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John McKellar interviewed by Bill Stephens [sound recording]
Bib ID 3524839
Format AudioAudio
Author McKellar, John
Access Conditions Access open for research; written permission required for personal copies and public use for 10 years from the date of interview. 
Description 2005. 
4 sound files (ca. 206 min.) 
Summary

John McKellar born 1930 in Orange, New South Wales, talks about his family background and childhood; education at St. Charles, Waverley, where he met Gerry Donovan and Lance Mulcahy; his interest in writing; working as a teacher before moving to Sydney to work fulltime as a writer; the Independent Theatre, and Doris Fitton; how he became involved in writing for revues; The Phillip Street Theatre; his engagement as a writer for the Theatre; various productions he was involved in; Tommy Trinder; Lyle O'Hara; Bill Orr; Gloria Dawn; sketches written for the ABC; his first trip to London; being invited to become Artistic director of The Phillip Street Theatre; Dot Mendoza; the productions "The Willow Pattern Plate", "A Ride on a Broomstick" and "Mistress Money"; his first visit to New York; working in advertising; his production "A Cup of Tea, A Bex, and a Good Lie Down"; Doncaster Theatre Restaurant in Kensington; the Manly Loft; the Richbrook Theatre; The Comedy Theatre Restaurant in Sydney; going to America to work in antiques for nearly 20 years; the musical "Keystone"; how he became interested in antique textiles; returning to Australia to work on "Virtual Unreality" at the Tilbury Hotel; other productions he worked on; his antique textile business; working with Max Lambert for the Sydney Cabaret Conventions; a film called "The Graffiti Killers"; writing for television; writing for revues at Frank Strain's Copenhagen Restaurant; his song-writing techniques and work methods; thoughts on the art of songwriting; future projects.

Biography/History John McKellar, born 1930 in Orange, New South Wales, is an Australian writer, specialising in satirical revue material. He contributed songs and sketches to a succession of Phillip Street Theatre revues in the 1950s and 1960s. He also co-authored, with Eleanor Whitcombe, several musicals presented at the Phillip Street Theatre, including Mistresss Money, The Willow Pattern Plate and Ride on a Broomstick. In 1965 he wrote A Cup of Tea, a Bex and a Good Lie Down. He also writes for radio and television. 
Notes

Recorded on July 19, 2005 at Canberra, A.C.T.

Digital master; National Library of Australia, Oral History collection;

Related Material Collection of photographs of John McKellar during an oral history interview by Bill Stephens at the National Library of Australia, 19 July 2005; located at; National Library of Australia Pictures collection PIC NL39482 LOC nla.int-nl39482 Online access. 
Index/Finding Aid Note Timed summary (16 p.) 
Subjects McKellar, John. - Interviews.  |  Phillip Street Theatre.  |  Lyricists - Australia - Interviews.  |  Dramatists - Australia - Interviews.  |  Revues - Australia.  |  Satire, Australian.  |  Satirical songs - Australian.
Other Authors Stephens, Bill, 1936-
Details Collect From
ORAL TRC 5481
Copy: Recording
Petherick Reading Room (Oral History)
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ORAL TRC 5481 (summary)
Copy: Summary
Petherick Reading Room (Oral History)
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