"It's SH#@T !!!" said Alice Winston, Master Technique Teacher,as Chris presented his monologue on stage in his first year at Stella Adler New York."Honey, I'm not saying this because you're a bad person...I'm saying it because you're a bad actor." she taunted with a wry smile. Chris knew exactly where she was coming from.Some other favourite sayings from Alice included "If you're retarded I'm nice, and today I was nice to you." & "I was on Broadway at 21 ...without a lesson". After 2 hard years at Stella Adler New York, Chris was described by Alice as one of her most teachable students.

6 months in Chris said to Alice over a milk shake in a diner, that "acting was a gift & I want to give it". Alice slowly replied "Honey...you have nothing to give". 12 months in Chris presented a scene to the conservatory and Alice approached Chris and said "It was gifted."Chris lived in various locations including a railroad apartment in Greenwich Village,on a couch in an apartment in Hell's Kitchen, 23rd Street with cardboard over the windows to block the noise & Decatur Ave.The Bronx. His roommate in a share apt. at Columbia University,a Japanese student, changed her mind every day as to whether she should be sharing with a male or not. .............read more

 

 

His roommate in Washington Heights never talked to him, unless they were playing ice-hockey on his playstation and then it was limited to "Yehhh!!!!" or "hmmm".It was just as interesting sharing apartments as it was studying. Other brilliant and gifted Adler teachers included Tommy Oppenheim (Stella's grandson), Joanne Edelmann, James Tripp, Donna Lee Kelly, Nicholas Kepros (Amadeus), Robert Perillo, Charles (soap director who was in Deniro's class at Adler)...and Alice who was there when Brando was there.The two years finished too soon for Chris.

In May 1995 at the end of the course, Chris performed in the school's two Off Off Broadway productions, playing a handful of characters in Pericles, and co-lead in Cloud 9 where he said to James Trip "I can't stand my character Clive" to which Jimmy replied "Just find one thing you like about him." Returning to Australia in 1995,Chris was cast as the Lead in the Brisbane production of Man of La Mancha. At the time the Director couldn't find the right person for Lead, and said let's not panic, maybe he's not even in the country. The day Chris returned from NY he called the company & asked about any roles...............read more

 

 

In Qld. Chris was still driving the car he had in Melbourne keeping his Melbourne plates as a reminder he would always return to the city he loved so much. After various excuses to police why he had Melbourne number plates Chris decided it's time to go back... via Perth.

After a role in Bush Patrol in W.A. he finally returned to Melbourne and was cast as Flan, the lead in Six Degrees of Separation. Credits include a regular as Agent Cummings in Thunderstone 3 TV series; a cop in an ep of U.S.TV series Timetrax and the Timetrax Telemovie; various roles on Stingers, Blue Heelers, Neighbours, Pacific Drive, MDA,Animal Park, Ratbag Hero , the Film The Line,and various others outlined in the resume on his Actor Page with a selection of viewable clips.

Alice use to say "After I'm gone honey all you'll have is my voice". She was right. Even today when rehearsing if Chris makes a bad choice he can hear Alice saying"It's SH%$T!!!"

Alice died a couple of years after he graduated.Stella died the year Chris arrived.

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