Sandy Stone (character)

Last updated

Sandy Stone
First appearance"Sandy Stones Big Week" 1958
Created by Barry Humphries
Portrayed byBarry Humphries

Sandy Stone was a male character played by the Australian comedian Barry Humphries. Described by John Betjeman as "this decent man from the suburbs",[ citation needed ] Stone is one of Humphries' more enduring characters. [1] [2]

Contents

History of character

The inspiration for Sandy came from a neighbour, a Mr Whittle, whom Humphries knew as a boy, and was portrayed in a short story, Sandy Stone's Big Week, written by Humphries (under the pseudonym H. Grahame) in 1956 but not published until 1958 (in a Canberra student magazine Prometheus). Humphries describes Sandy, originally called Dusty, as an "elderly, childless man" living in the suburbs of Melbourne. His vocal mannerisms came from an aged man Humphries met on Bondi Beach. [3]

One of Sandy's monologues was part of the recording A Nice Night's Entertainment, which was particularly enjoyed by Humphries' friend, Peter Cook. [4] Humphries was still writing monologues for Sandy Stone "Australia’s most boring man". He said in 2016 that "slowly the character has deepened, so I begin to understand and appreciate him, and finally feel myself turning into him". In Humphries' later years, he no longer required makeup for the part, and played Sandy in his own dressing gown. [5]

Character

Sandy's monologues were sometimes inspired by stories recounted to Humphries by friends or family, like the tale of Dot Swift who was handed over to the Twilight Home [6] which may be the very same home, or perhaps a subsidiary of the one Dame Edna's mother resides in. Barry Humphries sometimes used the character to balance pathos with humor or satire: in one monologue having the ghost of Sandy Stone recall his four-year-old daughter who died in the 1930s and how his wife then suffered a breakdown. The Australian columnist Peter Craven commented that Humphries in his Sandy Stone persona could "reduce an audience of young unbelieving cynics to tears with material that might have been written by James Joyce - delivered with wan, uncomprehending wonderment". [7]

In some recent appearances (Shades), Sandy states he never had any children. A specialist had confirmed this[ clarification needed ] and he never ever completed work on dolls house furniture he had started in his workshop. The planned "nursery" lost its purpose and name.

The character is featured in the track Sandy Agonistes on Humphries' comedy recording Moonee Ponds Muse, Vol. 1

The complete scripts (edited by Colin O'Brien) of all the Stone soliloquies were published in The Life and Death of Sandy Stone in 1990.

Painting

The artist Sidney Nolan painted a portrait of the character.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Cook</span> British comedian, actor, satirist (1937–1995)

Peter Edward Cook was an English comedian, actor, satirist, playwright and screenwriter. He was the leading figure of the British satire boom of the 1960s, and he was associated with the anti-establishment comedic movement that emerged in the United Kingdom in the late 1950s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Waits</span> American singer-songwriter and actor (born 1949)

Thomas Alan Waits is an American musician, composer, songwriter, and actor. His lyrics often focus on the underbelly of society and are delivered in his trademark deep, gravelly voice. He began in the folk scene during the 1970s, but his music since the 1980s has reflected the influence of such diverse genres as rock, country, Delta blues, opera, vaudeville, cabaret, funk, hip hop and experimental techniques verging on industrial music. Per The Wall Street Journal, Waits “has composed a body of work that’s at least comparable to any songwriter’s in pop today. A keen, sensitive and sympathetic chronicler of the adrift and downtrodden, Mr. Waits creates three-dimensional characters who, even in their confusion and despair, are capable of insight and startling points of view. Their stories are accompanied by music that’s unlike any other in pop history.”

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Julian and Sandy</span>

Julian and Sandy were characters on the BBC radio comedy programme Round the Horne from 1965 to 1968 and were played by Hugh Paddick and Kenneth Williams respectively, with scripts written by Barry Took and Marty Feldman. According to a BBC Radio 4 programme on the characters, they were named after the writers Sandy Wilson and Julian Slade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barry White</span> American singer (1944–2003)

Barry Eugene Carter, better known by his stage name Barry White, was an American singer and songwriter. A two-time Grammy Award winner known for his bass voice and romantic image, his greatest success came in the 1970s as a solo singer and with the Love Unlimited Orchestra, crafting many enduring soul, funk, and disco songs such as his two biggest hits: "Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe" and "You're the First, the Last, My Everything".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barry Humphries</span> Australian comedian (1934–2023)

John Barry Humphries was an Australian comedian, actor, author and satirist. He was best known for writing and playing his stage and television characters Dame Edna Everage and Sir Les Patterson. Humphries's characters brought him international renown. He appeared in numerous stage productions, films and television shows. Originally conceived as a dowdy Moonee Ponds housewife who caricatured Australian suburban complacency and insularity, the Dame Edna Everage character developed into a satire of stardom – a gaudily dressed, acid-tongued, egomaniacal, internationally fêted "housewife gigastar".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dame Edna Everage</span> Fictional Australian character

Dame Edna Everage, often known simply as Dame Edna, is a character created and performed by Australian comedian Barry Humphries, known for her lilac-coloured hair and cat eye glasses ; her favourite flower, the gladiolus ("gladdies"); and her boisterous greeting "Hello, Possums!" As Dame Edna, Humphries wrote several books, including an autobiography, My Gorgeous Life; appeared in several films; and hosted several television shows.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bruce Beresford</span> Australian filmmaker

Bruce Beresford is an Australian film director and screenwriter. He has made more than 30 feature films over a 50-year career, both locally and internationally in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Garry Shandling</span> American comedian (1949–2016)

Garry Emmanuel Shandling was an American actor, comedian, writer, director, and producer.

Not Only... But Also is a BBC British sketch comedy show starring Peter Cook and Dudley Moore that aired in three series between 1964 and 1970.

Sir Leslie Colin Patterson is a fictional character created and portrayed by Australian comedian Barry Humphries. Patterson is obese, lecherous and offensive.

Barry McKenzie is a fictional character created in 1964 by the Australian comedian Barry Humphries, suggested by Peter Cook, for a comic strip, written by Humphries and drawn by New Zealand artist Nicholas Garland in the British satirical magazine Private Eye. He was subsequently featured in theatre and in two films in the 1970s, and portrayed by Australian singer Barry Crocker.

<i>The Adventures of Barry McKenzie</i> 1972 film

The Adventures of Barry McKenzie is a 1972 Australian comedy film directed by Bruce Beresford and starring Barry Crocker, telling the story of an Australian 'yobbo' on his travels to the United Kingdom. Barry McKenzie was originally a character created by Barry Humphries for a cartoon strip in Private Eye. It was the first Australian film to surpass one million dollars in Australian box office receipts. A sequel, Barry McKenzie Holds His Own, was produced in 1974.

<i>Song for My Father</i> (album) 1965 studio album by The Horace Silver Quintet

Song for My Father is a 1965 album by the Horace Silver Quintet, released on the Blue Note label in 1965. The album was inspired by a trip that Silver had made to Brazil. The cover artwork features a photograph of Silver's father, John Tavares Silver, to whom the title composition was dedicated. "My mother was of Irish and Negro descent, my father of Portuguese origin," Silver recalls in the liner notes: "He was born on the island of Maio, one of the Cape Verde Islands."

Leslie David Reed was an English songwriter, arranger, musician and light-orchestra leader. His major songwriting partners were Gordon Mills, Barry Mason, and Geoff Stephens, although he wrote songs with many others such as Roger Greenaway, Roger Cook, Peter Callander, and Johnny Worth.

<i>Street Life</i> (The Crusaders album) 1979 studio album by the Crusaders

Street Life is a studio album by the American jazz band the Crusaders. It was a top 20 album on three Billboard charts and represents the peak of the band's commercial popularity. The title track, featuring singer Randy Crawford, was a Top 40 pop single and became the group's most successful entry on the soul chart. It was No. 5 on the UK Singles Chart. "Street Life" also hit the disco chart, peaking at No. 75, and was re-recorded by Doc Severinsen with Crawford reprising her vocal for the opening sequence of the noir crime drama Sharky's Machine, directed by Burt Reynolds in 1981. This faster paced version was also featured in Quentin Tarantino's Jackie Brown, released in 1997.

Madge Allsop is a fictitious character invented by satirist Barry Humphries as the long-time companion of his most popular and enduring character, Dame Edna Everage. First mentioned in Edna's monologues in the 1960s, Madge was subsequently depicted on stage, TV and film, over three decades, by several people. The character was discontinued following the retirement of British actress Emily Perry, who played the role for over 15 years.

<i>Somewhere Before</i> 1969 live album by Keith Jarrett

Somewhere Before is a live album by pianist Keith Jarrett recorded on August 30 and 31, 1968, at Shelly's Manne-Hole in Hollywood, California with his first trio, composed of Charlie Haden (bass) and Paul Motian (drums).

<i>Have Trumpet, Will Excite!</i> 1959 studio album by Dizzy Gillespie

Have Trumpet, Will Excite! is a 1959 studio album by trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australian comedy</span> Australian television series

Australian comedy refers to the comedy and humour performed in or about Australia or by the people of Australia. Australian humour can be traced to various origins, and today is manifested in a diversity of cultural practices and pursuits. Writers like Henry Lawson and Banjo Paterson helped to establish a tradition of laconic, ironic and irreverent wit in Australian literature, while Australian politicians and cultural stereotypes have each proved rich sources of comedy for artists from poet C. J. Dennis to satirist Barry Humphries to iconic film maker Paul Hogan, each of whom have given wide circulation to Australian slang.

Peter O'Shaughnessy OAM was an Australian actor, theatre director, producer and writer who presented the work of playwrights ranging from Shakespeare, Shaw, Ibsen, Strindberg, Chekhov to modern dramatists, such as Ionesco, Pinter and Beckett. He acted as a mentor to and collaborator with comedian Barry Humphries in his early career. He attended Xavier College, Melbourne.

References

  1. Humphries, Barry; O'Brien, Collin (1990), The life and death of Sandy Stone, Pan Macmillan, ISBN   978-0-7329-0330-5
  2. Humphries, Barry; Baird, Andrew; Press Collection (Library of Congress); Tragara Press (1989), Shades of Sandy Stone : the reveries of a returned man, Tragara Press, ISBN   978-0-948189-27-2
  3. Humphries, B:"My Life as Me", page 234. Penguin Group, 2002
  4. Humphries, B:"My Life as Me", Penguin Group, 2002, p. 170.
  5. "The consummate amateur" by William Cook, The Oldie [London], September 2016 page 18
  6. Humphries, B:"My Life as Me", page 239. Penguin Group, 2002
  7. Peter Craven, page X The Spectator Australia 28 July 2012