John Hunter's Blog

Films by Hunter that moved me the most emotionally...

2011-12-05T06:00:42.948+11:00

Films by Hunter that moved me the most emotionally were:

Newsfront (A.F.I.A. awarded)
Gallipolli (A.F.I.A. awarded)
The Dismissal - for his absolutely Earth-shattering portrayal of Reginald Frances Xavier “Rex” Connor, Minister for Minerals & Energy in the Whitlam Government.
Strictly Ballroom
Pricilla, Queen of the Desert
Muriel’s Wedding
Crackerjack – what a totally funny “bastard!!!”

But the most spectacular Bill Hunter role of all time was:

“Bill Hunter – THE face of Broken Hill Proprietary – The BIG Australian!

With full credit to Andrew Wilson of Wilson Everard Advertising, I reproduce Andrew’s such wonderful words below to illustrate who B.H.P. Bill Hunter really was:

“I knew Bill Hunter was the future 'face of BHP' after seeing The Dismissal –his portrayal of Rex Connor was a tour de force.

Two years later we were in Karratha and Mt Newman in WA making the first of what would be a mammoth (for the ad industry), thirteen ads for BHP around the nation and around America.

Each ad was written for Bill –all sixty seconds and with plenty of 'space'. Mike Brady had written the score for a TAA pitch years before and we took it over as the unofficial BHP 'anthem'.

But Bill was the heart and soul of the campaign –I wrote every ad but Bill's delivery made every ad believable.
Most were shot by DOP/Director Ian Baker whose eye always captured the romance of even the toughest environments.

Bill was a great storyteller and as such they weren't really ads at all but a sort of Australian Industrial Geographic.
Over three years we spent a lot of time in remote locations and even on board a large bulk carrier –and Bill never complained –in fact I reckon he loved it.

In one ad we had a bloke walk between Bill and the camera as he was delivering a line to make it more 'real'.
Bill wasn't supposed to acknowledge him but he paused, slapped him on the shoulder as he passed and said 'G'day Kenny' and finished the take.

It was unrehearsed, unscripted and unbelievably good –it was Bill.

Like everyone else who ever worked with him, I wish I'd had the opportunity to say 'see ya mate' to a great bloke.
But in the end I have the satisfaction of knowing I got the casting exactly right because more than any conglomerate –Bill Hunter was truly The Big Australian”.

Andrew Wilson.

In closing I’d like to repeat one of Hunter’s most famous quotes (but not very popular with his craft):

Of acting, Hunter said, "As long as the director told me where to stand and what to say, I was happy. Anyone who says there's any more to it than that, is full of bullshit. "It's a job. It is a craft, but there's no art involved," Hunter added. "What you need is common sense and a reasonably rough head. You put on the makeup and the wardrobe, and that is half the performance. That upsets the purists, but never mind, they don't work as much as I do."

Sean Kelly.

Born in Ballarat in 1940, passed away in 2011 at K...

2011-12-05T05:58:54.395+11:00

Born in Ballarat in 1940, passed away in 2011 at Kew, Bill really was “larger than life” by any measure.

Like so many of us that use John’s Hunter’s specialised service, Bill Hunter was well known throughout the film and acting industries for a very serious life-long struggle with substance abuse (alcohol).

He appeared in so many films (often described as being “half pissed and cantankerous” whilst on set). When sober, he was said to be a fine man and beautiful person. On set he is said to have delivered his lines absolutely “flawlessly” no matter what his state of inebriation.

There were so many films, but I’ll just pick out a few of worthy note (which really meant something) to me:

Being a “geek” I have to start with:

Bill’s little known “extra” role in the William Hartnell era “Doctor Who” of 1966 “The Ark” (Not to be confused with the later Tom baker era Dr Who story “The Ark in Space”). Hartnell was the very FIRST and original “Doctor”. Bill Hunter played the minor role of an uncredited “Guardian” in the first two episodes of the four part drama that first went to air in the UK during March 1966, less than a month after Australia had adopted decimal currency.

Yes. Nicely said, John. These are terrible times...

2009-02-09T13:27:00.000+11:00

Yes. Nicely said, John. These are terrible times for those involved and frustrating (and to a small extent, guilty) feelings of those who are spared them.

Fair comment. It's not the heat or the cold that ...

2009-01-30T15:44:00.000+11:00

Fair comment. It's not the heat or the cold that irks me at present - it is the dry.

Interesting! Thanks for the ideas. I'm an author r...

2009-01-21T02:56:00.000+11:00

Interesting! Thanks for the ideas. I'm an author researching depression medication for one of my characters and this is helpful.