Story: Māori theatre – te whare tapere hōu

Jim Moriarty, 1994

Jim Moriarty, 1994

Jim Moriarty (Ngāti Toa, Ngāti Koata, Ngāti Kahungunu) began acting at Wellington's Unity Theatre in the 1960s, while still in school. He later joined the cast of the groundbreaking New Zealand television soap opera, Close to home. Moriarty was offered the lead role of Jake the Muss in the film version of Once were warriors, but turned down the part to concentrate on touring with his own theatre company, Te Rakau Trust. This photo shows him in one of his best-known roles, the solo show Michael James Manaia, at Taki Rua in 1994. 

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library, Dominion Post Collection (PAColl-7327)
Reference: EP/1994/3514/4-F
Photograph by Mark Coote

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page:

Mark Derby and Briar Grace-Smith, 'Māori theatre – te whare tapere hōu - First Māori theatre companies, 1970–1990', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/43331/jim-moriarty-1994 (accessed 25 April 2024)

Story by Mark Derby and Briar Grace-Smith, published 22 Oct 2014