Aussie Legend : Bill Hunter
Being a cinematic star didn’t stop the late, great Bill Hunter being a regular at the Evelyn. He was an instantly recognisable face to literally generations of Australian filmgoers, from Newsfront in 1978 and Peter Weir’s Gallipoli in 1981 (Weir’s 1975 film Picnic at Hanging Rock had been pivotal in putting Australian cinema on the international map), to Baz Luhrmann’s Strictly Ballroom in 1992, to the huge hits Muriel’s Wedding and The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert in 1994. Despite being in films that literally redefined Australian cinema, he was wonderfully down to earth, humble and approachable. A common sight along Brunswick Street, he would often drop into the pub for a pot of Carlton and a yarn with the owner, Maria, or indeed anyone who was around at the time, which of course was often myself. One thing I’ll always remember about him was his piercing blue eyes — it was as if he could just see right through you. I miss Bill as an Australian movie icon, a normal bloke you could have a beer with at the pub, and a friend.
