Never ask a Lady her age

'Victoria Hill won’t specify her age. Not meaning to be rude, of course. It’s just that, after [her] starring in four (yet to be released) films in the past year – most notably as Lady Macbeth in Geoffrey Wright’s "Melbournised" new [version of The Scottish Tragedy] – Hill’s agent counseled her that a date of birth can become a use-by date. She’s not ready to be put on the shelf just yet..."

– Weekend Australian (9-10 September 2006), Magazine p 13.

Oooooo... a challenge! A mystery! A gauntlet thrown down to the intrepid investigator! Lemme see, I bet if I click on the IMDB, or even walk to the library on Monday and check Senator Robert Hill’s entry in Who’s Who... But first, let’s finish reading the Saturday papers:

'... After 16 years slogging it out in theatre collectives and television commercials, the 35-year-old Hill now has four film roles in the can...'

– Sydney Morning Herald (9-10 September 2006), Spectrum p 8.

Oops. New agent?

But wait... both Internet Movie Database and Wikipedia say "18 February 1978". What the Sam/ Hill...?!

Perish the thought that the Sydney Morning Herald itself could get such basic facts wrong. Or that the all-seeing, all-knowing IMDB would "keep the word of promise to our ear,/ and break it to our hope."

If "politics is show business for ugly people", Ms Hill is doing her bit to continue Australia’s proud tradition of joining the two realms by family ties.

For yea, just as former Prime Minister (1971-72) Billy McMahon did begat Julian McMahon, and even as former Labor Senator Michael Beahan did begat Kate Beahan, and former Prime Minister (1993-94) Bronwyn Bishop did begat Angela Bishop (who, apart from interviewing visiting A-listers, also plays Rose's mum in Doctor Who), and Andrew Peacock did swap spiritual energies at one time with Shirley MacLaine... Jeff Kennett’s son Angus made a famous breakout into modeling... And Eric Bana’s dad-in-law is Chief Justice Gleeson of the High Court of Australia (no, not that Gleeson).

There's also a Canadian division.

Next: Geoff Wright "Melbournises" Much Ado About Nothing ("Veniadikt, the married man...?")

MacDuff? Isn't that when you go on a raid to steal computers?