Kevin Golsby (born 21 March 1935)[1] is an Australian actor and voice-over artist, known for his iconic rich voice and seventies moustache. His extensive body of work includes appearances in film, television, theatre and voice-over roles.
Kevin Golsby | |
|---|---|
| Born | 21 March 1935 |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1951–2017 |
Golsby was born in 1935 in Australia. Growing up, he developed a passion for radio and pursued his interest in becoming a presenter and DJ.
Professional life
editRadio
editGolsby began his on-air career at 16 as an announcer on station 2MG in Mudgee.[2] Within two years he was the youngest announcer on Sydney radio station 2UE, at 18 years of age.[3] In 1959 Golsby left his regular presenting spot and went on a world tour, travelling to Europe and the USA for 2CH and interviewing jazz musicians such as Nina Simone and Count Basie.[4]
In 1976 he was a core cast member, with Noeline Brown and Ross Higgins, of radio 2BL's sketch comedy program The Naked Vicar Show.
Voice-over work
editGolsby was the voice of newsreels for Fox Movietone (Australia) (later Cinesound Movietone Productions) and between 1960 and 1976 narrated over one thousand news stories.[5]
In 1965 he introduced Australians to decimal currency as the voice of "Dollar Bill" in a series of television commercials (with frequent collaborator Ross Higgins as "Mr.Pound").[6]
Most recently, in 2017, he was the voice of a "yes" campaign for the Marriage Equality Plebiscite.
Television
editThroughout the 1970s, Golsby and voice-over colleague Ross Higgins dominated Australian airwaves. While enjoying this success, his break-through role came in 1977 when Noeline Brown, Golsby and Higgins were the hosts and key regular performers in popular sketch comedy series Naked Vicar Show,[7] which spanned radio, television and theatre. He played various characters in the series, which lasted two seasons. Between the sixties and the noughties Golsby appeared in dozens of Australian television series, in both comedic and dramatic roles. He was often cast as a police officer.
Theatre
editGolsby performed in several stage productions during the seventies and eighties including theatre runs of the Naked Vicar Show in Sydney and Melbourne,[8][9] Flexitime at the Phillip St Theatre[10] and, in 2011, The Jetty, at Merrigong Theatre Wollongong.[11]
Personal life
editA 1973 Women's Weekly article recounts a story of Golsby and his wife racing to the hospital for the birth of their child and mentions that he lived in a house in Middle Harbour, Sydney.[2]
In 2003 Golsby published a memoir, A Life with Laughs, as part of the Lexington Avenue Press "Fabric of a nation" series.[12]
In 2017 Golsby published his fourth book,[13] a historical novel, The Makepeace chronicle : an account of the remarkable life of John Swiftarrow Makepeace.[14]
References
edit- ^ "AustLit Author Page". Retrieved 5 November 2023.
- ^ a b "The Australian Women's Weekly (1933 - 1982) Wed 17 Jan 1973 An "Anonymous" Actor". Retrieved 1 June 2023.
- ^ "ABC weekly Vol.16 No.7 (13 February 1954) Kevin Golsby, at 18, is 2UE's youngest announcer". Retrieved 1 June 2023.
- ^ "National Film and Sound Archives - Golsby, Kevin : Interviewed by Phil Haldeman : Oral History". Retrieved 1 June 2023.
- ^ "National Film and Sound Archive of Australia". Retrieved 1 June 2023.
- ^ "Reserve Bank of Australia - Dollar Bill Turns 50 Years Old". Retrieved 1 June 2023.
- ^ "The Naked Vicar Show". Retrieved 1 June 2023.
- ^ "Theatrescope" (PDF). www.thetrust.org.au. The Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust. December 1976. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
- ^ "Theatre Australia". nla.org.au. National Library of Australia. November 1976. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
- ^ "Guide to the Phillip Street Theatre: programs and related material". nla.org.au. National Library of Australia. 3 August 2009. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
- ^ Catherine, Fargher (21 July 2011). "The Jetty: a play with songs from the industrial/jazz era. Performance, Merrigong Theatre Wollongong NSW". researchers.mq.edu.au. Macquarie University. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
- ^ "A life with laughs by Kevin Golsby". catalogue.nla.gov.au. National Library of Australia. ISBN 0957739370.
- ^ "The Makepeace chronicle". gracegibsonradio.com. Grace Gibson Productions.
- ^ "The Makepeace chronicle". catalogue.nla.gov.au. National Library of Australia. ISBN 9780994333612.