Richard Neville Farewelled

It was at the book launch in 2011 for the late film-maker Albie Thoms at the Paddington Town Hall that Whispers last spoke to Richard Neville  (pictured left at the launch)

A close friend confided that Richard had been diagnosed with early-onset dementia. He seemed fine and in good spirits but sadly this terrible scourge carried Neville off earlier this month at age 74.

It's a shame we couldn't make the memorial last Saturday morning for Richard at The Wharf  but Sydney's chronicler of personalities, photographer William Yang was there:

Richard Walsh & Julie Clarke Neville

"RICHARD NEVILLE'S memorial event was, appropriately, something of a talk fest. The speakers, each in their way excellent, created a diverse and rich tribute to Richard. Julie Neville welcomed the guests and Richard Walsh began the avalanche of memories. Louise Ferrier, once girlfriend to Richard, spoke of the time in London. George Gittoes read a message from Julian Assange. Charlie Waterstreet, Jenny Kee, Morris Gleitzman gave tributes. Bryan Brown read Richard's adaptation of Ginsberg's poem "Howl" set in a more modern corporate world. Hellen Rose and Reg Mombassa each sang songs. Richard's daughters, Angelica and Lucy. stole the show. They painted Richard as a father conflicted by his alternative, libertine past and a persona they called "The Colonel", (his father was a colonel), who had extremely conservative views when it came to raising his daughters, and who terrorised their boyfriends. The singalong of Dylan's "Mr Tambourine Man" as the finale almost worked.
The event at the Wharf was a true TRIBAL GATHERING, touched with sadness and celebration, and memorable because of the speeches.

                                             Words & Photos by WILLIAM YANG

Jenny Kee & William Yang *    Tony & Amanda Bilson *        Jill Wran & David Malouf *   Mick Glasheen

Book Launch Brings out Movie Crowd

He wasn't well known by the general public but within Australian cinema the late Albie Thoms was a name to be reckoned with. He completed his memoir My Generation days before he slipped away from cancer at aged 70, three weeks ago.

Albie Thoms, Charles Higham and Frank Thring

Bryan Brown & Gillian Armstrong

Thoms was a leading figure in the revival  of the local film industry in the 1970s when he began Ubu Films inspired by the French New Wave , British and US underground film movements.

Many of today's most recognisable names came within Albie's orbit and were inspired or encouraged by Thoms to pursue their dreams at a time when their hopes of success at best may have seen them appear in an episode of an ABC drama or a commercial TV cop show, in front of, or behind the camera.

Peter Clifton & Glen A.Baker

Claudia Karvan

At the celebration to honour Albie Thoms' life and to launch his just completed autobiography, many turned up to discuss old times. Actors Claudia Karvan, Bryan Brown and Judy Davis joined directors Bruce Beresford, Jan Chapman and Gillian Armstrong along with producers Jim McElroy, Margaret  Fink and Oz Magazine's Richard Neville.

Publisher Richard Walsh & Jim McElroy

Wendy Whiteley

Richard Neville

Over 300 guests packed Paddington Town Hall's newly decorated auditorium to take in screenings of some Albie's first movie productions like Bluto and Blunderball which were praised in their day by the late US film critic Charles Higham.
 There was also time to re-tell one of Albie's favorite stories : Thoms was commissioned to produce several episodes of the TV series Skippy, the Bush Kangaroo (still big in Eastern Europe) and the guest star was the high camp actor Frank Thring, star of Hollywood biblical blockbusters like Ben Hur.                                      
As the crew brought on yet another struggling  kangaroo in a sack for the day's shoot- Thring quipped  "If that's the star's friggin' dressing room, what's mine going to be like?"