Clowning Around
Encyclopedia
Clowning Around is an Australian family film
that was shot on location in Perth
, Western Australia
and Paris
, France
.
The film was produced by independent film company Barron Entertainment Films in Western Australia and educational film company WonderWorks
in the United States
, was directed by George Whaley. It was distributed by Australian Broadcasting Corporation
in Australia. It featured Australian actors such as Clayton Williamson, Noni Hazelhurst
, Ernie Dingo
, Rebecca Smart
, and Jill Perryman, and also featured veteran American film actor Van Johnson
in his final movie role, and French actor Jean-Michel Dagory. This film also features perhaps the earliest film role for Heath Ledger
, who would later appear in Blackrock
(1997) with Smart and Candy
(2006) with Hazlehurst. Ledger's role appeared in the last ten minutes, of which he played an orphan clown who closes the film by delivering the film's final lines. This series was followed up with a sequel a year later (Clowning Around 2, filmed in 1992).
. With the help of veteran funster Jack Merrick (Ernie Dingo
), Simon ultimately fulfills his goal.
Family film
A family film is a film genre that is designed to appeal to a variety of age groups and, thus, families.In December 2005, Steven Spielberg's 1982 film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial came first in a poll of the 100 Greatest Family Films. The genre today generates billions of dollars per annum.Family...
that was shot on location in Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
and Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
The film was produced by independent film company Barron Entertainment Films in Western Australia and educational film company WonderWorks
WonderWorks
WonderWorks was a project jointly owned by The Walt Disney Company and PBS that made short, made for TV movies out of acclaimed children's books...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, was directed by George Whaley. It was distributed by Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
in Australia. It featured Australian actors such as Clayton Williamson, Noni Hazelhurst
Noni Hazelhurst
Leonie Elva "Noni" Hazlehurst is an Australian actress. She won the Best Support Actress in a Single Series in the Logie Awards of 1985. After attending St Leonard's College in Brighton East, Victoria, Hazlehurst completed a Bachelor of Arts in 1973 at Flinders University in Adelaide...
, Ernie Dingo
Ernie Dingo
Ernie Dingo AM is an Indigenous Australian actor and television presenter originating from the Yamatji people of the Murchison region of Western Australia.-Background:...
, Rebecca Smart
Rebecca Smart
Rebecca Elizabeth Smart is an Australian actress born in Tamworth, Australia.Smart has performed in movies like The Coca-Cola Kid, Violet's Visit and Blackrock as well as television shows and miniseries like Elly & Jools, The Shiralee and Water Rats.She won the Most Popular Actress in a...
, and Jill Perryman, and also featured veteran American film actor Van Johnson
Van Johnson
Van Johnson was an American film and television actor and dancer who was a major star at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios during and after World War II....
in his final movie role, and French actor Jean-Michel Dagory. This film also features perhaps the earliest film role for Heath Ledger
Heath Ledger
Heath Andrew Ledger was an Australian television and film actor. After performing roles in Australian television and film during the 1990s, Ledger moved to the United States in 1998 to develop his film career...
, who would later appear in Blackrock
Blackrock (film)
Blackrock is a 1997 Australian film directed by Steven Vidler and written by Nick Enright. Internationally, it is best remembered as the first prominent role of actor Heath Ledger.-Origin:...
(1997) with Smart and Candy
Candy (2006 film)
Candy is a 2006 Australian romantic drama film, adapted from Luke Davies's novel Candy: A Novel of Love and Addiction. Candy was directed by debut film-maker Neil Armfield and stars Heath Ledger, Abbie Cornish and Geoffrey Rush....
(2006) with Hazlehurst. Ledger's role appeared in the last ten minutes, of which he played an orphan clown who closes the film by delivering the film's final lines. This series was followed up with a sequel a year later (Clowning Around 2, filmed in 1992).
Synopsis
Simon Gunner (Clayton Williamson), is a starstruck kid who aspires to become a circus clownClown
Clowns are comic performers stereotypically characterized by the grotesque image of the circus clown's colored wigs, stylistic makeup, outlandish costumes, unusually large footwear, and red nose, which evolved to project their actions to large audiences. Other less grotesque styles have also...
. With the help of veteran funster Jack Merrick (Ernie Dingo
Ernie Dingo
Ernie Dingo AM is an Indigenous Australian actor and television presenter originating from the Yamatji people of the Murchison region of Western Australia.-Background:...
), Simon ultimately fulfills his goal.
Cast
- Clayton Williamson - Simon Gunner
- Annie Byron - Una Crealy
- Jean-Michel Dagory - Anatole Tollin
- Ernie DingoErnie DingoErnie Dingo AM is an Indigenous Australian actor and television presenter originating from the Yamatji people of the Murchison region of Western Australia.-Background:...
- Jack Merrick - Van JohnsonVan JohnsonVan Johnson was an American film and television actor and dancer who was a major star at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios during and after World War II....
- Mr. Ranthow - Rebecca SmartRebecca SmartRebecca Elizabeth Smart is an Australian actress born in Tamworth, Australia.Smart has performed in movies like The Coca-Cola Kid, Violet's Visit and Blackrock as well as television shows and miniseries like Elly & Jools, The Shiralee and Water Rats.She won the Most Popular Actress in a...
- Linda Crealy - Noni Hazlehurst - Sarah Gunner
- Jill Perryman - Miss Gabhurst
- Steve Jodrell - Skipper Crealy
- Heath LedgerHeath LedgerHeath Andrew Ledger was an Australian television and film actor. After performing roles in Australian television and film during the 1990s, Ledger moved to the United States in 1998 to develop his film career...
- orphan clown