Heath Franklin
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Heath Franklin is a Sydney-based comedic performer, improviser and writer.
[edit] Career
He is most famous for his characters from The Ronnie Johns Half Hour sketch comedy TV show.
One of his characters, Chopper, based on real life criminal Mark 'Chopper' Read, has become a cult favourite, especially on internet sites such as YouTube.
In 2006, Franklin was nominated for the Inaugural Graham Kennedy Logie Award for "Most Outstanding New Talent" regarding his work on The Ronnie Johns Half Hour. He also performed warm-up duties for the Logies.
In December 2006, Franklin appeared as Chopper on the Network Ten "The Christmas Panel" special. He also appeared as Chopper on The Comedy Channel's Stand Up Australia.
From March to June 2007, Franklin performed a national live tour of his character, Chopper, in Chopper's Harden the Fuck Up Australia Tour. Initially booked to play 52 dates, Franklin performed the show over 90 times to sell-out crowds each night, and nearly 40,000 people total attendance, breaking box office figures for the 2007 Adelaide Fringe (+9000 tickets sold).
Franklin was invited to perform as Chopper at the 2007 Edinburgh Fringe in August at the prestigious Assembly Rooms for an international version of his Australian show, Chopper's Harden the Fuck Up World Tour. He also performed three sell-out preview shows in London on July 28 and 29. While in Edinburgh, Franklin also played a dramatic role, the part of Witton in a production of Breaker Morant at the Udderbelly which also starred fellow comedians Sammy J, Adam Hills and Brendon Burns.
From Feb - June 2008, Franklin will reprise his character Chopper in a new national Australian tour, Make Deadshits History, the much anticipated follow up to Harden the Fuck Up Australia, travelling 26 cities across all Australian states and territories.
