Aussie director Bob Meillon dies – ‘one of the great characters of the TV industry’
An Australian director best known for working on Neighbours, Home and Away and A Country Practice has passed away.
Bob Meillon directed over 140 episodes of Neighbours through the 1990s and into 2001. He died peacefully early on Sunday 3 June. He was 69 years old.
Alan Fletcher, who plays Dr Karl Kennedy in Neighbours, told Encore: “Bob was a wonderful person to be in the company with, and share a red wine. One of the great characters of the TV industry. At Neighbours he was shooting three-camera studio television as well as on location. He had the ability to edit what he was shooting in his head. He’d only shoot what he knew he would use. He was a very efficient director stylistically.”
Fletcher continued: “As an actor you could go and move where you wanted and he would sit and calmly cover it, as if nothing was difficult for him.”
Great guy to work with.
The words I have read here, on this site about the best friend I have ever made over 40 years in this “MAD” but wonderful industry, are very accurate.
Robert had a heart of gold.
I will never forget Bob calling the crew together at wrap, about 3.30 am in Kings Cross to thank the crew after a very difficult week and he thanked everyone individually with tears in his eyes. My God I respected that mans true love for his work but more so his respect for his crew. (His mates). Bob always said and I quote “Howard if you lose the crew you lose the shoot”
I have lost a great mate, cameraman, director and most of all, a real person.
I will miss not being able to call him and talk about any sporting event or just to go to his very humble but delightful Mozzzman wharf flat with a bottle or 2 of Penfolds red.
I remember our first meeting on a shoot in the early days of ACP,( I still have beta tape copy), then later on EStreet and of course our last shoot together on Home & Away before the new young blood took over the production. These are the days I will never forget.
Rest in peace Bob, you will never be forgotten.
I will always thank the powers of the universe I was given the good fortune to have known Robert so well, on and off the set.
Best regards to all, Howard Fricker.