Peter Rowley - Funny As Interview

Peter Rowley was in his early 20s when David McPhail asked him to audition for new comedy show A Week of It. Rowley talks in this Funny As interview about his long career, performing with Billy T James, and other subjects, including:

• Working as a stage manager at Christchurch's Court Theatre, before getting his break on A Week of It in 1977 — "It was just sensational, and it was groundbreaking"
• First meeting Billy T James in a corridor, and clicking with him straight away
• Giving up stand-up comedy in Australia to write and act in The Billy T James Show, and moving into Billy's house to write the series
• Hanging out of a helicopter for The Billy T James Show, and having "the most fun a guy could ever have" on accidents will happen comedy Letter to Blanchy
• Being a "bit difficult" while co-starring on comedy Pete & Pio in the 1990s
• Wearing an $8,000 wig for 2018 movie Mortal Engines (in which he played a slave trader)

Note: For more of Rowley on Billy T, check out this Funny As interview with Rowley and Billy T's former minder Rick Harris, and this Radio New Zealand interview.

This interview was recorded for 2019 TV series Funny As: The Story of New Zealand Comedy. All audiovisual content is copyright to Augusto, and may not be reproduced. Publication of Funny As extended interviews made possible with funding from the NZ Lotteries Grants Board.