Born in a western suburb of Sydney on October 8th, 1939, no one would have guessed that this fair-haired young lad would one day be the number one celebrity in Australia. Of Irish descent, Hogan found himself working as a rigger on the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge, and in 1971, he applied to a TV talent show as a ‘tap-dancing knife thrower’, which he managed to secure.
Little did anyone know that Hogan’s real motive for appearing on the show was to belittle the judges, who he thought were cruel to contestants. He duly arrived wearing his work boots and carrying a few knives, he went on to tell a few jokes with the judging panel as the fall guy, threw a few knives on the floor and after a deft shuffle dance display, he promptly walked off the stage.
Also Read: Remembering the legendary John Cornell: Bio, Age, Wife, Children
Exciting response
There was an air of ordinariness about this tanned Aussie with a carefree attitude and people wanted more; Hogan was invited to appear on New Faces and not failing to surprise, he played a tune on a pair of shovels, throwing in a few jokes and it turned out that Paul had a natural talent for acting. Then he was asked to appear on a news channel and make jokes about current affairs, which saw ratings soar! He even appeared presenting the best wool carpets in Australia and with an aggressive agent, Hogan was pretty much fully booked at that time.
Paul Hogan Show
In 1973, Hogan did a comedy sketch slot, which he wrote and produced, with Hogan taking on multiple characters in partnership with an actress by the name of Delvene Delaney. The show was a success and remained until 1984, making Paul Hogan a household name in Australia. He also teamed up with Winfield Cigarettes, creating ads on billboards, with a successful TV ad campaign that reflected Hogan’s popularity.
Hogan goes international
Hogan got British exposure from Foster’s lager TV commercials, as the Aussie brand was heavily marketed, so now, he was known in Australia and the UK. Then came his big break, he co-wrote and starred in the epic ‘Crocodile Dundee’, which was released in 1986; the film received great reviews and was successful in theatres and cinemas. As expected, the sequel, ‘Crocodile Dundee II’ was released in 1988 and once again, the film was a success. Paul was executive director and co-writer and the sequel made him known in the US, making him a truly international celebrity. Click here to find out about Big Brother star Daniel Durston.
Personal life
Hogan married Noelene Edwards in 1958 and the marriage lasted until 1981, yet they remarried less than a year later. The second divorce was highlighted in the Media and Hogan married his co-star Linda Koslowski; Hogan did not like fame at this stage in his life and he became a recluse, refusing to speak to journalists and media crews.
Paul Hogan has had an amazing life and career and he is now reported to be living happily in California.
Also Read: Steve Dunleavy Wiki, Bio, Age, Wife, Cause Of Death, Net Worth
