On September 14 1947 New Zealand actor & winemaker Sam Neill was born. His birth name is Nigel John Dermot Neill. He was born in Northern Ireland, in Omagh, County Tyrone, the second son of Dermot Neill, a Harrow- and Sandhurst-educated British Army officer and third-generation New Zealander, and his English wife, Priscilla Beatrice. In 1954, Neill returned with his family to New Zealand, where he attended the Anglican boys' boarding school Christ's College in Christchurch. He then went on to study English literature at the University of Canterbury.

Sam Neill started work at the National Film Unit (NFU) before embarking on a successful acting career. He joined the NFU on January 31 1972 as a Production Trainee. He was promoted to Production Assistant in 1974 before becoming a Film Director in 1977. He left the Film Unit sometime before March 1979 (Information gathered from Public Service lists held in Wellington Reading Room of Archives New Zealand).

The National Film Unit was established to publicise New Zealand's participation and achievements during the Second World War. After 1945 the NFU expanded from producing weekly newsreels to making documentaries and films to the order of Government Departments. During its existence the NFU produced films for national organisations as well as many films on its own initiative. The private film industry in New Zealand relied heavily on the National Film Unit's extensive film processing facilities.

Sam’s first film was Landfall – A Film About Ourselves produced by the National Film Unit. He later went on to achieve huge success with Hollywood blockbusters such as Jurassic Park. He also runs a vineyard in Queenstown called Two Paddocks - www.twopaddocks.com/

His full filmography can be found here: www.imdb.com/name/nm0000554/

Reference: AAPG W3939 Box 28 <a archway.archives.govt.nz/ViewFullItem.do?code=24291725

For more information email Research.Archives@dia.govt.nz