Garry McDonald

AO
Born (1948-10-30) 30 October 1948
Bondi, New South Wales, Australia
EducationNational Institute of Dramatic Art (BFA)
Occupations
  • Actor
  • comedian
  • satirist
Years active1967–present
SpouseDiane Craig (m. 1971)

Garry George McDonald AO (born 30 October 1948) is an Australian actor, satirist and comedian. In a career spanning five decades he has had many theatre, television and film roles, and has been listed as a National Living Treasure. He is best known as the seemingly naive celebrity interviewer Norman Gunston, through whom he pioneered the "ambush interviewer" technique since followed by many others. He received a Gold Logie award for the television Norman Gunston Show in which he developed the character. He is also famed for his role of the hapless Arthur Beare in the television sitcom Mother and Son. Appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2003 for service to the community in the mental health field and to the arts as an entertainer, he has also been a board member of the Australian mental health organisation Beyond Blue.

Early life

McDonald was born in Bondi, a beachside suburb of Sydney.[1] He was educated at Cranbrook School. During his time at Cranbrook, McDonald developed an interest in acting and, despite family objections, went on to study at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA), where he obtained a Diploma in Acting (misspelled "Actinig")[2] in 1967.[3][4]

Career

Norman Gunston

It was while working on The Aunty Jack Show in 1973, that McDonald first performed the character for which he became best-known, the gauche and inept TV personality Norman Gunston. Gunston's first appearance was in a series of brief sketches which saw him reporting uncomfortably on a "sex-scandal drought" in Wollongong; a drought he eventually breaks by appearing naked on camera.[5]

McDonald further developed the character in the Norman Gunston Show, for which he won a Gold Logie. Gunston's trademark look included a comb over, makeup to make his face deathbed white and bits of tissue drying on shaving nicks.[6] The series, which satirised many aspects of Australian culture and show business, was a mixture of live and pre-recorded interviews, awkward musical segments – excruciatingly sung by Gunston himself in the broadest "strine" accent – and continuing comedy sketches such as "Norman's Dreamtime" (in which Norman read stories to a group of children, such as "Why Underpants Ride Up").[5]

Using Gunston's gormless personality as a cover to break down the defences of his "victims", McDonald pioneered the satirically provocative ’ambush interview’ technique which was used to great effect in interviews with Paul McCartney, Muhammad Ali, Keith Moon, Leif Garrett, Sally Struthers and Elton John.[6]

As Norman Gunston, McDonald also had a recording career, releasing a string of satirical pop parody records. Gunston's Top 40 hits included his interpretation of the Tom Jones classic "Delilah", the punk rock send-up "I Might Be A Punk But I Love You, Baby" and "KISS Army", a parody of the KISS single "I Was Made For Loving You".[5] He also appeared onstage with Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention at the Hordern Pavilion in Sydney on 20 January 1976, playing harmonica on "The Torture Never Stops" - this performance was later released on the 2002 live album FZ:OZ.[7]

Mother and Son

McDonald played Arthur Beare in the television series Mother and Son, starring alongside Ruth Cracknell[8] over six seasons from 1984 until 1994. He won several Logie Awards for his role in the show.

Offspring

McDonald joined the cast of the drama series Offspring in 2012 (Season 3) and was a series regular. He played Doctor Philip Noonan.[9]

Personal

Early in his career he met his wife, the actress Diane Craig, during a production of Let's Get A Divorce. They married in 1971[10] They have two grown children and live in Berry on the New South Wales south coast.[11][12]

Suffering from both depression and anxiety, McDonald talks openly about his condition. He is an ambassador and former board director of Beyond Blue, an Australian national depression initiative. He also serves as patron of the New South Wales branch of the Anxiety Disorders Foundation of Australia.[13][14] McDonald is quoted in the press discussing a link between his own anxiety and that of his grandfather and mother.[15]

McDonald's condition first came to the public's attention when he reached a crisis point after a short-lived attempt to revive the Gunston character in 1993. Then again in 1997, McDonald suffered a severe episode during the launch of a new series, Rip Snorters.[16] McDonald's condition also caused him to withdraw from the 2003 production of Patrick Marber's Howard Katz.[17]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Type
2016 The Light Between Oceans William "Bill" Graysmark Feature film
2012 Being Venice Arthur Feature film
2011 Burning Man Dr Burgess Feature film
2010 Don't Be Afraid of the Dark Emerson Blackwood Feature film
2009 A Model Daughter: The Killing of Caroline Byrne Tony Byrne TV film
2007 The King Nicky Whitta TV film
2006 BlackJack: Dead Memory James TV film
2006 Stepfather of the Bride Ari TV film
2005 Marti’s Party Martin Short film
2003 The Rage in Placid Lake[18] Doug Lake Feature film
2002 Rabbit-Proof Fence Mr. Neal Feature film
2001 Moulin Rouge! The Doctor Feature film
2000 Mr. Accident Kelvin Chevalier Feature film
1990 Struck By Lightning[19] Ollie Rennie Feature film
1987 Ghosts Can Do It[20] Max Falcon Feature film
1987 The Place at the Coast Dan Burroughs Feature film
1985 Wills & Burke[21] Robert O'Hara Burke Feature film
1985 Banduk Mr Kool TV film
1982 Molly Jones Feature film
1982 Ginger Meggs John Meggs Feature film
1982 The Pirate Movie Sergeant/Inspector Feature film
1977 The Picture Show Man Lou Feature film
1975 Games for Parents and Other Children TV film
1975 Picnic at Hanging Rock Constable Jones Feature film
1974 Stone Bike Mechanic Feature film
1973 Avengers of the Reef Updike's Aide Feature film
1969 You Can't See 'round Corners One of Terry’s gang (uncredited) Feature film
1967 The Quartermass Experiment TV film

Television

Year Title Role Type
TBA Fear of Life Self Documentary
2022 The ABC Of Self TV series
2015-17 Stop Laughing This is Serious TV series, 5 episodes
2012 Rake Lawrence Fenton TV series, 1 episode
2012 Offspring[22] Phillip Noonan TV series, 33 episodes
2009 Talking Heads[3] TV series
2006 Two Twisted[23] Norm TV series, 1 episode
2004 Enough Rope with Andrew Denton TV series
2004 The Incredible Journey of Mary Bryant Reverend Johnson Miniseries, 2 episodes
2002 Bad Cop, Bad Cop Howard Mayes Miniseries, 1 episode
2001-20 Australian Story Self / Norman Gunston TV series, 5 episodes
2000 Love is a Four Letter Word Tom Mattingly TV series, 8 episodes
1999 All Saints Dave Armstrong TV series, 2 episodes
1999 Chuck Finn Tony Rigatoni TV series, 1 episode
1999 Halifax f.p. Alex Goodson TV series, Episode: Someome You Know
1998 Medivac Ernie Sharp TV series, 4 episodes
1996 Rip Snorters Host TV series
1996 Fallen Angels Malcolm Lucas TV series, 20 episodes
1996 Fire Detective Mike Lucas TV series, 2 episodes (Season 2)
1994 G.P. Garry ‘Gazza‘ Weller TV series, 1 episode
1993 Woman in a Lampshade
1992 The Other Side of Paradise[24] Johnson Miniseries, 4 episodes
1991-93 Eggshells Frank Rose TV series
1989 A Funny Thing Happened to Australian Comedy Self TV special
1986 Counting from Six
1985 News Free Zone TV series
1985 Winners Brooks TV series, 1 episode
1984-94 Mother and Son[8] Arthur Beare TV series, 42 episodes
1984 Five Mile Creek TV series
1984 Prime Time TV series
1984 Onstage America Norman Gunston / Self TV series, 4 episodes
1982 Spring & Fall Max Lawrence TV series, 1 episode
1981 Gunston’s Australia Norman Gunston TV series
1981 Jimmy Dancer
1977 The Of Show Various characters TV series, 7 episodes
1977 The Garry McDonald Show Self, Norman Gunston, Various TV series, 8 episodes
1975-79 The Norman Gunston Show Norman Gunston TV series, 18 episodes
1975 Wollongong the Brave Kid Eager Miniseries, 4 episodes
1974-75 Matlock Police Stan Smith, Sid Hawkins, Donny Skinner TV series, 3 episodes
1974 Flash Nick from Jindavick Captain Magpie Miniseries, 4 episodes
1974 Division 4 Rev Gareth Davis TV series, 1 episode
1974 Homicide Davo TV series, 1 episodes
1973 The Comedy Game TV series, 2 episodes
1973 The Aunty Jack Show Kid Eager / Norman Gunston TV series, 8 episodes
1973 Over There TV series 2 episodes
1973 A Brace and a Bit
1972 Snake Gully with Dad and Dave[25] Dave Rudd TV series, 8 episodes
1968 Hunter Ebeling TV series, 1 episode
1967 You Can't See 'Round Corners Young Man TV series, 1 episode

Theatre

Year Title Role Type
2008-09 Guys and Dolls Nathan Detroit Princess Theatre & Capitol Theatre, Sydney
2010 Halpern and Johnson Dennis Johnson
2011 November South Australian State Theatre Company
2011 Don's Party[26]
2010 The Grenade[27]
2006 The Give and Take[28]
2005 Two Brothers
2004 Amigos Stephen Drama Theatre, Sydney Opera House
2002 Laughter on the 23rd Floor
2001 Stones in His Pockets[29] Director
2001 Up For Grabs[11]
1998 After the Ball
1997 Little Shop of Horrors
1997 Emerald City[20]
1994 Hotspur[30]
1987 Sugar Babies[12]
Glengarry Glen Ross
Floating World
Uncle Vanya
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Awards and honours

In 2003, McDonald was appointed an officer of the Order of Australia for service to the community by raising awareness of mental health issues and the effects of anxiety disorders and depression on sufferers and carers, and to the arts as an entertainer.[31]

His popularity among Australians is reflected his being listed, after public nomination and vote, as a National Living Treasure, someone who has made an outstanding contribution to Australian society in any field of human endeavour.[32]

In 2015, he was a featured subject on the ABC documentary series Australian Story.[33]

In 2020, he appeared on a stamp in the Australia Post Legends of Comedy series.[34]

Mo Awards

The Australian Entertainment Mo Awards (commonly known informally as the Mo Awards), were annual Australian entertainment industry awards. They recognise achievements in live entertainment in Australia from 1975 to 2016. Garry McDonald won one award in that time.[35]

Year Nominee / work Award Result (wins only)
2004 Garry McDonald Male Actor of the Year Won
Year Award Category Result Work
1976 Logie Award New Talent Won The Norman Gunston Show
Gold Logie
1991 Sydney Film Critics Best Actor Won Struck by Lightning
1994 Logie Award Most Outstanding Actor Won Mother and Son
1997 National Living Treasure[36] Awarded
1997 Logie Award Hall of Fame Won

Art portraits

Two portraits of McDonald have won awards at the Archibald Prize. In 1999 a portrait by artist Deny Christian won the Packing Room Prize and, in 2006, Paul Jackson's All the world's a stage won the Peoples Choice Award.[18] In 2016, yet another painting of McDonald was a finalist in the Archibald Prize by Kirsty Neilson entitled There's No Humour in Darkness.

References

  1. ↑ "Ambassador profile: Garry McDonald". ABC. 2018. Retrieved 23 August 2018.
  2. ↑ David Wenham; Garry McDonald (19 July 2022). The ABC Of (ep. 4). ABC Television. Event occurs at 27:38. Retrieved 19 July 2022 – via ABC iview.
  3. 1 2 "Talking Heads Transcript". Talking Heads. ABC. 11 May 2009. Archived from the original on 1 October 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2012.
  4. ↑ Tabakoff, Jenny (27 January 1997). "Garry McDonald' Role Reversal/". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 17 June 2012.
  5. 1 2 3 "Garry McDonald". Media Man. 2018. Retrieved 23 August 2018.
  6. 1 2 Day, Christopher. (1975, 18–24 October). And now ... He-e-e-ere's Norman! "The Most Compellingly Awful Program in the History of Television". TV Guide, pp 15–18.
  7. ↑ "FZ:OZ".
  8. 1 2 Max Cullen, 11 February 2001. "Profile: Garry McDonald". Arts stories. ninemsn. Archived from the original on 27 December 2013. Retrieved 20 May 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  9. ↑ "Philip Noonan played by Garry McDonald". Tenplay. Network Ten. 2014. Archived from the original on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
  10. ↑ Dunk, Tiffany (2015). "garry-mcdonald-opens-up-about-his-anxiety-disorder-on-australian-story-for-mental-health-awareness". News.com. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  11. 1 2 "News Store". Newsstore.fairfax.com.au. 30 June 2001. Archived from the original on 3 February 2014. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
  12. 1 2 "News Store". Newsstore.fairfax.com.au. 29 April 1987. Archived from the original on 28 September 2013. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
  13. ↑ "News Store". Newsstore.fairfax.com.au. 20 August 2002. Archived from the original on 3 February 2014. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
  14. ↑ "News Store". Newsstore.fairfax.com.au. 26 January 2003. Archived from the original on 28 February 2017. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
  15. ↑ Williams, Sue (20 May 2001). "Happy as Gary". The Sun-Herald. Archived from the original on 3 February 2014. Retrieved 17 June 2012.
  16. ↑ "News Store". Newsstore.fairfax.com.au. 27 March 1993. Archived from the original on 3 February 2014. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
  17. ↑ "News Store". Newsstore.fairfax.com.au. 20 March 2004. Archived from the original on 3 February 2014. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
  18. 1 2 Mangan, John (11 April 2010). "Survival of the satirist". The Sunday Age. Retrieved 17 June 2012.The Sun-Herald
  19. ↑ "News Store". Newsstore.fairfax.com.au. 13 October 1990. Archived from the original on 27 December 2013. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
  20. 1 2 "News Store". Newsstore.fairfax.com.au. Archived from the original on 27 December 2013. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
  21. ↑ Murray, Scott, ed. (1994). Australian Cinema. St.Leonards, NSW: Allen & Unwin/AFC. p. 117. ISBN 1-86373-311-6.
  22. ↑ Hassall, Greg (29 April 2012). "Q&A with ... Garry McDonald". Smh.com.au. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
  23. ↑ "Two Twisted – TV Reviews – TV & Radio – Entertainment". theage.com.au. 14 August 2006. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
  24. ↑ Sadler, Kevin (23 February 1992). "The other side of Garry McDonald". The Sun-Herald. Archived from the original on 27 December 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2012.
  25. ↑ "Australian Bush Comedy". Always Already Out Of Date. Archived from the original on 1 February 2017. Retrieved 17 June 2012.
  26. ↑ Morgan, Joyce (31 December 2010). "Don's Party Revisited". The Age. Archived from the original on 28 September 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2012.
  27. ↑ "Garry McDonald". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 27 December 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2012.
  28. ↑ Burchall, Greg (26 June 2006). "Playing up the brawl in the family". The Age. Archived from the original on 27 December 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2012.
  29. ↑ Elder, John (11 November 2001). "Garry McDonald". The Sunday Age. Archived from the original on 27 December 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2012.
  30. ↑ Wynhausen, Elisabeth (15 October 1994). "The actor, the comic". The Sun-Herald. Archived from the original on 27 December 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2012.
  31. ↑ "Garry McDonald AO". Australian Honours Database. Retrieved 14 November 2007.
  32. ↑ "Our living treasures". The Age. Fairfax Media. 18 November 2003. Retrieved 23 August 2018.
  33. ↑ "Garry McDonald: Norman Gunston comic tells of anxiety that ended his popular show". ABC News. 4 October 2015.
  34. ↑ "Australian Legends of Comedy". Australia Post Collectables. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  35. ↑ "MO Award Winners". Mo Awards. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  36. ↑ "Current List of Treasures". National Trust of Australia. Archived from the original on 22 March 2012. Retrieved 17 June 2012.
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