Talking TelevisionAU: Reg Evans

Talking TelevisionAU: Reg Evans

Bye Reg and Brian

The bushfires have left many of us with heavy hearts.
As the news started to come out about the loss of life around the state Sunday night was spent ringing many people to find out how they were fairing.
This is a regular activity during these times but this time the calls were going out across the state.

Finally on Monday night the news was not good. Many families had been lost and Entertainment Industry Stalwarts and their partners were gone.

Brian Naylor and his wife Moiree were the first bad news with the announcement that they had died fighting to save their home.

I remember Mr Naylor from the Days of first "Swallows Juniors" and later "Brian and the Juniors". Brian and the Juniors showed us that the song not the puffery is what matters. He was always able to acknowledge a young kid off camera just there to watch his big sister sing.

He also maintained the gravitas of the serious newsreader when he took over the chair in the newsroom from Eric Pearce.

Reg Evans and Angela were next announced missing. Reg was a great performer and all round good guy. There was no artifice you always got Reg. I last saw him at Fortyfive downstairs where he was playing in a Russian piece. He was full of life then as always.

Angela had been apparently recently talking about an exhibition of her work at Fortyfive.

Since starting on my list, Reg was one of the people who called to me last Friday and I had been puzzling since then on the correct aphorism that helped show the man.

The closest I could come was the following:

Reg is like the acting equivalent of Grange, a bit cheeky and tart when young but showing a fuller body with greater and more compex undertones when properly bottle aged and decanted sensitively. Although enjoyable now still has the potential for more enjoyment later.

Sadly we will never now realise what this classic might have become.
Even Variety this week has noted the passing of these two older statesmen of the industry although it strikes me as a somewhat backhanded tribute. Read the headline and you will see what I mean. The more I read it the more shallow I find the American Entertainment media to be.

Vale Reg and Brian and Moiree and Angela.

And Vale all the others who were just getting on with their lives at home on the wrong day. You will all be missed and words are useless at this time.

And to those who chose to risk their lives to fight this monster and to all those who have supported them during this time congratulations.

Next in line at 45

I spent the day at fortyfive downstairs yesterday doing a few chores.
As usual the pace was running full-on.
The gallery has an exhibition around the Darfur tragedy. Walking in the door at 11.15 to a gallery buzzing with people was an amazing feeling Many Wednesday mornings are dead quiet until the lunch time crowd moves in.

This exhibition deserves to be visited.

The performing arts arena was a buzz too with a set up happening downstairs and plans afoot for a musical performance next Monday - the proceeds of which will go to the bushfire appeal. In the meantime postcards for John Stanton's performance " And When He Falls: " had arrived.

This looks to be an inspiring presentation with John performing pieces from Marlow and Shakespeare on the Plantagenet Kings. A bit of Royal blood letting never hurt any good Democracy. Music is by Tony Gould.
The season runs from 11th to 29th March. Tickets at www.fortyfivedownstairs.com

The team at 45 is changing with the wonderful Alex in Marketing moving on to a position at the VCA. She has has been replaced by Abby who looks like she will become yet another great ingredient of the 45 Hotpot.

Where to now?

I am on sick leave.

Having taken a position with a local council where I thought the job was to develop and promote two wonderful townhalls I have discovered that the Agenda was different. After two months I fell apart.

This has been something of an advantage as I am under strict orders not to think about or talk to anybody in my workplace. Or not to think about the job.

My mind though has been racing. It is in work mode and every little synapse is firing continuously.

I have redirected my thoughts to a more creative process.

Firstly here the A list this began after I recollected a comment to me made by the wonderful Janis Ian. I wrote that thought down and it was followed by a lesson I had learnt from another star. Within ten minutes I had ten associations and comments.

The List is now considerable and I think there might be something more to it. I have now written an introduction and a summation. I have found four other chapters which help illustrate why I am who I am and why I am qualified to make comment about this group of people.

This is not a kiss and tell book or I hope it is not going to be. It is more about the way I have observed people not what I have seen - oh, except for a couple of stories.

It is fun collecting them and also fun having others jump out at you wanting your attention. Today whils walking the dog I met Captain Peter Janson, Kenny and Joan Harris. Each had a comment for me.

The next task is to find a literary agent.

The list arrives.

Well, the west is no longer part of my day-to-day life. and obviously the past few months have not seen a lot of writing action.

Time to change that and get into gear again.

Recently I have left one job started another and suddenly fallen in a heap. I will pick myself up and start all over again. Possibly returning to the position I am now on sick leave from. Although I have blotted my copy-book somewhat.

Still I have been working on a list of things I have learnt from the rich and famous.

One of the things I have learnt is that when you have swum with the dolphins it is a real effort wading amongst the pufferfish again.

I hope you like reading it. There is a call at the bottom for more personal lists. I hope you can build one to and send it to me.



In the meantime, enjoy the list and look out for more regular postings.