John Farnham tells all in never-before-seen footage

The singer has detailed his rags-to-riches revamp in a powerful biopic featuring Olivia Newton-John and the final interview with long-time friend Glenn Wheatley.

An inspirational documentary about John Farnham will open up about the beloved singer’s vulnerabilities, depression, and living in poverty.

The trailer for John Farnham: Finding The Voice, an authorised biopic written and directed by Poppy Stockell, tells a powerful riches-to-rags-to-reinvention story of a former teen idol who lost everything and, after one last roll of the dice, became Whispering Jack.

“Either I was working or asleep, so when I was awake I was vulnerable,” Farnham says in the film’s trailer.

“People never saw me as a credible singer.”

Asked if he ever gets depressed, a young Farnham replied: “Yeah, a lot”.

At one point, long after the bright lights of teen pop stardom had faded, Farnham’s wife Jill suggested treating themselves and son Rob to dinner at McDonalds.

A tearful Farnham replied: “I actually couldn’t take them. We didn’t have the money”.

John Farnham: Finding The Voice will be in cinemas next month. Picture: Supplied

Music stars Robbie Williams, Olivia Newton-John, Celine Dion, Richard Marx, Richard Thompson and Jimmy Barnes are also featured in the trailer.

“His voice was incredible,” French-Canadian songbird Dion says.

British pop star Williams agrees: “It fills in the gap where religion should be”.

Newton-John adds: “Music is so important to us. It can heal you, it can go straight to somebody’s heart”.

Farnham’s long time manager and best mate Glenn Wheatley famously mortgaged his family home to bankroll a comeback album for a singer many in the music industry had chosen to ignore.

“I tried to get him a record deal and everybody passed,” Wheatley says in the trailer.

“John, you are the best singer in the country. The Voice. You don’t like to think of yourself as a legend, but you are.”

Glenn Wheatley famously mortaged his family home to bankroll Farnham’s comeback album. Picture: Supplied

Olivia Newton-John was interviewed as part of the documentary. Picture: Supplied

Sadly, Wheatley’s filmed segments for the film turned out to be his last-ever interviews. Wheatley died from complications caused by Covid-19 last February. He was 74.

Newton-John’s voiceovers for the doco were also recorded before she passed away from cancer last August. She was 73.

Farnham, 73, is continuing his recovery after surgery for mouth cancer last August.

Earlier this month, he was being treated in hospital for a respiratory infection.

Jill Farnham, and sons Rob and James, also feature in the biopic alongside manager Gaynor Wheatley, musician David Hirschfelder, producer Ross Fraser and promoter Paul Dainty.

British musician Thompson, who co-wrote the mega-hit You’re The Voice says he didn’t consent to Farnham recording the song.

The You’re The Voice singer details how he was living below the poverty line before the success of his Wispering Jack album. Picture: Supplied

“My publishing company said, ‘John Farnham has recorded You’re The Voice. Is it OK to give them permission? And I said, No!” Thompson said.

Gaynor Wheatley added: “We went ahead and did it anyway. This was John’s audition to the world, again”.

Glenn Wheatley: “He sang the living hell out of that song”.

Poppy Stockell said the biopic tells a tale of pure talent, perseverance and mateship.

“I wanted to explore the incredible journey of Australia’s most loved entertainer but also shine a light on the pivotal role Glenn Wheatley played in John’s success,” she said.

“Through their enduring friendship, collaboration and love, we wanted to tell the story of two iconic figures in Australian music history and the undeniable impact they had on each other’s lives and careers.”

The film’s synopsis adds: “We follow Farnham’s life from the quiet suburbs of Melbourne to 1960s pop fame, through incredible highs and lows, and ultimately to record-breaking success as ‘Australia’s Voice’.

“John Farnham was 38 years old when Whispering Jack was released. Nobody ever questioned that Farnham could sing — but the challenge to find his artistic voice and become Australia’s most trusted and beloved performer took half a lifetime.”

John Farnham: Finding The Voice is released in cinemas on May 18.