Sam Moran

Sam Moran

Sam Moran (born April 4, 1978) is an Australian entertainer best known for being a member of the children's band The Wiggles. He was born in Sydney, Australia and raised in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia.[1] Moran has appeared in many plays and musicals, including "Haste to the Wedding", written by John Field, Anthony Field's brother and songwriter for The Wiggles.[2] While still at university studying music education, Moran began performing with The Wiggles in 1998, hosting and touring with "Dorothy the Dinosaur Show"[3] and appearing as Professor Singalottasonga and Dapper Dave in their TV series. He became Greg Page's understudy in 2002 and filled in for Page over 150 times, especially in the months leading up to Page's retirement in November 2006, when Moran took over as the Yellow Wiggle. Moran's schtick is losing things.[4]

Although the transition from Page to Moran as the group's lead singer was "smooth" for the young children of The Wiggles' audience, it was more difficult for their parents.[5] Band mate Murray Cook reported that Moran did "amazingly well" as a Wiggle, and that the addition of Moran changed their sound, forced the group to "rethink things", and made the band stronger. Although Moran struggled with the spontaneity of The Wiggles' stage performances, Cook said, "We’ve never felt like we had to carry him or anything. He’s a smart guy. But it is a bit different, just having a different person on stage." Moran's background in musical theatre was different than his band mates, so The Wiggles had to change the way they recorded their music. At sound checks, their practice was to "kind of jam on things", but Moran often did not know the songs the other three used at those times. Cook reported that it took some time for Moran, but a year after Page's retirement stated, "We’re slowly educating each other".[ Before he became a professional singer and performer, due to his "love of gadgets", Moran seriously considered going into information technology as a career.[7] Moran's musical influences include Puccini, Stevie Wonder, Coldplay, and John Mayer.[8]

Moran is a big fan of the Australian Football League team the Sydney Swans. He is also "a keen cook" when not touring with The Wiggles.[9] He is married to American Lyn Stuckey, a dancer with The Wiggles who has played Dorothy the Dinosaur.[10]