Biography
Australian novelty performer and accordionist Rolf Harris earned decades of recognition as the creator of the late-'50s hit "Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport," until his 2014 conviction for sexual assault altered that public image entirely. Born in Perth during 1930, he first appeared headed toward aquatic distinction by finishing as the Australian junior backstroke champion in 1946. Three years afterward, national radio stations acknowledged his musical promise when he claimed victory in an amateur talent contest. During the early '50s he relocated to London for art studies, then mounted his initial exhibition of paintings at the Royal Academy of Art in 1956—the same year after he composed "Tie Me Kangaroo Down" and began attracting homesick Australian audiences plus other enthusiasts at the Down Under Club. By the close of the decade he returned to Australia and entered children's television, an entry point that led to further successful series such as Hey Presto, It's Rolf in 1966 and the Rolf Harris Show the next year.
Beyond conventional instruments, Harris incorporated aboriginal Australian sound devices and, in 1967, devised the stylophone, an eccentric instrument resembling a children's board game and operated with an electronic stylus. Avant-garde players later adopted it for sonic effects, yet its primary documentation appears on Harris's own recordings, among them a collection devoted to bandleader Glenn Miller's swing repertoire. In 1969 he produced Rolf's Walkabout, a blend of landscape footage and whimsical content that also appeared as a book. Recognition arrived in 1970 when the Radio Industries Club named him best television personality, followed in 1973 by a career landmark: his debut public performance at the Sydney Opera House. Official honors soon followed, including the Order of the British Empire in 1977, the same year he launched the television series Rolf on Saturday -- OK?, which remained on air for three years. His activities broadened further with a screen appearance in The Little Convict during 1979 and pantomime engagements throughout the '80s.
Rolf's Here -- OK? arrived as a 1980 television concept, succeeded by the widely viewed Cartoon Time, which he hosted until 1987. Even amid the new-wave period, younger musicians occasionally invited him into studios for distinctive contributions, notably his didgeridoo work on Kate Bush's album Dreaming. Rolf's Cartoon Club subsequently served as his television platform until 1993. Entering the new century, Harris maintained television travel programs, supported charities aiding animals and the handicapped, and performed at events such as two appearances at the British Glastonbury Festival. He issued the 70/30 recording in 2000 and, the following year, released a compact disc on which he assumed the title King Rolf.
Early in 2013 authorities arrested him during an investigation into sexual offences dating back to the late '60s. A mid-2014 trial resulted in convictions on twelve counts of indecent assault and a prison term exceeding five years. Released in May 2017 after serving three years, he resided quietly in Bray, Berkshire, England, and soon experienced declining health. On May 18, 2023, British television premiered the documentary Rolf Harris: Hiding in Plain Sight. Five days later officials confirmed that he had died on May 10, 2023; his family had withheld public announcement, yet the General Register Office verified the date. He was 93.
Beyond conventional instruments, Harris incorporated aboriginal Australian sound devices and, in 1967, devised the stylophone, an eccentric instrument resembling a children's board game and operated with an electronic stylus. Avant-garde players later adopted it for sonic effects, yet its primary documentation appears on Harris's own recordings, among them a collection devoted to bandleader Glenn Miller's swing repertoire. In 1969 he produced Rolf's Walkabout, a blend of landscape footage and whimsical content that also appeared as a book. Recognition arrived in 1970 when the Radio Industries Club named him best television personality, followed in 1973 by a career landmark: his debut public performance at the Sydney Opera House. Official honors soon followed, including the Order of the British Empire in 1977, the same year he launched the television series Rolf on Saturday -- OK?, which remained on air for three years. His activities broadened further with a screen appearance in The Little Convict during 1979 and pantomime engagements throughout the '80s.
Rolf's Here -- OK? arrived as a 1980 television concept, succeeded by the widely viewed Cartoon Time, which he hosted until 1987. Even amid the new-wave period, younger musicians occasionally invited him into studios for distinctive contributions, notably his didgeridoo work on Kate Bush's album Dreaming. Rolf's Cartoon Club subsequently served as his television platform until 1993. Entering the new century, Harris maintained television travel programs, supported charities aiding animals and the handicapped, and performed at events such as two appearances at the British Glastonbury Festival. He issued the 70/30 recording in 2000 and, the following year, released a compact disc on which he assumed the title King Rolf.
Early in 2013 authorities arrested him during an investigation into sexual offences dating back to the late '60s. A mid-2014 trial resulted in convictions on twelve counts of indecent assault and a prison term exceeding five years. Released in May 2017 after serving three years, he resided quietly in Bray, Berkshire, England, and soon experienced declining health. On May 18, 2023, British television premiered the documentary Rolf Harris: Hiding in Plain Sight. Five days later officials confirmed that he had died on May 10, 2023; his family had withheld public announcement, yet the General Register Office verified the date. He was 93.
Albums
