The Tap-Dancing Knife Thrower: My Life (without the Boring Bits)

Paul Hogan first appeared on Australia's screens in 1971 as a tap-dancing knife thrower on TV talent show New Faces. He became a regular on Mike Willesee's A Current Affair and went on to become Australia's favorite TV comedian. In 1986, Crocodile Dundee, the movie he conceived, co-wrote, and starred in, became an international smash hit and earned him a Golden Globe Award, as well as Oscar and BAFTA nominations. The Tap-Dancing Knife Thrower is a funny and candid account of his astonishing life, full of stories never previously shared, and recounted in his inimitable, funny, and self-deprecating style.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 384 pages
Publication date: 19 January 2023
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers (Australia) Pty Ltd

Paul Hogan, the iconic Australian actor, made his debut on Australian screens in 1971 as a tap-dancing knife thrower on the TV talent show New Faces. The then father of four and Sydney Harbour Bridge rigger from Granville took on this daring act as a dare, but to his surprise, when the network's switchboard lit up with calls, he was invited back. His popularity with viewers soared, and he became a regular on Mike Willesee's A Current Affair.

Collaborating with his business partner and best friend, John Cornell (who played his sidekick, Strop), Hogan went on to become Australia's favorite TV comedian. His hugely popular comedy shows and appearances in unforgettable and ground-breaking ads for cigarettes, beer, and tourism came to personify Australia and Australians both here and overseas, helping to change the perception of who we are as people and as a nation.

In 1986, Crocodile Dundee, the movie he conceived, co-wrote, and starred in, became an international smash hit and earned its star a Golden Globe Award, as well as Oscar and BAFTA nominations. Despite claiming to have retired, Hogan continued to make successful movies, and his star continued to rise. However, even as his fame grew, he often felt like someone was questioning his identity, reminding him that he was just a bloody rigger.

The Tap-Dancing Knife Thrower is a funny and candid account of the astonishing life of this lucky bastard, as Hogan describes himself. Full of stories never previously shared, and recounted in the comedian's inimitable, funny, and self-deprecating style, The Tap-Dancing Knife Thrower is Paul Hogan's story told his way.

Weight: 500g
Dimension: 235 x 154 x 30 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781460759301