Famous people I have met.

This is not for the purpose of name dropping.

It's to remind myself of moments I savoured as much as anything.  To make the list, I must have at least talked to the person.

When you spend lots of years working in some nice hotels you meet some nice people.  Some are not nice.

The only order is that in which they have popped into my head as I write this.

My friend Martin Miles has asked me to categorise these people into nice and not nice.

Here's the key:  N - Nice.  VN = Very Nice

Placido Domingo N - I was working as a doorman at the Hyatt On Collins in Melbourne where he stayed.  I got to open his car door and greet him several times.  Always polite.

Sir Anthony Hopkins VN - He was filming Spotswood and I was the night porter at his hotel.  At that time he already had Hanibal Lector from Silence of the Lambs in the can although it was not yet released. Therefore he was not as well known as he was soon to become. Being very careful with his health he left the hotel at 5.45am each morning to travel to another hotel with a swimming pool he preferred for his exercise.  We chatted several times while he was waiting for his car - he was gracious, charming and funny.

Paul Keating N - Shortly after his electoral defeat in 1996 he was staying in a hotel where I worked.  He absolutely shunned publicity at the time and appeared the opposite of the political brawler he was known to be.

Gough Whitlam N - In the early 2000s he would occasionally stop for a cup of coffee at a well known cafe in Darlinghurst Road not far from my work. I greeted him and told him I was a political admirer.  We exchanged pleasantries.

Kylie Minogue N - Stayed where I worked twice while touring.  A very private person.

Laurence Fishburne N - He attended a party at the hotel in Kings Cross where I worked while he was filming The Matrix in Sydney. We exchanged greetings.

Tom Jones VN - See my comment below. One of the two times in my life I witnessed electrifying charisma.

Max Walker VN - Met in an elevator.

Wendy Harmer N - Met her in an elevator too.

Peter Moon

Brent Thompson N - While I was a doorman in Melbourne helped him in and out of a car shortly after his retirement from horse racing.  It had taken a heavy toll on his legs.

Roy Higgins N - Opened doors and greeted him at a hotel.

Bart Cummings VN - Opened doors and greeted him.

Bill Hayden VN - During his term as Governor-General he stayed at our hotel several times when in Melbourne.

Sir Gustav Nossel VN  A friend introduced us at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research.

Suzanne Corey VN  - Same friend introduced us at a party at her and husband Gerry Adams' house many years ago. 

Leo Schofield  VN - I was working as a taxi driver in Melbourne and picked him up at Rockman's Regency Hotel.  I recognised him by name which amazed him.  We had a good chat on the way to the airport.

Kamahl  VN

Tetsuya Wakuda  N

Thomas Keller N

Darren Hayes

Jimmy Barnes

Lady (Sonia )McMahon  (Who hasn't?)

Kerry Packer N

James Packer N

Malcolm  Fraser N

Seb Chan  VN

General William Westmoreland N - The year was 1988.  I was a porter at the Regent Hotel of Sydney and the General (long retired) and his wife came to stay. Lean, and hard and very polite.

Caspar Weinberger N

Jack Mundey

Lionel Rose VN

Sir Roden Cutler, V.C.  N - I was working at the Manly Pacific Parkroyal Hotel when he arrived driving his Rolls-Royce motor car to attend a funciton accompanied by his wife.  A tall striking man, with a stiff-legged walk.  We're in the elevator.  It Sir Roden, Lady Cutler, the hotel concierge and I. Sir Roden looks at his wife then says to the concierge, "I wonder if you can tell me how the Cutler Room got its' name?" The concierge, having no idea to whom he was speaking said, "No sir, I'm afraid I don't."  I chipped in to say, "You'll have to forgive him Sir Roden, he's from New Zealand.  The Cutler Room is named after a man who grew up in Manly and went on to a distinguished military career, including winning the Victoria Cross. And later to become Governor of our great state." Hotel concierge - you know who you are!

Olivia Newton-John   VN 

Mary Donaldson    [ prior to her Princesshood]

David Copperfield

Denis Cox  VN

Phillip Adams  VN - My friend George Lombard bought a painting at a charity auction with the proceeds going to aid refugees.  The painting was of Phillip Adams plus various allegorical features which had been a non-winning entry in the Archibald Prize for portraiture.  A bonus was that the winning bidder was invited to tea at Phillip Adams' house and a tour of Adams' collection of antiquities and objets d'art.  George kindly invited me to accompany him.  Phillip, a great raconteur, showed us around his collection and regaled us with anecdotes about significant pieces.  George mentioned my interest in wrist watches - and then Phillip picked up a skeletonised Breguet to show me. Phillip said that he and Barry Humphries were in London for the release of Barry McKenzie.  Humphries said it was about time that Phillip had a decent watch now that he was making some money.  The Breguet was the result.

Pauline Hanson  VN  [ I sat  next to her on a flight for 90 minutes.  We had a good chat - but not about politics.]

Tony Abbott  N - He's the Member of the House of Representatives for the electorate of Warringah.  I live in his electorate and have run into him a couple of times.

Elliott Gould N - A true eccentric.  This was the early 90s.  He was in Australia doing a movie and staying at the hotel where I worked.  His usual mode of dress in the hotel and on the way to and from work was a blue boilersuit - and that had nothing to do with his role.

Brian May N - He stayed at the hotel where I worked while his band was touring in 1998 or 1999. Looking every inch the rock star all the time, his behaviour was that of a very polite English gentleman.

 

Comments

[Martin Miles]

Ha, great list! Hard to say if I'm surprised at the ratings or not, since I haven't met any of these people myself.I need to get out more. :-/

[Viola]

What a list! I haven't met any of these people either, although I did find myself near Whitlam a long time ago.

I am very surprised that 'Our Mary' wasn't listed as N or VN! I'd love to know more about this, but it probably wouldn't be a good idea to write more about it on your blog!

[Bob Meade]

Alas, Viola, I was unable to credit Ms. Donaldson as N or VN. Still it was good to have met her, which I did several times. She worked across the road from my place of work, and she entered my building at least twice per day.

[lynne jordan]

I love the famous people I have met list!! and I agree - Tom Jones is awesome and man does he have some stories!!

[Bob Meade]

Lynne, I was standing in the lobby of a hotel at which Mr. Jones was staying. I had not seen him yet. Suddenly it felt as if there was electricity coursing through the air... I could literally feel it... I turned around and there he was standing by the reception desk talking to a staff member. Totally relaxed about his star power.

His charisma was palpable.

That just the second time in my life I have seen that type of charisma where the room was literally electrified.

The first time was seeing Robert Mugabe give a public lecture in Australia in 1981. Now discredited as the despot he is, then he was regarded as a Mandela-like figure. He electrified the lecture hall filled with 2,000 people.

Lynne, who's on your list? - You don't have to put it here - maybe on your blog?

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