An elder statesman of the Australian cinema industry, Tony Tegg has passed away at the age of 84.
Mr Tegg worked as a gaffer, or senior lighting technician, on many famous Australian films including Wake in Fright, Picnic at Hanging Rock, Caddie, Sunday Too Far Away, The Cars That Ate Paris, Storm Boy, Ned Kelly, The Picture Show Man, Blue Fin, and the Fourth Wish.
His work took him around the world but he enjoyed most working in the local film industry telling Australian stores.
Mr Tegg grew up in Brighton-le-Sands and left school at the age of 16 to work as a trainee technician.
He was working at the State Theatre in Market Street, when someone told him that there was a job going on a film set.
He applied and got the job, ending up working on the major Hollywood film, On the Beach, which was filmed in Melbourne and starred Gregory Peck, Ava Gardener and Fred Astaire.
He ended up staying in the industry for the next 40 years.
In a school talk given only a few years ago, Mr Tegg described the progress of his career: "With experience I progressed from a lamp holder to a lamp pointer and in time I became the gaffer, the major lighting technician."
Mr Tegg's career coincided with the Renaissance of the Australian film industry.
He received a grant from Gough Whitlam to travel the world and speaking to other lighting technicians, gaining knowledge he was able to bring home to use in Australian movies.
He was the first to import American film lights and also worked on the first Australian television commercial.
He was a lifetime member of the Australian Cinematographers Society.
Mr Tegg married Win and they settled in Kogarah, Connells Point and Sylvania raising their four children, Kathy, Danny, Donna and Sally.
"Everyone in the family loved hearing his stories of his work," daughter Kathy said.
"He told us about working with Ava Gardner. She swore like a trooper but she got away with it. She was the boss. Frank Sinatra made a surprise visit while she was filming here and she sent him packing. She was a chain smoker and Dad used to light her cigarettes. Dad was short (about 5'4") and she would call out to him, 'Boy, come over here and sit on my knee'."
Other stars he worked with included Mick Jagger, Deborah Kerr, Paul Hogan and John Mellion.
Fred Astaire presented him with a signed photo which the family still has.
"At the end of filming Ned Kelly, Mick Jagger gave a bottle of vintage whisky to each cast and crew member as a thank you and then sat drinking with them," Kathy said.
"His stories were fascinating," Kathy said. "But to us he was Dad. He had four great loves: his career, his family, horse racing and St George Dragons.
In the notes for his school talk, Mr Tegg summed up his career: "My work took me to exciting locations around the world, but most importantly I was able to work on films all around this country of Australia. The more you see of the world the more you realise how lucky we are to live in the beautiful and free country."
Mr Tegg is survived by Win and his children Kathy, Danny, Donna and Sally and their families.
His funeral will be held this Friday at St Declan's Catholic Church, Penshurst at 10.30am.
