The Young Doctors and A Country Practice's Brian Wenzel dies aged 94

Brian Wenzel, the beloved Australian actor behind A Country Practice's Frank Gilroy, has died. He was 94.

It's understood he died in a nursing home in Adelaide, South Australia, weeks before he was set to turn 95 on May 24.

"It is with great sadness that we remember the life of beloved Australian actor Brian Wenzel," Jennifer Hennessy, his agent, said in a statement to 9honey Celebrity.

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"His iconic and revered performances spanned multiple Australian generations with his wit and humour shining through to the end.

"A passionate family man and devoted Carlton supporter leaves an irreplaceable mark on the Australian film and television industry," Hennessy concluded.

The Logie winner leaves behind his wife of 67 years, Linda Wenzel, and an almost eight decade legacy in the country's entertainment industry.

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Born in 1929, Wenzel began his acting career at the age of 17, and notably starred as Mr. Cox in Nine's The Young Doctors.

He then scored the role of Frank Gilroy, an old-fashioned and uptight sergeant who was the heart of A Country Practice for 12 years.

It was the role of Gilroy that saw Wenzel win the Silver Logie Award for Best Actor in 1981.

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Following the soap opera's final episode in 1993, Wenzel briefly appeared in Neighbours as Gordon 'Flakey the Clown' Orchard, and then as Murray in 2002's Marshall Law.

His final role was as 'Judge' in 2014's John Doe: Vigilante.

In 2021, it emerged that since 2018, Wenzel had suffered two mini strokes.

Fans of Wenzel have flooded social media with tributes to the late actor, with one writing on Facebook: "RIP Brian Wenzel. Thank you for making Frank Gilroy one of the best characters on Australian Television."

Another wrote: "RIP Brian …. Thanks for the laughs and the memories we had with you . My mind is re-living some of those times …Rest in peace . 🥲B.L.U.E.S".

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