Esben Storm (26 May 1950– 28 March 2011) was a Danish Australian actor, screenwriter, television producer, television director, voice artist and songwriter.
Early life Storm was raised on a farm in Denmark, by working-class parents Laurits and Ane. The family migrated to Australia in 1958, when Storm was eight, after Laurits lost the family farm to lawyers. After settling in Melbourne, his father worked as a builder's labourer and built a darkroom, where Storm learned photographic processing, composition and lighting.
Storm met schoolfriend Haydn Keenan while studying at University High School, Melbourne, and moved to Sydney in 1970, where he worked worked with Keenan as a production assistant at the Commonwealth Film Unit (Film Australia), before going on to make films together, in what would become a long-term partnership.
In 1969, Storm enrolled in the film course at Swinburne Technical College, studying alongside Gillian Armstrong.
Career
Film making Together with Haydn Keenan, Storm began making a series of award-winning films, under their production company, Smart Street Films. Their first film was the 1969 short, Doors, directed by Storm, followed by the documentary In His Prime, which he also directed, winning an award at the 1972 Sydney Film Festival. Then came the low-budget 1974 feature 27A. Directed by Storm, it won the AFI Award for Best Film that year, establishing him as a key player in Australian cinema.
Establishing Storm Productions, Storm wrote and directed 1978 feature film In Search of Anna, with film stills and publicity shots by his then-girlfriend Carol Jerrems. The film won the 1978 AFI Award for Best Screenplay. He went on to direct and produce 1983 documentary With Prejudice, about the 1978 Sydney Hilton Hotel bombing. The film was attributed with helping secure the release of the three Ananda Marga members jailed for the crime.
Other films he wrote and directed included 1984 comedy Stanley, 1991 film Deadly, starring Bill Hunter and 2003 sci-fi horror film Subterano, starring Alex Dimitriades and Tasma Walton. He also made several documentaries including The Tasty Bust Reunion and America.
Storm was well known for his work with the Australian Children's Television Foundation (ACTF), where for 15 years, he wrote, directed, edited and acted in numerous programs and played a pivotal role in most of the 62 national and international awards the foundation has received. He directed an episode of the ACTF’s very first series, Winners, followed by Devil’s Hill – the Tasmanian telemovie in children's anthology series Touch the Sun, which was created to coincide with the bicentenary in 1988.
Most notably, Storm put Australian children’s drama on the map with Round the Twist, ACTF's most successful children's series, in which he brought Paul Jennings' short stories to life. Working with Jennings on the scripts, he directed more than half of the episodes of the first two seasons, and also played the part of Mr Snapper. Since its release, the series has been translated into countless languages and screened around the world including on the BBC and on Fox in the US.
Further ACTF titles Storm worked on included More Winners (1990), The Genie from Down Under (1995–1998) and Crash Zone (1998–1999). He also worked on Sky Trackers (as script consultant), Li'l Elvis Jones and the Truckstoppers (as the show's creator, scriptwriter and dialogue director) and Blue Heelers (as a director). In 2007, under his company Storm Productions, Storm wrote, directed and produced SBS series Kick, also acting in the show.
For many years, Storm worked to adapt John Marsden's Tomorrow, When the War Began young adult novel, but lost the rights to the subsequent film.
Acting In 1976, Storm acted in Hanging About, a short film by Carol Jerrems. He later played the part of a record producer in 1982 drama film Monkey Grip and the following year he appeared in Going Down, playing the role of Michael, a codeine-addicted loner-writer.
He had further film roles in 1985, with romantic comedy The Coca-Cola Kid opposite Eric Roberts and Greta Scacchi, drama film Wrong World and TV movie I Live with Me Dad. The following year he then played the role of Raymond 'Frog' Gardiner in miniseries Alice to Nowhere.
In 1987, Storm featured in comedy film Les Patterson Saves the World, playing a Russian scientist, alongside Barry Humphries and Pandemonium in the role of E.B. De Woolf. The following year, he played Wilbur Wright in comedy film Young Einstein starring Yahoo Serious and appeared in biographical TV movie The Riddle of the Stinson with Jack Thompson and Richard Roxburgh. He also performed opposite Steve Bisley in 1988 post-apocalyptic TV movie Hard Knuckle.
Storm appeared in three episodes of children's anthology series Winners. He also played the regular role of haughty Mr Snapper in Round the Twist. He had guest roles in Rafferty's Rules, crime drama Phoenix, period drama Snowy River: The McGregor Saga Good Guys, Bad Guys and police procedural series Blue Heelers. His final acting role was in medical drama series All Saints.Finney, Sarah: Vale Esben Storm (1950 – 2011) , Australian Film Institute, 29 March 2011.
Personal life In the 1970s, Storm was in a relationship with photographer and filmmaker Carol Jerrems, who lived with him in Willoughby. His contribution to ABC biographical documentary film Girl in a Mirror became the foundation for a story honouring Jerrems, who died of a rare illness in 1980, at the age of 30.
After returning from Cannes screenings for his 1978 film In Search of Anna, he met and then married the film's assistant editor, Pamela Barnetta.
Storm's first marriage broke down and he later married costume designer Lisa Meagher, whom he met on the set of Round the Twist. She was his partner at the time of his death. He has two children – a son and a daughter.
Death Storm died, aged 60, on 28 March 2011 from a heart attack.Industry mourns Esben Storm , Encore, 29 March 2011. Numerous directors, producers, actors and screen industry leaders attended his funeral at Clovelly Bowling Club in Sydney, which was MC'd by longtime friend, collaborator and producer Allan Hogan. Storm's partner Lisa Meagher, delivered his eulogy, revealing it was the same one Esben had written for his father's funeral.
Filmography
Short film
As crew Year Title Role Ref. 1969 Doors Director 1972 In His Prime Director Gentle Strangers Production assistant 1973 A Motion Picture Director Flashpoint Production assistant Floating This Time Editor 1975 Grace Crowley Director A Handful of Dust Unspecified assistant 1984 The Other Facts of Life Director 1994 Diablo is Done For Director
As actor Year Title Role Ref. 1969 Doors 1971 One Man Bike 1972 In His Prime Stephany A Motion Picture 1976 Hanging About: A Short Film by Carol Jerrems 1981 Making Weekend of Summer Last Out of Work Actor 1982 Last Breakfast in Paradise 1982 Greetings from Wollongong
Feature film
As crew Year Title Director Writer Producer Editor Notes Ref. 1973 Avengers of the Reef Production manager 1974 27A 1978 In Search of Anna 1982 With Prejudice 1984 Stanley 1990 The Crossing Story consultant 1991 Deadly 1992 de Vil's tas Mania (aka Three Cornered Island) Also script advisor 2003 Subterano 2004 The Tasty Bust Reunion Documentary film America Documentary film 2006 The Bridge at Midnight Trembles Documentary film;Also executive producer 2008 Goodbye Revolution Documentary film;Also director of photography 2012 Aspects of a Life: Working with Indigenous Australians Video documentary
As actor Year Title Role Notes Ref.1982 Monkey Grip Record Producer Going Down Michael 1983 Birthin' Hips 1983 With Prejudice Documentary film 1984 Stanley Menswear Attendant 1985 Wrong World Lawrence The Coca-Cola Kid Country Hotel Manager 1987 Les Patterson Saves the World Russian Scientist Pandemonium E.B. De Woolf / Husband 1988 Young Einstein Wilbur Wright 1991 Deadly Reporter 1993 Terrormisu: A Night of Just Desserts Rusty & the Bathtub Banana 2008 Goodbye Revolution Narrator Documentary film
Television
As crew Year Title Director Writer Producer Script consultant Notes Ref. 1985 Winners Episode: "The Other Facts of Life" 1988 Touch the Sun: Devil’s Hill TV movie 1990 More Winners Episode: "The Big Wish" 1989-2001 Round the Twist 32 episodes (director);30 episodes (writer); Also script consultant 1994 Sky Trackers 26 episodes The Bob Morrison Show Season 1 1995 Blue Heelers 4 episodes 1996; 1998 The Genie from Down Under 6 episodes (director);15 episodes (writer) 1998 Li'l Elvis and the Truckstoppers Episode: "Caught in a Trap";Also creator, scriptwriter & dialogue director 1999 Crash Zone Season 1, 4 episodes 2000 Pig's Breakfast Seasons 1–2 2001 The Lost World Episode: "True Spirit" 2007 Kick Also creator
As actor Year Title Role Notes Ref. 1984 Special Squad Cox Episode: "Brothers" 1985 I Live with Me Dad Blindman TV movie 1985; 1986 Winners Leo George / Tom 2 episodes: "The Other Facts of Life" & "Room to Move" 1986 Alice to Nowhere Raymond 'Frog' Gardiner Miniseries, 2 episodes A Single Life Paul TV movie 1987 The Fast Lane Lester Episode: "All the World's Going Through a Bit of a Stage" 1988 The Riddle of the Stinson Meissner TV movie Rafferty's Rules Norm Angstrom Episode: "Mum's the Word" Hard Knuckle Vince TV movie 1989–2000 Round the Twist Mr Snapper 36 episodes 1990 More Winners The Waiter Episode: "The Big Wish" 1992 Phoenix Pat 2 episodes 1994 Law of the Land Peter Bozavich Episode: "Death Before Dying" 1995 Blue Heelers Colin Roper Episode: "Breaking the Cycle" Snowy River: The McGregor Saga Frobisher Episode: "In Duty Bound" 1997 Good Guys Bad Guys: Only the Young Die Good Jerry TV movie 2002 Don't Blame the Koalas (aka Don't Blame Me) First AD Episode: "A Star is Born" 2007 Kick Jeff Abbott (soccer referee) Episode: "You Can't Stop the Music" All Saints Laszlo Shucs Episode: "Echoes"
Theatre Year Title Role Type Ref. 1994; 1996 Anaheim Magic Playwright Lion Theatre, Adelaide, Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne with Magpie Theatre Company
Awards and nominations Year Title Award Category Result Ref.1979In Search of AnnaAustralian Film Institute Awards Best Screenplay AFI Award Winners Feature Categories 1958-2009 , Australian Film Institute. Best Film Best Director 1991 Deadly Mystfest Best Film Winners: The Big WishAustralian Film Institute Awards Best Achievement in Direction in a TV Drama 1993 Round the Twist: Little Squirt Best Screenplay in a TV Drama 1999 Crash Zone: The Dream Team Best Direction in a TV Drama
References
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