Ross Higgins
The voice of a generation of Aussies, equally famous as a bigoted TV dad and a pesky animated fly in a long-running ad campaign.
1931–2016 (age 85)·Australian actor·Birthday: June 14·The Silent Generation
Biography
Ross Higgins was a consummate entertainer whose voice and face became embedded in Australian popular culture. A veteran of radio and vaudeville, he possessed a everyman quality and a masterful comic timing that translated perfectly to television. His defining role was as Ted Bullpitt, the hilariously opinionated and perpetually grumpy patriarch in 'Kingswood Country.' Higgins turned Bullpitt's catchphrases—most famously the whining 'Don't you touch that dial!'—into national in-jokes, satirizing a certain brand of suburban masculinity. Parallel to his on-screen career, his voice work was inescapable. For over fifty years, he was the sneering, wisecracking voice of 'Louie the Fly' in the Mortein insecticide ads, a campaign so enduring it became part of the country's auditory landscape. Higgins never sought leading man status, but as a character actor and vocal artist, he achieved a level of recognition and affection that few Australian performers ever match.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Ross was born in 1931, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Ross Was Born
The biggest hits of 1931
#1 Movie
Frankenstein
Best Picture
Cimarron
Ross's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1931Born
The Empire State Building opens as the world's tallest
Gas: $0.17/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Minnie the Moocher" — Cab CallowayBest Picture: Cimarron
1936Started school
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1944Became a teenager
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1947Could drive
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1949Could vote
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1952Turned 21
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1961Turned 30
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1971Turned 40
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1981Turned 50
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1991Turned 60
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2001Turned 70
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2011Turned 80
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2016Died at 85
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
Key Achievements
- Portrayed the iconic Australian television character Ted Bullpitt on 'Kingswood Country' and its revival 'Bullpitt!'
- Voiced 'Louie the Fly' for the Mortein insecticide television commercials for over 50 years, from 1960 until his death.
- Provided the voice for 'Mr. Pound' in the educational campaign introducing decimal currency to Australia in 1966.
- Had a long career in radio, including as a host on the popular station 2UE in Sydney.
Did You Know?
He was also a skilled singer and recorded several novelty songs, including 'The Pub With No Beer.'
Before his acting career took off, he worked as a salesman for a pharmaceutical company.
His son, Justin Higgins, is also an actor and voice artist.
The character of Ted Bullpitt was originally created for a segment on the comedy show 'The Naked Vicar Show.'
“You don't play the joke; you play the truth of the man in the joke.”
