John Pinder
Encyclopedia
John Pinder, born 6 January 1945 in Timaru
on the South Island
of New Zealand
, is an Australia
n comedy producer and festival director who has produced band performances, run live venues and founded three Australian comedy festivals. He is currently the Director of the World's Funniest Island
comedy event.
, North Otago
, 80 km south of Timaru, where he was born. His greatest influences while growing up were the circus and comedy. Pinder lived next door to a ‘circus lot’ as a child, where Bullens Circus
and Ashtons Circus
regularly performed. Although his household didn’t have a television set, they used to sit down to listen to the radio as a family; when The Goon Show began being broadcast in New Zealand as Pinder hit puberty, he was the perfect age to enjoy the new form of comedy that his parents loathed. His subsequent career has included a great deal of work with comedians and circus performers.
and Spectrum
. His role was largely producing live shows – which led to the establishment of the T. F. Much Ballroom
as a live venue. It was so successful that it established a brand that was taken on the road as The T. F. Much Rock Circus, touring with Ashtons Circus
as part of the Aquarius Festival
in Canberra
.
. By 1977 he had opened The Last Laugh Theatre, Restaurant and Zoo (it had been built the year before). The Last Laugh is famous for discovering and featuring many comedians including Wendy Harmer
, Mary-Anne Fahey
, Ian McFadyen
, Peter Moon
, Jane Turner
, Richard Stubbs
and many more who later appeared in such television comedy shows as The Comedy Company
, The Big Gig
, Fast Forward and The Late Show
.
Pinder was closely associated with Circus Oz
– a contemporary circus founded in 1977 – and is considered by many to be a non-performing founding member. He guaranteed their first bank loan, and Circus Oz enjoyed a long running season at the Last Laugh.
, which stars his wife Gina Riley
, Mary Tobin now produces and tours comedy acts around the world.
The decision to move on from the Last Laugh was aided by Pinder’s role, that same year, as co-ordinator of the very first Melbourne International Comedy Festival
at venues across Melbourne, including the Last Laugh.
In 1988, Pinder developed a package of 50 Australian performers to appear under the banner Oznost in the Assembly Rooms
at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Most of the shows were comedy productions and several travelled to other European festivals under the Australian Bicentennial
banner.
Pinder subsequently moved to New York
, spending the end of the decade developing a music venue based in Harlem
.
, where Stomp
and the Tokyo Shock Boys had their Australian debut.
He followed up his fringe successes with Red Square, a vast outdoor arena build from 150 sea containers, for the 1996 Adelaide International Arts Festival
, and The Starfish Club for the Sydney Festival
and Sydney Theatre Company
– which saw the return of Stomp from Off Broadway and the premier of the Australian international hit Tap Dogs
.
The 1990s also saw Pinder move into television, initially as a consultant on Steve Vizard
’s Tonight Live (Rick McKenna was that show’s executive producer). Pinder’s services had been secured by Nick Murray who, at the time, was the general manager of Vizard’s company, Artist’s Services. When Murray moved on to become the founding CEO of Foxtel
’s The Comedy Channel
, he took Pinder with him to serve as a creative consultant. John continued to discover new talent such as Chop-Socky and Rove McManus
, whom he cast as one-half of the comedy puppets “Short and Curly”.
, asked Pinder to create a comedy festival around the Riverside Theatre hub. It became the Big Laugh Comedy Festival, and it ran until 2007. As Festival Director, Pinder was responsible for bringing The Goodies
to Australia for a sell-out tour as part of the 2005 festival. He also co-produced the first live shows of The 3rd Degree
, the comedy troupe which went on to become television sketch show The Ronnie Johns Half Hour
.
In 2009, Pinder was part of the team that devised The World’s Funniest Island comedy event that takes place on Cockatoo Island in Sydney Harbour
on the third weekend in October. He continues to serve as the event's Director.
Timaru
TimaruUrban AreaPopulation:27,200Extent:Former Timaru City CouncilTerritorial AuthorityName:Timaru District CouncilPopulation:42,867 Land area:2,736.54 km² Mayor:Janie AnnearWebsite:...
on the South Island
South Island
The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean...
of 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...
, is an 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...
n comedy producer and festival director who has produced band performances, run live venues and founded three Australian comedy festivals. He is currently the Director of the World's Funniest Island
World's Funniest Island
World’s Funniest Island was an Australian comedy event held on the third weekend in October on Cockatoo Island, in Sydney Harbour. The first World’s Funniest Island event took place 17–18 October 2009...
comedy event.
Early life
Pinder was raised in in OamaruOamaru
Oamaru , the largest town in North Otago, in the South Island of New Zealand, is the main town in the Waitaki District. It is 80 kilometres south of Timaru and 120 kilometres north of Dunedin, on the Pacific coast, and State Highway 1 and the railway Main South Line connects it to both...
, North Otago
North Otago
The district of North Otago in New Zealand covers the area of Otago between Shag Point and the Waitaki River, and extends inland to the west as far as the village of Omarama . The large east-coast town of Oamaru serves as North Otago's main centre...
, 80 km south of Timaru, where he was born. His greatest influences while growing up were the circus and comedy. Pinder lived next door to a ‘circus lot’ as a child, where Bullens Circus
Alfred Percival Bullen
Alfred Percival Bullen was, along with his brothers, the circus founder of Bullen's Circus....
and Ashtons Circus
Circus Joseph Ashton
Ashton's Circus is the longest surviving circus in Australia, pre-dating most others in the English-speaking world. The circus was founded in Launceston, Tasmania, in February 1851 by James Henry Ashton, a man schooled in the tradition of English circus and who had experience the hard times of the...
regularly performed. Although his household didn’t have a television set, they used to sit down to listen to the radio as a family; when The Goon Show began being broadcast in New Zealand as Pinder hit puberty, he was the perfect age to enjoy the new form of comedy that his parents loathed. His subsequent career has included a great deal of work with comedians and circus performers.
1960s
During the late 1960s Pinder was a partner in a band management company called ‘Let It Be’ – inspired by the Beatles’ song of the same name. This “rather hippie-esque business”, as Pinder refers to it, managed Australian bands like Daddy CoolDaddy Cool (band)
Daddy Cool is an Australian rock band formed in Melbourne in 1970 with the original line-up of Wayne Duncan , Ross Hannaford , Ross Wilson and Gary Young . Their debut single "Eagle Rock" was released in May 1971 and stayed at number 1 on the Australian singles chart for ten weeks...
and Spectrum
Spectrum (band)
Spectrum is an Australian progressive rock band that formed in Melbourne in 1969 and, in its original period, remained in existence until 1973. Its members also performed under the alter-ego Indelible Murtceps...
. His role was largely producing live shows – which led to the establishment of the T. F. Much Ballroom
T. F. Much Ballroom
The T. F. Much Ballroom was a music and cultural institution in Melbourne, Australia. It was started up by a small group of social activists to raise money for a Carlton youth club...
as a live venue. It was so successful that it established a brand that was taken on the road as The T. F. Much Rock Circus, touring with Ashtons Circus
Circus Joseph Ashton
Ashton's Circus is the longest surviving circus in Australia, pre-dating most others in the English-speaking world. The circus was founded in Launceston, Tasmania, in February 1851 by James Henry Ashton, a man schooled in the tradition of English circus and who had experience the hard times of the...
as part of the Aquarius Festival
Aquarius Festival
The Aquarius Festival was a counter-cultural arts and music festival organised by the Australian Union of Students and sponsored by Peter Stuyvesant and held at Nimbin...
in Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
.
1970s
In the early 1970s Pinder established The Flying Trapeze Cafe, Australia's first comedy cabaret venue, in MelbourneMelbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
. By 1977 he had opened The Last Laugh Theatre, Restaurant and Zoo (it had been built the year before). The Last Laugh is famous for discovering and featuring many comedians including Wendy Harmer
Wendy Harmer
Wendy Harmer is an Australian author, writer, radio show host, and comedienne.-Early life and career:...
, Mary-Anne Fahey
Mary-Anne Fahey
Mary-Anne Fahey is an Australian actor, comedian and writer.-Biography:Fahey has starred in and written for comedy programs including The Comedy Company, Kittson, Fahey , Get a Life and One Size Fits All...
, Ian McFadyen
Ian McFadyen
Ian McFadyen is an Australian writer, actor, and director. He is best known as the producer and performer on the Australian television series The Comedy Company which ran from 16 February 1988 to 11 November 1990...
, Peter Moon
Peter Moon (comedian)
Peter Moon is an Australian comedian, best known for writing and performing in the sketch comedy Fast Forward....
, Jane Turner
Jane Turner
Jane Turner is an Australian actress, comedian and Logie Award winning comedy writer.Turner has appeared in many popular Australian TV programs, namely Prisoner in a straight dramatic role, with comedy roles in sketch comedy programs The D-Generation, Fast Forward, Full Frontal, Big Girl's Blouse...
, Richard Stubbs
Richard Stubbs
Richard Stubbs is an Australian comedian who was educated at Wesley College, Melbourne.Stubbs started his career in radio in the early 1980s on 3XY as part of the XYZoo team. He appeared on Eon/MMM Fm with Tim Smith, Bridgette Duclos and Brad Mckenzie...
and many more who later appeared in such television comedy shows as The Comedy Company
The Comedy Company
The Comedy Company was an Australian comedy television series first aired from 16 February 1988 until about 11 November 1990 on Network Ten, Sunday night and was created and directed by Ian McFadyen, and co directed and produced by Jo Lane...
, The Big Gig
The Big Gig
The Big Gig was a popular Australian television comedy series based on the British TV series Saturday Live. It was produced and broadcast by the ABC in the late 1980s and early 1990s and was produced and directed by Ted Robinson, who started his career as the director of the second series of the...
, Fast Forward and The Late Show
The Late Show (Australian TV series)
The Late Show was a popular Australian comedy show, which ran for two seasons on ABC from 18 July 1992 to 30 October 1993.-Cast:The Late Show has its roots in the 1980s comedy group, The D-Generation...
.
Pinder was closely associated with Circus Oz
Circus Oz
Circus Oz was founded in December 1977, with its first performance season in March 1978. Circus Oz was the amalgamation of two already well-known groups - Soapbox Circus, a roadshow set up by the Australian Performing Group in 1976, and the New Ensemble Circus, a continuation of the New Circus,...
– a contemporary circus founded in 1977 – and is considered by many to be a non-performing founding member. He guaranteed their first bank loan, and Circus Oz enjoyed a long running season at the Last Laugh.
1980s
In 1987, Pinder sold the Last Laugh to an employee, Rick McKenna, who ran the venue for a time with his sister Mary Tobin. While McKenna went on to become executive producer of hit Australian comedy show Kath & KimKath & Kim
Kath & Kim is a Logie Award-winning character-driven Australian television situation comedy series. The series was created by, and is written by Jane Turner and Gina Riley who play the title characters: a suburban mother and daughter with a dysfunctional relationship...
, which stars his wife Gina Riley
Gina Riley
Gina Riley is an Australian actress, writer, singer and comedian.Riley became a popular television performer in the sketch shows Fast Forward, its successor Full Frontal, Big Girl's Blouse and Something Stupid. In the latter she was also a producer and writer...
, Mary Tobin now produces and tours comedy acts around the world.
The decision to move on from the Last Laugh was aided by Pinder’s role, that same year, as co-ordinator of the very first Melbourne International Comedy Festival
Melbourne International Comedy Festival
The Melbourne International Comedy Festival is the third-largest international comedy festival in the world and the largest cultural event in Australia. Established in 1987, it takes place annually in Melbourne over four weeks in April typically opening on or around April Fool's Day...
at venues across Melbourne, including the Last Laugh.
In 1988, Pinder developed a package of 50 Australian performers to appear under the banner Oznost in the Assembly Rooms
Assembly Rooms (Edinburgh)
The Assembly Rooms is a former assembly rooms located in central Edinburgh, the rooms now host a number of events including the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and the Hogmanay celebrations. There are four rooms that are used year-round and are available for private functions: Music Hall, Ballroom,...
at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Most of the shows were comedy productions and several travelled to other European festivals under the Australian Bicentennial
Australian Bicentenary
The bicentenary of Australia was celebrated in 1970 on the 200th anniversary of Captain James Cook landing and claiming the land, and again in 1988 to celebrate 200 years of permanent European settlement.-1970:...
banner.
Pinder subsequently moved to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, spending the end of the decade developing a music venue based in Harlem
Harlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands...
.
1990s
A return to Sydney in the early 1990s gave Pinder the opportunity to develop a series of festival venues, including The Starfish Club for the Adelaide Fringe FestivalAdelaide Fringe Festival
The Adelaide Fringe Festival is an arts festival held annually in the South Australian capital of Adelaide. The event is the Southern Hemisphere's largest arts event and the second-largest fringe festival in the world, second in size only to the Edinburgh Fringe...
, where Stomp
Stomp (dance troupe)
Stomp is a percussion group that uses the body and ordinary objects to create a physical theatre performance.-History and performances:...
and the Tokyo Shock Boys had their Australian debut.
He followed up his fringe successes with Red Square, a vast outdoor arena build from 150 sea containers, for the 1996 Adelaide International Arts Festival
Adelaide Festival of Arts
The Adelaide Festival of Arts is an arts festival held biennially in the South Australian capital of Adelaide. Although locally considered to be one of the world's greatest celebrations of the arts, that is internationally renowned and the pre-eminent cultural event in Australia, it is actually...
, and The Starfish Club for the Sydney Festival
Sydney Festival
Sydney Festival is Australia's largest and most attended annual cultural event running every January since it was first held in 1977. Its program features around 80 events including contemporary and classical music, dance, circus, drama, visual arts and artist talks...
and Sydney Theatre Company
Sydney Theatre Company
The Sydney Theatre Company is one of Australia's best-known theatre companies operating from The Wharf Theatre near The Rocks area of Sydney, as well as the Sydney Theatre and the Sydney Opera House Drama Theatre....
– which saw the return of Stomp from Off Broadway and the premier of the Australian international hit Tap Dogs
Tap Dogs
"Tap Dogs" is a tap dance show, created by Australian dancer and choreographer, Dein Perry. The original production of the show had its world premiere in January 1995 at the Sydney Theatre Festival in Australia....
.
The 1990s also saw Pinder move into television, initially as a consultant on Steve Vizard
Steve Vizard
Stephen William Vizard, born 6 March 1956 in Richmond, Victoria, is an Australian media personality, comedian, businessman and writer.-Early life:...
’s Tonight Live (Rick McKenna was that show’s executive producer). Pinder’s services had been secured by Nick Murray who, at the time, was the general manager of Vizard’s company, Artist’s Services. When Murray moved on to become the founding CEO of Foxtel
Foxtel
Foxtel is an Australian pay television company, operating cable, direct broadcast satellite television and IPTV services. It was formed in 1995 through a joint venture established between Telstra and News Corporation....
’s The Comedy Channel
The Comedy Channel
The Comedy Channel is an Australian subscription television channel available on Foxtel, Austar and Optus Television.-History:...
, he took Pinder with him to serve as a creative consultant. John continued to discover new talent such as Chop-Socky and Rove McManus
Rove McManus
John Henry Michael "Rove" McManus is an Australian comedian, television presenter, producer and media personality. He was the host of the self-titled variety show Rove, and is the owner of the production company Roving Enterprises...
, whom he cast as one-half of the comedy puppets “Short and Curly”.
2000s
In 2001, Robert Love, Director of the Parramatta Riverside TheatreRiverside Theatre Parramatta
Riverside Theatres is a multi venue performing arts centre located in the CBD of Parramatta in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.Regular companies and productions that perform there include:*The Premier State Ballet...
, asked Pinder to create a comedy festival around the Riverside Theatre hub. It became the Big Laugh Comedy Festival, and it ran until 2007. As Festival Director, Pinder was responsible for bringing The Goodies
The Goodies
The Goodies are a trio of British comedians who created, wrote, and starred in a surreal British television comedy series called The Goodies during the 1970s and early 1980s combining sketches and situation comedy.-Honours:All three Goodies now have OBEs...
to Australia for a sell-out tour as part of the 2005 festival. He also co-produced the first live shows of The 3rd Degree
The 3rd Degree
The 3rd Degree is an Australian sketch comedy show that played at the Big Laugh Festival and Melbourne Comedy Festival in 2004 and 2005. The show features material and performers from student revues at the University of Sydney, University of New South Wales, University of Queensland and Macquarie...
, the comedy troupe which went on to become television sketch show The Ronnie Johns Half Hour
The Ronnie Johns Half Hour
The Ronnie Johns Half Hour is an Australian sketch comedy show produced by Jigsaw Entertainment and the Ten Network, which premiered in October 2005...
.
In 2009, Pinder was part of the team that devised The World’s Funniest Island comedy event that takes place on Cockatoo Island in Sydney Harbour
Port Jackson
Port Jackson, containing Sydney Harbour, is the natural harbour of Sydney, Australia. It is known for its beauty, and in particular, as the location of the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge...
on the third weekend in October. He continues to serve as the event's Director.