# Timothy Conigrave

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Australian actor, activist and author

Timothy Conigrave Born Timothy Fairfax Conigrave (1959-11-19)19 November 1959 Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Died 18 October 1994(1994-10-18) (aged 34) Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Cause of death AIDS-related illness Education National Institute of Dramatic Art (BFA) Notable work Holding the Man Partner John Caleo (1980 – 1992; Caleo's death)

**Tim Conigrave** (19 November 1959 – 18 October 1994) was an [Australian](/source/Australians) [actor](/source/Actor), [activist](/source/Activist) and author of the internationally acclaimed memoir, *[Holding the Man](/source/Holding_the_Man).*

## Education and career

Conigrave was born in [Melbourne](/source/Melbourne), and attended the Jesuit-run [Xavier College](/source/Xavier_College), and later [Monash University](/source/Monash_University), where he appeared in [Bertolt Brecht](/source/Bertolt_Brecht)'s *[A Man's a Man](/source/Man_Equals_Man)* and [Ariane Mnouchkine](/source/Ariane_Mnouchkine)'s *1789*. Following graduation, he worked with St Martin's Youth Arts Centre. Under the direction of [Helmut Bakaitis](/source/Helmut_Bakaitis), Alison Richards, and Val Levkowicz he performed in the touring productions of *The Zig & Zag Follies*, *Cain's Hand* and *Quick-Eze Cafe*. In July 1981 he performed in the Australian Performing Group's (APG) production of *Bold Tales* at [The Pram Factory](/source/The_Pram_Factory), under the direction of Peter King. Also in 1981 he worked on [Edward Bond](/source/Edward_Bond)'s *[Saved](/source/Saved_(play))* for the Guild Theatre Company and completed his first play, *The Blitz Kids*, which was performed at the La Mama Theatre (Adelaide) in August that year.

Conigrave later moved to [Sydney](/source/Sydney) to study at [National Institute of Dramatic Art](/source/National_Institute_of_Dramatic_Art) (NIDA), graduating in 1984. Two years later he was instrumental in initiating the acclaimed *Soft Targets* (1986) project at Sydney's [Griffin Theatre Company](/source/Griffin_Theatre_Company), where for a period he served on the board of directors.

He appeared in such plays as *[Brighton Beach Memoirs](/source/Brighton_Beach_Memoirs)*, *As Is*, and *On Top of the World*. He was also a playwright, producing works including *Thieving Boy*, *Like Stars in My Hands* and *The Blitz Kids*.

He was a member of [The Globos](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Globos&action=edit&redlink=1), a musical comedy cabaret group, performing at Sydney's [Kinselas](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kinselas&action=edit&redlink=1) nightclub in the mid-1980s. And in the late 1980s and early 1990s he was a Peer Education Officer with the AIDS Council of NSW (ACON), running the Fun and Esteem project.

## Memoir

### Book

His major work, the autobiographical *[Holding the Man](/source/Holding_the_Man)* (1995), is the story of his 15-year relationship with John Caleo. They met as students at Xavier College; Caleo was captain of the Australian Rules Football team and Conigrave wanted to be an actor. Conigrave finished the book shortly before dying of an [AIDS](/source/AIDS)-related illness. The book was published by [Penguin Books](/source/Penguin_Books) in Australia in February 1995, and also in Spain and North America. It won the 1995 [United Nations Award for Non-Fiction](/source/United_Nations_Prize_in_the_Field_of_Human_Rights).

### Play

*Holding the Man* has been adapted into a multi-award-winning play by [Tommy Murphy](/source/Tommy_Murphy_(Australian_playwright)). The premiere production was directed by [David Berthold](/source/David_Berthold) at Griffin Theatre Company. It later played a return season at Griffin, February – March 2007, where it also sold out, before transferring to the [Sydney Opera House](/source/Sydney_Opera_House) for a third sell-out season, 9–26 May 2007. [Company B](/source/Company_B_(theatre)) at the [Belvoir St Theatre](/source/Belvoir_St_Theatre) hosted a fourth season 22 September – 4 November 2007. A fifth season played at the [Brisbane Powerhouse](/source/Brisbane_Powerhouse) in early March 2008, with a sixth following as part of [Melbourne Theatre Company](/source/Melbourne_Theatre_Company)'s 2008 season, 19 March – 26 April 2008. In 2010 it played in London's [Trafalgar Studios](/source/Trafalgar_Studios). There have also been productions in San Francisco, Auckland, New Zealand, and more recently a 2014 production in Los Angeles directed by [Larry Moss](/source/Larry_Moss_(acting_coach)) and featuring Nate Jones, [Adam J. Yeend](/source/Adam_J._Yeend), [Cameron Daddo](/source/Cameron_Daddo) and [Roxane Wilson](/source/Roxane_Wilson), as well as a successful run in the summer of 2018 at Chicago's Pride Films and Plays.[1]

### Film

On 27 August 2015 [a film version of *Holding the Man*](/source/Holding_the_Man_(film)) opened in cinemas across Australia. The film is directed by [Neil Armfield](/source/Neil_Armfield) and features [Ryan Corr](/source/Ryan_Corr) (Tim) and [Craig Stott](/source/Craig_Stott) (John).

A documentary based on the lives of Tim Conigrave and John Caleo, *Remembering the Man*, premiered at the [Adelaide Film Festival](/source/Adelaide_Film_Festival) on Sunday 18 October 2015. ArtsHub applauded the film as "powerful and engaging; a fitting tribute to Tim Conigrave, the author of an ur-text of the AIDS pandemic, and his husband, John Caleo."[2] *[The Guardian](/source/The_Guardian)* said "this film goes straight (so to speak) to the gay pool room" when it placed the *Remembering the Man* on its list of Australia's 10 best LGBT films.[3] *FilmInk* called the film a "Beautifully crafted documentary" and noted that "Despite the tragedy that is at the heart of this documentary, it, like *Holding The Man*, is a peculiarly uplifting and hopeful film. Operatic even. Tim would have liked that."[4] *Remembering the Man* won the Audience Awards for best documentary at the [Adelaide Film Festival](/source/Adelaide_Film_Festival) 2015,[5] Sydney's [Mardi Gras Film Festival](/source/Mardi_Gras_Film_Festival) 2016[6] and the [Melbourne Queer Film Festival](/source/Melbourne_Queer_Film_Festival) 2016.[7] The film also won the David McCarthy Award for best documentary at the [Melbourne Queer Film Festival](/source/Melbourne_Queer_Film_Festival) 2016,[7] the jury prize for best documentary at the [MiFo LGBT Festival](http://mifofilm.com) 2016[8] and the award for Best Documentary (Biography) at the 2015 [ATOM Awards](/source/ATOM_Awards).[9] The documentary's directors, Nickolas Bird and Eleanor Sharpe, were nominated for best direction of a feature documentary at the 2016 Australian Director's Guild Awards.[10]

## Theatre credits

### As actor

Year Title Role Type A Man's a Man Monash University 1789 Monash University 1980 The Zig & Zag Follies Touring production Cain's Hand Touring production Quick-Eze Cafe Touring production 1981 Saved Barry University of Melbourne with Guild Theatre Company 1981 Bold Tales The Pram Factory with Australian Performing Group (APG) 1983 Peer Gynt Peer Gynt 5 / Pastor NIDA Theatre 1983 Ivanov NIDA Theatre 1964 Welcome the Bright World Dr Mencken UNSW Parade Theatre 1984 Pericles Cienon / Fisherman UNSW Parade Theatre, Playhouse Canberra, Community Arts Theatre, Newcastle 1984 Street Scene UNSW Parade Theatre 1986 Brighton Beach Memoirs Stanley Comedy Theatre, Melbourne with The Fabulous Globos 1987 Shadowlands Director Bay Street Theatre As Is with The Fabulous Globos Mid-1980s Cabaret shows Kinselas nightclub with The Fabulous Globos

### As writer / other

Year Title Role 1981 The Blitz Kids Playwright Thieving Boy Playwright Like Stars in My Hands Playwright 1986 Soft Targets Devisor 1986 On Top of the World Production Coordinator 2006 Holding the Man Author (based on Conigrave's 1995 memoir)

## Book

Year Title Type Publisher 1995 Holding the Man Autobiographical novel Penguin Books

## Later life and death

Conigrave and Caleo were diagnosed with HIV in 1985. They remained relatively healthy until 1990. In 1991, Caleo was diagnosed with cancer. Conigrave nursed Caleo, despite fighting his own illness. John Caleo died on [Australia Day](/source/Australia_Day), 26 January 1992, aged 31. Tim Conigrave died on 18 October 1994, aged 34.

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Review: *Holding the Man* (Pride Films and Plays)"](https://web.archive.org/web/20200706202944/http://chicagotheaterbeat.com/2018/08/08/holding-the-man-review-pride-films-and-plays/). *Chicago Theater Beat*. 8 August 2018. Archived from [the original](http://chicagotheaterbeat.com/2018/08/08/holding-the-man-review-pride-films-and-plays/) on 6 July 2020. Retrieved 21 July 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Watts, Richard. ["Remembering the Man"](http://screen.artshub.com.au/news-article/reviews/film/richard-watts/remembering-the-man-249614). ArtsHub Australia.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Buckmaster, Luke (6 April 2016). ["'I will survive!': Australia's 10 best LGBT films"](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/apr/07/i-will-survive-australias-10-best-ever-lgbt-films). *[The Guardian](/source/The_Guardian)*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** "Remembering the Man", *FilmInk*

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["2015 Audience Award Winners Announced"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160408053426/http://adelaidefilmfestival.org/news/media-releases/2015-audience-award-winners-announced). [Adelaide Film Festival](/source/Adelaide_Film_Festival). 29 October 2015. Archived from [the original](https://adelaidefilmfestival.org/news/media-releases/2015-audience-award-winners-announced) on 8 April 2016. Retrieved 16 April 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Queer Screen's Mardi Gras Film Festival on Tour Sydney Winners Announced"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160427074504/http://queerscreen.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/MGFF2016-Wrap-Press-Release.pdf) (PDF). 14 March 2016. Archived from [the original](http://queerscreen.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/MGFF2016-Wrap-Press-Release.pdf) (PDF) on 27 April 2016. Retrieved 16 April 2016.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-mqff.com.au_7-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-mqff.com.au_7-1) ["Melbourne Queer Film Festival - Film Awards"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160410220225/http://www.mqff.com.au/pages/film-awards). *www.mqff.com.au*. Archived from [the original](http://www.mqff.com.au/pages/film-awards) on 10 April 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["OUTshine Film Festival - Winners"](http://mifofilm.com/winners). *mifofilm.com*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["TERTIARY & INDUSTRY AWARDS NIGHT : The 2015 ATOM Awards"](https://web.archive.org/web/20150621174738/http://atomawards.org/2015-tertiary-industry-awards/). *atomawards.org*. Archived from [the original](http://atomawards.org/2015-tertiary-industry-awards/) on 21 June 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["The 2016 Australian Directors Guild Awards Nominations are Revealed"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160616154142/http://www.adg.org.au/lib/pdf/MR-Nominations-announced-for-2016-ADG-Awards.pdf) (PDF). 12 April 2016. Archived from [the original](http://www.adg.org.au/lib/pdf/MR-Nominations-announced-for-2016-ADG-Awards.pdf) (PDF) on 16 June 2016. Retrieved 16 April 2016.

## External links

- [Outrage Magazine July 1997 - with photos of Timothy Conigrave and John Caleo](http://www.alphabrett.com/TimConigrave/article.html) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210513153539/http://www.alphabrett.com/TimConigrave/article.html) 13 May 2021 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)

- [Griffin Theatre Company website](http://www.griffintheatre.com.au)

- [North American distributor and promoter of Holding The Man book and play](https://web.archive.org/web/20070708193834/http://www.holdingtheman.net/)

- [Holding the Man on Amazon, with reader reviews](https://www.amazon.com/Holding-Man-Timothy-Conigrave/dp/0978825950)

- [Holding the Man on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3671542/)

- FindAGrave.com entries for [Timothy Conigrave](https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/159447621/timothy-fairfax-conigrave) and [John Caleo](https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/159447351/john-robert-caleo)

Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF GND FAST WorldCat National United States Spain Netherlands Catalonia People Trove Other IdRef Open Library SNAC Yale LUX

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Timothy Conigrave](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timothy_Conigrave) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timothy_Conigrave?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.