1976 births Category:2008 deaths Category:Suicides by jumping in Australia Category:Australian male stage actors Category:Australian male television actors Category:People educated at Aquinas College, Perth Category:Male actors from Perth, Western Australia Category:Suicides in New South Wales Category:2008 suicides