Phillip Avalon

Phillip Avalon is an Australian writer, producer, director and actor of films and TV.

Film writer Scott Murray wrote in 1993 that:

If Australia has any producer-cum-auteurs, then Phillip Avalon is certainly one... Avalon's films are preoccupied with violence bubbling to the surface in a lower-middle-class society repressed by Christian and materialist values. He has a decided affinity for the topsider, for those who refuse to play society's games, and whose anti-social attitudes may, in fact, conceal a soul well attuned to life's pulses.[1]

Biography

Avalon grew up in Newcastle. Avalon was born Phillip Holbrook, changing his name to Avalon once he moved to Sydney. He spent several years serving in the Australian army, including a stint in New Guinea.[2]

Avalon first came to public attention as a model, then he moved into acting. He studied acting at the Independent Theatre in North Sydney, and began getting roles in stage productions such as Hadrian VII with Barry Morse and on Australian TV dramas.[3]

In 1974 Avalon spent some time in Los Angeles seeking work as an actor.[4] That same year he posed for ‘Playgirl’ magazine, and was the November ‘Man of the Month.’

Producer

Avalon moved into producing with Double Deal, a movie he made for television which he wrote and produced, as well as starring in. The film was never released due to Avalon running out of funds, but he regarded it as his "personal film school."[5] He then made a surf movie Windrider.

He produced and starred in Summer City (1977), a drama set around a surfing town which became a hit, and was Mel Gibson's first movie.[6][7] He was later called in to help make the film Little Boy Lost (1978).[8][9] He had such an unhappy time on the film he left the film industry for a number of years, focusing on other interests, notably a surf shop.[10]

Avalon returned to filmmaking with Breaking Loose a sequel to Summer City.

Select filmography

Theatre Credits

  • Hadrian VII - actor
  • The Backstreet General - actor, writer
  • Odyssey - Maker of Dreams
  • Treasure Island - Old Tote Theatre - with Tony Barber

References

  1. ^ Scott Murray, "Fatal Bond", Cinema Papers, January 1993 p45
  2. ^ Avalon p 63
  3. ^ "Centrefold Phil turns a page". The Australian Women's Weekly. Vol. 43, no. 49. Australia. 5 May 1976. p. 48. Retrieved 4 August 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ^ Avalon p 19-23
  5. ^ Avalon p 121
  6. ^ "WHO'S DOING WHAT". Filmnews. Vol. 7, no. 3. New South Wales, Australia. 1 April 1977. p. 14. Retrieved 4 August 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ "AUSTRALIAN FILMS FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON". Filmnews. Vol. 8, no. 1. New South Wales, Australia. 1 January 1978. p. 1. Retrieved 4 August 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. ^ "IS LITTLE BOY LOST LOST?". Filmnews. Vol. 8, no. 6. New South Wales, Australia. 1 June 1978. p. 3. Retrieved 4 August 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ^ "Little Boy Lost may shy off the first-night glitter". The Australian Women's Weekly. Vol. 46, no. 23. Australia. 8 November 1978. p. 11. Retrieved 4 August 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. ^ Avalon p 124

Notes

  • Avalon, Phil (2015). From Steel City to Hollywood. New Holland.


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