10-year-old Ben Oxenbould – a schoolboy “untainted by acting” – was chosen to portray the titular scamp from a famous Australian comic strip in the Sydney-based film, Fatty Finn.
Screen newcomer Ben shared the film credits with another feature film first-timer, Aussie television stalwart Bert Newton who played Fatty’s father, with Noni Hazelhurst as Mrs Finn, Gerard Kennedy in the role of Tiger Murphy and Lorraine Bayly as crime queen Maggie McGrath.
The idea for turning the Syd Nicholls’ comics into a movie came from writers Bob Ellis and Chris McGill.
Hubert ‘Fatty’ Finn
Ben Oxenbould
John Finn
Bert Newton
Myrtle Finn
Noni Hazlehurst
Tilly
Rebecca Rigg
Headlights
Jeremy Larsson
Skeet
Martin Lewis
Seasy
Hugo Grieve
Lolly Legs
Sandy Leask
Maggie McGrath
Lorraine Bayly
Bruiser Murphy
Greg Kelly
Tiger Murphy
Gerard Kennedy
Mrs. Murphy
Su Cruickshank
Squizzy
Christian Robinson
Flies
Murray Shultz
Mac
Miguel López
Snootle
Christopher Norton
Officer Claffey
Bill Young
Mr. Zilch
Henri Szeps
Director
Maurice Murphy
