Rare sighting of Aussie actor Yahoo Serious at 70

The distinctive Aussie actor responsible for the hit film Young Einstein has been spotted looking fighting fit at 70 years old.

It’s been more than 35 years since Australian actor Yahoo Serious shot to fame with the hit film Young Einstein.

While the actor, director and writer went on to make two more films, he largely retired from the public eye in the noughties and now lives a quiet life in Sydney.

These new photos show Serious – born Greg Pead – out walking his dog near his home.

Serious, who will turn 71 in July, still looks fit and healthy, with his trademark long locks intact.

A rare sighting of a once-ubiquitous Aussie actor. Picture: BACKGRID

Serious’ breakout film Young Einstein was a zany, fictionalised account of the early life of Albert Einstein, featuring the star in the titular role, complete with wildly teased bouffant.

The film was an instant smash here in Australia, becoming one of the top-grossing Aussie films of all time, and went on to make almost $25 million at the global box office against a $5 million budget.

In Yahoo Serious-ly good shape at 70. Picture: BACKGRID

Serious in 1988’s breakthrough, Young Einstein.

A follow-up came five years later: Once again written, directed and starring Serious, Reckless Kelly saw the actor play a modern-day Ned Kelly character.

While Reckless Kelly performed strongly at Australian cinemas, it failed to catch on overseas, only making $5 million against a $20 million budget.

One further film followed in 2000, Mr Accident, which again made modest returns at the box office.

Serious now lives a quiet life in Sydney. Picture: BACKGRID

Serious circa 2000, the year his final film was released.

Asked at a 2019 screening of Young Einstein what he’d been up to all these years, Serious said that he’d “been writing and I hope to continue to make some more movies.”

Back in 2000, Serious famously tried to sue the search engine Yahoo! for trademark infringement, in a case that was thrown out of court when he could not prove that he sold products or services under the Yahoo! name.

And in 2020, his name hit the headlines when he was evicted from his Sydney home after falling more than $27,000 behind in rental payments.

At the time, Serious told the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal he had previously earned income through his artistic and creative endeavours but that Covid lockdowns had impacted a project he was working on.

Originally published as Rare sighting of Aussie actor Yahoo Serious at 70