Chips Rafferty
| Chips Rafferty | |
|---|---|
Chips Rafferty
|
|
| Born |
John William Pilbean Goffage 26 March 1909 Broken Hill, New South Wales, Australia |
| Died | 27 May 1971 (aged 62) Sydney |
| Resting place | Remains cast into his favourite fishing hole in Lovett Bay, Pittwater |
| Occupation | Film actor |
| Years active | 1939–71 |
| Spouse(s) | Ellen Jameson (1941-1964; her death) |
Chips Rafferty MBE (26 March 1909 – 27 May 1971) was an Australian actor. Called "the living symbol of the typical Australian", Rafferty's career stretched from the 1940s until his death in 1971, and during this time he performed regularly in major Australian feature films as well as appearing in British and American productions. He appeared in commercials in Britain during the late 1950s, encouraging British emigration to Australia.
He was born John William Pilbean Goffage in Broken Hill, New South Wales to John Goffage, an English-born stock agent, and Australian-born Violet Maude Joyce. Gaining the nickname "Chips" as a school boy, Rafferty studied at Parramatta Commercial High School before working in a variety of jobs, including opal miner, sheep shearer, drover, airman and pearl diver before making his film debut in Ants in His Pants in 1938. At that time, he was managing a wine cellar in Bond Street, Sydney.
Rafferty's onscreen image as a lanky, laconic bushman struck a chord with filmgoers in Forty Thousand Horsemen. This film was enormously popular and was screened throughout the world.
Rafferty married Ellen Kathleen "Quentin" Jameson on 28 May 1941. He enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force the next day and entertained troops. During the war, Rafferty was allowed to make films on leave. He appeared in The Rats of Tobruk (1944). He was discharged on 13 February 1945, having reached the rank of Flying Officer.
Rafferty's first film after the war was The Overlanders, which was a popular success. He followed this with Bush Christmas. Ealing Studios signed Rafferty to a long term contract and cast him in The Loves of Joanna Godden. While promoting the film in Hollywood he met Hedda Hopper who said Rafferty "created quite a stir. They call him the Australian Gary Cooper, but if he were cut down a bit he would be more like the late Will Rogers. I don't know how they'll get him on the screen unless they do it horizontally... He is as natural as an old shoe."
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