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Vale: Robert Greenberg

Screenwriter Robert Greenberg, best known for shows including Round the Twist, Get Ace and Lift Off has died.

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Screenwriter Robert Greenberg, best known for writing children’s shows including Round the Twist, Get Ace and Lift Off has died, aged 57.

He died last week following a tumour on the brain.

Greenberg had a lengthy CV in Australian children’s television including Lift Off, Skytrackers, Lil’ Elvis and the Truckstoppers, Crash Zone Li’l Horrors, Round the Twist, Horace and Tina, Storm World, Rock It! and Get Ace.

Writer Stuart Page wrote in an AWG obituary, “He started in the industry as a storyliner on Prisoner. The entrance test at the time for a position on the show involved piecing together an episode from a scene breakdown that had been cut into individual scenes. This was an exercise he later gave to every one of his classes. He had plans to go on to write adult TV, but his nature – joyous, anarchic, inventive, mischievous – took him elsewhere.

“Amongst other credits, he wrote for Lift Off and Skytrackers, Lil’ Elvis and the Truckstoppers, Lil’ Horrors and Round the Twist (13 eps for that show, and justifiably proud of the penis propellor episode). He created Crash Zone, and co-created Horace and Tina with Jonathan Shiff. And he script-produced Pixel Pinkie and Dogstar. He won an AWGIE for his work on Round the Twist and an AFI for his work on Lift Off. He lectured on children’s’ TV around Australia and Asia, and taught at RMIT and Victoria University. He also published children’s’ books – including The Greeblies and the wonderfully titled There’s Money in Toilets – inspired by the adventures of his children Georgia and Spencer.

“I met Rob in my very first class at RMIT. I was a mature age student studying screenwriting, and he was the experienced children’s’ TV writer and lecturer who walked in through the door and turned everything upside down. Unfairly handsome, blessed with more energy than a duffel bag of toddlers, his classes were anarchic and inclusive, encouraging, exhilarating and stupidly productive.”

Like Stuart, I also remember Rob as a lecturer at RMIT Screenwriting. He was full of energy, that made classes fun. I’m indebted that he was very supportive of my work (and yes I remember that Prisoner exercise!)

A top bloke.

2 Responses

  1. As an adult I loved Round the Twist and its irrelevant childish humor. I often thought that children’s TV was one thing we did really well. Don’t know if that is still the case. Vale Rob.

  2. Oh geeze….really liked his work….faves…Round the Twist and L’il Elvis…..
    This old ‘big kid’ is sad for his demise…. 🙁

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