Crocker returned to Australia to star in a TV musical comedy show called
66 And All That in 1966, hence the title, which became
The Barry Crocker Show (1966–67) on Channel 10 Sydney (now
Network Ten). That was followed by the musical variety show
Say It with Music (1967–1969), also broadcast on Ten.
Acting Crocker made his acting debut on a 1969 episode of
Skippy the Bush Kangaroo. He has also had a successful career as a stage, television and motion picture actor, most notably starring alongside
Barry Humphries in the title role of
Bruce Beresford's 1972 movie,
The Adventures of Barry McKenzie and its 1974 sequel,
Barry McKenzie Holds His Own. The "bogan" character of
Barry McKenzie gave rise to Crocker recording such ribald songs as "My One Eyed Trouser Snake" and other "
off-colour" songs. Crocker was Beresford's first choice as lead actor when it came to the filming of
David Williamson's popular play ''
Don's Party'', but serious back problems curtailed Crocker's screen career at that point, opening the way for
John Hargreaves to achieve film success in the coveted title role. Nevertheless, in 1976 Crocker was crowned
King of Moomba, the annual entertainment festival in
Melbourne. He had the lead role as Governor Alan Smith in the short-lived prison drama
Punishment (1981), and guest-starred in two episodes of the Australian satirical black comedy series
Review with Myles Barlow. Later TV roles included parts in
Pizza,
Swift and Shift Couriers, and
Housos for
SBS, and
The Strange Calls, an
ABC2 comedy series. In 1994, Crocker appeared as himself in the worldwide record-breaking film ''
Muriel's Wedding. He proved his acting and comedy credentials once again as the retro-disco host Donny Destry in the 2007 movie Razzle Dazzle''. Crocker appeared as Charles "Hoot" Russell, Greg Russell's father in the
Hey Dad..! episode "Hoot's Boots". It was the second last episode of the show, which spanned 14 seasons. A DVD box set of
Hey Dad..! has had to be abandoned, following the conviction of the original "Dad" –
Robert Hughes – on several sex offences. In 2005, Crocker was featured on the
Nine Network program
This Is Your Life. It was a rare accolade, because Crocker had already been the subject of this prestigious TV program thirty years earlier, in 1975, when the show was hosted by
Roger Climpson. Crocker was caught by surprise when host
Mike Munro and the TV production team arrived, after a lot of careful planning by his long-term partner, Katy Manning, the English actress. Crocker was chosen by
Chaim Topol to co-star as his nemesis Lazer Wolfe in a long-running Australian season of the musical
Fiddler on the Roof. He also featured in the role of The Lecturer in the 2008 Australian premiere of the stage musical
Reefer Madness. Crocker presented the Australian version of
Behind Mansion Walls on the
Crime and Investigation Network on
Foxtel in Australia.
Music career In 1959, after successfully touring and a number of television appearances, he convinced Cyril Stevens, of Spotlight Records in
Thornbury, to audition him and his musical partner. Stevens, who was a photographer by trade, had set up a recording studio in the early 1950s. He recorded mainly jazz and musical events around Victoria. Stevens wasn't impressed, and Crocker and Dave Clark were about to leave when Stevens' son entered the room, recognised the pair from television and concerts, and convinced his father to record the team. Two
EPs were recorded, totalling eight tracks. The records were Spotlight's highest sellers. In May 1973, Crocker released the album
Music Makes My Day, on
Festival Records, featuring an updated version of American rockabilly singer
Robin Luke's "
Susie Darlin'. The recording featured
Olivia Newton-John and
Pat Carroll on backup vocals, and enjoyed chart success, peaking at number 7. He sang the original recording of the theme song for the 1977
Reg Grundy soap opera,
The Restless Years (later a hit for
Renée Geyer), and also the original theme to the long-running soap opera
Neighbours, another Reg Grundy production. His version was used from 1985 to 1992, and it was also played during the series' final episode, which aired in July 2022. Crocker wrote and recorded an unofficial theme song for the
Australian rules football team,
Geelong, entitled
Come on the Cats. ==Personal life==