OUR CARS – TORRENS

GT THE MOVIE STAR

NO-ONE TOOK much notice of the two blokes punchingon under the tawdry blue and pink neon lights outside Porky’s strip club in Sydney’s infamous red-light district of Kings Cross. It seemed to be just another typical aftermidnight footpath fight, like thousands of other biffos over the decades.

Sitting in my 1980 Volvo 262C coupe, I’d been watching the scuff le but I wasn’t showing any concern either… “Cut!” said a distant voice and the two actors immediately separated. “That was great!” continued the voice.

Next to where the ‘fight’ had been was an XF Falcon with a TAXI sign on top, a ripper Mitsubishi Sigma (a Turbo!), a perfect Datsun Bluebird, an example of Toyota’s last rear-drive Celica, a gorgeous VB Commodore SL sedan and an XB Ford Fairmont. My Volvo and these other 1980s cars were ideal era-correct props for an ABC TV mini-series set in 1985.

It’s about a big red-headed Queenslander, Les Norton, the main character in a series of books penned by Aussie author, the late, great Robert G Barrett. The popular books about bouncer Les and his nefarious mates are filled with plain and simple larrikin Aussie humour, spiced with a hint of Sydney’s underworld of the 1970s and 80s.

One week later, my brown ’79 VB Commodore wagon – now with temporary TAXI signs – was parked with several other cool cars at the Sydney Cricket Ground. With a few other props scattered around, the Les Norton producers had done quite a convincing job of creating an

airport departure lounge. Mini-series such as Les

Norton – plus TV commercials, movies, fashion shoots and soap-operas – need a background of people and cars to create a scene. Over the years I’ve leaned against the wall in the Home & Away diner a few times, worn some hi-vis and a hardhat for a Woolies ad and cheered in a footy promo. Plus, my now-sold red V W Beetle Karmann Cabriolet was a regular in Packed To The Rafters.

Sometime your car will be driven by an actor and the TV producers usually prefer original, clean, unmodified, showroom-spec cars (noisy exhausts and bling wheels are usually a no-go) and will often cover your car’s rego plates with fake ones.

The pay is modest – as is the number of days you can expect to ‘work’ – but in between the sometimes long waits while cameras and actors are positioned, it’s a good fun way to spend the day or night!

Sometimes, too, there is the opportunity for some starspotting and name-dropping. So, my dear Unique Cars readers, with Les Norton hitting the small screen about now, you can tell your mates you know the owner of that chop-top Volvo and brown Commodore wagon!

“PRODUCERS HAD DONE A CONVINCING JOB OF CREATING AN AIRPORT DEPARTURE LOUNGE.”