Hilary Linstead, the agent, casting director and film producer who launched Australia’s first talent agency, has died aged 83.
Talked of as a “force of nature” by industry friends, Linstead is considered to have nurtured many of Australia’s most successful stage, film and TV talents, and is known for discovering Rome and Juliet director Baz Luhrmann among others, representing him and the likes of Power of the Dog director Jane Campion, Gillian Armstrong (Little Women) and Adelaide festival joint artistic director Neil Armfield.
Linstead was born in London in 1938 but moved to Australia to become an actress. However, she soon switched to become a casting director and worked at International Casting Services representing actresses. She then teamed with Liz Mullinar to form M&l Casting Consultants, which led casting on productions such as Rocky Horror Show and Jesus Christ Superstar and Australian film classics such as Picnic at Hanging Rock.
Talked of as a “force of nature” by industry friends, Linstead is considered to have nurtured many of Australia’s most successful stage, film and TV talents, and is known for discovering Rome and Juliet director Baz Luhrmann among others, representing him and the likes of Power of the Dog director Jane Campion, Gillian Armstrong (Little Women) and Adelaide festival joint artistic director Neil Armfield.
Linstead was born in London in 1938 but moved to Australia to become an actress. However, she soon switched to become a casting director and worked at International Casting Services representing actresses. She then teamed with Liz Mullinar to form M&l Casting Consultants, which led casting on productions such as Rocky Horror Show and Jesus Christ Superstar and Australian film classics such as Picnic at Hanging Rock.
- 8/18/2022
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
FILM REVIEW
CANNES, A daft and endearing comedy, "Billy's Holiday" is the story of a stumpy, middle-aged hardware store owner who discovers he has a talent for singing like Billie Holiday. It's an incredible, warm-hearted "Cinderella" story, which, unfortunately, trips over its many time signatures. Still, it's one of the most likable movies to screen at this year's market. Best prospects in the United States may be as a remake: This nostalgic, spry comedy would make for an ideal pairing of Dudley Moore and Blake Edwards.
Life has been decidedly flat lately for 50-ish Billy (Max Cullen). Although he still plays trombone and croons a bit in a band, his main preoccupation is raising his teen-age daughter (Kris McQuade) in the wake of his wife's desertion six year's earlier. A former entertainer, he's past his prime and wallows in performing the oldies now in Saturday-night stints. For Billy
life's refrain is all repetition with no new riffs in sight. Then one fine morning, while warbling in the shower, he finds that he sounds just like Billie Holiday. Realizing his life needs a boost, he surprises the band on Saturday night, and, to his grand amazement, brings down the house.
Undeniably, screenwriter Denis Whitburn's scenario rests squarely on the central comic gimmick of an ordinary Australian bloke sounding just like the sultry black blues artist, but it's also lined with a winning track of self-revitalization as over-the-hill Billy rediscovers his passions.
In this boom-box age, older viewers in particular will thrill to the soundtrack's succulent Big Band oldies as well as be amused by the film's satirical slant on the record business. While Richard Wherrett's direction is cheerfully cheeky, it's also a bit boxy, particularly with its group stagings and choreography. Still, Wherrett's directorial baton brings forth some amusing and warm moments.
Cullen is a bundle of pixie-ish charm as the hardwareman/songstress, while Genevieve Lemon is fittingly garish as his self-absorbed ex-wife.
Technical contributions are topped off by the film's liltingly romantic musical numbers, a testament to musical director Peter Cobbin's astute sensibility.
`Holiday'
BILLY'S HOLIDAY
Beyond Films Ltd.
Producers Tristram Miall, Denis Whitburn
Director Richard Wherrett
Screenwriter Denis Whitburn
Production supervisor Sally Ayre-Smith
Musical director Peter Cobbin
Director of photography Roger Lanser
Editor Sue Blainey
Costume designer Terry Ryan
Production designer Michael Scott-Mitchell
Choreography Kim Walker
Color/Stereo
CAST:
Billy Apples Max Cullen
Kate Hammond Kris McQuade
Sid Banks Drew Forsyth
Julie Coates Genevieve Lemon
Louise Appleby Tin Bursill
Rob McSpedden Richard Roxburgh
Running time - 98 minutes
(c) The Hollywood Reporter...
Life has been decidedly flat lately for 50-ish Billy (Max Cullen). Although he still plays trombone and croons a bit in a band, his main preoccupation is raising his teen-age daughter (Kris McQuade) in the wake of his wife's desertion six year's earlier. A former entertainer, he's past his prime and wallows in performing the oldies now in Saturday-night stints. For Billy
life's refrain is all repetition with no new riffs in sight. Then one fine morning, while warbling in the shower, he finds that he sounds just like Billie Holiday. Realizing his life needs a boost, he surprises the band on Saturday night, and, to his grand amazement, brings down the house.
Undeniably, screenwriter Denis Whitburn's scenario rests squarely on the central comic gimmick of an ordinary Australian bloke sounding just like the sultry black blues artist, but it's also lined with a winning track of self-revitalization as over-the-hill Billy rediscovers his passions.
In this boom-box age, older viewers in particular will thrill to the soundtrack's succulent Big Band oldies as well as be amused by the film's satirical slant on the record business. While Richard Wherrett's direction is cheerfully cheeky, it's also a bit boxy, particularly with its group stagings and choreography. Still, Wherrett's directorial baton brings forth some amusing and warm moments.
Cullen is a bundle of pixie-ish charm as the hardwareman/songstress, while Genevieve Lemon is fittingly garish as his self-absorbed ex-wife.
Technical contributions are topped off by the film's liltingly romantic musical numbers, a testament to musical director Peter Cobbin's astute sensibility.
`Holiday'
BILLY'S HOLIDAY
Beyond Films Ltd.
Producers Tristram Miall, Denis Whitburn
Director Richard Wherrett
Screenwriter Denis Whitburn
Production supervisor Sally Ayre-Smith
Musical director Peter Cobbin
Director of photography Roger Lanser
Editor Sue Blainey
Costume designer Terry Ryan
Production designer Michael Scott-Mitchell
Choreography Kim Walker
Color/Stereo
CAST:
Billy Apples Max Cullen
Kate Hammond Kris McQuade
Sid Banks Drew Forsyth
Julie Coates Genevieve Lemon
Louise Appleby Tin Bursill
Rob McSpedden Richard Roxburgh
Running time - 98 minutes
(c) The Hollywood Reporter...
- 5/25/1995
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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