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The Gillies Report – Series 1, Episode 4 (1984)

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Here is the news

Original classification rating: PG. This clip chosen to be PG

Clip description

John Clarke does a satirical presentation of the national news. His stories include swipes at nationalism, Australia’s relationship with the United States and sound bites from some of the best known political leaders of the day including Don Chipp (Max Gillies), founder of the Australian Democrats and a former Liberal Party Minister, explaining what his party stands for.

Curator’s notes

Simply shot, and performed in front of a live audience, the material is still astonishingly funny. The clip shows the extraordinary writing and performing talent of John Clarke (in a startling wig) and Max Gillies, here doing an hilarious Don Chipp impersonation.

The great strength of The Gillies Report was its ability to keep abreast of the issues of the day, because the program was written and produced from week to week. They were able to do this because, according to the show’s producer-director Ted Robinson, Patrick Cook had such a terrific grasp of history and politics that they could plan routines based on his unerring ability to predict the likely outcome of an Australian or international story.

In this clip, John Clarke is the newsreader who’s also John Clarke, or to quote John Clarke: 'There are two kinds of actors. There are the kind who actually pretend they’re other people. Like, if they’re doing Hamlet, they actually pretend they’re a Danish prince of that period. Then there are actors who pretend other people are them. So if they’re playing Hamlet, Hamlet comes from Palmerston North’. Palmerston is the town in New Zealand where Clarke was born, although he’s lived in Australia for over 30 years.

Ted Robinson, the series producer and director, recalls that the ABC in those days had a treasure trove of craftspeople, including seamstresses, tailors and bootmakers. Many of them were ex-Hungarian opera staff exiled in Australia after the communist takeover of their country in the 1950s. He recalls that they could conjure up a costume or an accessory at a moment’s notice, whether it be a hussar’s uniform from the early 19th century or a 1930s ball gown.

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Downloadable Video – FOR EDUCATIONAL CRITICISM AND REVIEW PURPOSES ONLY

This clip is available for download for the limited purpose of criticism and review in an educational context. You must obtain permission from editorial@aso.gov.au for all other purposes for use of this material.

Terms & Conditions

australianscreen is produced by the National Film and Sound Archive. By using the website you agree to comply with the terms and conditions described here and elsewhere on this site. The NFSA may amend the 'Conditions of Use’ from time to time without notice.

All materials on the site, including but not limited to text, video clips, audio clips, designs, logos, illustrations and still images, are protected by the Copyright Laws of Australia and international conventions. ALL rights are reserved.

You must read and agree to the following terms and conditions before downloading this clip:

When you access ABC materials on australianscreen you agree that:

  1. You may download this clip to assist your information, criticism and review purposes in conjunction with viewing this website only;
  2. Downloading this clip for purposes other than criticism and review is Prohibited;
  3. Downloading for purposes other than non-commercial educational uses is Prohibited;
  4. Downloading this clip in association with any commercial purpose is Prohibited;

The National Film and Sound Archive’s permission must be sought to amend any information in the materials, unless otherwise stated in notices throughout the Site.

ANY UNAUTHORISED USE OF MATERIAL ON THIS SITE MAY RESULT IN CIVIL AND CRIMINAL LIABILITY.

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