Bob Ellis (10 May 1942 – 3 April 2016) was a well-known writer, journalist, filmmaker and political commentator. He wrote books, screenplays, poetry, political speeches, and film reviews.
He had a long and close involvement with politics, covering as a journalist 25 campaigns in Australia, the UK, the US, and writing speeches for Kim Beazley, Bob Carr, Mike Rann, Nathan Rees and Kamahl. In 1994 he stood as an Independent against Bronwyn Bishop, who was then thought likely to lead the Liberal Party.
He co-wrote the classic films Newsfront, Fatty Finn, Man of Flowers and Goodbye Paradise and co-authored the musical play The Legend of King O'Malley, the television miniseries The True Believers and the Ben Chifley play A Local Man. He wrote and directed the feature films Unfinished Business and The Nostradamus Kid and wrote and appeared in the documentary Bastards from the Bush about his long friendship with Les Murray, and Run Rabbit Run, a film about Mike Rann. His film work won numerous nominations and awards for writing and direction, including three Premier's Literary Awards, three AFIs, five AWGIES and a Critics' Circle Award. He was for 40 years a contentious essayist and critic, and in 2002 was voted Columnist of the Year by the Magazine Publishers Association.
Bob wrote several novels and works of non-fiction including the best sellers The Capitalism Delusion, And So It Went, Goodbye Jerusalem, Goodbye Babylon, So It Goes, Night Thoughts in Time of War, The Season, The Hewson Tapes and Letters to the Future.
