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The list that follows is not exclusive, and certainly not exhaustive. Like any such list, it is based on the information that is most accessible, and there are many omissions. A number of ex-students have achieved academic distinction. Dr Paul Redner, who came to Princes Hill from Poland in the late 1940s, was a political scientist at Monash University. Graham Pascoe, a student between 1940 and 1947, lectured in marketing at Charles Sturt University. Dr June Factor, an earlier contemporary, is a writer, historian and folklorist. For a number of years she was Senior Lecturer in English at the Institute of Early Childhood Development in Melbourne. Much of Dr Factor's work reflects interest in the lives of children, especially their folklore and language. Emeritus Professor Louis I. Landau AO, MD, FRACP. Hon D Litt. was medical advisor to the Western Australian Department of Health. Professor Landau was Executive Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry at The University of Western Australia for nine years and was Professor of Paediatrics at Princess Margaret Hospital for Children in Perth. He was the founding Chairman of the Institute for Child Health Research, and served on committees of the National Health and Medical Research Council, the Australian Drug Evaluation Committee, the Australian Medical Council, and the National Asthma Campaign. Professor Landau was awarded Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in 1996 for his contribution to paediatrics and research in respiratory medicine.
Sir William Brunton, Australian politician, and Lord Mayor of Melbourne was one of the earliest alumni educated at the precursor school of Princes Hill State School. John Mann MD, at Princes Hill Primary School in the early 1960s, is the Paul Janssen Professor of Translational Neuroscience (in Psychiatry and in Radiology) and Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Psychiatry at Columbia University. He is Director of Research and Director of Molecular Imaging and the Neuropathology Division at the New York State Psychiatric Institute. Dr Mark Medownick, his contemporary, is Medical Director at Medownick Laser Eye Surgery Clinic. Arnold Zable was one of the first form 6 graduates at Princes Hill High School. He is a writer, novelist, storyteller and human rights advocate. Two other writers, Amirah Inglis and Lily Brett, both passed through Princes Hill - Amirah in the early 1930s and Lily in the late 1950s. Sam Lipski, celebrated journalist, political commentator and editor of the Jewish News, and Dr Clifford Pannam, celebrated Queen’s Counsel and racing identity, both attended Princes Hill Central in the early 1940s; Sam came from Lee Street and Clifford from Errol Street. One of the contemporaries was Jack Faigenbaum, another Queen’s Counsel. All three continued on to University High School. Another journalist was Alan Dower, who attended school in the early 1920s. After service as a commando officer he attracted attention as a war correspondent and writer. He took direct personal action to stop the executions of communist women and children in the Korean War. Annette Klooger was only one of a number of Princes Hill students who found fame in the world of entertainment. She was one of the first singers to appear on television. Russell Hitchcock, one of the first generation of the high school’s students, has won international renown as the lead singer of the rock and roll band Air Supply. Wendy Saddington was an Australian blues, soul and jazz singer, and was in the bands Chain, Copperwine and the Wendy Saddington Band. She also wrote for teen pop newspaper Go-Set from September 1969 to September 1970 (Lily Brett also worked at Go-Set). Don Battie, at Princes Hill School in the 1940s, and Bill Murdoch, another of the first-generation high-school students and subsequently a teacher at the high school, are directing and producing in theatre and television. Ben Lewin is a celebrated director. John Bluthal, who was one of the refugee children referred to by Head Teacher Bryant in 1940, won international recognition as a stage and cinema actor. He has worked with Sir Peter Hall at the National Theatre, played Fagan in a London production of Oliver, recorded Goon Shows with Spike Milligan, and played roles in many films including A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, The Return of the Pink Panther, Superman III, The Fifth Element and the Cohen Brothers' Hail, Caesar! He appeared in The Vicar of Dibley from 1994-2007. Steve Bastoni is a well known actor. He is best known for his role as Constable Yannis 'Angel' Angelopoulos in Police Rescue and as Steve Parker in Neighbours. Kelvin Coe, who came to Princes Hill in the late 1950s, was a celebrated principal with the Australian Ballet Company. Roy Sparkes, a student in the late 1930s, was a well-known Melbourne musician. Joseph Brown, who arrived at Princes Hill School in 1933, was one of many students to receive encouragement and help from Head Teacher Mylrea during the 1930s depression. He was one of the foremost private collectors and dealers of Australian art. One student who won renown as an artist was Quentin Sutton (1906-1980), a prominent mural painter and finalist for The Archibald Prize in 1932. Ivor Evans, dux of the school in 1901, co-designed the Australian flag. A number of Princes Hill students have entered politics and the public service. 27 David White, MLC for Doutta Galla from 1976 to 1996, was Minister for Health in the Cain Labor Government. Ian Macfarlan was an Australian politician, deputy leader of the Liberal Party of Australia in the state of Victoria, and the 35th Premier of Victoria. Medical entrepreneur and past owner of the Sydney Swans AFL club, Geoffrey Edelsten, was a student at Princes Hill in the 1950s.
David Smith, AO, CVO, CStJ, Official Secretary to the Governor-General of Australia and who read the proclamation on the steps of Parliament House dismissing the Whitlam government in 1975, was a student at Princes Hill in the early 1940s. Frank Hardy, another ‘old boy’ and a long-time friend of the school, was a Councillor with the Melbourne City Council. Alec Cook, son of Councillor Cook and a student in the 1920s, was Secretary of the Harbour Trust. A. R. McKenzie, a student in the early 1900s, became President of the Harbour Trust. Whitehead was Chief of Melbourne Fire Brigade. Mr Jessop, his contemporary, was Director of the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works. W. Rowe, a student in the 1930s, was Chief Electoral Officer and Secretary of the Health Department. Dr Lachlan Strahan joined the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in 1993 after completing a PhD in history at Monash University and has served as Deputy High Commissioner in New Delhi and High Commissioner to Solomon Islands. One female student of the late 1960s, who must remain anonymous was an agent with Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation. In the world of business, the Smorgons have built a large empire encompassing meat, paper, steel and electronics. 28 Victor Smorgon, the doyen of the family, only attended Princes Hill for a few months, while Simon Smorgon stayed longer. John Polglaze, a student and a founding member of the Princes Hill High School Advisory Council, was a senior executive with Australian Paper Mills. Walkley Award winning photographer Les O'Rourke attended Princes Hill and recorded the images of the aftermath of the 1970 fire which destroyed the 1889 building. Neil Comrie AO, APM, was Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police from 1993 to 2001. Chris Löfvén created the iconic 'Eagle Rock' music film clip and Australian music history. Tony Birch is a well known Indigenous Australian author, academic and activist. He was head of the Honours programme for creative writing at the University of Melbourne before becoming the first recipient of the Dr Bruce McGuinness Indigenous Research Fellowship at Victoria University in Melbourne in June 2015. In 2017 he became the first Indigenous writer to win the Patrick White Award. George Apostolidis won acclaim as the Professional Photographer of the Year in 1983. Andrew Panna and Manny Garantziotis are highly regarded QCs at the Victorian Bar. Co-founder of Hardie Grant Publishing, Sandy Grant has a distinguished career in book publishing and a nd media. He was formerly MD of Heinemann, Octopus and Reed Australia, and CEO of Reed Books UK. Maria Vamvakinou attended Princes Hill in the 1970s. She is an Australian politician and currently ALP member for Calwell in the Parliament of Australia. Actor Matt Day also attended Princes Hill for a time in the 1980s as did Adam Richard, Australian comedian, actor and media personality. Another actor, Angourie Rice graduated in 2018. She has had roles in films such as Spider-Man: Homecoming, Spider-Man: Far From Home and The Nice Guys. She has also appeared in television series' Black Mirror and The Doctor Blake Mysteries. Michael Goldsworthy, songwriter, keyboard & bass player for the UK band Years and Years was a PHSC student of the 1990s. Another musician, Gretta Ray, Australian singer-songwriter, graduated in 2016. In 2016 she was the winner of the national Triple J Unearthed radio competition for bands and songwriters, and the 2016 Vanda & Young Songwriting Competition.
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In the eyes of many Melburnians, the most famous sons of Princes Hill have been the champion footballers who have donned the Carlton navy blue: Jack Hale, Alan and Fred Jinks, W. Dunn, Paul Smith, Alan Crawford, Les Vaughan, Vince Cattogio, Paul Meldrum, Spiro Kourkoumelis, Andrew Cavedon and Ang 'WOOF' Christou. Footballers who were students at Princes Hill but who did not play for Carlton have included Noel Alford, John Dugdale and Arnold Briedis, who played for North Melbourne. In 1950, Alford was awarded the Morrish Medal as best and fairest player in the VFL Under-19s. John Dugdale, one of North Melbourne’s most famous players, holds the club record for matches, was captain of the team and a member of the elite All Australians team of 1958. 29 Brandon Ellis who completed his studies in 2011 played in the Richmond Football Club premierships of 2017 & 2019 before moving to the Brisbane Lions in 2020. Carlton cricketers have included George Parsons, Les Blasford, Frank Warne, Dickie Collins and Fred Freer, who also represented Australia in 1946. In l935, Jack McGregor and Tom Jackson were selected to play in the State cricket team against Queensland. Attila Abonyi, was a member of the Australian national association football team for the 1974 FIFA World Cup and third highest goal scorer in international competition for Australia. Ian Watson and older brother Ray played basketball for Australia at the Olympic Games.