April Fools’ Day is synonymous with pranksters and trickery, and Australian film and television has a long history of participating in the fun. It takes a lot of skill to act the fool with a straight face, as demonstrated by Garry McDonald, the Chaser team and Chris Lilley in the clips below.

As the bumbling Norman Gunston, with his shaving cuts and greasy comb-over, Garry McDonald quite possibly remains Australia’s best ever on-screen prankster. With an astonishing ability to think quickly on his feet, he ambushed countless celebrities including legendary rocker Frank Zappa.

This type of comedy has been perfected by the Chaser team over the past decade. Their bold APEC security stunt for The Chaser’s War on Everything made international headlines in 2007, but their skills in observation, satire and comic timing are evident in their much earlier mock news program CNNNN (2002).

The stylistic blend of realism and comedy in a ‘mock documentary’ is often used to fool the audience into investing a belief in the characters. The two series created by immensely talented writer and actor Chris Lilley, We Can Be Heroes (2005) and Summer Heights High (2007), have characters that are often cringe-worthy, but also have heart and authenticity. The pitch-perfect characterisation, subtle idiosyncrasies, unobtrusive make-up and costume, along with the deadpan performances of the supporting cast, all combine to provide an unexpectedly convincing sense of realism.

An early short film Magical Powers (1936) showcases the effects and trickery afforded by the art of filmmaking. The use of stop-motion photography, reverse play, and invisible wires might not fool many today, but was impressive at the time of release.

And finally – modern production processes, structures and illusions are revealed in the delightful television comedy Chandon Pictures (2007), in which a simple interview is exaggerated in order to appear more ‘convincing.’