Reporter's Diary

Press, 27 August 1977, Page 2

Reporter's Diary

Singing for Elvis JOHNNY DEVLIN, New Zealand’s only really successful home-grown rock ‘n’ roll star, will sing Elvis Presley songs at a memorial service concert in Victoria Park, Sydney, tomorrow afternoon before a crowd of about 60,000.

Presley fans. Aircraft have been chartered to bring fans to the concert from other states. Johnny O’Keefe, another veteran of the rock *n’ roll era, will sing a hymn, and the Premier of New South Wales (Mr Neville Wran) will read a tribute to Presley. The fans used to go

wild over Johnny Devlin in his heydey and frequently ripped the shirt off their idol’s back — a behaviour which he happily tolerated as part of the act. The late Miss Mabel Howard, member of Parliament for Sydenham, added to her own notoriety by allowing herself to be photographed dancing with — and kissing — Johnny Devlin. Hands off NOW that the rugby limelight is on South Africa again, with the arrival of All Blacks, Lions and other top players for the international match at Pretoria today, “The Times” is recalling some of its favourite rugger stories. One is about the banquet laid on by the Lord Mayor of London for the 1972 Springboks. It was in the Guildhall, where the table settings are of solid gold. The captain was Dawie de Villiers, then a minister of the Dutch Reformed Church. Mindful of the team’s fondness for collecting souvenirs, he asked if he could say grace. Permission was given, and he prayed: “If any of you lot as much as lift a spoon, you’ll pay your own way home.” The players lowered their eyes, and intoned “Amen.” Children’s films VERY heartening to see that all of the Christchurch picture theatres are screening general exhibition films now that the school holidays have started. It was not always so. But today they all have G certificates, although a couple of them are "recommended as more suitable for adults,” and three others as “more suitable for those 13 and older.” Out in the suburbs, there are G-certificate children's matinees at all three theatres today, followed by two GA (more suitable for 13 and older) movies in the evening.

The only RlB film in town is “The Sailor Who Fell From Grace with the Sea” showing this evening at one of the Sumner theatres. Out in bloodthirsty Rangiora, the afternoon children’s matinee will be followed in the evening by "Vampire Lovers” and "Baron Blood,” both Rl6. More peanuts CAN’T wait to hear whether the Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon) sampled Bjelke Blue Label cheese at the Queensland National Party dinner he attended on Thursday evening. It is a processed Cheddar with a nutty flavour and a generous sprinkling of chopped peanuts on it. Named after Mr John Bjelke-Petersen, the premier of Queensland, the cheese is said to be a good seller in Queensland, and has just been released in Sydney. The peanut connection, which should not be wasted on Mr Muldoon, is that Mr Bjelke-Petersen (originally from Dannevirke. New Zealand) comes from Kingaroy, the heart of Australia’s bestknown peanut-growing area. Collector’s item AN AUSTRALIAN living in Christchurch is thinking of writing home to Oz to get his old childhood money-box sent over. It is one of the metal “happy negro” variety, with an outstretched hand for receiving the money. "You put a penny in its hand,” Hugh Marshall recalled yesterday. “You flick the handle, the arm goes up, his eyes roll, and the penny goes down his gob.” It is a long time since he trusted the machine with his pocket money, but he has suddenly warmed to the little chap again — after learning that an identical money-box fetched $45 at auction in Christchurch yesterday. — Garry Arthur