It is I Count Homogenized - Episode

Russell Smith on Playing Count Homogenized

By Russell Smith 29/05/2020

The Count offered me an amazing possibility to be as bizarre as possible within the realms of television. At that time, children's television was all about being nice and kind and safe, but this character was completely off the wall and the kids just loved it. But funnily enough, adults either loved him or hated him — I'd have people stop me in the street and say "hey, you're the guy that does that stupid Count on TV" or they'd say "we love the Count!" — it was never in-between. I had a lot of fun with him.

The only downside was I wasn't a great fan of milk. I remember a Telethon one year where every pledge was "I'll give $20 if the Count drinks a bottle of milk". That was pretty hard! Even on-set, a lot of the milk bottles were painted white to make it seem like I was drinking milk. But he was a great character to play. I think we just happened to strike the right note at the right time with A Haunting We Will Go and It is I Count Homogenized.

-Actor/director Russell Smith has hosted pre-school show Play School, and played detectives, hippies and vampires.