Entertainer, director John Derum nominated for Australia Day Honours

When Performer and director John Derum found out he was nominated for an Australia Day Honours award, he thought it was a hoax.

John Derum photographed at Waterloo. John Derum, Actor, director and administrator in the fields of theatre and television has been nominated for an Australia Day Honours award. Picture: Flavio Brancaleone

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WHEN Performer and director John Derum found out he was nominated for an Australia Day Honours award, he thought it was a hoax.

“It’s a bit strange in some ways, the first indication was that it might be a hoax,” Mr Derum said.

“It’s very nice to think that some people thought enough of what I do, what I’ve done.

“My son organised it, that’s the most rewarding part of it really.

John Derum, Actor, director and administrator in the fields of theatre and television has been nominated for an Australia Day Honours award. Picture: Flavio Brancaleone.

“It’s nice to know the work I’ve done has been considered, but the fact that my son thought of nominating me was really rewarding.”

His love for the creative arts industry began when he was just a boy.

“I sang in school choirs, television was just starting and it looked like a very adventurous thing to get involved with,” he said.

John Derum has been nominated for an Australia Day Honours award for For significant service to the performing arts as an actor, director and administrator, and to the community. Picture: Flavio Brancaleone.

“I went to theatre school to do some classes in acting, I just loved the possibilities of what performance and entertainment could do.

“Then I got involved with writing and that was very rewarding and fortunately successful too.

Mr Derum never planned a career or even planned a move, and he said he managed to “stumble from one thing to the next.”

“One job led to another in very strange ways, I started in Melbourne, moved to Sydney and that was fifty something years ago,” he said.

J John Derum, Actor, director and administrator in the fields of theatre and television has been nominated for an Australia Day Honours award for For significant service to the performing arts as an actor, director and administrator, and to the community. Picture: Flavio Brancaleone.

“From that I did a project on CJ Dennis for television, out of that came the opportunity to do a live performance which led to more television material.

“The biggest change I’ve witnessed is the evolution of television and film.

“The amount of good quality is astounding.”

These days, Mr Derum resides in Waterloo, and likes to consider himself as retired and dabbling.

“I have enormous fun with my grandchildren, that’s my greatest delight,” he said.

“I’ve been recording audio books, just little things.

“I have to be persuaded about the idea of going to work at night now.”

He also hinted at a possible 40-year anniversary performance of the CJ Dennis show later in the year.

Mr Derum was involved in more than 100 theatre productions since 1964, he wrote and published ‘More than a Sentimental Bloke and wrote and performed “The Glugs of Gosh among many others.