Barnaby and Me
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2015}}
{{Use Australian English|date=July 2015}}
{{Infobox television
| image =
| image_alt =
| caption =
| genre =
| writer = James Henerson
| director = Norman Panama
| starring = Sid Caesar
Juliet Mills
Hugh Keays-Byrne
Sally Boyden
| music =
| country = Australia
| language = English
| producer = Matthew Herman
| editor =
| cinematography =
| runtime = 90 mins
| company = Trans-Atlantic Enterprises
| budget =
| network = Australian Broadcasting Corporation
| released = {{start date|1978}}
}}
Barnaby and Me is a 1978 Australian made-for-television film. It features a girl and her talking koala, Barnaby, who are pursued by criminals.Ed. Scott Murray, Australia on the Small Screen 1970-1995, Oxford Uni Press, 1996 p11
The film was one of six TV movies made in Australia by Transatlantic Enterprises along with the ABC. Barnaby and Me was made in association with Six Flags, presented as the theme park company's first foray into the movie business.{{Cite news|title=Six Flags Produces Motion Pictures|date=April 21, 1978|publisher=The Taylor Daily Press |url=https://archive.org/details/six-flags-producing-movies}}
It was the final film directed by Norman Panama.Norman Panama, 88, Half of Duo Who Wrote Many Film Comedies: [Obituary (Obit)]
Lyman, Rick. New York Times 27 Jan 2003: A.23.
Cast
- Sid Caesar as Leo Fisk
- Juliet Mills as Jennifer, young widow{{Cite news|title=Unpredictable Koala Making Starring Debut|last=Normann|first=Debra|date=May 14, 1978|publisher=El Paso Times}}
- Sally Boyden as Linda
- Hugh Keays-Byrne as Huggins
- Rangi Nicols as Ko
- John Newcombe as himself
- Michael Beecher as French Reporter
- Bruce Spence as Tall Baddie
- Ivar Kants as Boris
- Daws Butler as Barnaby
Production
It was the second film from Transatlantic Enterprises, following No Room to Run. The film was announced in November 1976 as Billy.Pillow Company Spreads Out
Kilday, Gregg. Los Angeles Times 3 Nov 1976: f9. Another working title was Fuzzy.
Australian singer Sally Boyden turned down the chance to tour with Liberace to make the movie.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article51196437 |title=People. |newspaper=The Australian Women's Weekly | date=10 November 1976 |accessdate=14 July 2013 |page=9 |publisher=National Library of Australia}} John Newcombe has a cameo where he plays a game of tennis against Caesar.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article55475712 |title=People. |newspaper=The Australian Women's Weekly | date=19 January 1977 |accessdate=14 July 2013 |page=9 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}
Filming took place from mid November 1976 to mid January 1977.
Caesar was addicted to alcohol and pills and the time and later wrote in his memoirs that on the flight out "I took my usual ration of booze and pills and passed out completely. When the plane landed in New Zealand Caesar could not be woken up so they took him to hospital.Caesar p 6 His wife Florence was flown to Auckland but by the time she arrived Caesar had gone to Sydney. Norman Panama requested Florence stay on the set to ensure Caesar completed the film. Caesar wrote "she did and she got me to work every day, in reasonably usable condition."Caesar p 188 However Caesar said he could not remember anything about making the movie or any of the time he spent in Australia.
References
{{reflist}}
Notes
- {{cite book|title=Where have I been? : an autobiography|last1=Caesar|first1= Sid|last2=Davidson|first2= Bill|year=1982 |publisher=Crown Publishers }}
External links
- {{IMDb title|0075728}}
- [https://letterboxd.com/film/barnaby-and-me/ Barnaby and Me] at Letterbox DVD
- [http://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C808559?mainTabTemplate=workPublicationDetails Barnaby and Me] at AustLit
{{Norman Panama}}
{{Six Flags}}
Category:Australian television films
Category:Australian crime comedy films
Category:1978 television films
Category:Australian adventure films
Category:1970s adventure films
Category:1970s English-language films
Category:Films directed by Norman Panama
Category:1970s Australian films