Mike Preston, Mad Max 2 and Hot Pursuit actor, dies at 93
Mike Preston, the Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior and Hot Pursuit actor, has died at 93. His wife, Josie Preston, confirmed the news to Variety. Preston died June 8 in Florida. He was best known as settler leader Pappagallo and for decades of screen work.
Key Takeaways
- Mike Preston died June 8 in Florida at age 93, Variety reported.
- His wife, Josie Preston, confirmed his death to the trade outlet.
- He played Pappagallo in Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior and Alec Shaw on Hot Pursuit.
- Born Jack Davis, he began as a late-1950s U.K. chart singer before acting in Australia and beyond.
- He is survived by his wife and two daughters; his final credit was a 2002 video-game voice role.
Preston's passing closes a career that stretched from British pop charts to George Miller's beloved Mad Max sequel and a long run of television guest spots. For more entertainment obituaries and series news, see our Streaming & TV Alerts hub.
Who was Mike Preston and why does his death matter?
Mike Preston was a singer-turned-actor whose screen work spanned Australia, the U.K., and Hollywood guest casts. In Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior, he played Pappagallo, the settler leader in George Miller's sequel.
That part remains his best-known film credit. According to Variety, he also appeared in eight episodes of Hot Pursuit as Alec Shaw, alongside Kerrie Keane, Eric Pierpoint and Dina Merrill.
His death at 93 lands as notable news for fans of The Road Warrior and for viewers who followed his Australian television years and later U.S. guest roles.
What roles defined Mike Preston's career beyond Mad Max?
Before film fame, Preston—born Jack Davis—was an early U.K. chart-topping singer in the late 1950s with three Top 40 hits. He then relocated to Australia and began working as a nightclub singer and performer.
He found success hosting In Melbourne Tonight, then appeared in 42 episodes of the Australian series Homicide as Detective Bob Delaney. He had a recurring role in the soap Bellbird and also appeared in Dixon of Dock Green, Tandarra, Chopper Squad and Cop Shop.
His first feature film role was in 1969's Stoney, which also featured Barbara Bouchet and Richard Jaeckel. He led the sci-fi film Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn as the title character. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Preston guested on more than a dozen shows, including Ellen, Scarecrow and Mrs. King, Shadow Chasers, Outlaws, Superbly, Alien Nation, Dark Justice, Highlander, Steel and Law & Order.
Variety lists his last credit as a voice role in the video game The Getaway, released in 2002.
How was Mike Preston's death confirmed, and who survives him?
Josie Preston confirmed her husband's death to Variety. He died June 8 in Florida at age 93.
Preston is survived by his wife, Josie Preston, and two daughters. The Variety report did not include funeral arrangements.
Fans revisiting Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior or Hot Pursuit will still find Preston's work as Pappagallo and Alec Shaw among the clearest markers of a career that began on the pop charts and ended in voice acting.