Graeme Blundell (born 7 August 1945) is an Australian actor, director, producer, writer, playwright, lyricist and biographer

Early life

Blundell was born on 7 April 1945 in

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

; he grew up in the suburb of Clifton Hill. He was educated at

Merrilands College Merrilands College was a public P-12 school in Reservoir, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia now merged with Lakeside Secondary College (Radford Road Campus) to become William Ruthven Secondary College, as the Merrilands Road Campus. Merrilands is ...

and

Coburg High School Coburg High School is a medium-sized, co-educational public high school located in Coburg, Victoria, Australia. In 2016 there are approximately 400 students enrolled at Coburg High School and with each new intake of Year 7 students, the school ...

, where he served as a Prefect. He then studied arts at the

University of Melbourne The University of Melbourne is a public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in Victoria. Its main campus is located in Parkville, an inner suburb nor ...

, where he resided at

Ormond College Ormond College is the largest of the residential colleges of the University of Melbourne located in the city of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is home to around 350 undergraduates, 90 graduates and 35 professorial and academic residents. H ...

and became involved in student theatre. He has a younger brother, Dennis, and two younger sisters, Margaret and Kathryn.

Career

In his early years, Blundell worked at La Mama Theatre, the Pram Factory, Hoopla, the Playbox Theatre Company, and the

Melbourne Theatre Company The Melbourne Theatre Company is a theatre company based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Founded in 1953 as the Union Theatre Repertory Company at the Union Theatre at the University of Melbourne, it is the oldest professional theatre compa ...

. He directed and acted in the premiere performance of

Jack Hibberd John Charles Hibberd (born 12 April 1940 in Warracknabeal, Victoria) is an Australian playwright and physician. Biography Hibberd studied medicine at the University of Melbourne and resided in Newman College. He worked as a registrar in ...

's play ''

Dimboola Dimboola is a town in the Shire of Hindmarsh in the Wimmera region of western Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia, 334 kilometres north-west of Melbourne. History Situated on the Wimmera River, Dimboola was previously known as 'Nine Creek ...

'' at La Mama. His first television appearance was as an uncredited extra in the debut episode of ''

Homicide Homicide occurs when a person kills another person. A homicide requires only a volitional act or omission that causes the death of another, and thus a homicide may result from accidental, reckless, or negligent acts even if there is no inten ...

'' (1964). He is best known as playing the title character in the 1973 sex-comedy film ''

Alvin Purple ''Alvin Purple'' is a 1973 Australian sex comedy film starring Graeme Blundell in the title role; the screenplay was written by Alan Hopgood and directed by Tim Burstall, through his production company Hexagon Productions and Village Roadshow ...

'' and its 1974 sequel, ''

Alvin Rides Again ''Alvin Rides Again'' is a 1974 Australian sex-comedy film sequel to ''Alvin Purple''. It was directed by David Bilcock and Robin Copping, who were regular collaborators with Tim Burstall.David Stratton, ''The Last New Wave: The Australian Film ...

''. He has written extensively in ''

The Australian ''The Australian'', with its Saturday edition, ''The Weekend Australian'', is a broadsheet newspaper published by News Corp Australia since 14 July 1964.Bruns, Axel. "3.1. The active audience: Transforming journalism from gatekeeping to gatew ...

'' newspaper as well as writing biographies of

Brett Whiteley Brett Whiteley AO (7 April 1939 – 15 June 1992) was an Australian artist. He is represented in the collections of all the large Australian galleries, and was twice winner of the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman prizes. He held many exhibitions ...

(''Brett Whiteley: An Unauthorised Life'', 1996, with his then wife Margot Hilton), and

Graham Kennedy Graham Cyril Kennedy AO (15 February 1934 – 25 May 2005) was an Australian entertainer, comedian and variety performer, as well as a personality and star of radio, theatre, television and film. He often performed in the style of vaudevilli ...

. From March 2011, Blundell hosted ''Sunday Night at the Movies with Graeme Blundell'' on

Foxtel Foxtel is an Australian pay television company—operating in cable television, direct broadcast satellite television, and IPTV streaming services. It was formed in April 2018, superseding an earlier company from 1995. The service was establi ...

Fox Classics FOX Classics is an Australian cable and satellite channel that specializes in showing television series and ad-free classic movies, themed movie nights and miniseries from the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. History FOX Classics began as ...

channel. On 29 January 2015, it was announced that

Margaret Pomeranz Margaret Pomeranz (born 14 July 1944) is an Australian film critic, writer, producer and television personality. Early life Pomeranz was born Margeret Anne Jones-Owen on 14 July 1944 in Waverley, a suburb of Sydney. She was educated at the P ...

had signed with Foxtel to present a new film and television program on Foxtel Arts, along with Graeme Blundell, a series called ''Screen''. The series was renewed in 2018. , Blundell continues to appear in ''Screen'', and past episodes are uploaded to

YouTube YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...

. He is also TV writer for ''

'' newspaper.

Personal life

Blundell has been married to playwright Kerry Dwyer, author Margot Hilton, and journalist Susan Kurosawa.

Filmography

*1969: '' Two Thousand Weeks'' – Journalist *1970: ''Brake Fluid'' *1971: ''

Stork Storks are large, long-legged, long-necked wading birds with long, stout bills. They belong to the family called Ciconiidae, and make up the order Ciconiiformes . Ciconiiformes previously included a number of other families, such as herons an ...

'' – Westy *1973: ''

'' – Alvin Purple *1974: '' The Box'' (TV series) – Don Cook *1974: ''

'' – Alvin Purple / Balls McGee *1976: ''

Mad Dog Morgan ''Mad Dog Morgan'' is a 1976 Australian bushranger film directed by Philippe Mora and starring Dennis Hopper, Jack Thompson (actor), Jack Thompson and David Gulpilil. It is based upon the life of Dan Morgan (bushranger), Dan Morgan. Plot Dan M ...

'' – Italian Jack *1976: ''

'' (TV series) – Alvin Purple *1976: ''

Don's Party ''Don's Party'' is a 1971 play by David Williamson set during the 1969 Australian federal election. The play opened on 11 August 1971 at The Pram Factory theatre in Carlton. Plot Don Henderson is a schoolteacher living with his wife Kath and ba ...

'' – Simon *1978: ''

Weekend of Shadows ''Weekend of Shadows'' is a 1978 film directed by Tom Jeffrey and starring John Waters. Premise In the 1930s, a farmer's wife in a small town is murdered. Suspicion falls on a Polish labourer and a posse is formed to catch him. Cast *John Water ...

'' – Bernie *1979: ''

The Odd Angry Shot ''The Odd Angry Shot'' is an 1979 Australian war comedy film written, directed and produced by Tom Jeffrey (with Sue Millikin). It is based on the book of the same title by William Nagel, and follows the experiences of Australian soldiers dur ...

'' – 'Dawson' / Dawson *1979: ''Kostas'' – John *1981: ''

Pacific Banana ''Pacific Banana'' is a 1981 Australian bawdy comedy film which reunites the star and writer of ''Alvin Purple''.Doctors and Nurses'' – Mr X *1982: '' The Best of Friends'' – Tom *1983: '' Midnite Spares'' – Sidebottom *1984: ''

Melvin, Son of Alvin ''Melvin, Son of Alvin'' is a 1984 Australian comedy film. It is a sequel to ''Alvin Purple'',David Stratton, ''The Avocado Plantation: Boom and Bust in the Australian Film Industry'', Pan MacMillan, 1990 p.309 but also was released in the United ...

'' – Alvin Purple *1986: ''

Australian Dream The Australian Dream or Great Australian Dream is, in its narrowest sense, a belief that in Australia, home ownership can lead to a better life and is an expression of success and security. The term is derived from the American Dream, which f ...

'' – Geoffrey Stubbs *1987: ''

Those Dear Departed ''Those Dear Departed'', also known as ''Ghosts Can Do It!'', is a 1987 Australian black comedy film directed by Ted Robinson and starring Garry McDonald, Pamela Stephenson and Su Cruickshank.David Stratton, ''The Avocado Plantation: Boom and Bu ...

'' – Dr. Howie *1987: ''

The Year My Voice Broke ''The Year My Voice Broke'' is a 1987 Australian coming of age drama film written and directed by John Duigan and starring Noah Taylor, Loene Carmen and Ben Mendelsohn. Set in 1962 in the rural Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, it was the f ...

'' – Nils Olson *1994: ''Gino'' – Larry Stone *1996: ''Idiot Box'' – Detective Eric *1999: '' Looking for Alibrandi'' – Ron Bishop *2002: '' Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones'' – Ruwee Naberrie (scenes deleted) *2005: '' Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith'' – Ruwee Naberrie *2008: ''

The Hollowmen ''The Hollowmen'' is an Australian television comedy series set in the offices of the Central Policy Unit, a fictional political advisory unit personally set up by the Prime Minister to help him get re-elected. Their brief is long-term vision; t ...

'' (TV Series) – Geoff *2009: ''

In Her Skin ''In Her Skin'' (also known as ''I Am You'' from the working title ''How to Change in 9 Weeks'') is a 2009 Australian drama movie written and directed by Simone North. The film is based on the true story of the murder of 15-year-old Rachel Bar ...

'' – Ivan

Writing

* ''

: An Unauthorised Life'', with Margot Hilton (Macmillan, 1996) * ''King: The Life and Comedy of

'' (Pan Macmillan, 2003) * ''Australian Theatre: Backstage with Graeme Blundell'' (edited) (Oxford University Press, 1997) * ''The Naked Truth: A Life in Parts'' (Hachette Australia, 2008)

References

External links

Graeme Blundell at the National Film and Sound Archive
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Blundell, Graeme 1945 births Australian biographers Male biographers Australian male film actors Australian male stage actors Australian male television actors Living people Writers from Melbourne Theatre directors from Melbourne The Australian journalists