Interview with John Newman OAM

John Newman is one of Australia’s leading producers of modern cabaret. With Tikki Taylor, he performed in a comedy dance act internationally in 1954 and performed in many of the J C Williamson Theatre productions of the 1950s. John also worked as a television producer, and as manager of the Great Moscow Circus. With Tikki Taylor, he established a late night coffee house on Exhibition St near Her Majesty’s Theatre in 1962 and this successful business grew into the well-known Melbourne institution Tiki and John’s Music Hall which featured a cabaret and restaurant. This early business evolved into the Family run Dracula’s Restaurant Group which had operated in both Melbourne and Brisbane. The Melbourne venue closed in December 2017. Both John Newman and Tikki were awarded the Medal of Australia (OAM) in the Australia Day awards of 1993 for services to the entertainment industry and to charitable organisations. I conducted this interview with John Newman on Community radio October 12st 2015.

Added 20 May 2026