Bill Hughes: Aussie TV pioneer who directed A Country Practice, McLeod’s Daughters, Packed to the Rafters and more dies aged 79: ‘He was never afraid to bend the rules’
Australian producer Bill Hughes died in Doonan, Queensland in the early morning of April 7.
The veteran director was just weeks away from turning 80 when he tragically passed away after decades of working in the entertainment industry.
Bill is survived by his partner Tonia, first wife Ellen, brother John, son Justin, grandson Max and his stepchildren Kia and Chris from his second marriage.
The filmmaker entered the entertainment industry at a young age. His family consisted of ‘theater people’ who encouraged him to participate in puppet shows.
βHe came into the television world at the beginning and was one of the pioneers who laid the foundation for the sector in which we all work today,β said author Jutta Goetze.
‘His career was long and extensive and he should not be forgotten… Bill was innovative, approachable and never afraid to break the rules.’
Bill worked his way up from ‘flying’ behind the scenes on various theatre shows to becoming a sound engineer on The Graham Kennedy Show at Nine.
His big break came when Crawford Productions developed the new police series Homicide in the 1960s and hired Bill as music editor.
Australian producer Bill Hughes (pictured) died in Doonan, Queensland in the early hours of April 7
Even though Bill had no experience in the role, he learned on the job when the sound engineer offered to teach him the part.
Bill held various roles including cinematographer, screenwriter and editor before eventually becoming a director and later producer.
For Crawford Productions he subsequently directed Homicide, The Sullivans, Division Four, Cop Shop and The Flying Doctors.
The veteran director was just weeks away from celebrating his 80th birthday when he tragically passed away after decades of work in the entertainment industry
Bill is survived by his partner Tonia, first wife Ellen, brother John, son Justin, grandson Max and his stepchildren Kia and Chris from his second marriage
When the Logie Award winner eventually left the studio, he went on to direct a string of highly popular TV miniseries and series for a whopping sixty years.
Some of his projects include A Country Practice, Home and Away, Winners and Losers, All Saints, Guinevere Jones, McLeod’s Daughters and Packed to the Rafters.
Throughout his long career he has received numerous awards, including several AFI, AACTA and Logie Awards.
According to his obituary, Bill is “highly regarded throughout the industry and known for his idiosyncratic approach and meticulous work.”