Question: What do entertainers Mel Gibson, Nicole Kidman, Joe Dolce and Johnny Diesel all have in common?
If you answered "they are all Australian" you could have an argument on your hands. All were born in the United States. That is not out to say they are not Australian, since there is no universal definition of the term "Australian". However, one important factor is where the person was born.
None of the people on the following list are Australian-born, though they are often mistakenly believed to be. Some, like Patrick White and Nicole Kidman, were born overseas to Australian parents. Looking through this list, you can't help to notice the large number of British-born personalities, reflecting Australia's long history of accepting migrants from that country.
Also there is that eternal confusion between Australians and New Zealanders, borne from their similar accents and geographic proximity. But there are some surprises there too. Australia got its first locally-born Governor-General in 1939 (Sir Isaac Isaacs) and Catholic Archbishop as late as 1945 (Norman Gilroy). In the United States entertainment industry, it has always been cool to have some sort of exotic link to a foreign country, however tenuous. Just ask Arnold Schwarzenegger (who is, by the way, Austrian, not Australian!)
Peter Andre, singer, born Harrow, London, UK
Jimmy Barnes, (real name James Dixon Swan),
Cold Chisel singer, born Scotland.
George Bass, coastal explorer, born England.
Daisy Bates, writer and humanitarian, born Ireland.
Jo Bjelke-Petersen, controversial Queensland Premier, born New Zealand.
Alan Bond, "1978 Australian of the Year", born
UK.
Wendy Botha, women's' surfing champ, born South
Africa.
"Aussie" Joe Bugner, champion boxer, born
Hungary.
Burke and Wills, outback explorers, born
Ireland and England, respectively.
Tom Burlinson, actor, born Canada.
Dr Victor Chang, murdered heart surgeon, born
China.
Caroline Chisolm, humanitarian, born England.
Bryce Courtenay, author, born South Africa.
Russell Crowe, actor, born New Zealand.
Johnny Diesel (real name Mark Lizotte) singer
born USA.
Jelena Dokic, Wimbledon finalist, born
Croatia.
Joe Dolce, singer, born USA.
Don Dunstan, flamboyant former SA Premier, born
Fiji.
Nick Earls, author, born Northern Ireland.
Jon English, actor and singer, born England.
Johnny Famechon, champion boxer, born France.
John Farnham, singer, "1987 Australian of the
Year" born UK.
Peter Finch, posthumous Oscar winner, born
England.
Edwin Flack, "First Australian Olympic gold
medalist", born London.
Mathew Flinders, land and sea explorer, born
England.
Frank Gardiner, notorious bushranger, born
Scotland.
Mel Gibson, actor, born New York.
Tatiana Grigorieva, Olympic pole vaulter and
model, born Russia.
Chrissie and Lizzie Hammond, better known as
"Cheetah", born UK.
Lawrence Hargrave, avaiation pioneer, born
England.
Colin Hay, lead singer of Men At Work, born
Scotland.
Derryn Hinch, media personality, born New
Zealand.
Dr Fred Hollows, noted eye doctor, "1990
Australian of the Year", born New Zealand.
Robert Holmes a Court, "Hacca", businessman who
almost bought BHP, born South Africa.
Kamahl, entertainer, born Malaysia.
Nicole Kidman, actress, born Hawaii.
Grace Knight, lead singer Eurogliders, born UK.
Ed Kuepper, singer behind The Saints, born
Germany.
Ludwig Leichhardt, outback explorer, born
Prussia (modern Germany).
Ben Lexcen, winning America's Cup Yacht
designer, born New Zealand.
Robyn Loau, lead singer of "Girlfriend", born
New Zealand.
Charles Mackerras, famed orchestral conductor,
born USA.
Wendy Mathews, singer, born Canada.
Douglas Mawson, Antarctic explorer, born UK.
Ian 'Molly' Meldrum, TV music guru, born at sea
off the coast of South Yemen.
Jacques Nasser, former CEO Ford Motor Co, born
Lebanon.
Olivia Newton-John, born UK.
Henry Parkes, "Father of Federation" born
England.
Guy Pearce, actor, born UK.
Alex Proyas, film director and producer, born
Egypt.
Rene Rivkin, infamous share trader, born China.
Greta Scacchi, actress, born Italy.
Bon Scott, original lead singer of AC/DC, born
Scotland (neither is the current lead singer, Brian
Johnson, born England).
Guy Sebastian, 1st "Australian Idol", born
Malaysia.
Harry Seidler, noted architect, born Austria.
Glenn Shorrock, lead singer of Little River
Band, born UK.
Nevil Shute, author, born UK.
Ziggy Switkowski, head of Telstra, born
Germany.
Billy Thorpe, rock and roll singer, born
Scotland.
Nancy Wake, the "White Mouse" WWII French Resistance
Heroine, born New Zealand.
Kosta Tszyu, champion boxer, born Soviet Union.
Naomi Watts, Oscar nominated actress, born UK.
Hugo Weaving, actor, born Nigeria.
Patrick White, Nobel Laureate author, born
England.
Stevie Wright (real name Stephen Wrighton)
lead singer of "The Easybeats" born UK.
John Paul Young, pop star, born Scotland.
UPDATES: The following were added to the list on October 10, 2004.
George Gregan, Australian Rugby Captain, born Zambia.
Colin Friels, actor, born Scotland.
Tania Verstak “Miss Australia 1961” born China (of Russian parents)
John Christian Watson, Australia’s first Labor Prime Minister, born Valparaiso, Chile
Jennie George, first female President of the ACTU, born Italy
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©2005 Glen David Short