"I think, for my dad, he's revealed as much as he probably can," says the 42-year-old author. [10] He also revealed how he had returned to his Catholic faith after years away from the church. He took Josh out on the harbour one New Years Eve for the fireworks in a 12-foot dingy, their only personal safety a hand-held torch. He knew what I wanted and what Australian Story needed, and delivered it. The result was a fittingly open, honest account of a truly remarkable life. It meant so much. He didnt believe in premonitions. Remembering the late Mike Willesee - the man who shaped Australian current affairs. He also wrote with a beautiful economy and simplicity of language. It was a privilege to be allowed to record that fight, and to be given a glimpse behind the public mask of his illustrious career to hear, in his own words, the highs and lows of an extraordinary life, and an unflinching assessment of his own achievements, failures and challenges. In 2017, The Australian Women's Weekly . He taught us the importance of family getting together. Also learn how He earned most of Mike Willesee networth? And then of course, there was the famous Willesee pause . Mike Willesees income source is mostly from being a successful Producer. "It was a huge about-turn," explains Amy, "but he's never tried to push it on us and we've never tried to pull him away.". This strange and inexplicable happening in the tiny Bolivian township is one of several so-called miracles investigated by reporter Mike Willesee in a special Sunday Night report. When they were paged over the PA, Mike was casually observing their pursuers from the terminals upper deck once again the good guys got away. He just knew it was going to crash. The two of them never managed to bridge the distance. In a moving eulogy, Mike Willesee junior remembers a father he "shared" with the nation, a fearless newsman who inspired his children to strive for their goals, a keen horse trainer, a life-long Sydney Swans fan, an accomplished story teller and a beloved dad. He hosted ABCs Four Corners from 1969-1971, before moving to the Nine Network to host A Current Affair. Gordana Poljak was his make-up artist for the 1998 Logies, and the pair got together when Mike was at a crossroads in his life. There was a great deal left to cover in his extraordinary life story, but when we arrived at his home to set up the cameras and lights, I seriously doubted if he was up to the task. "Yeah, I won't jump, I might fly," Mike replied. The journalists funeral was attended by a plethora of TV personalities includingA Current Affair host Tracy Grimshaw, Today show presenter Richard Wilkins and his girlfriend Virginia Burmeister and veteran journalist George Negus. Mike Willesee doing a spot on radio for Perths 6IX from Canberra in about 1966. Dad and Carol decided to crack a bottle of champagne on the Opera House steps, from their small boat, to christen the building themselves. Born in 1942, Michael Willesee was the son of WA Labor Senator, and later Foreign Minister in the Whitlam Government, Don Willesee. As he says in his book, it was a prayer to a God whose existence I was quite uncertain about. In 2002 he was inducted into the TV Week Logies Hall of Fame, and joined Sevens Sunday Night conducting high-profile interviews of high-profile subjects such as then Prime Minister Julia Gillard and business heavyweight James Packer. And that's exactly what happened to former Liberal leader John Hewson. He joined the Seven Network in 1975 and hosted the first Australian version of This Is Your Life. Now, I dont need to tell you all of what happened next but it was another 76 mostly extraordinary years of life. He taught us to follow our passions - as he followed his passions. We have always had to share dad even today he is public property. Australian television presenter (19422019), Wife Carol Willesse's casting as Home and Away's original Pippa Fletcher, Oram, James "Home and Away: Behind the Scenes" p.. 28-45 published by, "Mr Michael Robert WILLESEE: Officer of the Order of Australia", "Willesee at Seven again Television.AU", "Enough Rope with Andrew Denton - episode 115: John Hewson", "Compass: The Conversion of Mike Willesee", "Enough Rope with Andrew Denton - episode 117: Michael Willesee", "Mike Willesee, giant of current affairs, lays bare his life or death cancer battle", https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/mike-willesee-dies-aged-76-20190301-p5116o.html, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mike_Willesee&oldid=1142522111, Short description is different from Wikidata, All Wikipedia articles written in Australian English, Pages using infobox person with multiple spouses, Pages using infobox person with multiple parents, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Joan Stanbury (divorced), Carol Willesee (divorced), Gordana Willesee (divorced), This page was last edited on 2 March 2023, at 21:50. "It doesn't sound like it, but my throat now is actually getting better. He couldn't come into the studio, but he would film with us at home. So, how much is Mike Willesee worth at the age of 77 years old? Many readers would be asking why he knew he still had so much to do. Dad was a constant in the living rooms of so many Australians but he was an intensely private person. He is the brother of the late Mike Willesee, who was also a journalist and television . Amy tells a similar story for a school assignment on Fred Hollows and Pat OShane. Surviving a plane crash in Nairobi a couple of months earlier had got him thinking about God, and then he met single mum Gordana, a committed Catholic who refused to stay over at his house and had statues of the Virgin Mary in her flat. We got ourselves a new video recorder, he deadpanned. For once there was no Willesee pause. Shortly after take-off, the plane started to fall, spinning and vibrating, tail first. Reporting from Vietnam in 1967 marked a coming of age, and that year he moved into television when the medium was barely a decade old, joining the ABC's agenda-setting. Mike Willesee's infamous interview on A Current Affair on March 3 that year, just 10 days before the poll, was said to have killed Mr Hewson's chances of becoming the next prime minister, when he was then Liberal Party Opposition Leader. "Fortunately, I haven't been asked much about me and women," he replied good-naturedly, before reminiscing about the time he was described as a sex symbol by Cleo Magazine, and the time he was invited to be a centrefold. Mike Willesee who has died at the age of 76 from cancer of the throat was a giant of current affairs journalism. He paid her $50 to not tell anyone that story. So he prayed his first prayer in 35 years. He had no money. Ron challenged Mike to apply his journalistic mind to investigate mystical phenomenon, including the Bolivian woman, Katya Rivas, who claimed to be receiving messages from Jesus. With China's rise and democracy's decline, what will the global order look like in 2050? We won't be quick to criticise or condemn. "I think he'd probably say that himself," O'Brien said. "That's how bad it got, but fortunately, for me and my children, I said no. A bad interview with him could turn an "unlosable election". Mike Willesee was born into the Catholic faith and spent many years trying to avoid what he later saw as his spiritual destiny. Co-written with daughter Amy and her husband, Mark Whittaker. Later that year, he moved into television, working on the tabloid news television program Hard Copy, produced by Paramount Television. He taught us important things like how to bodysurf, and how to cook a BBQ for a big family get-together. A few years later, his high-school headmaster punched him to the ground. Delivered by Michael Willesee Junior, St Mary's Cathedral, March 8, 2019. Men came out of the woodwork, using wet hessian sacks to fight the fire. When he did, he felt a heaviness come off my shoulders. Sharing his life so publicly didnt come easily to him. Willesee, AmyPERSONAL: Daughter of Mike Willesee (a journalist); partner of Mark Whittaker (a journalist).ADDRESSES: HomeSydney, Australia. [9], In 2017, Michael Willesee spoke about his battle with throat cancer on the TV program Australian Story. Carol quit the soap, it became an international hit, and the marriage went into freefall, ending the next year. So, back to what he taught us. Five-centuries-old saffron and ginger found preserved in shipwreck off Sweden, Chinese migrants walked a gruelling 500km to Victoria's goldfields in the 19th century. When Australian Story was filming its recent episode on Dad, he was going through radiation treatment and very unwell. Michael Willesee Jr. is an Australian television journalist, who has worked in both print journalism and broadcasting. He was a producer and director, known for Sharks (1978), Hilton Bombing (1978) and Women Who Kill (1983). He was first diagnosed with stage four throat cancer in 2016, and was soon accepted . He wasn't around much during the week, says Amy, but he devoted the weekends to family and friends, cuddling his kids and entertaining them with magic tricks. The Conversion of Mike Willesee Share Transcript Media personality Mike Willesee has recently converted to the faith of his childhood, the Roman Catholic Church. And that is one of Dads greatest enduring gifts to us. ph: +61 2 9854 7000 | fax: +61 2 9831 4999. Closer to getting out there and living better.". Willesee sadly passed away on March 1 at the age of 76 following a lengthly battle with throat cancer. Instead of a suit, he was wearing a dressing gown. Willesee's second wife was Scottish-born Australian Carol Willesee (nee Brent), whom he married in 1976, a former model. That's why Hope 103.2 exists: to bring the message of hope to our community through a family-friendly, safe listening environment. It has been one of our happiest family places. It began when, in his work as a lawyer, Ron was approached by Father Bill Aliprandi, a Catholic priest who wanted to buy a block of land to build a church and school. Mike Willesee was arguably Australias most famous journalist and broadcaster. "Atheists will say, 'He's ridiculous, he's stupid'," says Mike, who prays every day. Firstly, thank you all for coming. These were our bed-time stories. Ron told him it was impossible; but, over the coming days, every obstacle was miraculously blown away. Most would be asking for the grounds on which he made his decision not to believe. She went to acting classes at night and Mike would sit up, seeking solace in alcohol. Finally, weeks later we were told that his voice was starting to recover from the gruelling radiation therapy and yes, he would give us that vital second interview. Call for dognapping law with thieves off the leash, LUXE LISTINGS: Inside some of the hottest WA homes for sale, Treasurer should continue with care and caution. The veteran journalist has died after a long battle with throat cancer. Now, as Mike faces the biggest challenge of his life, he seeks consolation in his faith and his family. The man who stood up to Frank Packer, proverbially went toe-to-toe with Muhammad Ali, just about single-handedly pole-axed Liberal Leader John Hewson's 1993 election campaign, was also a legendary lover and sometime bon vivant who developed strong religious beliefs in later age. "That was a kind of Mike Willesee classic. One story he didn't tell that often was the time he didnt escape the cops - in Sydney. In 2002, Willesee became the 19th inductee into the TV Week Logies Hall of Fame. Has worked for Daily Telegraph, Sydney, Australia; researcher on television documentaries The Last Warriors and Who Killed Sallie Anne Huckstepp? But that's about it There's a great equality in death. This is how we got here and what needs to change, 'Please confirm what Muslim refers to': Why Ali's birthday payment for his nephew was flagged by his bank, Kade was a fit 31-year-old when he died from a heart attack, Sherpa are world famous for their work, which is synonymous with their name. Willesee: With Mike Willesee, Janet Street-Porter, John Nathan-Turner, Jeanne Little. Mike, despite his obvious ill health, showed patience, understanding and foresight throughout his two interviews, putting me completely at ease in the process. AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time), abc.net.au/news/mike-willesee-interview-current-affair-john-hewson-career/10862440, Help keep family & friends informed by sharing this article, These engineers break their silenceafterdecade of criticism over2011 Queensland flood handling, Tens of thousands of pigs and buffalo pegged for mass culls in Kakadu, in bid to curb feral animals, With Russian forces closing, Svyat rolled the dice in the last days before Bakhmut fell, Anna called police to report an assault, but it backfired and she lost her home, Home ownership remains in fantasy territory for many. Mike first came to prominence in 1967 as a reporter for then-new nightly current affairs program This Day Tonight (TDT), where his aggressive style quickly earned him a reputation as a fearless political interviewer. I don't look down on them in any way, as they do in many cases on people who believe.". The second of six children, Mike was born in 1942 in the working-class Perth suburb of Mount Hawthorn, unable to keep down any milk and would have died within days if doctors hadn't operated and discovered a defect in his digestive tract. The night before the Sydney Opera House opened. [1] Through his uncle, journalist and broadcaster Terry, the late author and cyclist Janet Shaw was his cousin. Or the time in Bogota, 1983 I think, Pablo Escobars thugs and a gang of corrupt cops on their tail. Mike was a talented football player and a bright student, but he was at the mercy of some violent, unethical Christian Brothers. But he prayed all the same: Father, I place Greg and myself into your hands.. His book, A Sceptics Search for Meaning, was written in the final year of his life before his death in 2019 and documents his spiritual journey. Much has been made of the role of his plane crash in his return to the faith but, always the storyteller, this was really just a plot twist in Dads journey. After school, he had a short stint in the public service before answering an ad for a cadetship at the. It is now up to each of us how we remember Dad. Now, he says, all the money and achievements are irrelevant. His career seemed to be on an ever-upward trajectory, but his personal life was more erratic. Michael Willesee Jr and with his wife Alison Langdon. No matter what else went down, we always knew his love and support was there to catch us. When Mike agreed to film with Australian Story, his memoirs were soon to be published, and I went to have an initial chat with him at his home in Sydney. It took a long time to prepare the room for the interview. When the ALP split and Mike's father refused to join the Catholic-dominated Democratic Labour Party, Don was labelled a communist and the headmaster set about bringing Mike down, expelling him unjustly and killing his chances of university admission. Weve got a newsletter for everyone. He taught us important things like how to body surf and how to cook a barbecue for a big family gathering and he really taught us the importance of family getting together for those gatherings.. Willesee: "If I buy a birthday cake from a cake shop and GST is in place, do I pay more or less for that birthday cake? Michael then moved behind the camera, running a production company specialising in documentaries. A few months later, the state government announced plans to build a new high school next door, meaning all the infrastructure would be delivered for free. . Their mother was Willesee senior's first wife and former Miss Australia, Joan Stanbury. He was the father of Amy and Michael Willesee Jr., who is also a journalist and another daughter Kate Willesse who is a chiropractor. His winning editorial mix of brilliant political interviews, shock-horror style exposes, celebrity profiles, and witty, authentically Australian send-ups at program's end by a then Sydney Harbour Bridge painter called Paul Hogan made A Current Affair a smash hit, and laid the basis for Willesee's fortune through his Metromedia group. Mr Hewson couldn't say whether or not a birthday cake would cost more or less with the proposed tax. Mike Willesee's son delivered an emotional eulogy at his father's funeral on Friday, just one week after the veteran journalist lost his battle . The Mike Willesee question that turned the 'unlosable election'. To curate to the needs and wants of over-60s online and get members a better deal wherever possible through the power of our huge online community. [4] Hewson would go on to lose the election against Paul Keating and the Coalition would remain out of government for three more years, Many political analysts believed that the interview cost Hewson's chance of winning what his supporters dubbed the 'unloseable election'. Speaking on ABC TV on Friday, Mr Hewson reflected on the question that dogged him for years. Some of the great producers and directors whove worked with Dad talk about his ability to cut to the heart of the story in a way so simple, obvious and right - that no one else saw it. He is from Australia. Yet Mike says he isn't worried about the potential pain that awaits him, or even death itself; what he dreads most is God's judgement. He died on March 1, 2019 in Australia. The couple had a son in January 2017, followed by a daughter in March 2019. After asking us what exactly we wanted him to do and getting a pretty vague answer from his fellow professionals, Mike took control. He was first diagnosed with stage four throat cancer in 2016, and was soon accepted into a clinical trial using immunotherapy alongside chemotherapy to target the disease. While not unexpected given his illness, news of Willesees death sent shock waves across Australia. 7:48pm Mar 1, 2019. "I didn't swear and I didn't fall over, I just couldn't read the autocue" but admits it was the wake-up call he needed. In 1992, Willesee moved to New York, where he joined the US version of A Current Affair at Fox Television, and again filing stories for Australian TV. Help using this website - Accessibility statement. "He clipped me over the ears more than once, but to me he will always be a champion. Journalist Mike Willesee pictured during the 1980s. Willesee is remembered by many Australians for the night when, filling in for Jana Wendt on A Current Affair, he fronted the show while appearing to be under the influence of alcohol. I helped him to try to fix a video recorder one time with a carving knife and a set of barbecue tongs. Mike Willesee was a giant of current affair television. 'He set our moral compass': Mike Willesee's son remembers his dad 'at his best'. "I'll get on with my life.". the nurse asked him, slightly awkwardly. Scarlet fever and a fall into a fire soon followed, which meant he spent much of his first two years in hospital, separated from his mum, Gwendoline. Hewson struggled to answer Willesees simple question of whether a birthday cake would cost more or less after the introduction of the partys proposed goods and services tax. Our family really appreciates your support Dad was born in 1942 to Don Willesee, a postal clerk who would become a Senator and Australias Foreign Minister, and Gwendoline Clarke, the piano-playing daughter of the local publican.But the joy of his birth was short-lived. "I was 23 going on about 13 emotionally.". However, others counter that opinion polls held up until election day still predicted a Coalition victory. Australian TV journalist Mike Willesee dies aged 76 Renowned journalist began his career at the ABC and worked on Four Corners before hosting A Current Affair on Channel Nine The TV reporter. Mike Willesee on Australian Story in 2017. Credit:Mayeta Clark. Mike Willesee was born on June 29, 1942 in Perth, Western Australia, Australia. "You should be paying me," he told me, only half-jokingly as it seemed to me at the time. His biggest coup, however, was his 1975 exclusive interview with Muhammad Ali before the boxer's "Thrilla in Manila" showdown with Joe Frazier, when Mike beat hundreds of international journalists to the punch. However, he became fatigued and we cut the interview short. If youd like to view this content, please adjust your Cookie Settings. In a career spanning almost 60 years, Mr Willesee worked for the Perth Daily News, The Age in Melbourne, the infant This Day Tonight program on the ABC, the national broadcaster's Four Corners, started A Current Affair on Channel 9, headed spin-off programs like Willesee at Seven, and hosted numerous documentaries. Mike Willesee (Michael Robert Willesee) was born on 29 June, 1942 in Perth, Australia, is an Australian journalist. "Very disappointed," says Mike, now single. He loved telling stories: usually about himself. "His particular skills as an interviewer are unarguably the stuff of legend. He is a member of famous Producer with the age 77 years old group. 'Simply the best': Veteran journalist Mike Willesee dead at 76, 'I'll fight it': An intimate insight into Mike Willesee's cancer battle, 'I had a premonition': The plane crash that changed Mike Willesee's life, Timeline: Who's said what about the Goods and Services Tax, Man discovers two highly venomous species battling in his shed, Inside the family succession drama threatening to change the K-pop industry forever. Im going to remember him as he was at his best and when Dad was at his best, he was the best. Instead of make-up, a radiation mask was clamped unceremoniously over his face. "I liked her quietness and dignity," writes Mike. I guess you cant please everyone all the time. This service may include material from Agence France-Presse (AFP), APTN, Reuters, AAP, CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced. While for many the reporter, who was initially diagnosed with terminal cancer in2016, will be remembered for his incredible journalistic skills, for his children and grandchildren hes remembered as a family man who was much more comfortable at home with them and away from the limelight. The presenter rediscovered Catholicism in his 50s, which became the topic of his journalism on numerous occasions. Amy suspects he couldn't be any more vulnerable. Mike Willesee was arguably Australia's most famous journalist and broadcaster. Like Tripoli 1979 Gaddafis henchmen running Mike and the crew down, only for the good guys to make it to the airport, split up and slip through the net. Mike Willesees son delivered an emotional eulogy at his fathers funeral on Friday, just one week after the veteran journalist lost his battle with throat cancer. Related News. He claimed he was on medication, tired and emotional. He paid her $50 not to tell anyone that story. Its telling the only accolade displayed at home in his last few years was his Worlds Best Pa coffee mug awarded to him by his grandson Lucas, it just meant so much more, Willesee Jr said. His interviewing is the stuff of legend, as it should be. "This 'gotcha' technique came to represent Michael Willesee at his brilliant best," Mr Marks said. Michael Willesee Jr., Amy Willesee, Katie Willesee, Jo Willesee, Lucy Willesee. However, in 1993 he also received public backlash for his reckless telephone interview of two young children who were being held hostage. He set our moral compasses. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. Horse racing was, of course, another passion where he was better at breeding than punting. With China's rise and democracy's decline, what will the global order look like in 2050? Mike said a short thankyou to what he describes as his maybe-God, and then got back to work. Veteran Australian journalist Mike Willisee has sadly died after a long battle with throat cancer at the age of 76. Dad simply responded, "Good. We received reports that he could hardly speak or swallow food, and there followed weeks of agonising waiting, before we were told that Mike was too weak to film with us. Doctors diagnosed pyloric stenosis, and gently told Gwen it was time to take her baby home to die. Michael Willesee "was the best television journalist that the country has even seen," former Nine and Seven boss David Leckie said on Friday. Mike Willesee's net worth However, out of those three marriages, I have six children who are my best friends.". When Dad turned up, shaky and pale, having endured the discomfort of the car trip, we had to break the news to him that hed travelled all that way for nothing. Across fashion, footwear, homewares and health; cruises, tours and package holidays; news, views and media. To find out more about how we use cookies, please see our Cookie Guide. He had a mind as sharp as a steel trap and a sense of humour as cheeky as his smile.". In spite of his involvement in the project, and his belief that God was working in the world, it was years before Mike Willesee was willing to make his own personal commitment to follow Christ. His re-acquaintance with God was actually a far longer, more complex and carefully trodden path.It was one he would share with us, but never impose on us.If we were "good people", he would say, that was enough. "Yes, it's one of the great disappointments of my life that I didn't succeed in having one long-running, successful, sharing marriage. He knew the power of silence, or a slight quizzical tilt of the head, would usually cause a hapless interviewee to fall into the mistake of speaking to fill the dead air. Willesee dominated Australian television current affairs for 50 years, setting an industry standard few were able to match. It's not an easy question to answer and it has got to be brutal when you've just been handed a grim prognosis but he seems to pride himself on his stoicism; he hasn't cried since he left his oncologist's office more than a year ago. In fact, I dont think I ever saw him mow a lawn, scoop leaves out of a pool, or even change a light globe. He was gracious, fluent, expressive, mentally agile and utterly professional, and he met head-on in that final interview, some of the hardest challenges he had ever faced in his life, including his temporary descent into alcoholism. He was known for a long-running friendship with a disabled boy named Quentin Kenihan, who had osteogenesis imperfecta. He returned to Nine in 1984 to revisit the nightly current affairs genre with Willesee as well as producing specials for the network, winning a Logie for Most Popular Documentary in 1986. But will it be safer for women? "Australian TV journalist Mike Willesee dies aged 76", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Michael_Willesee_Jr.&oldid=1136654169, This page was last edited on 31 January 2023, at 12:59. With hindsight, Mike speculates that facing up to his own sin was probably the roadblock to returning to faith.. That's my deepest disappointment. We have estimated A current affairs program hosted by Mike Willesee screen weekdays on TCN Channel 9, Australia between 1984 until 1988. Through the '80s he was a huge figure in a time of huge racing figures - and he was an innovator, being among the first to tap the South American bloodlines. He spent more than fifty years working as a journalist across newspapers, radio, television and documentaries. We were beginning to doubt that we would ever finish the film. Away from TV, he was a trailblazing businessman who made a fortune in the early days of FM radio and lost a chunk of it saving the Sydney Swans, running a successful thoroughbred racing stud along the way. Willesee Jr, who followed in his fathers footsteps to become a journalist, also detailed the things Willesee wasnt quite as good at, joking about his limited skills around the family home. I asked him why he thought he had been such a hit with women. Faith and family were everything. It's hard to adequately frame just how important the Sydney Swans were to Dad, and to our whole family. Asked how he would like to be remembered, he appears to steel himself. [1] Through his uncle, journalist and broadcaster Terry, the late author and cyclist Janet Shaw was his cousin. Willesee has been described by peers as "quality and class", a journalist . We pay our respects to Elders past, present and future. 2023 Hope Media Ltd ABN 94 284 074 898. From Mike's perspective, everything changed when Jo went to pre-school in 1983 and Carol wanted a life of her own. By Susan Horsburgh. Michael Willesee Jr and with his wife Alison Langdon. It was pretty tense. It was courageous of him to do so. Katya's spiritual adviser, Father Renzo, later sat Mike down for an impromptu confession and his conversion was complete. Sadly, Mike Willesee passed away from throat cancer in March 2019, before the book was published. Discover Mike Willesee's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. , money, salary, income, and assets. He has had six children with three wives, survived a plane crash, fought alcoholism and found God. But will it be safer for women? But the priest was convinced that this block of land was the place God wanted him to build His church. Hewson struggled to answer the simple question of whether a birthday cake would cost more or less under his government as a result of the GST. For her, the biggest revelation has been her dad's childhood, probably the most compelling part of the book. Journalism which I think he was born to do. Perhaps he saw an opportunity for a piece to camera or, to pitch a new health food show. #MikeWillesee #7News https://t.co/PCDknBkSAb, 7NEWS Melbourne (@7NewsMelbourne) March 7, 2019. Frank Packer, who was still head of the family magazine and television business, objected to Willesee's political interviews and even his family pedigree, causing an intra-family feud that contributed to the voluntary corporate exile to California of Kerry's Packer's older brother, Clyde Packer. His award-winning films covered diverse subjects including remote African tribes, true crime, religious phenomena and dangerous animals.