Happy 68th Birthday, Chris Noonan! Born today in 1952 as Christopher Noonan, this Australian actor and filmmaker is best known for a 1990s family film, for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director and Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.
Born in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, Noonan, years later, was encouraged by his father to pursue his interest in film as a teenager.
Noonan made his first film in the late 1960s, being the 1969 Australian short film 'Could It Happen Here?' when he was sixteen. It later went on to win a prize for short films at the Sydney Film Festival and later aired on Australian television.
Upon leaving school later that same year, Noonan went to work for the Commonwealth Film Unit (now Film Australia), as a production assistant, assistant editor, production manager and assistant director making short films and documentaries.
In 1973, Noonan was one of twelve students (along with Gillian Armstrong ('My Brilliant Career') and Phillip Noyce ('Rabbit-Proof Fence') in the inaugural directing program at the Australian Film and Television School.
The following year, Noonan returned to Film Australia where he worked on a number of films and documentaries.
This included working as assistant director on Peter Weir's ('Picnic at Hanging Rock', 'The Last Wave', 'Gallipoli') 1974 Australian horror/comedy film 'The Cars That Ate Paris'.
Two years later, Noonan directed Film Australia's 1976 documentary series, Our Asian Neighbours: India. This included a film about Indian guru Swami Shyam, a teacher of Vedant and Meditation living in the Indian Himalayas.
In 1979, Noonan set up his own production company. The following year, he documented the lives of a troupe of handicapped actors in the acclaimed fifty-minute 1980 Australian documentary film 'Stepping Out'.
The film later won the UNESCO prize that same year and an Australian Film Institute Award for 'Best Documentary' the following year in 1981.
One year later, Noonan became partners with Australian independent film producer Glenys Rowe in 1982. Rowe has held a number of key roles within the Australian film industry.
Two years later, Noonan co-wrote and co-directed an unknown amount of episodes for the 1984 Australian action drama war mini-series The Cowra Breakout (1984–present) along with Noyce.
The actual even occurred on August 5, 1944, when 1,104 Japanese prisoners of war attempted to escape from a prisoner of war camp near Cowra, in New South Wales, Australia. It was the largest prison escape of World War II, as well as one of the bloodiest, with two hundred and thirty-five deaths.
Three years later, Noonan wrote and directed five episodes of the ten-part Australian television miniseries Vietnam (February 23, 1987–April 27, 1987) starring Nicole Kidman as a rebellious teenager named Megan Goddard.
Later that same year, Noonan directed his television feature debut. This was with the 1987 Australian drama film 'The Riddle of the Stinson'.
After this, Noonan served for two years (1987–1988) as President of the Australian Screen Directors' Association.
In 1990, he was appointed for a three-year term as Chairman of the Australian Film Commission.
Five years later, Noonan co-wrote the screenplay (along with Australian filmmaker and former physician George Miller ['Mad Max', 'Mad Max: Fury Road']), and directed the film of which he is best known.
This was the 1995 Australian/American comedy-drama family/fantasy film 'Babe'.
It was Noonan's first theatrical feature, and was based off of the 1983 children's literature fiction novel The Sheep-Pig (or Babe, the Gallant Pig in the United States").
It was written by prolific English writer of children's books Ronald Gordon King-Smith (primarily using the pen name Dick King-Smith).
Co-written and co-produced by Miller, 'Babe' starred James Cromwell and Magda Szubanski.
It also featured the voices of Christine Cavanaugh, Miriam Margolyes, and Hugo Weaving. The film is narrated by Roscoe Lee Brown.
On a budget of $30 million, 'Babe' later grossed $254.1 million in its eighteen-language world theatrical release, as well as a further $217 million in international video sales.
Even a blurb on the video box from American film critic Dann Gire of The Chicago Daily Herald proclaimed it to be "The Citizen Kane of talking pig pictures."
Two months later, 'Babe' was nominated for seven Oscars. These included Best Director, Best Actor in a Supporting Role (James Cromwell), Best Writing, and Best Film Editing, Best Effects, Visual Effects and Best Art Direction-Best Set Direction.
However, the film only won one Oscar. This was for Best Effects, Visual Effects. This occurred at the 68th Academy Awards in late March 1996.
The following month, 'Babe' was also recognized with many other honors, including two BAFTA Award nominations for Best Film and Best Screenplay - Adapted.
However, the film didn't win. This occurred at the 49th British Academy Film Awards in late April.
Two years later, Miller co-wrote, co-produced and directed the sequel to 'Babe'.
This was with the 1998 Australian/American comedy-drama family/comedy film 'Babe: Pig in the City'. However, Noonan had nothing to do with the film's production.
Gene Siskel named the film as his choice for the best movie of that year, over more adult-oriented films like the 1997 Italian comedy-drama war/romance film 'La vita è bella' ('Life Is Beautiful').
Peter Gabriel's "That'll Do", written and composed by Randy Newman, was nominated for Best Original Song. However, it didn't win. This occurred at the 71st Academy Awards in late March 1999.
Despite failing to match its predecessor in critical and commercial reception, 'Babe: Pig in the City' has been recognized as a cult film since its original release.
Later that same year, Noonan co-produced popular Australian painter, filmmaker and writer David Allen's fifty-minute 1999 Australian drama/comedy telemovie Feeling Sexy.
Seven years later, Noonan directed the 2006 British/American/Isle of Man biographical drama/romance film 'Miss Potter'.
It had been based on the life of English writer, illustrator, natural scientist, and conservationist Beatrix Potter, portrayed by Renée Zellweger.
Noonan has two further projects including Zebras, a drama set in the final days of apartheid South Africa.
This also included 'The Third Witch', a retelling of William Shakespeare's 1606 tragedy Macbeth from the perspective of one of the witches, in development.
Noonan has been active from 1970–present.
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