Vincent Gil death: Mad Max’s Nightrider dies aged 83

Actor’s friend and co-star said he had been ‘very frail for quite some time’

Mad Max star Vincent Gil has died aged 83.

The Australian actor was best known for playing The Nightrider in the original 1979 film.

Gil’s death was announced in a Facebook post by his co-star Paul Johnstone, who played Cundalini. No cause of death was given.

Sharing a recent photo of the pair embracing, Johnstone wrote: “Sadly, it is true… Vince Gil has left us. He’s been very frail for quite some time and mercifully no longer needs to be constrained by his mortal form.”

He continued: “My fondest memory of Vince will be during our wonderful tour of Japan for MMCon 2015. He was already in less-than-ideal health, and in the opening days a couple of us were concerned about his ability to get through the long demanding days of convention and socialising and travel and convention.

“We need not have been concerned. Vince was remarkable – he rose to the occasion every time, fed off the energy of the wonderful Japanese fans, and on the occasions when I’d glance at him and be worried about his ability to keep going, he’d shrug off any concerns and showed that he had a lot more stamina than many of we much younger men.”

Gil (right) and Johnstone (Paul Cundalini Johnstone/Facebook)

Closing off his post, Johnstone added: “We will remember you when we look at the night sky.”

Born in Sydney in 1939, Gil landed his first role in 1966 and worked until the early Noughties in Australian TV and film, with roles in shows such as Neighbours and Matlock Police.

He starred opposite Mel Gibson in Max Max as Crawford Montazano AKA Nightrider, who was a member of Toecutter’s (Hugh Keays-Byrne) motorbike gang.