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in early 1960. He composed the song from a lyric idea put forward by the disc jockey Tony
Withers. It is based on the successful search for Steven Walls, a four-year-old boy from 'Tubbamurra', a farm near Guyra in the NSW
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struck in
Australia. Johnny Ashcroft gifted this Gold Record to Steven Walls. Because he was on a lengthy tour in New Zealand, Ashcroft arranged for EMI to present it to Steven.
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was released worldwide on a film clip. That film clip was a forerunner of the video and DVD clips of today. Covers by notable artists were released, such as
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Steven's mother, Dorrie (Dorothy) Walls, two of his brothers, four nieces plus friends and workmates drove from Guyra to take part in this moving ceremony.
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The song accurately relates the saga of
Australia's greatest land and air search. For four days and three nights, in February 1960, William Stanley, an
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for the movie sound track, as well as some moving vocal sequences. Bob “Beetles” Young composed the movie theme, Terry Bourke was the director.
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has been available continuously, in various catalogues, since 1960. The hit version of the song was re-released on 4 August 2007 on a 28-track
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became
Australia's first kidnap victim; he was later found murdered. Purely because of connotations associated with the title,
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was the top
Australian hit song of 1960. In its day it became one of the country's all-time greatest hits, awarded the first
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Abby Green church at
Tubbamurra was the search headquarters for 5000 searchers, seven aircraft, 30 police and 80 soldiers.
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Johnny
Ashcroft and Steven Walls, the Little Boy Lost, at the world premiere of the Little Boy Lost movie
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movie, which received the
Catholic Award for Decency in Germany, starred Nathan Dawes as Steven Walls,
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EMI presenting 4-year-old Steven Walls, the Little Boy Lost, with
Australia's first 45rpm Gold Record
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in
Tamworth (Gamilaraay Country) on 28 May 2022, with a Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony.
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The Little Boy Lost Gold Record in the Steven Walls-Little Boy Lost display in the Guyra Museum.
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Kelly Fuller, ABC New England North West, interviews Johnny on 50th Anniversary 7 Feb 2010
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book, based on the Terry Bourke screenplay, was published in time for the movie premiere.
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Little Boy Lost - Gold LP (title track, first gold 45rpm in Australia and New Zealand)
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Spencer Howson, ABC Brisbane, interviews Johnny on 50th Anniversary 5 Feb 2010
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that Johnny Ashcroft gifted to the four-year-old boy sixty-four years earlier.
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History of Country Music–In 1960…“Little Boy Lost… topping charts nationwide”
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display opened on 3 October 2020. The centre-piece is the Gold Record of
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Little Boy Lost 1960 hit version in National Film & Sound Archives
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in the United Kingdom. Other notable Australian artists also recorded
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Johnny Ashcroft with Little Boy Lost, New Zealand's first Gold Record
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Tim Cox, ABC Hobart, blog re Johnny and 50th Anniversary 11 Feb 2010
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by Sir Sidney Nolan, hangs in the Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery.
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Little Boy Lost movie listing in National Film & Sound Archives
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In July 1960 some months after Steven Walls was found alive, and
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Although the term had not yet been coined, Ashcroft's 1960 song,
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of New South Wales for four-year-old farm boy, Steven Walls, the
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Johnny Ashcroft's Little Boy Lost with movie clips on YouTube
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was still riding high on Top 40 charts, Sydney schoolboy
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Steven Walls died on his Guyra property in April 2020.
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The Johnny Ashcroft and Gay Kayler Legacy Collection
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Country Music in Australia: Volume 2 by Eric Watson
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Little Boy Lost, the Search, Song, Movie and Beyond
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459:"The Oz Net Music Chart : Best of 1960"
320:as William Stanley, the Aboriginal tracker.
160:also became New Zealand's first Gold Record.
353:Johnny Ashcroft, Here’s to You, Australia!
343:The original Johnny Ashcroft recording of
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271:– in Australia's wild New England Ranges.
190:, also went Gold after its name change.
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232:, the Singing Kettles and Evelyn Bury.
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511:Across Country Issue 4, November 1978
401:Tamworth Regional Council news report
390:Australian Country Music Hall of Fame
335:in 2005 and was re-released in 2007.
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422:ACMF Roll of Renown Johnny Ashcroft
208:A Johnny Ashcroft TV performance of
91:is an Australian single released by
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533:Johnny Ashcroft official website
120:. They found him alive and well.
548:The Menzies Era No.1 Hits 1960s
598:Australian country music songs
519:Johnny Ashcroft verbal account
368:Steven Walls / Little Boy Lost
366:The Guyra Historical Museum's
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316:as Constable Jack O’Dea and
236:A selfless act of compassion
16:1960 song by Johnny Ashcroft
186:LP, previously released as
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558:IMDb link to the 1978 film
327:movie became available on
286:recorded a new version of
267:had its world premiere in
269:Armidale, New South Wales
216:in the United States and
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440:Number One Hits of 1960
339:Song re-release in 2007
199:Accession No. 1984.0001
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388:was presented to the
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282:Johnny Ashcroft and
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494:Slim's Discography
445:2007-06-01 at the
427:2004-02-18 at the
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114:New England Ranges
110:Aboriginal tracker
98:New England Ranges
42:by Johnny Ashcroft
204:Worldwide success
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22:"Little Boy Lost"
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603:Slim Dusty songs
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483:Michael Holliday
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461:. Archived from
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312:as his parents,
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372:Little Boy Lost
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351:double CD set,
345:Little Boy Lost
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325:Little Boy Lost
310:John Hargreaves
302:Little Boy Lost
295:Little Boy Lost
288:Little Boy Lost
263:Little Boy Lost
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250:Little Boy Lost
242:Little Boy Lost
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210:Little Boy Lost
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184:Little Boy Lost
173:Little Boy Lost
158:Little Boy Lost
137:Little Boy Lost
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118:Little Boy Lost
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93:Johnny Ashcroft
89:Little Boy Lost
82:Johnny Ashcroft
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527:External links
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467:. Retrieved
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70:EMI Columbia
60:Country Rock
349:Rajon Music
188:Mostly Folk
144:Gold Record
77:Composer(s)
592:Categories
538:Gay Kayler
469:2007-05-21
409:References
318:Steve Dodd
314:Tony Barry
284:Gay Kayler
230:Slim Dusty
214:Jimmy Dean
132:Hit record
256:1978 film
497:Archived
443:Archived
425:Archived
47:Released
359:Legacy
329:video
265:movie
141:45rpm
66:Label
56:Genre
331:and
323:The
308:and
300:The
293:The
260:The
182:The
50:1960
40:Song
333:DVD
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
