Jeff Truman was a prolific and award-winning Australian screenwriter and actor, who worked on many popular TV shows and films, such as Neighbours, Underbelly, The Doctor Blake Mysteries, and Superman Returns. He died on December 2, 2014, at the age of 57, after suffering a brain haemorrhage. Here are some details about his life, career, and death.
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Early Life and Career
Jeff Truman was born on November 4, 1957, in Sydney, Australia. He started his career as an actor, appearing in various films and TV shows in the 1980s and 1990s, such as Running on Empty, The Blue Lightning, A Cry in the Dark, The Flying Doctors, Home and Away, and Time Trax. He also had a small role in Bryan Singer’s Superman Returns in 2006.
Transition to Screenwriting
Truman later shifted his focus to screenwriting, and became a member of the Australian Writer Guild for over 30 years. He wrote for many successful and acclaimed TV shows, such as Rescue: Special Ops, City Homicide, Packed to the Rafters, The Strip, Sea Patrol, Last Man Standing, The Alice, Stingers, McLeod’s Daughters, Neighbours, Home and Away, E Street, A Country Practice, Fat Tony & Co., Winter, and The Doctor Blake Mysteries.
He also wrote for the Underbelly franchise, which dramatized the real-life stories of Australian criminals and law enforcement. He was nominated for five AWGIE awards for his work on Underbelly: Razor, Underbelly: Badness, Underbelly: Squizzy, Neighbours, and Stingers. He won the award for Best Original Mini Series for Underbelly: Badness in 2013.
Truman also wrote the feature film Envy, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 1999. It was a dark comedy about two friends who become rivals over a woman.
Jeff Truman Cause of Death
Truman died on December 2, 2014, after suffering a brain haemorrhage. He was hospitalized on November 30, 2014, with a severe headache, and never regained consciousness. He passed away in hospital with his family and friends by his side.
His death was mourned by many of his colleagues and fans, who praised his talent, generosity, and humor. He was remembered as a brilliant and versatile writer, who could create compelling stories and characters across different genres and formats. He was also described as a kind and supportive mentor, who helped many aspiring writers and actors in the industry.
Truman is survived by his wife, Jane, and his two sons, Max and Sam. He also had a daughter, Lucy, from a previous marriage.
Legacy and Tribute
Truman’s legacy lives on through his numerous works, which continue to entertain and inspire audiences. His final scripts for The Doctor Blake Mysteries were aired posthumously in 2015, and were dedicated to his memory. The show’s creator, George Adams, said that Truman was “a vital part of the Doctor Blake family, and his loss is felt deeply by all of us.”
In 2015, the Australian Writer Guild established the Jeff Truman Mentorship Award, which recognizes an outstanding mentor in the screen industry. The award is given annually to a writer who has demonstrated excellence in mentoring emerging or mid-career writers, and who has made a significant contribution to the development of Australian screen culture.
The first recipient of the award was Andrew Knight, who was Truman’s friend and colleague. Knight said that Truman was “a wonderful writer, a wonderful man, and a wonderful friend.”
