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7 August 2008

Sir Robert Helpmann

The Australian dancer, choreographer and actor Sir Robert Helpman [1909 -1986] retains a special place in Australia's cultural history.

Born in Mt Gambier in 1909, Robert Helpmann was encouraged, from an early age, to pursue his talent for performance—particularly dance.

Although Helpmann lived for most of his life outside Australia, his early years, spent on the fringes of the Adelaide Hills, left him with a great love of the bush. In this archival interview recorded in 1983, Robert Helpmann recalls his childhood in South Australia, and the role his businessman father played in shaping the course of Helpmann's life in dance.


Presenter

Michelle Rayner

Producer

Michelle Rayner