Sandy Harbutt

Sandy Harbutt (1941 - 21 November 2020) was an Australian actor, writer and director, best known for the bikie film, Stone (1974). Although it was very successful at the box office, this remains the only feature he has ever directed. He was once married to actress Helen Morse.[1]

Biography

Harbutt was born in Randwick, New South Wales and studied law before turning to advertising and then acting.[2] He worked extensively in theatre, particularly at Sydney's Ensemble Theatre, and appeared in the TV series The Long Arm.[3] He died 21 November 2020 at Wollongong Hospital, aged 79.

Unmade Projects

Harbutt only made one feature film. Among the projects he tried to make included:

In 2009 it was reported he was working on a bikie musical.[6]

Producer David Hannay who worked with Harbutt on Stone said the most "negative experience" he had as a filmmaker in a career of over three decades was not being able to get finance for Harbutt to make another film:

Why have I failed? What is wrong with me? I have failed this person who is such an important part of my life, this person with enormous talent, this extraordinary human being, and I have failed him totally and absolutely. It really is the major low point in my life; if I really dwell on it, I get very angry.... I should have made a difference. Because I should have been able to make it happen. He is far more talented than 999 of the 1000 other people I know... You understand, of course, that he is his own producer. It is not a question of whether he would go to another producer. If he felt so inclined, he would. But, apart from anything else, Sandy needs somebody who is prepared to fold themselves into what he wants to do and be committed to that. That is something you would have to talk to him about.[7]

Filmography
  • 1970 Squeeze a Flower - Grape picker.
  • 1974 Stone - Undertaker.[8]

References
  1. Andrew Pike and Ross Cooper, Australian Film 1900–1977: A Guide to Feature Film Production, Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1998 p278
  2. "Oh, to be a TV star-maker(Here's how...)". The Australian Women's Weekly. National Library of Australia. 23 May 1962. p. 37 Supplement: Teenagers' Weekly. Retrieved 28 March 2015.
  3. "MARRIAGE COMES BEFORE A CAREER". The Australian Women's Weekly. National Library of Australia. 12 June 1968. p. 33. Retrieved 28 March 2015.
  4. Maddox, Garry (16 June 1999). "Stone: bikie epic turns full circle". Sydney Morning Herald. p. 12.
  5. David Stratton, The Last New Wave: The Australian Film Revival, Angus & Robertson, 1980 p263
  6. Alex Johnson, 'BAD SCENE: Movie turns sour for Brocklehurst', Warrnambool Standard, 20 June 2009, accessed 30 Sept 2012
  7. HANNAY, DAVID: A PRODUCER, HIS DEMONS, HIS HEROES AND HIS HATES (PART 2) Urban Cinefile 15 June 2000 accessed 1 April 2014
  8. "Stone (1974)". IMDb. Retrieved 23 April 2019.
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