World's most famous Australian

Here's a bit of a question.

Who is the world's most famous Australian. I think the criteria is that they are famous in lots of countries (rather than being very famous in one) and being Australian is part of their fame.

I've had some thoughts, with reasons why they are or aren't:

Entertainment:
Errol Flynn - very famous, but not well known for being an Australian
Mel Gibson - was born in the US and now has US citizenship, but may have counted for a while
Kylie Minogue - one of the biggest starts in the UK
Paul Hogan - Very Australian and a big international star
Steve Irwin - Please don't let it be him
Peter Allen - Probably doesn't have the recognition across the board
Dame Edna - Huge in the UK, now has a name in the US
Rolf Harris - again, just limited to the UK

Sport:
Don Bradman - But cricket isn't a world sport
Mark Bosnich - was goalkeeper for the world's most famous soccer team
Many Tennis players - not sure how well known each individual tennis star is

Politics:
Nah - nobody ever knows who the Prime Minister of Australia is.

Anyone else?

I wonder what our colleagues from overseas think. Have they heard of any of these people.
As an ex-pom, Kylie is very famous and very famously Australian - but the UK is just one country.

Simon

Umm I can think of one you've missed:

Greg Norman

Mel Gibson is not an Australian BTW.

He calls himself an American, and he definitely is one.

Just because he lived here for a few years and went to drama school here.

Big Deal.

Martin Bryant?? :eek:

Doorstop!! :D

Webster's Dictionary falsely claims that Errol Flynn was American :mad: :(

Rocker

Famous Now, or Famous All-Time?

Peter Allen was a very proud Aussie, and I gather he let everyone know at his concerts. Seeing they were years ago, maybe people have forgotten?

Steve Irwin would have to be the current "Most Famous Person".

Mind you, if kate Blanchett wins an oscar?????

Maybe Nicole Kidman?

Depends upon the definition of Famous.

It's a bit like making Mark Taylor Australian of the Year. Great bloke and great at cricket, but more deserving than say Victor Chang or someother hard working soul?

Howard Florey probably should be the most famous Australian.

But hey he was only responsible for saving millions of lives worldwide plus he was a scientist so of course nobody's ever heard of him.

At the Olympics closing ceremony, they had Greg Norman, Elle McPherson and Kylie. I think that probably just about covered it then.

Mybe substitute Nicole Kidman for Elle and Irwin for Norman today.

Skippy the bush kangaroo!

Yes, I think Greg Norman is up there for those who are interested in golf, otherwise he isn't very high profile. Probably true of all sports.

Mel Gibson is often quoted as an American born Australian (as is Nicole Kidman), but I'm not sure if he is now or has always been an American.

Same with Errol FLynn, being born in Hobart doesn't necessarily mean you aren't American. He certainly didn't go about telling people he was from Tasmania.

Nationality is an odd thing. You'd always imagine that Anthony Hopkins is British, but he is American now.

Is nationality where you are born, where you grow up, what you choose to call yourself or what people choose to call you?

And as regard to fame, it certainly shouldn't be equated to worthiness or greatness. It is just a measure of how well known you are.

Please come up with somebody better than Steve Irwin!!

Ummm Russell Crow... Australian, but born NZ... he calls himself an Aussie too.

Hugh Jackman...
Heath Ledger...

Toni Collette...

Ned Kelly

Skippy was born in Australia, grew up in Australia and died in Australia. You can't get any more Australian than that!

Skippy for 'most famous Aussie'!! Even the Greeks know Skippy :D

Ned Kelly was Irish!

Russell Crow is a possible - he certainly is famous as an Australian, even if he is a Kiwi.

I don't think Hugh, Heath or Tonmi are famous enough.

While Ned kelly is famous in Australia, I don't think many peopl eknow of him internationally.

Skippy didn't have an Australian passport

In the Phillipines when you say you're from Australia most of the time they laugh and make a reference to the Tasmanian Devil, cartoon version that is.

You are probably not going to like this, but what about Rupert Murdoch?

He had to renounce his Aussie citizenship for business reasons, but I believe the Americans no longer require this of people taking up American citizenship.

Rocker

Yahoo Serious?

lol

Phar Lap?

Henry Lawson?

Simon,

just because you don't like Steve Irwan doesn't stop him from being considered famous. With the publicity he generates, he would have to be up there with the most recognisable Australians, surely. Sure he has his faults (we all do), but he is damn proud to be known as an Aussie. That has got to count for something.

I was just putting up an option.

R. M. Williams
Nancy Wake
Sir Mark Oliphant
Sir Douglas Mawson
John Flynn
Caroline Chisholm :confused: :confused: :confused:

And no-one has even considered anyone of the indigenous people but I won't get on that soap box now.

Greg, Jeff, Murray and Anthony from the Wiggles

Harry Kewel (sp ?)

I agree, Steve Irwin would deserve the title or 'worlds most famous australian'

I watched an interview on him on the ABC with that UK fella? anyway, he asked him about the way he talks, and how some people think he is putting it on... He swears black and blue thats he isn't putting it on, and I believe him.

You speak because of how you were raised, he speaks because of how he was raised.

Where's the aussie spirit........give him a go!!

cathy freeman (lighting the torch for the 2000 olympic games opening ceremony - lots of people watching, but is she remembered today ?)

My understanding is that its only comparatively recently that the Australian govt has let Australian Citizens add another nationality without losing Australian Citizenship. Though they let non-australian citizens aquire dual nationality without losing their original nationality.

If this was indeed the case then it could be why some high profile Australians don't have Australian citizenship anymore.

My comment "Please come up with somebody better than Steve Irwin" was because he is currently top of the list and I think there could be somebody better. It has nothing to do with whether I like him and it is not up to me anyway, I just posed the question. I have no problem with Steve Irwin, I just think there is a lot more to Australia than crocodile hunters.

I think the choice at the moment is between Steve Irwin, Greg Norman, Kylie, Rupert Murdoch, Nicole Kidman, Russell Crowe - in roughly that order.

Barnesy, I said that the list was the most internationally famous. If there was to be a list of greatest Australian, I accept it woul dbe very different.

Kenmill :eek:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by simon c

Here's a bit of a question.

Who is the world's most famous Australian. I think the criteria is that they are famous in lots of countries (rather than being very famous in one) and being Australian is part of their fame.

I've had some thoughts, with reasons why they are or aren't:

Entertainment:
Errol Flynn - very famous, but not well known for being an Australian
Mel Gibson - was born in the US and now has US citizenship, but may have counted for a while
Kylie Minogue - one of the biggest starts in the UK
Paul Hogan - Very Australian and a big international star
Steve Irwin - Please don't let it be him
Peter Allen - Probably doesn't have the recognition across the board
Dame Edna - Huge in the UK, now has a name in the US
Rolf Harris - again, just limited to the UK

Sport:
Don Bradman - But cricket isn't a world sport
Mark Bosnich - was goalkeeper for the world's most famous soccer team
Many Tennis players - not sure how well known each individual tennis star is

Politics:
Nah - nobody ever knows who the Prime Minister of Australia is.

Anyone else?

I wonder what our colleagues from overseas think. Have they heard of any of these people.
As an ex-pom, Kylie is very famous and very famously Australian - but the UK is just one country.

Simon

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Aw! com'on fellas, You know I don't like to brag about it. Can't you talk about something else. I am sick of people pointing me out and whispering, "There he goes, the worlds most famous Australian", the words ring in my ears...

Errol Flynn wasn't an Aussie he came from Tasmania????

Somebody!!!

John Williams
Tommy Tiko
Stephanie Alexander
Iain McCalnan
Harry Butler
Blinky Bill (you all forgot him :D )
the late June Bronhill
Margaret Sutherland
Richard Bonnynge
Joh
Kev Hinze( :rolleyes: )
Don Burke
the list go's on...............
Ned Kelly was infamous, not famous.

Hi Five
John Howard (after Iraq, he quite possibly is)
Patrick White
Neville Shute
doorstop (inside his lunchbox anyway)
ACDC
The BeeGees.
Kate Blanchette
Peter Carey
Bruce

Which Bruce?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Iain

Which Bruce?

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you know him, married to Sheila

olivia newton john

Shane Warne
Well known on the Sub-continent & England...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by simon c

you know him, married to Sheila

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Simon got the joke. :D

Richard

Saw a documentary a few weeks ago about Annette Kellerman, who during the silent movies era was absolutely world famous. They made a movie about her years later which made the lady acting her famous (can't remember her name, synchronised swimmer/actress). She live a very full life, basically invented synchronised swimming, starred in a few movies, wrote books, pranced around semi nude, started fitness classes for women etc etc etc. She was stricken with polio as a child and sent to swimming classes. She never looked back from there. Went to England and did a daily show (at Brighton I think) swimming in an aquarium with fish and then was picked up by Hollywood. She died alone and penniless on the Gold Coast in the 70s :(

Now I'm not saying she is the world's most famous Australian, but she certainly was . Fame, like life is fleeting. How many that are famous now will still be known in 50 years?

Mick

33 replies on the subject of the World's most famous Australians but all from down under.

We are still to see a post from someone overseas who might know a famous person who is also an Aussie. Notwithstanding what we think maybe we don't have any famous enough. :D :D :D


Peter.

Not famous but should be. Thomas Keneally - Schindlers List.
The well known ones obviously, dame edna,hogan,g.norman. and one who was, in the 70s. old steady eddie charlton.
beejay1

http://community.webshots.com/user/eunos9

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sturdee

We are still to see a post from someone overseas who might know a famous person who is also an Aussie. Notwithstanding what we think maybe we don't have any famous enough.

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That's coz they can't think of any. :confused:

Richard

What a stupid pointless thread this is.

FWIW, I reckon silentC is right.

THE most famous Australian (whatever that means) is a bloody kangaroo.

And that's the rest of the world's verdict, not mine.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by craigb

What a stupid pointless thread this is.

FWIW, I reckon silentC is right.

THE most famous Australian (whatever that means) is a bloody kangaroo.

And that's the rest of the world's verdict, not mine.

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Stoopid and pointless eh? Yet you still felt moved to add your vote. Hmmm. Stoopid and pointless must be a strong motivator. :D It worked for me.

Dame Edna for Queen ... or Prime Minister ... or President ... or Head Roo ... or something

Richard

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Daddles

Stoopid and pointless eh? Yet you still felt moved to add your vote.

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I wasn't aware that it was a ballot.

If you care to page back, you'll see who I rate as a famous Aussie.

I still reckon silentC is right in regards to world "fame".