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Lucky Grills
Leo Dennis Grills OAM (26 May 1928 – 27 July 2007), known professionally as Lucky Grills, was an Australian actor and comedian. His best known acting role was in the crime drama TV series Bluey playing the title role, and later parodied in Bargearse. Grills took his professionally working name after the Italian-American gangster Lucky Luciano.
Grills is credited for initiating the Mo Awards, an awards show that celebrate Australian Variety in 1975.
Grills was born on Johnson Street in Moonah, a suburb of Hobart, Tasmania, on 26 May 1928, to Francis Leonard Grills and Hilda May (née Dennis). He was the youngest of five siblings, who were Thelda Jean, Raymond Ernest, Eunice and Faye Grills.
He was born into the depression, at a time when there was little work available and money was tight. He was raised on a farm until his family relocated to Melbourne, hoping for better prospects. Grills left school at 14 years and took a printing apprenticeship.
Grills first foray into of entertainment came as part of the musical comedy duo 'Tex and Lucky’, performing around Melbourne at parties, clubs and the Hawthorn Town Hall, before he successfully auditioned for the 1948 Revue with the Tivoli Theatre, Melbourne. He later moved with the show to the New Tivoli Theatre, Sydney. He also worked as a stand-up comic in the Sydney clubs, sometimes playing the trumpet and drums. He would change his material to suit his audience, stating: "Some people know me as the dirtiest comic in the business... but others know me as a man who never drops even a mild four-letter word."
In 1957, Grills, together with musician Geoff Mack started a variety show at the Hotel Coolangatta on the Gold Coast, eventually touring the show nationally, under the name ‘Carols Varieties’ for six years.
On one occasion in Adelaide, Grills had done a show and needed to get a taxi. He had put on a big houndstooth-checked sports jacket and was carrying a suitcase. The taxi driver looked at him and asked where he had been wrestling. Lucky had to set him straight and let him know he was not a wrestler but a comic. For the rest of the journey, Grills had to listen to the driver telling old jokes.
During both the Korean and Vietnam wars, Grills travelled over to entertain Australian troops stationed there. He also did three hundred weeks in a migrant education programme called You Say the Word, where he played the owner of a factory. "It was designed to show newcomers to Australia how things were done and to teach them English", he explained.
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Lucky Grills
Leo Dennis Grills OAM (26 May 1928 – 27 July 2007), known professionally as Lucky Grills, was an Australian actor and comedian. His best known acting role was in the crime drama TV series Bluey playing the title role, and later parodied in Bargearse. Grills took his professionally working name after the Italian-American gangster Lucky Luciano.
Grills is credited for initiating the Mo Awards, an awards show that celebrate Australian Variety in 1975.
Grills was born on Johnson Street in Moonah, a suburb of Hobart, Tasmania, on 26 May 1928, to Francis Leonard Grills and Hilda May (née Dennis). He was the youngest of five siblings, who were Thelda Jean, Raymond Ernest, Eunice and Faye Grills.
He was born into the depression, at a time when there was little work available and money was tight. He was raised on a farm until his family relocated to Melbourne, hoping for better prospects. Grills left school at 14 years and took a printing apprenticeship.
Grills first foray into of entertainment came as part of the musical comedy duo 'Tex and Lucky’, performing around Melbourne at parties, clubs and the Hawthorn Town Hall, before he successfully auditioned for the 1948 Revue with the Tivoli Theatre, Melbourne. He later moved with the show to the New Tivoli Theatre, Sydney. He also worked as a stand-up comic in the Sydney clubs, sometimes playing the trumpet and drums. He would change his material to suit his audience, stating: "Some people know me as the dirtiest comic in the business... but others know me as a man who never drops even a mild four-letter word."
In 1957, Grills, together with musician Geoff Mack started a variety show at the Hotel Coolangatta on the Gold Coast, eventually touring the show nationally, under the name ‘Carols Varieties’ for six years.
On one occasion in Adelaide, Grills had done a show and needed to get a taxi. He had put on a big houndstooth-checked sports jacket and was carrying a suitcase. The taxi driver looked at him and asked where he had been wrestling. Lucky had to set him straight and let him know he was not a wrestler but a comic. For the rest of the journey, Grills had to listen to the driver telling old jokes.
During both the Korean and Vietnam wars, Grills travelled over to entertain Australian troops stationed there. He also did three hundred weeks in a migrant education programme called You Say the Word, where he played the owner of a factory. "It was designed to show newcomers to Australia how things were done and to teach them English", he explained.