Australians in Hollywood : Biographical Notes
The Bee Gees
The Bee Gees consisted of Barry Gibb (b. 1946) and twins Robin (b. 1949) and
Maurice (1949-2003). Born in England , the brothers emigrated to Australia
in 1958, and released a series of successful records here – the last of which, “Spicks
and Specks”, reached number one just as the band left to seek its fortune in
London. Their debut English single, “New York Mining Disaster 1941”, was the
first of many international hits. In 1977 their soundtrack album for Saturday
Night Fever would become the largest-selling movie soundtrack in history, although
it was overlooked for Oscar nomination. In 1979 they starred, along with Peter
Frampton, in their first and last Hollywood movie, the big-budget calamity
Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Inducted into the Rock
and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997, The Bee Gees effectively ceased to exist as
a unit with the sudden death of Maurice Gibb in January 2003.
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