Bryan Dawe
Encyclopedia
Bryan John Dawe is best known as an Australian writer, comedian and political satirist, but is also known for his work as a songwriter, photographer and social activist.
He has been a regular collaborator of fellow satirist John Clarke
in the form of mock interviews, first for A Current Affair, and then for The 7.30 Report
. Dawe would take on the role of interviewer, with Clarke playing the role of a prominent figure or politician. This generally involves Dawe trying to press for an answer and Clarke trying to evade the question. They began writing and presenting these in 1989, and switched to The 7.30 Report not long after leaving A Current Affair in 1997. , the pair continue to present their interview segment at the end of the Thursday edition of The 7.30 Report
. The interviews have also been compiled into several books and CD releases, two of which "Great Interviews of the 20th Century" and "The Annual Report" won the pair the ARIA Award for 'Best Australian Comedy Record'. "Secret Men's Business" was nominated for the same award in 1997.
Dawe has a number of other roles outside of his interview collaborations with Clarke. He is a songwriter, winning (along with musician Steve Groves) the Australian Song Festival and then representing Australia in Tokyo at the World Song Festival. Prior to this, in the early 1970s, he worked as an A&R manager for Astor Records
and played a significant role in making the Neil Diamond
LP Hot August Night
a major hit in Australia. He is also a talented painter and photographer, and has featured in several gallery exhibitions which combine these two interests.
In the 1980s he wrote and performed with actress Jody Seidel in a long-running radio comedy series centered on the characters of elderly couple Roly and Sonya Parks. In 1990, after four years as Head of ABC Radio's Comedy Unit, he had a stint as both a writer and actor on the comedy series Fast Forward. Dawe had a minor role in the successful Australian film The Castle in 1997. However, of these, the most successful was his role, along with Clarke, in the satirical series The Games. The series was a mockumentary
about the Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games, and ran from 1998 to 2000. Dawe also had a minor role in the 2003 film The Honourable Wally Norman
.
In addition to his interview commitments, Dawe regularly appears on the speaker's circuit as an MC, as guest speaker: either as himself or as one of his alter egos Sir Murray Rivers QC (retired). Dawe has written and performed extensively on ABC Radio
with his satirical characters Sir Murray Rivers and Roly Parks. Some of his Roly Park's Letters from Kalangadoo segments have subsequently been released on a series of CDs.
For the past seven years, Dawe has been Chair of 'Common Fate' — a not for profit organisation supporting the Reconciliation work of Aboriginal leaders Pat Dodson and Paul Briggs. He is a long time supporter of the fight for a Palestine homeland.
Dawe is also a inveterate traveler and has written various articles and a radio series on his life-long love. Recently he has been organising and conducting personalised group tours to Eastern Europe, Syria and Jordan.
He has been a regular collaborator of fellow satirist John Clarke
John Clarke (satirist)
John Morrison Clarke is a New Zealand-born Australian comedian, writer, and satirist. He was born in Palmerston North, New Zealand, and has lived in Australia since the late 1970s...
in the form of mock interviews, first for A Current Affair, and then for The 7.30 Report
The 7.30 Report
The 7.30 Report is an Australian nightly television current affairs program, that was shown on ABC1 and ABC News 24 at , Mondays–Thursdays...
. Dawe would take on the role of interviewer, with Clarke playing the role of a prominent figure or politician. This generally involves Dawe trying to press for an answer and Clarke trying to evade the question. They began writing and presenting these in 1989, and switched to The 7.30 Report not long after leaving A Current Affair in 1997. , the pair continue to present their interview segment at the end of the Thursday edition of The 7.30 Report
The 7.30 Report
The 7.30 Report is an Australian nightly television current affairs program, that was shown on ABC1 and ABC News 24 at , Mondays–Thursdays...
. The interviews have also been compiled into several books and CD releases, two of which "Great Interviews of the 20th Century" and "The Annual Report" won the pair the ARIA Award for 'Best Australian Comedy Record'. "Secret Men's Business" was nominated for the same award in 1997.
Dawe has a number of other roles outside of his interview collaborations with Clarke. He is a songwriter, winning (along with musician Steve Groves) the Australian Song Festival and then representing Australia in Tokyo at the World Song Festival. Prior to this, in the early 1970s, he worked as an A&R manager for Astor Records
Astor Records
Astor Records was an Australian recording company that operated from the 1960s to the early 1980s. Astor was originally a trademark of the consumer electronics industries ltd. Radio Corporation Pty. Ltd., makers of Astor radios and radiograms and a range of electronic companies including gereral...
and played a significant role in making the Neil Diamond
Neil Diamond
Neil Leslie Diamond is an American singer-songwriter with a career spanning over five decades from the 1960s until the present....
LP Hot August Night
Hot August Night
Hot August Night is a 1972 live double album by Neil Diamond. The album is a recording of a Diamond concert on Thursday August 24, 1972, one of ten sold out concerts that Diamond performed that month at The Greek Theatre in Los Angeles...
a major hit in Australia. He is also a talented painter and photographer, and has featured in several gallery exhibitions which combine these two interests.
In the 1980s he wrote and performed with actress Jody Seidel in a long-running radio comedy series centered on the characters of elderly couple Roly and Sonya Parks. In 1990, after four years as Head of ABC Radio's Comedy Unit, he had a stint as both a writer and actor on the comedy series Fast Forward. Dawe had a minor role in the successful Australian film The Castle in 1997. However, of these, the most successful was his role, along with Clarke, in the satirical series The Games. The series was a mockumentary
Mockumentary
A mockumentary , is a type of film or television show in which fictitious events are presented in documentary format. These productions are often used to analyze or comment on current events and issues by using a fictitious setting, or to parody the documentary form itself...
about the Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games, and ran from 1998 to 2000. Dawe also had a minor role in the 2003 film The Honourable Wally Norman
The Honourable Wally Norman
The Honourable Wally Norman is a 2003 Australian comedy film directed by Ted Emery. It stars Kevin Harrington, Shaun Micallef, and Greig Pickhaver.It was filmed primarily in South Australia and was nominated for two AFI awards.-Plot:...
.
In addition to his interview commitments, Dawe regularly appears on the speaker's circuit as an MC, as guest speaker: either as himself or as one of his alter egos Sir Murray Rivers QC (retired). Dawe has written and performed extensively on ABC Radio
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
with his satirical characters Sir Murray Rivers and Roly Parks. Some of his Roly Park's Letters from Kalangadoo segments have subsequently been released on a series of CDs.
For the past seven years, Dawe has been Chair of 'Common Fate' — a not for profit organisation supporting the Reconciliation work of Aboriginal leaders Pat Dodson and Paul Briggs. He is a long time supporter of the fight for a Palestine homeland.
Dawe is also a inveterate traveler and has written various articles and a radio series on his life-long love. Recently he has been organising and conducting personalised group tours to Eastern Europe, Syria and Jordan.