Mark Mitchell (born 29 September 1954) is an Australian actor, comedian and contemporary artist, best known for his roles in the sketch comedy series The Comedy Company, most especially his character of Greek Australiangreen grocerCon the Fruiterer, as well as his role in Round the Twist as greedy real estate agent Mr. Gribble.
Mitchell prior to his showbiz and acting career, taught English at a secondary school for five years before becoming an advertising copy-writer prior.
He started in entertainment by starring in the pioneering sketch comedy show The Eleventh Hour, a predecessor to hit sketch show The Comedy Company.
He portrayed numerous characters on the show, but was best known for his comic character of bumbling green grocer 'Con the Fruiterer', Mitchell stated he created after him being served by two Greek Australian stall holders at the Glenferrie Markets in 1984.[1] The character became known nationally from regular appearances in The Comedy Company, for which he also created the character of Con's wife, Marika.
Mitchell voices commercial radio advertising campaigns, playing a dim-witted fool who interviews various people about radio advertising, with amusing consequences resulting from his character's lack of understanding the interviewees.
He portrayed fictional museum exhibit figure 'Max Muck' for some of the video reel and photos used and depicted in the exhibit "The Muck Bunker Constipation Experience" at Scienceworks Museum in Melbourne, housed in the Spotswood Pumping Station.
He has had supporting lead roles in various US movies made in Australia including The Munsters' Scary Little Christmas and The Strange Story of Sante and Kenny Kimes, and voiced the character of 'Buck Cluck' for the Australian release of Chicken Little. He has also portrayed David Lange in the 1994 New Zealand miniseries Fallout.[2][3]
