John Polson
John Polson is an Australian actor and film and television director. He founded the short film festival Tropfest in 1993.
John Polson

Eva Rinaldi · CC BY-SA 2.0
- Name
- John Polson
- Birthplace
- Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Occupation
- Actor, director
- Born
- 1965 · Sydney.
- Nationality
- Australia
- Education
- North Sydney Boys High School · Glenaeon Rudolf Steiner School
- Honours
- Byron Kennedy Award
- Languages
- English
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John Polson is an Australian actor and film and television director. He founded the short film festival Tropfest in 1993.
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Authority files
wikidata · Q164131 · wikipedia · John Polson
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — John Polson • Birthplace — Sydney, New South Wales, Australia • Occupation — Actor, director • Years Active — 1986–present
Career
Career
As an actor, Polson is perhaps best known for his role starring opposite Russell Crowe and Jack Thompson in The Sum of Us (1994). In 2005 he directed the film Hide and Seek, which achieved number one box-office status in America. He also directed the feature film Tenderness starring Russell Crowe and Laura Dern, which was released in 2009. Polson is the founder of Tropfest, the world's largest short film festival, in 1993.
As director
As director
• Year — Title — Notes • 1999 — Siam Sunset • 2002 — Swimfan • 2005 — Hide and Seek • 2006–2009 — Without a Trace — 7 episodes • 2009–2011 — The Mentalist — 5 episodes • 2009 — Tenderness • Fringe — Episode: "The No-Brainer" • The Good Wife — Episode: "Unorthdox" • 2010 — FlashForward — 4 episodes • Happy Town — Episode: "This Is Why We Stay" • No Ordinary Family — Episode: "No Ordinary Mobster" • 2011 — Lie to Me — Episode: "Rebound" • Body of Proof — Episode: "All in the Family" • 2011–2013 — Blue Bloods — 6 episodes • 2013–2019 — Elementary — 19 episodes • 2015 — Zoo — Episode: "Wild Things" • 2017 — The Walking Dead — Episode: "The King, the Widow, and Rick" • 2018 — Fear the Walking Dead — Episode: "What's Your Story?" • 2019 — The Code — Episode: "Maggie's Drawers" • 2019–2022 — Chicago Med — 4 episodes • 2020 — The Wilds — 3 episodes • 2021 — FBI — 2 episodes • FBI: Most Wanted — Episode: "Hustler" • FBI: International — Episode: "Voice of The People" • 2021–2022 — Law & Order: Organized Crime — 5 episodes • 2025 — The Last Anniversary — 6 episodes • 2026 — Every Year After — Episode: "Goodbye..."
As actor
As actor
• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1986 — Shout! The Story of Johnny O'Keefe — Deejay Saxophone — 2 episodes • For Love Alone — Leo • Call Me Mr. Brown — Brian Day • 1987 — Vietnam — Serge — 10 episode • Captain James Cook — George Forster — Episode: "#1.3" • Dangerous Game — Tony • 1988 — Rafferty's Rules — Garth Manso — Episode: "Peace of Mind" • Always Afternoon — John — Television film • Dadah Is Death — Kevin Barlow • 1989 — Tender Hooks — Tony • Candy Regentag — Cyril • 1990 — Prisoners of the Sun — Private Jimmy Fenton — Originally released as Blood Oath • The Flying Doctors — Michael Jordan — Episode: "Rest in Peace" • 1991 — G.P. — Brendan — Episode: "So Makes the Man" • The Flying Doctors — Barry Maclntyre — Episode: "Open Day" • 1992 — Embassy — Vince Cooper — 13 episodes • 1993 — Gino — Stan • A Country Practice — Robbie Angnew — 4 episode • 1994 — Heartland — Patrick • Sirens — Tom • The Sum of Us — Greg • 1995 — G.P. — Nick — Episode: "The Carrot the Stick" • Back of Beyond — Nick • 1996 — Idiot Box — Jonah • 1997 — Big Sky — Jimbo's Competition — Episode: "Navstar" • Kangaroo Palace — Richard Turner — Television film • 1998 — The Boys — Glenn Sprague • 2000 — Mission: Impossible 2 — Billy Baird • 2020 — The Dry — Scott Whitlam
Video games
Video games
• Year — Title — Voice role — Notes • 2003 — Mission: Impossible – Operation Surma — Billy Baird
Identity
Identity
John Polson is recorded as having received Byron Kennedy Award.
Activity and practice
John Polson is recorded as having studied at North Sydney Boys High School and Glenaeon Rudolf Steiner School.

Tropfest 2012
Eva Rinaldi · Tropfest 2012
Awards
In February 2001, Polson's film Siam Sunset won the Minami Toshiko Award at the 12th Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival in Hokkaidō, Japan. At the APRA Music Awards of 2013 Screen Music Awards ceremony he was presented with the International Achievement Award.
Literature
Scholarly footprint
A count of publications is evidence of attention, not of standing, and is given here only as a measure.
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Wotherspoon, Garry. Tropfest. The Dictionary of Sydney. 2011.
- 2.TROPFEST – THE WORLD'S LARGEST SHORT FILM FESTIVAL. tropfest.com. 14 July 2011.
- 3.yubarifanta.com. Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival 2001.
- 4.Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) | Australian Guild of Screen Composers (AGSC). International Achievement Award. 2013.
References
Citations
References
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Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 16 August 2026.
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