Barry Crump
Encyclopedia
Barry John Crump MBE
(born 15 May 1935, Auckland, New Zealand – died 3 July 1996) was a New Zealand
author of semi-autobiographical
comic novels based on his image as a rugged outdoors man. Taken together his novels have sold more than a million copies domestically, equating to one book sold for every four New Zealanders.
Born in Papatoetoe
, Auckland, Crump worked for many years as a government deer-culler in areas of New Zealand native forest (termed the bush
). He collected his experiences in his first novel A Good Keen Man
in 1960. This novel became one of the most popular in New Zealand history, and Crump’s success continued with the more fictional Hang on a Minute Mate
(1961), One of Us (1962), There and Back (1963), Gulf (1964), A Good Keen Girl (1970), Bastards I Have Met (1971), and others, which capitalized on the appeal of his good-natured itinerant self-sufficient
characters and idiomatic “blokey” writing style.
Crump travelled throughout Australia
(where he hunted crocodile
s), Europe
, Turkey
, and India
, the result of which was his conversion to the Bahá’í Faith by 1982. He married five times, including a one-year marriage to the poet Fleur Adcock
and a longer marriage to Robin Lee-Robinson, and had nine sons and no daughters. One of his sons, Martin Crump is now a well-known radio broadcaster.
Crump was also well known for appearing in a series of acclaimed New Zealand television advertisements for Toyota’s four-wheel drive cars, which relied on his image as a stalwart "bushman".
Crump's song, "Side By Side", featuring his "sidekick" Scotty (broadcaster Lloyd Scott), was used as the theme song for Team New Zealand in the America's Cup. He was awarded an MBE
for services to literature in 1994.
Crump died in 1996 of a suspected aortic aneurism. At the time of his death he was living at Ohauiti with his wife Robin.
In August 2009, plans were announced for Taika Waititi
to adapt his book Wild Pork and Watercress (1986) into a film. Production was set for 2010.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 15 May 1935, Auckland, New Zealand – died 3 July 1996) was a New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
author of semi-autobiographical
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
comic novels based on his image as a rugged outdoors man. Taken together his novels have sold more than a million copies domestically, equating to one book sold for every four New Zealanders.
Born in Papatoetoe
Papatoetoe
Papatoetoe is a suburb in the Auckland conurbation in northern New Zealand. One of the larger suburbs of the area commonly known as South Auckland, it is located to the northwest of central Manukau, and 18 kilometres southeast of Auckland city centre....
, Auckland, Crump worked for many years as a government deer-culler in areas of New Zealand native forest (termed the bush
The Bush
"The bush" is a term used for rural, undeveloped land or country areas in certain countries.-Australia:The term is iconic in Australia. In reference to the landscape, "bush" describes a wooded area, intermediate between a shrubland and a forest, generally of dry and nitrogen-poor soil, mostly...
). He collected his experiences in his first novel A Good Keen Man
A Good Keen Man
A Good Keen Man was the first book written by best-selling New Zealand author Barry Crump, first published in 1960 by AH Reed. Written in a gruff, "blokey" style, it epitomises the life and times of the government deer cullers who were employed in the 50s, 60s and 70s to reduce the deer populations...
in 1960. This novel became one of the most popular in New Zealand history, and Crump’s success continued with the more fictional Hang on a Minute Mate
Hang on a Minute Mate
Hang on a Minute Mate is the second novel from New Zealand writer Barry Crump. Published in 1961, in this book we are introduced to the character Sam Cash, who also appears in later Crump books...
(1961), One of Us (1962), There and Back (1963), Gulf (1964), A Good Keen Girl (1970), Bastards I Have Met (1971), and others, which capitalized on the appeal of his good-natured itinerant self-sufficient
Self-sufficiency
Self-sufficiency refers to the state of not requiring any outside aid, support, or interaction, for survival; it is therefore a type of personal or collective autonomy...
characters and idiomatic “blokey” writing style.
Crump travelled throughout Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
(where he hunted crocodile
Crocodile
A crocodile is any species belonging to the family Crocodylidae . The term can also be used more loosely to include all extant members of the order Crocodilia: i.e...
s), Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, and India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, the result of which was his conversion to the Bahá’í Faith by 1982. He married five times, including a one-year marriage to the poet Fleur Adcock
Fleur Adcock
Kareen Fleur Adcock , CNZM, OBE is a poet and an editor of English and Northern Irish ancestry, who has lived much of her life in England.-Life and career:...
and a longer marriage to Robin Lee-Robinson, and had nine sons and no daughters. One of his sons, Martin Crump is now a well-known radio broadcaster.
Crump was also well known for appearing in a series of acclaimed New Zealand television advertisements for Toyota’s four-wheel drive cars, which relied on his image as a stalwart "bushman".
Crump's song, "Side By Side", featuring his "sidekick" Scotty (broadcaster Lloyd Scott), was used as the theme song for Team New Zealand in the America's Cup. He was awarded an MBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
for services to literature in 1994.
Crump died in 1996 of a suspected aortic aneurism. At the time of his death he was living at Ohauiti with his wife Robin.
In August 2009, plans were announced for Taika Waititi
Taika Waititi
Taika Waititi , also known as Taika Cohen, is a New Zealand-born film director, writer, painter, comedian and actor named as one of Varietys "ten new directors to watch" in 2007....
to adapt his book Wild Pork and Watercress (1986) into a film. Production was set for 2010.