Full name: Harold Charles Sydney Heylen

Born: 25 May 1922 in Renmark, South Australia
Died: 4 December 1996, Gold Coast, Queensland

After the war, he went into vaudeville. In 1956, he starred in the variety show "The Show of Stars" with Hal Lashwood and John Ewart. After that show, he appeared on "Sunnyside Up" in Melbourne for 10 years. In 1961, he married Patti Brillain (his second wife) and together they had two children, Syd Jr. and Julie (both in the entertainment industry).

Syd was cast as Cookie on ACP after James Davern saw him in the TV series "Arcade". The chemistry between Syd and Gordon Piper was readily apparent and two minor guest characters ended up as beloved regulars. After Syd left " A Country Practice" in 1992, he and Patti retired to their Gold Coast home, where Syd had an impressive rose garden. He would occassionally do public appearances and performances. He died in Allamanda Hospital (on the Gold Coast) after complications from a stroke he had in November 1996.

TELEVISION:

• 1982 to 1991: Vernon "Cookie" Locke on "A Country Practice"
• 1981: handyman in "A Town Like Alice" (TV mini series)
  -- very small part
• 1980: Walter Blair (alcoholic comic) on "Arcade"
• 1950's/60's: "Sunnyside Up"
• 1956: "The Show of Stars"
• Other appearances: The Sullivans, Homicide, Matlock Police, The Box

FILM:

• 1985: "Hector's Bunyip"
• 1982: Pub regular in "Star Struck"
• 1981: Curmudgeon (old man at the refinery) in "Mad Max II: The Road Warrior"
• 1980: Old Bob in "Stir" (aka "The Promotion of Mr. Smith")
• 1977: "Listen to the Lion"
• 1959: "Summer of the Seventeenth Doll"