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John Symons Homepage - Bali Television and Film Producer and Director, Writer, Aviator,  Architect, Carpenter, Electronic Engineer, Web writer and Publisher, Cook, Inventor, Traveller, Tour Guide, Hotel owner and Philanthropist,  John Bruhn Symons was born in the town of Leongatha in South Gippsland, Victoria, Australia on August 28, 1944. John's parents, Nancy Estelle Symons (nee: Bruhn) and John William Davies Symons both of Leongatha. Victoria, Australia. Mother Nancy was born on July 1, 1919 to her mother Mary Bruhn (nee: Edwards) who was of Scottish decent and her Father Herbert Bruhn of Prussian decent.  Father John (Jack) was born on May 9, 1912 to his mother Alice Symons (nee: Reilly) of Irish decent and his father John Davies Symons was of English, Cornish decent.  John at 6 months John at 18 months John today - retired in Bali Since August 2000 we have been publishing a monthly newsletter,  with news about our local area Kerobokan, Bali and Indonesia - we call it The Kerobokan Home Office (KHO) News. Check it out. Other Links: Bali - Photo Album   KHO Home page  John's Memoir

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John at 3 years John 4½ with Uncle Charlie Ross, Jack, John, Nancy & Barry John had 2 brothers Barry b. 1947 and Ross b. 1954. John the drummer  boy John attended the Leongatha State School and then the Leongatha High school he excelled in French and Science and won a prize for English composition.  On the weekends and after school helped his father on his dairy farm. He became interested in electronics and built a radio John with friends and radio At the age of sixteen he was interviewed by Mr Jim Fisher the Chief Engineer of Melbourne Television Station, HSV-7, he was successful in  obtaining a  Mr Fisher cadet ship and started work at the station in January 1960. HSV-7 Studios in Sth Melbourne In the early period he attended the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) to study Radio, Tv Broadcasting and Electronics. RMIT

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John became a full employee of the station, learning every facet of television production working with many big stars.  Raymond Burr, Marlene Dietrich, Olivia Newton-John and Bob Crosby to name a few. An early job - Boom Operator John started work as a boom operator, then after  training in Telecine, Video Tape, Outside Broadcasts he became an Audio Engineer. With friend John Gilby at HSV John at the panel John mixing sound John at 18 Flying Days Around 1964 John became interesting in flying and in his very limited spare time from the Tv Studio took flying lessons. John learning to fly Film Business In 1970 he left the station to start his own film production studio with partner Ian Davey. The company was called Gable-Summertime and in the 70's produced television commercials for many major brands. Gable-Summerime's first studio in Williams Road Prahran Business went well, in the early 70's John bought his first aeroplane a 2 seat Cessna 150 B. Cessna 150B VH-WCH taking off from Lakes Entrance Victoria

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In the early 80's Mr Davey left the company and John made the change from film to video. John Directing on Location In the meantime, John sold the Cessna and bought an antique four seat English Auster aircraft in North Queensland. He flew the aircraft the 2000 km back to Melbourne in a record 2 days. All his spare time was taken up restoring the aircraft to as new condition. At the same time he bought a 50 hectare farm at Heathcote victoria and built a runway there for the Auster. The Auster's first landing at the Heathcote International Airport Auster propeller is overhauled The Auster - Sunday lunch at hometown Leongatha In the late 80's John bought a building in St Kilda Road, Melbourne. After extensive renovations the building became the new home of Gable Sumertime productions. John in the St Kilda Rd Studio The studio was fitted with state of the art video recording and editing equipment. In those days the equipment was very expensive, a portable colour camera costing the same as a suburban house. The studio owning 3 such cameras. John in the Edit Suite After 10 years John sold the old Auster aircraft and bought a modern, high speed Grumman Lynx AA-1C aircraft. With niece Rene' in 1986 With mum Nancy at John's 50th With friend Jamal in 1994 The business continued until 1997 when John sold it and retired. John now lives on the island of Bali in Indonesia and publishes a monthly newsletter called the Kerobokan Home Office News.

email the KHO The KHO is the affectionate name of our house in Bali, this a non - commercial site, to keep our many friends in touch with the local scene. Our aim is to help the local people through promoting tourism. The KHO web site: http://www.geocities.com/jbsymons_2000 Also check out our monthly newsletter at http://www.geocities.com/jbsymons_2000/news.html Also check out our Channel 7 Television History page at: http://www.geocities.com/jbsymons_2000   Copyright ©2006 The Kerobokan Home Office