A fine fellow

Alumnus now researcher and paperback writer

A grand hotel in Melbourne, actor Clark Gable, a Hollywood stunt double, Australian firsts, the Southern Hemisphere’s first international aviator, and cyclones: writing a book about each is beyond what Chrystopher Spicer (BA, DipTch, 1982) once thought possible.

Having left home before finishing high school, he travelled the world working on deep-sea trawlers and cruise ships, in a record factory, then with Angus and Robertson. The offer of a managerial role led to a “now or never” decision: Chrystopher would complete his education at night school and head north to study at Avondale. Two worlds collided as he adjusted to the strict conditions, but his four years on campus awakened personal growth and academic orientation. Singing with the choir brought much needed confidence.

Offered the opportunity to complete a master’s at Andrews, Chrystopher accepted the challenge, graduating in 1984. Returning to Australia, he found a job at Victoria University and got others on the side, including archivist for The Windsor. A labour of love, Chrystopher’s biography of the historic hotel is called Duchess.

Chrystopher connected with Marilyn Monroe biographer Donald Spoto, who encouraged him to profile Clark Gable, about whom little had been published. While researching at Boise State University (Idaho, USA), Chrystopher met Marcella, evening manager of the Microfilm Department. They stayed in touch and when Marcella visited Australia, Chrystopher proposed. They married at The Windsor.

A change in university course structure saw Chrystopher seek work elsewhere. Marcella suggested an adventure—to Cairns in Far North Queensland. She returned to social work and he taught at James Cook University, co-writing Fall Girl with Martha Crawford Cantarini about her life as a stunt double in Hollywood. Great Australian World Firsts followed but then came a sharp turn. Marcella developed three cysts on her brain. Rushed to hospital in an unresponsive state, she died but was revived. Chrystopher had only three minutes to say goodbye before Marcella was flown to Townsville and placed in an induced coma. To the amazement of the medics, she survived numerous operations and has since recovered many of her everyday functions.

While the context of their lives is different, Chrystopher is expanding his life view to match Marcella’s different capabilities. She’s back in social work. During the healing years, Chrystopher published a book about aviator Jessie “Chubbie” Miller.

Chrystopher describes his Avondale experience as a “bridging moment” to another world—of lifelong learning and accomplishment. Now with a PhD from James Cook, and another book, Cyclone Country, Chrystopher is an Adjunct Senior Research Fellow working on a project about Australian Pacific trader and author Louis Becke.