Frank Howson

Recording artist DJ Stan Rofe signed Howson to a recording deal and produced his first single: "Seventeen Ain't Young" (written by Jeff Barry) who was seventeen during recording, it became a Top 40 hit in Melbourne.

Howson released two other singles This Night (Howson, Kenneth Firth, Miller)

Music publisher Howson was manager of the Australian branch of German-based I.C. Records to publish musical works (including his own) distributed by EMI. He co-wrote John Paul Young's 1984 album One Foot in Front. He signed New romantic band Pseudo Echo and co-wrote their songs Autumnal Park and Destination Unknown with Tony Lugton, to an estimated TV audience of 500 million.

Theatre works Frank Howson began his career as stage actor, singer and dancer, and appeared in 21 major productions (including the Australian production of Oliver!) before turning 21. In the early 1970s, Howson met fellow actor Barry Ferrier while they were both appearing in the original Australian production of Jesus Christ Superstar, and the two men subsequently collaborated on a number of theatre-related projects. The first of these was a children's musical entitled The Faraway Land of Magical Frank, which was produced at the Toral Theatre in Melbourne in January 1976. Later that year, Howson and Ferrier released a concept recording of a follow-up children's musical, entitled The Boy who dared to dream, performed by Trevor White, pop singer Mark Holden and actors John Waters and Tommy Dysart. The first staged production of the show (featuring some of the actors from the concept recording) was mounted in Melbourne in January 1978, with a second production in May 1981.

Frank Howson went on to create two more children's musicals, without Ferrier's involvement: Aladdin and his Wonderful Lamp (music by Robert Gavin, 1981) and Sinbad the Sailor: The Last Adventure (music by Ian McKean, 1982). Both were initially staged at the Alexander Theatre at Monash University.

Filmmaking Boulevard Films was a production company on Errol St, North Melbourne.

Boulevard's notable productions include: 1988 Boulevard of Broken Dreams (Howson screenwriter, cameo) won two AFI Awards: John Waters "Best Actor" and Kym Gyngell "Best Supporting"; nominated for five others including "Best Picture". 1991 Hunting starred John Savage, Kerry Armstrong (nominated for AFI Best Actress) and Guy Pearce; Howson wrote and directed. had its 'World Premiere' ten years later at Melbourne Underground Film Festival 2005.

Howson moved to Hollywood in 1997 after a falling out with his business partner and the collapse of Boulevard Films.

Personal life and death Howson was married three times: Lisa Waters (fl. 1976) Lynn Murphy (1983–1999) Their son, Oliver Howson was born in 1991. Terri Garber (2001–2002)

Howson was debilitated, at times, by Spasmodic Dysphonia which affected his voice; it was periodically mitigated by Botox injections into his larynx.

His gravelly voice can be heard in a 2005 radio interview with Paul Harris and Brett Cropley of 3RRR on Film Buffs' Forecast.

Subsequent career Hollywood hiatus Howson was on the Crystal Prix Jury for the 1997 Cannes Film Festival. From 1997 to 2005 Howson worked and lived in Hollywood. He served on the board of directors for the Starlight Children's Foundation of California.

Mr. Insincere, (written / performed by Howson) Howson was asked by Steven Berkoff to direct the TV version of Berkoff's international hit theatre show Shakespeare's Villains (2002). He acted and was a script editor in a Wolstencroft film, The Beautiful and Damned.

Howson later served as a board member of Open Channel, a non-profit organisation that supports young filmmakers. Howson was invited to direct the premiere production of the short play The Replacement Son for the Short and Sweet festival at Melbourne's Arts Centre in December 2007.

Some excerpts from Howson's film Flynn can be seen in documentary on the life of Errol Flynn, The Tasmanian Devil.

The new release book The Actors' Handbook by Marnie Hill, published by AT2, contains an interview with him.

Howson in 2012 and 2013 wrote and directed two sell-out seasons of the musical "Genesis To Broadway" at Chapel Off Chapel, Melbourne. Cast member Fem Belling was nominated for a Green Room Award for Best Performance in a Musical.

Critical appraisal According to a profile in Filmink Howson's films: Explore recurring themes as much as any auteur: the culture clash between Australia and the US, the importance of artists remaining relevant, what constitutes selling out, the sacrifices to “make it” in show business, the struggles of middle-aged men, a love of theatre and music, the difficulty of maintaining a long-term romantic relationship, adoring shots of Melbourne (Howson could be perhaps the most Melbourne-philic film producer of them all).

Filmography Year TitleDirectorProducerWriterActor Notes 1967 Homicide TV series. Role of Peter in Season 4, Episode 17, "The Catch." 1979 Skyways TV series. Role of Steve Eagles in five episodes of Season 1. 1980 A Wild Ass of a Man TV movie. Cameo as "Photographer" 1980 The Pirate Movie Cameo as "Policeman" 1983 Prisoner TV series. Writer of Episode 377 and 387. 1988 Backstage 1988 Boulevard of Broken Dreams Cameo as "Producer at Party" 1990 Heaven Tonight 1990 Beyond My Reach Cameo as "Man at Airport" 1990 What the Moon Saw 1990 Friday On My Mind Unfinished. A biopic of The Easybeats. 1991 Hunting 1992 Come Rain or Shine Unreleased 1992 A Slow Night at the Kuwaiti Cafe Unreleased 1993 Flynn Also released as My Forgotten Man. Cameo as "Opium Smoker" 1995 The Final Stage Unreleased. Cameo as "Vision at Piano" 2005 The Intruder Filmed in 1991. Finished, screened and released on DVD in 2005. 2006 Crimetime Filmed in 1992, unfinished. Screened once in rough cut form at MUFF 2006 2009 The Beautiful and Damned Also worked as script editor 2009 Remembering Nigel Short film. Role of Nigel 2009 Crazy in the Night Short film. Role of David 2017 The Second Coming, Vol. 2 Role of Frank Connolly 2018 A Thin Life Short film. Filmed in the 1990s. Screened at MUFF 2018 and released by Howson on YouTube. 2022 The Debt Collector Role of Father Jenkins