Gary Foley played an obnoxious young black character in a minor part in Dogs in Space Dogs in Space - Wikipedia. A 1986 Melbourne film set in 1978.
Philip Adams (film critic, film producer, political activist, journalist) wrote that he was worried that Gary Foley would play the Gary Foley part (named “Barry” in the film), too sympathetically. But realized when he saw that product that, of course, Gary Foley - Wikipedia isn’t sympathetic to /anybody/.
Not a film and TV celebrity, but there would have been few Australians who didn’t know the name in 1978.