Hunter made his film debut as an extra in 1957 film The Shiralee. An introduction to Ava Gardner saw him gain a job as an extra and swimming double in the Hollywood film On the Beach which was filming in Melbourne. Hunter claimed that he was inspired to take up acting after watching one of the leads (variously claimed to be either Gregory Peck or Fred Astaire) do 27 takes of a scene, and thinking he could do better.
In the 1960s, Hunter started out in Australian television, and became a prolific performer in television and feature films, in which he often played the strong, opinionated, archetypal gruff Australian whose exterior belies a softer heart.
Some of his most notable movie roles include Newsfront(1978), Gallipoli (1981), Scales of Justice (1983), Strictly Ballroom (1992), Muriel’s Wedding (1994), The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994) and Australia (2008).
In 2007, he reprised the role of Bob in the Australian touring stage production of Priscilla. He also provided the voice of the dentist in Finding Nemo (2003) and the voice of Bubo in Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole (2010). He portrayed United Nations Secretary General Spencer Chartwell in the American science fiction series Space: Above and Beyond. His last film role was in The Cup.
But it’s the movie, Newsfront made in 1978, which is about photographers and cameramen who will do anything to get their footage, which makes this movie of note for this blog. Set in a time post war and pre the excitement of TV in Australian homes, people would go to the movies and view Cinetone reels of events nationally and internationally.
Bill Hunter plays the role of Len Maguire, the Senior Cameraman. Set between the years 1949 and 1956, the film tracks the destinies of two brothers, their adventures and misadventures placed in the context of sweeping social and political changes in their native Australia. Len Maguire is constitutionally resistant to change, while his younger brother Frank Maguire welcomes any alterations in his own life and in the world around him.
This film is considered to be one of Australia’s finest. I have included some links to clips for the movie. One here at Australian Screen and one below at Youtube.