John O'Grady (writer)


John Patrick O'Grady, was an Australian writer. His works include the comic novel They're a Weird Mob using the pen name Nino Culotta and the poem The Integrated Adjective, sometimes known as Tumba-bloody-rumba. Born to John Edward O'Grady and Margaret Gleeson.

Pseudonym

O'Grady chose to write under a variety of pseudonyms, most famously as Nino Culotta for his books They're a Weird Mob, Cop This Lot, Gone Fishin ', and Gone Gougin' . Other examples include No Kava For Johnny, which is published under O'Grady's name, but contains a preface from the author claiming that the book had in fact been written by the eponymous character, Johnny.

Works

O'Grady's numerous works were originally published in hardback by Ure Smith with comic illustrations; many have frequently been re-issued by other publishing houses, generally facsimile editions in paperback.
Aussie Etiket was translated into Japanese as Ōsutoraria-ryū Echiketto: Oretachi Dattara Kōsuru Ne
A collection of the papers of O'Grady, ranging from 1942 to 1986, are available in manuscript form at the National Library of Australia, Canberra.

Family

O'Grady's son, John O'Grady, Jnr, was at one point the head of situation comedy at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and winner of the 1987 Television Drama Award for ABC TV series Mother and Son presented by the Australian Human Rights Commission. O'Grady's brother, Frank, was also an author and published The Golden Valley, Goonoo Goonoo and Hanging Rock ; all published by Cassell. While John O'Grady's novels were light satirical works, Frank O'Grady wrote pioneering sagas set in western New South Wales.