John Meillon

John Meillon ( ; 1 May 1934 – 11 August 1989) was an Australian character actor known for dramatic as well as comedy roles. He portrayed Walter Reilly in the films Crocodile Dundee and Crocodile Dundee II. He also voiced advertisements for Victoria Bitter beer. He appeared in several Australian New Wave films including Wake in Fright and The Cars That Ate Paris.

Early life Meillon was born in Mosman, a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, the eldest child of three children to Theodor Boesan Meillon, a clerk, and Florence Beatrice 'Jill', née Callaghan. He had an elder sister, Laurel, a younger sister, Lynne, and his younger brother was director Bob Meillon (1943–2012).

Meillon attended Mosman Church of England Preparatory and Sydney Grammar schools.

Career

Radio and theatre In 1945 Meillon made his radio debut in the ABC's Bush Christmas, at the age of eleven. He played the title role in the ABC's 1947 radio serial of Ruth Park’s Stumpy.

He played an Aboriginal boy in The Search for the Golden Boomerang on 2UW. Other ABC children’s serial credits included The Gangos, Land of the Rainbow and Budge's Gang. Other roles included Young David in David Copperfield on 2CH and Jim Hawkins in Treasure Island. Further radio plays and series included The Cadbury Show, Rebecca, On the Waterfront and Blue Hills.

Meillon was appointed an OBE in the 1979 Queen's Birthday Honours, for service to theatre.

Film and television In 1961, Meillon had an early recurring role in the British television series A Chance of Thunder as Martin for 6 episodes.

Meillon had a lead role in the television sitcom My Name's McGooley, What's Yours? as Wally Stiller from 1966 to 1968. In 1968 he co-starred in the spin off, Rita and Wally. In 1968 and 1969, he was featured in two episodes of Skippy as Nimble Norris.

In 1971, he had a recurring role in Bellbird for 16 episodes. In 1972, he played Ray Dunlop in Lane End for 7 episodes, and from 1972 to 1973 he had a regular part as Cyril Kirby in Over There. He played the role of James Casey in the 1984 miniseries version of The Fourth Wish. In 1980, he appeared as Premier Dakin in Timelapse.

In 1984 he appeared in the miniseries The Dismissal, for which he won a Logie Award.

He made guest appearances on numerous series including Riptide, The Rovers, The Link Men, Delta, Division 4, Matlock Police, Dynasty, Spyforce, Homicide, Luke's Kingdom, Scales of Justice, A Country Practice (on which his brother Bob Meillon was director) and The Dunera Boys. He also appeared in a number of early Australian TV plays.

Meillon's first film role was a small appearance in On the Beach (1959). Like many actors of his generation, Meillon also worked in the UK, his 1960 role in his second film The Sundowners having taken him to London. While there, he consciously steered away from Australian roles. His career flourished abroad, but he returned to Australia in 1964.

Meillon starred in several Australian New Wave and Ozploitation films, including They're a Weird Mob (1966), Wake in Fright, Walkabout (both 1971), The Cars That Ate Paris (1974), Sidecar Racers, Inn of the Damned and Ride a Wild Pony (all 1975). He played the role of Casey in the 1976 film The Fourth Wish, winning the AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role that same year.

Further film roles included The Picture Show Man (1977) for which he was nominated for an Australian Film Institute (AFI) Award, Heatwave (1982), The Wild Duck (1983), earning him a further AFI Award nomination, Frenchman's Farm (1987) and The Everlasting Secret Family (1988), receiving yet another AFI Award nomination for the latter. Meillon is perhaps best known however, for his role as Walter Reilly in the 1986 internationally successful film Crocodile Dundee (alongside Paul Hogan) and its sequel Crocodile Dundee II in 1988.

Voiceover With his rich baritone, Meillon was used extensively in voice-over work – most famously in his work as the Victoria Bitter narrator who says "you can get it any old how". The VB campaign ran for two decades until Meillon’s death in 1989. With the approval of the Meillon family, Carlton & United Breweries (CUB) has continued to use his voice through digital remastering and by recutting the original recordings. He also voiced television commercials for Berger Paints NSW.

Personal life Meillon married Australian actress June Salter in 1958 and they had one son, John Meillon, Jr., also an actor. Meillon and Salter were divorced in 1971, but remained friends. Meillon married English-born actress Rita 'Bunny' Gibson on 5 April 1972 at Crows Nest Methodist Church. They also had a son. He continued to frequent the bar over the following decade, including visiting in the week before his death.

Death Meillon died from cirrhosis at his home in Neutral Bay, Sydney, on 11 August 1989. Meillon was posthumously awarded the Raymond Longford Lifetime Achievement Award.

Filmography

Film

Television

Theatre Year Production Role Type

Radio (partial)

Discography Singles + List of singles, with Australian chart positions Year Title Peak chart positions AUS 1967 "Hot Pie and Tomato Sauce" - 1977 "Tap Tap"/"Picture Show Man" (with John Ewart) 80 1987 "The One That Got Away" (with Tommy Moeller) -

Awards and honours Year Nominated work Award Category Result1977 The Fourth Wish AACTA Awards AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role The Picture Show Man Australian Film Institute Awards Best Actor in a Lead Role 1979 John Meillon Queen's Birthday Honours OBE for Service to Theatre Bit Part Logie Awards Best Actor 1983 The Wild Duck Australian Film Institute Awards Best Actor in a Supporting Role 1984 The Dismissal Logie Awards Best Supporting Actor 1988 The Everlasting Secret Family Australian Film Institute Awards Best Actor in a Supporting Role 1989 John Meillon AACTA Awards Raymond Longford Lifetime Achievement Award (posthumous)