Les Norton

Last updated

Les Norton
First appearanceYou Wouldn't Be Dead For Quids
Last appearanceHigh Noon in Nimbin
Created by Robert G. Barrett
Portrayed byAlexander Bertrand
In-universe information
GenderMale
NationalityAustralian

Les Norton is the protagonist in a series of fiction books written by Australian author Robert G. Barrett.

Contents

Character

A likeable and laconic Aussie battler, Norton first appears in You Wouldn't Be Dead For Quids (1984) and is described as stockily built and red-haired who doesn't mind a fight, a punt or a root. He was born in Dirranbandi, and lived there until he was involved in a pub fight, when the local police officer told him to leave before investigators from Brisbane could arrive when he was identified as a person of interest in a subsequent murder investigation. He moved to Sydney, and ended up living in Bondi, working as a bouncer in an illegal casino in Kings Cross. In later books it turns from an illegal casino to a bridge club, as the club's owner Price Galese has further trouble bribing Police and Government officials to ignore the casino's presence. Les' career provides many opportunities for training, fighting, sex, dancing, photography, reflection and the odd mystery solving.

Les played rugby league for Easts during his early days in Sydney. He drives a 1968 Ford Falcon in the early stories. In later stories he drives a late model Holden Commodore Berlina that belonged to a man who was murdered in the car. Les tolerates the smell which persists despite having the car regularly detailed. In the later stories he has a house in Bondi which he shares with an advertising executive named Warren.

List of Les Norton Books (in chronological order)

Legacy

In 2000, the Avoca Beach Surf Life Saving Club launched one of its surfboats as the Les Norton. [1]

In 2004, AAP reported that a film adaptation of Barrett's first book You Wouldn't Be Dead For Quids was to be made. Rugby league player Matthew Johns was slated to star in it, however, an actor for the lead role of Norton's character had not been found. [2] As of December 2018, a 10-part Les Norton television series adapted from the series of novels was being produced for ABC, starring Alexander Bertrand as Les Norton with David Wenham and Rebel Wilson. [3]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bondi Beach</span> Suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Bondi Beach is a popular beach and the name of the surrounding suburb in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Bondi Beach is located 7 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Waverley Council, in the Eastern Suburbs. It has a population of 11,656 residents. Its postcode is 2026. Bondi, North Bondi and Bondi Junction are neighbouring suburbs. Bondi Beach is one of the most visited tourist sites in Australia sparking two hit TV series Bondi Rescue and Bondi Vet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Wenham</span> Australian actor

David Wenham is an Australian actor who has appeared in film, television and theatre. He is known for his roles as Faramir in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, Friar Carl in Van Helsing and Van Helsing: The London Assignment, Dilios in 300 and its sequel 300: Rise of an Empire, Al Parker in Top of the Lake, Lieutenant John Scarfield in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, and Hank Snow in Elvis. He is known in his native Australia for his role as Diver Dan in SeaChange and Price Galese in Les Norton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bondi Junction</span> Suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Bondi Junction is an eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is 6 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of Waverley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bronte, New South Wales</span> Suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Bronte is a beachside Eastern Suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Bronte Beach is located 7 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district, in the Waverley Council local government area of the Eastern Suburbs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Randwick, New South Wales</span> Suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Randwick is a suburb in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Randwick is located 6 kilometres south-east of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the City of Randwick. The postcode is 2031.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manly Warringah Sea Eagles</span> Australian rugby league football club

The Manly Warringah Sea Eagles are an Australian professional rugby league club based in Sydney's Northern Beaches. They compete in Australia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League (NRL). The club debuted in the 1947 New South Wales Rugby Football League season and currently host the majority of their home games from Brookvale Oval in Brookvale, while training at the New South Wales Academy of Sport in Narrabeen and their Centre of Excellence in Brookvale. The team colours are maroon and white, and are commonly known as Manly or the Sea Eagles.

Robert George Barrett was a popular Australian author of numerous books, most of them featuring the fictional Australian character Les Norton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tamarama</span> Suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Tamarama is a beachside suburb, eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Tamarama is 6 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Waverley Council.

Bondi is a suburb of eastern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia, seven kilometres east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Waverley Council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kurtley Beale</span> Rugby player

Kurtley James Beale is an Australian professional rugby union representative player who has made over 90 national representative appearances in a ten-year playing career at the world-class level. He is of Aboriginal descent, has had a long Super Rugby career with the New South Wales Waratahs and has played for the Melbourne Rebels and the Wasps club in England. Beale usually plays at full-back or centre but can play fly-half or winger. In 2011 Beale received the John Eales Medal, awarded to Australian rugby's Player of the Year.

Matthew Peter Burke is an Australian former rugby union and rugby league footballer. He later served as a Waverley Council lifeguard on Bondi Beach.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wallach brothers</span>

The Wallach brothers were a family of eight boys born to Henry and Mary Wallach of Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia toward the end of the 19th century. Six of the brothers all saw active service in World War I. The fourth and eighth brothers, Clarrie and Neville were both top-grade rugby union players before the War. They both saw action at Gallipoli, were promoted on the Western Front as Captains, were both recipients of the Military Cross and each fell within a week of each other in France in fighting at the time of the Second Battle of Villers-Bretonneux.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matt Nable</span> Australian rugby league footballer, film maker & actor

Matthew Nable is an Australian film and television actor, writer, sports commentator and former professional rugby league player. After playing in the Winfield Cup Premiership during the 1990s for the Manly-Warringah and South Sydney clubs, he wrote and starred in the rugby league-centred drama The Final Winter in 2007. Nable went on to act in films such as Killer Elite and Riddick. He appeared on The CW's Arrow and Legends of Tomorrow as Ra's al Ghul. As an author and as an actor, he is credited as Matt Nable, a name he generally used during his sports career.

In the Last Stride is a 1916 Australian silent film directed by Martyn Keith based on the 1914 popular action novel by Arthur Wright. The film's star, Dave Smith, was a champion heavyweight boxer who had fought Les Darcy. There was also an appearance from boxer Les O'Donnell.

The Bondi Surf Bathers' Life Saving Club is Australia's oldest Surf Life Saving Club, founded in 1907. The club was officially established on 21 February 1907 at the Royal Hotel in Bondi Beach, Sydney, New South Wales. The clubs aim is to ensure "No Lives Lost" at Bondi Beach and is a volunteer organisation that patrols Bondi Beach from October to April every year.

Australian Boardriders Battle is an annual event held by Surfing Australia. Since 2017 the national competition finals have been hosted at Newcastle, New South Wales, generally in February each year. Fox Sports also airs the Australian Boardriders Battle live. The national finals of the first three series were held at Cronulla Beach in Sydney on the Australia Day weekend in late January.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reece Hodge</span> Rugby player

Reece Hodge is an Australian professional rugby union player who plays in a variety of positions within the backline. Playing his junior career primarily at fly-half, Hodge's initial positions for the Rebels was fullback and wing, while for Australia it was wing, before eventually moving to centre. In his most recent appearance for Australia Hodge played at inside centre. Hodge plays for French club Bayonne in the Top 14 and the Australia national team. Starting his professional career with the Australian Super Rugby franchise, the Melbourne Rebels, by his departure in 2023, he reached 100 appearances for the team, and became the most capped player.

The Freshwater Surf Life Saving Club, established in 1908, is located at Freshwater Beach in Australia. It has become a large volunteer organization with strong community bonds. The club was founded by a push from government to foster safer beach practices. It is a part of Surf Life Saving Australia, a not-for-profit organization committed to keeping the beach safe for patrons and providing beach rescue services. A visit to the club from United States' surfer, Duke Kahanamoku, in 1914 helped initiate the sport of surfing in Australia.

Les Norton is an Australian television drama series screened on ABC on 4 August 2019. It is adapted from a series of fiction books written by Australian author Robert G. Barrett and stars Alexander Bertrand as the protagonist, Les Norton.

Charles "Peter" Moscatt was an Australian rugby league footballer of the 1960s and 1970s. He played for Eastern Suburbs in the New South Wales Rugby League competition. Post-football he was an ardent and active local government councillor in the Waverley municipality in Sydney.

References

  1. "Avoca Beach SLSC Boat History" (PDF). Avoca Beach SLSC. September 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 September 2009.
  2. "Matthew Johns to make big screen debut". Sydney Morning Herald. 29 September 2004. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
  3. "ABC to produce 10-part Les Norton series starring David Wenham and Rebel Wilson". FilmInk. 18 December 2018. Retrieved 18 December 2018.