John Derum

John Bernard Derum (born 9 January 1946) is an Australian stage, film and television actor. He is also an artistic administrator and directed and produced for theatre companies throughout Australia and for television. Derum has also been a politician for local council.

Early life

John Bernard Derum was born in St Vincent's Maternity Hospital in East Melbourne (now demolished) on 9 January 1946. He is the son of Scottish immigrants.

From the age of 10, Derum studied and performed in choral music and musical theatre, with the Australian Boys Choir. He also performed and competed in Irish and folk dancing.

Career

Screen

Derum first appeared on Australian television in the first episode of ''Homicide'' in 1964 – a serious role as the delinquent son of a bank security guard. Later, he appeared in another Australian police drama ''Division 4'' (1970–1972). He became well known for his role as Narrator Neville in the first season of the ABC's irreverent satire/comedy ''The Aunty Jack Show'' (1972). Derum appeared in a number of comedy and revue series including '' The Thursday Creek Mob'' (1971), '' The True Blue Show'' (1975), '' Doctor Down Under'' (1979) as Doctor Maurice Griffin, and '' Ratbags'' (1981). He appeared in the final edition of ''The Mavis Bramston Show'' in 1975.

He played B. A. Santamaria in the ABC miniseries '' True Believers'' (1988) and Francis James in ''The Gadfly'' (1994) and appeared in '' G.P.'' and ''Mother and Son''.

For ABC Television, he hosted more than 200 editions of the national quiz '' The Oz Game'' and more than 50 episodes of the Australian music and folklore program '' That's Australia''.

Derum lent his voice to the ABC children's animated television series '' The Adventures of Sam'', the animated film ''Dot and the Kangaroo'' (1977) and a tv movie version of ''Wind in the Willows'' (1988). He also narrated the audio book ''Sanctuary'' by Judy Nunn.

His film appearances include ''Mad Dog Morgan'', ''The Trespassers'' (1976; as Richard), '' Kazzam International'', and ''The Night the Prowler'' (1978; as John).

John Derum has become widely identified with his interpretation of the work of Australian writers, particularly C. J. Dennis. He performed ''More than a Sentimental Bloke'', his tribute to Dennis, more than 500 times around Australia between 1979 and 1994. He has also recorded and performed ''The Songs of a Sentimental Bloke'' and the Dennis masterpiece '' The Glugs of Gosh''.

He was twice held offices for Actors Equity and founded an actors support group called "Actor's Forum".

Theatre and radio

Derum first appeared in theatre the same year he made his TV debut in 1963, after being cast in a production of the George Whaley play ''Billy Liar'' at Wal Cherry's Emerald Hill Theatre. Within six months, he was working alongside Googie Withers and Keith Mitchell in a nationwide Shakespeare tour called ''The First Four Hundred Years''. The young actor continued to work and mature and play roles in such productions as ''The Seagull'' (Adelaide Festival, 1970), ''Peer Gynt'' (Sydney Opera House) and several roles in ''The Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby'' (Sydney Theatre Company, 1983–1985), and ''The Crucible'' (Sydney Theatre Company) and numerous other revues, musicals and variety performance.

Derum was artistic director of the Canberra Theatre Company in 1985 and 1986.

He was awarded a Literary Fellowship by the Australian Defence Force Academy, which enabled an expanded script of ''More than a Sentimental Bloke''.

Derum served as Manager of the Independent Theatre, from 1996 and 1999, overseeing the restoration and re-opening of the historical theatre.

After his return from the Blue Mountains to Sydney in 2007, he resumed his career as an actor and director. He has directed many rehearsed readings of new scripts, including ''Waiting for Goterson'' by Sam Atwell. He played Oscar Wilde in ''Lady Windermere's Fan'' and Aiden Turner and David Marsh in David Hare's '' The Power of Yes'' in 2010.

Politics

Derum was elected to Blue Mountains City Council from 1995 to 1999 and worked as a political adviser between 2001 and 2007. He was appointed to the Theatre Committee of the NSW Government Arts Advisory Board, and worked on the staff of the NSW Minister for the Environment and Attorney-General and as electorate advisor for three members of parliament.

Honours and awards

Derum was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) on 26 January 2019, "for significant service to the performing arts as an actor, director and administrator, and to the community".

Personal life

Derum is married to Jane Gilling and together they have two children, Clancy and Oliver.

Filmography

Film

Television

Theatre

As actor

As crew

Radio

Audio book narration

References

External links

*

John Derum
on AusStage

''More Than a Sentimental Bloke: A Performance: John Derum as C. J. Dennis''
(1990 book by Derum)

{{DEFAULTSORT:Derum, John
1946 births
Living people
Australian male film actors
Australian male television actors
Australian male stage actors
Australian people of Scottish descent
Members of the Order of Australia