About Alby
There’s a lot to what I’ve kept myself busy doing, from acting, singing, dancing and as a juggling, tap-dancing papa bear in the Goldilocks panto…mostly out of desperation to survive in this industry. Not because I was hungry for ambition (although it started that way!), but when I found myself a dad at a young age with a total of 3 kids all up, it was what I knew how to do to make money. So have fun scrolling away to see what that has entailed. Anyway, this is a brief version of what’s kept me busy for the past 30 years…
Director/Producer
SCREEN
As director/producer I made three documentaries for NITV’s Our Stories and won best comedy for my short film Red Wire Blue Wire at the SA Screen Awards. My day job is currently head of production and operations at Channel 44, Adelaide where I get to work with a bunch of amazing people. In the time there I’ve produced and directed several productions of documentaries and TV shows, live events and a variety of promotional videos.
The Butterfish Mob
Dot Music
Big Al's Big Dream
Red Wire Blue Wire
The Alternative Art School - 40 Years
The Art of Reconciliation
Anthology of Unkept Secrets
Mob Talks
The Divide
WEB SERIES
The only dip in the web series water I’ve taken was to write and co-produce with Michael Zeitz from John Dory Media, was our football comedy series The Huddle. I gave myself a challenge to write 6 x 1minute comedy scripts. We had zero budget and shot it in one day in the local football change rooms in Willunga Football Club. We were pleased with the result and had aching stomachs from laughing at our own ridiculous sense of humour – and everyone on the day had fun so that’s the main thing. However, episode 2 is missing from this list. These days it may be culturally insensitive, so I thought best to leave it out of the mix. Anyway, hope you enjoy a quick chuckle.
The Huddle - Ep 1
The Huddle - Ep 3
The Huddle - Ep 4
The Huddle - Ep 5
The Huddle - Ep 6
STAGE
My entry into producing and directing my own works came at a time when my kids were young and our whole family started up our own performing arts organisation called JamaeRaw School of the Arts (2005 – 2014). During this time we staged about 60 productions in the local regions. Some of the shows included staging the musicals Grease, Pirates of Penzance, The Producers and Hairspray. We also performed many plays in that time, several of which I created original pieces for. In addition to this, our children went to the Willunga Waldorf School, so it was an easy get for them to have us produce their productions as well. This was where I got to write three musicals with their amazing talented music teacher Allye Sinclair and staged them at the school auditorium. CLICK HERE to view play/musical titles.
Performer
As a performer, I’ve been fortunate to have such a diverse experience treading the proverbial boards. I could go back as far as playing the tortoise in a Sunday School at the age of 5, when despite the wire from the plaster shell sticking into my back, I soldiered on. Or I could recall the embarrassing role as Superman in the year 11 musical…very unflattering tights. But I’ll just keep it to the professional years or this will scroll on forever. I was blessed with many opportunities such as hosting national kid’s TV with Here’s Humphrey (1993-95), which included a national tour and public appearances. Stage shows for Disney and Warner Bros, a cabaret dance tour of South Korea, along with various spots in TV commercials, films, TV series and plays. I don’t do a lot of performing jobs apart from the occasional voice over, but maybe one day I’ll get the buzz back.
FILM
Extra and/or featured extra roles in Oranges & Sunshine (2010), Closed for Winter (2009) Look Both Ways (2005), Peaches (2004), Shine (1996), Heaven’s Burning (1997), The Battler’s (1994)
Played the small role of Justin in the 1997 Maslin Beach – and because I was still on TV with Humphrey at the time, I reckon I was the only one contracted to have to keep their clothes on! If you want to see this amazing beach, it just so happens I went back there to make my first short film…which if you keep scrolling you’ll eventually stumble across.
TELEVISION
As mentioned, hosting Humphrey will probably always be one of my biggest highlights. Love him as a kid so to work with him over those few years was an absolute gift. Loads of mischievous fun in the studio, on the national tour to celebrate his 30th birthday, along with home videos and regular public appearances. Seeing the looks on the kids’ faces (apart from those who burst out in tears) was delightful.
Other TV stints were minimal but a few were playing the role of the anaesthetist in the 2014 TV series Anzac Girls. Soon after, I played several featured extras in Deadline Gallipoli (2015), which was great because I got to act with my two sons who also played soldiers in the trenches. And in Pine Gap (2018), which was such a small part they only needed my photo with the best (and only) moustache I’ve ever been able to grow…well, stick on.
If you want a laugh and see my work back then check this out from 1993 – im on about half way through.
Here's Humphrey (1993)
COMMERCIAL
TV ads are a great way to support a family but also very few and far between. However I did get a chance to do some fun ones, and the Ultratune one which I’ll link below played for about 8 years so the elusive royalties that all actors aim for certainly came in handy during a time when I had all 3 kids in school!
The ones I played speaking/featured roles in were for Sunday Mail, Mitsubishi, SGIC, Adelaide Casino, TAB, Hollywood Plaza, Hills Industries, Sentinel Spectrum, Jaffas Furniture, Ultratune, Braemar and Sealy International.
Ultratune TVC
I loved this job because I had no lines to learn and just did the dorky dad thing – very much in my wheelhouse!
VOICE OVERS
Probably my favourite gigs to do. You don’t need to worry about how you look and you get to sit in a sound proof booth and have fun. Clients I’ve done v/o’s for in radio or television include Shiels, Sky City, Fasta Pasta, Century 21, Sunday Mail, Advertiser, Trading Post, Motor Accident Commission, People’s Choice Credit Union, Parafield Estate, Northpoint Toyota, Citibank, Trimms, North Terrace Tyres, Channel Nine Telethon and Queen Elizabeth Wines.
THEATRE
Theatre was my first love and probably will always be my favourite. Getting up in front of people, playing someone other than myself was a happy place. Making them laugh even more so, but as long as they left feeling entertained, then I felt like I had done my job. There’s been so many shows I’ve been a part of but here’s a few. Ranging from 1991 – 2014.
Footloose (Stayg25 Productions) – role of Uncle Wes
Pride and Prejudice (Independent Theatre Adelaide) – multiple minor roles.
Humphrey’s 30th Birthday Australian Tour (Banksia) – Lead host
Mickey’s fun with Music (Disney) – Lead host
Humphrey Bear Public Appearances (Banksia) – Lead Host
Batman Forever (Warner Bros) – The Joker
Goldilocks & the Three Bears-Theatre 62 (Mighty good Productions) – Juggling Papa Bear
Olde Kings Music Hall-Theatre 62 (Mighty Good Productions) – Variety Performer
Beetlejuice (Warner Bros) – Wolfman Jake
Dimboola Wedding (Best Man) – Hotel Adelaide International. (Pat Harvey)
Burswood Casino Follies Show (Perth) – Dancer
South Korean Tour (6 months Ricarp Productions) – Dancer
The Grapes of Wrath-Space Theatre (Independent Theatre) – Role of Connie
Speaker/MC/Host
I cant help but love getting up in front of a large crowd and chatting away. There was a time I would dread the idea of this (early teens), but when I discovered my love of performing in high school musicals, this suddenly changed. I’m obviously an extrovert at heart and like many performers love the limelight. But more importantly I love connecting with people and what better way than to do it on a mass scale. Here’s a couple of gigs in that time between 2007-2013.
Royal Adelaide Show – Emcee for Jenny Gilles Fashion Parades
Almond Blossom Festival Willunga – Opening/closing night and parades
JamaeRaw School of the Arts annual musicals & fundraisers
Special Education Group Art Auction (Willunga)
Coach
I spent a lot of years teaching performing arts. I do love to help emerging artists hone their skills, and again it’s a great way to keep food on the table. Most of the coaching came through the performing arts school I helped set up, but it also spread into other areas. I’ve run public speaking workshops for councils, film making workshops for disadvantaged youths, and created my own writing workshops which I held in local regions.
Here’s a little promo video I did for our performing arts school Jamaeraw in 2014, celebrating 10 years of coaching. it will always hold a special place for me giving such a healthy outlet to hundreds of students who came through our doors, especially giving our 3 kids a place to shine.
Musician
I’ve been playing piano since primary school and always loved music. I mostly used my skill here to teach singing and piano in between jobs and later on in my 40’s was asked to join a rock band as lead singer. This was an ultimate highlight. We were called Dirt Road and lasted for a couple years. We rehearsed out of the bass players shearing shed in Clarendon and did some pub gigs and other events. It was short lived but I had a blast.
A more recent performance was in early 2020 when I was asked to orchestrate a choir rendition of 40 people to do Bohemian Rhapsody for the Willunga’s Cinemallunga, who were screening the movie at the time. I led the piano while they sang with me and every one of us were dressed as Freddy Mercury. It was so surreal but went off like a bomb. Of course I inserted various comedy moments in between but I can’t help myself. There’s probably a video of it somewhere on their website but here’s the pic for now. Not sure what was worse, the moustache or the chest hair!
SHORT FILM
If you want to see my very first short film below be warned! I tucked it away here for good reason. It was filmed on Maslin Beach here south of Adelaide, one of the best beaches you’ll find. Fun fact, it’s where I we shot Deadline Gallipoli where I got to be a wounded soldier on a stretcher. It’s been used in many depictions of the iconic battle given its similarities to the beaches of Gallipoli peninsula in Ottoman Turkey. Mine however was far from that story. It’s a humble silent comedy about a simple caveman who has his beloved stick stolen, so he enacts his revenge on his nemesis…oh yeah, the warning is about me and my good mate Michael in a seaweed G-string!
Anyway, enough rambling about me, I’m sure you have something better to do. 😊 But if you don’t and want to know a bit more about me then jump over here.