MEAA: Acting veteran Bob Hornery lands Lifetime Achievement Award

Actor, activist, friend, mentor – in nearly six decades in show business, Bob Hornery has played all of these roles and more.
 
Hornery has notched up hundreds of film and TV credits and live performances. But this year the applause will come from his colleagues as he is handed the 2010 Equity Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by FOXTEL.
 
Having first trod the boards as an amateur in 1949, Hornery has starred in everything from Neighbours, Blue Heelers and Mad Max to David Williamson’s Scarlett O’Hara at the Crimson Parrot, Patrick Marber’s Don Juan in Soho and Joe Orton’s Entertaining Mr Sloane.
 
Equity President, Simon Burke, said: “The verdict was overwhelming. Bob’s a performer who you would walk over broken glass to work with – just to bask in the glory of his talent, professionalism and huge sense of fun. 
 
This coupled with his generous mentorship and lifelong commitment to performers’ rights has brought him unparalleled admiration and affection throughout our industry. I can not think of a performer more deserving of this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award. “
 
Next year Hornery, an Equity member since 1953, will star alongside Geoffrey Rush, Jane Menelaus, Toby Schmitz and Christie Whelan in the Melbourne Theatre Company’s highly anticipated production of The Importance of Being Earnest. Hornery previously starred in a production of The Importance of Being Earnest which was so popular that it was an ongoing stage production between 1988 and 1992, and was televised by the ABC.
 
FOXTEL chief executive Kim Williams said: “FOXTEL is a proud sponsor of the 2010 Equity Lifetime Achievement Award and Bob Hornery is such a worthy and talented recipient of the award for 2010. 
 
Bob has brought his talent to such an extraordinary array of characters from playing Tom Kennedy in Neighbours to the Reverend Dr Chasuble in The Importance of Being Earnest to Hec O’Farrell in Blue Heelers and much, much else in between. He has clocked-up an amazing six decades in show business delighting audiences in darkened movie theatres, their living rooms and from the stage.” 
 
The award will be presented to Hornery at a ceremony in Melbourne on December 6.