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Rodney Edward Quantock OAM (born 1948) is an Australian stand-up comedian and writer.[1][2] Quantock is known for his stand-up comedy and acting in Capt’n Snooze advertisements. He has also been involved in political activism and social justice.

Biography

Early life

Quantock grew up in Coburg. His father worked in Fitzroy in a metal polishing factory and as a tram conductor. Quantock studied architecture at the University of Melbourne. His interest in comedy started at the university Architect’s revue in 1969,[3] where he met his future wife Mary Kenneally.[4]

Break into theatre

Quantock participated of live theatre in Australia in the 1970s, conceiving and performing in full-scale productions for many of Australia’s comedy venues including The Flying Trapeze Cafe, Foibles Theatre Restaurant, The Last Laugh, The Comedy Café and the Trades Hall.[5][6]

Along with Kenneally, Geoff Brooks and Stephen Blackburn, Quantock opened and operated The Comedy Cafe and Banana Lounge.[citation needed]

Television

Quantock worked on the series Ratbags, Australia You’re Standing In It, Fast Forward, Denton,[3] BackBerner and was a performer on The Big Gig and Good News Week.[7]

In 2005, he appeared as the subject of an art exhibition displayed at Crown Casino.[citation needed]

Quantock was a founding member on the Melbourne International Comedy Festival board,[7] a consultant to the Melbourne Moomba Festival[7] and a member of the Arts Committee of the Bicentennial BHP Awards For Excellence.

Capt’n Snooze

Quantock starred in a series of television advertisements for bed retailer Capt’n Snooze from the ’80s to the late ’90s,[8] but stated that his main reason was financial.[9]

Bus

Quantock conducted various comical evening bus tours of Melbourne and other parts of Victoria since the 1980s called Bus, Son of Tram.[10][11]

Publications

From 1989–1994, Quantock was a weekly columnist for the Sunday Age[7] and in September 1999, Double Disillusion, a compilation book of these columns and some of his live performances, was published.

Political activism

Quantock supports left-wing politics and was the host of the 1997, 1998 and 2004 Ska-TV Activist awards which were broadcast on community television around Australia. He gave a speech at 17 January 2010 rally at the closure of The Tote Hotel.[citation needed]

In 2013 and 2014 Quantock was MC at a number of rallies and public meetings in the campaign to stop the then-proposed East-West Link tollway.[12][13] In 2014, Quantock became a research associate at the Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute, University of Melbourne, working on the presentation of climate change impacts and resource crises.[7]

Awards

  • Adelaide Justice Coalition Romero Community Award (2005)[7]

References

  1. ^ McCallum, Brendan (12 April 2007). “Rob Quantock – An Inconvenient Interview”. Articles. Spark Online. Archived from the original on 6 October 2009.
  2. ^ Bailey, John (12 February 2007). “Court in the Act”. The Age.
  3. ^ a b Cunningham, Sophie (2010). Melbourne. Sydney: UNSW Press. pp. 79–80. ISBN 9781742240442.
  4. ^ “If you do one thing today . . “. The Age. 8 April 2005. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
  5. ^ Bedwell, Steve (2007). Vizard Uncut. Melbourne University Publish. pp. 86–87. ISBN 9780522854749 – via Google books.
  6. ^ Fitzgerald, Ross; Murphy, Rick (2011). “5”. AustenTayshus-Merchant of Menace. The GHR Press. ISBN 9780868064581 – via Google Books.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g “Honours” (PDF). Governor General of the Commonwealth of Victoria. 2010. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
  8. ^ Thompson, Peter (24 October 2005). “Talking Heads – Rod Quantock”. ABC. Archived from the original on 27 October 2005.
  9. ^ Denton, Andrew (25 September 2006). “Enough Rope with Andrew Denton – Rod Quantock”. ABC. Archived from the original on 28 February 2015.
  10. ^ Macklin, Robert (2 May 1993). “Adventure bus startles a few toffy diners”. The Canberra Times. p. 20. Retrieved 12 September 2018 – via Trove.
  11. ^ Bunbury, Stephanie (6 December 2002). “Back on the buses”. The Age.
  12. ^ “Rally: All I Want For Xmas Is Better Public Transport”. Yarra Campaign for Action on Transport. 5 December 2013. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
  13. ^ “Trains Not Tolls Campaign Launch”. Yarra Campaign for Action on Transport. 15 June 2013. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
  14. ^ Cuthbertson, Debbie (7 June 2015). “Comedian and environmental activist Rod Quantock receives Medal of the Order of Australia in Queen’s Birthday Honours”. The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
  15. ^ Cahill, Mikey (22 April 2012). “Dr Brown wins 2012 Melbourne International Comedy Festival Barry Award”. Herald Sun. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
  16. ^ “1997 Green Room Awards”. Green Room Awards. 17 February 1998. Archived from the original on 5 January 2008.
  17. ^ “Rod Quantock”. Artists. Token. 25 September 2006. Archived from the original on 6 February 2012.