Daniel Abineri
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Daniel Abineri is an actor, writer, director and producer of musicals and television programs.
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[edit] Acting
Abineri has acted in a number of stage productions and television shows, both in Australia and internationally. His best known work includes: Alan Wilson opposite Tatum O'Neal in International Velvet (MGM ‘77), three series as Father Neil opposite Arthur Lowe in the hit ITV comedy Bless Me Father, Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Show in both the London West End and Australia. In the 1980s, he starred as super villain Jake Sanders in the international hit Australian drama series Return To Eden. He also portrayed Arnold Beckoff in the Australian production of Torch Song Trilogy, and in 1998 Bruce Delamitri in Ben Elton’s Popcorn.
[edit] Writing and Producing for the Stage
Abineri started writing in the early 1980s and has had two of his musicals commercially produced in Australia and London.
In 1986 he wrote the book, music and lyrics for his first musical Bad Boy Johnny and The Prophets Of Doom. This rock and roll extravaganza about an altar boy who becomes the worlds first pop Pope, premiered in Melbourne in 1989 and featured a young Russell Crowe in the title role. Daniel had discovered Russell some years earlier when he had given him his first professional acting role in a NZ tour of Rocky Horror. 'Bad Boy Johnny enjoyed a six month run in Melbourne and Sydney, won two International Pater Awards™ for best libretto and score, spawned a cast album on WEA Records (which Abineri also produced) and a top ten single in Australia.
Returning to the UK in 1993, Daniel remounted ‘Bad Boy Johnny’ at The Union Chapel in Islington - the production became a cause celebre in 1994 and made front page news when a collection of irate nuns, the London arm of Opus Dei, The Daily Telegraph and the Church Council of Great Britain complained that it was 'offensive and blasphemous'. After a spate of death threats the production was closed after just ten performances.
[edit] Production Work for Television
In 1997 Abineri produced and directed his first documentary, One Hit Wonders for the BBC2, which attracted 3.4 million viewers. He followed this in 1999 with a study of androgyny and theatricallity in pop music called Walk On The Wildside, produced for Granada Television. This featured interviews with Lindsay Kemp, Ray Davies, Dave Stewart, Mick Rock and others. Other films he’s produced and directed include Hogarths’ London for BBC Manchester (2000), and Murder & Celebrity for Voodoo Films.
