Clowning Around

Clowning Around (1991) is an Australian family film that was shot on location in Perth, Western Australia and Paris, France. It was based on the novel Clowning Syn by David Martin.^[1]

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 two years later (Clowning Around 2, filmed in 1992).

Synopsis

Simon Gunner (Clayton Williamson), is a starstruck kid who aspires to become a circus clown. With the help of veteran funster Jack Merrick (Ernie Dingo), Simon ultimately fulfills his goal.

Cast

• Clayton Williamson - Simon Gunner
• Annie Byron - Una Crealy
• Jean-Michel Dagory - Anatole Tollin
• Ernie Dingo - Jack Merrick
• Van Johnson - Mr. Ranthow
• Rebecca Smart - Linda Crealy
• Noni Hazlehurst - Sarah Gunner
• Jill Perryman - Miss Gabhurst
• Steve Jodrell - Skipper Crealy
• Heath Ledger - orphan clown

References

1. ↑ Albert Moran, Moran's Guide to Australian TV Series, AFTRS 1993 p 119

External links

• Clowning Around at the Internet Movie Database
• Clowning Around at allmovie