Jeff Fatt
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jeffrey Wayne "Jeff" Fatt AM (born 21 July 1953 in Casino, New South Wales, Australia), is a Chinese Australian musician and actor. He is best known as a member of the children's band The Wiggles and the 1980s and 90s band The Cockroaches. As part of the Wiggles, Fatt became one of the "most popular Asian performers in the world".
The son of Chinese parents who owned a large retail store in Casino, New South Wales, Fatt had aspirations to become an architect, and earned a Bachelor of Arts in industrial design. He opened a public address equipment business with his brother in Sydney when he began playing keyboard for the rockabilly band The Roadmasters, and was recruited by Anthony and Paul Field to join The Cockroaches.
After The Cockroaches disbanded in the early '90s, Anthony Field asked Fatt, who was renovating his house at the time, to help them record The Wiggles' first album in 1991. Fatt reported, "I got this call from Anthony: 'Hello, Anthony. Go away, go away. I'm not interested,' you know. He's always got these ideas for things. He said, 'I've got this idea, come down to the studio.'" Fatt's response to Field's request was, "How long will it take?"
As a Wiggle, Fatt wears a purple shirt. He originated the Wiggles character Henry the Octopus, and performed his voice when other actors took over the role. His schtick was sleeping at odd times, which led to a Wiggles' catch-phrase and the title of one of their songs, "Wake Up, Jeff!" Fatt is the oldest Wiggle and is well-known for his "laid-back personality". As Sam Moran has said, when referring to the development of The Wiggles' shticks, "Jeff really does fall asleep", and Fatt reported, "The irony is I'm a very light sleeper in the nighttime. I will invariably have a snooze before the show". Fatt was the only member of The Wiggles without a background in early childhood education; he stated that was the reason falling asleep was chosen as his shtick, "because it was a way of getting me involved in the shows without actually having to do anything". Fatt reports that it took twelve months to "learn the language of preschool", including addressing children using the inclusive "everybody", instead of "boys and girls", and that The Wiggles' first performances were traumatic for him because he was not used to being around children.
Since 1990, Jeff has taken a photo a day documenting the most eventful thing that has happened to him. He is "a keen surfer".
Fatt was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) on 26 January 2010 for service to the arts, particularly children's entertainment, and to the community as a benefactor and supporter of a range of charities.
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Acted in
Hot Potato: The Story of The Wiggles
2023
as Self
The Original Wiggles Reunion Show For Bushfire Relief
2020
The Wiggles 25th Anniversary Reunion Show
2018
as Jeff Wiggle
The Wiggles - Pumpkin Face
2013
as Jeff Fatt
Hot Potatoes! The Best Of The Wiggles
2013
as Jeff Wiggle
The Wiggles - Taking Off!
2013
as Jeff Fatt
The Wiggles: Celebration!
2012
as Jeff Wiggle
The Wiggles : Surfer Jeff
2012
as Jeff Wiggle
The Wiggles: It's Always Christmas With You
2011
as Jeff Fatt
The Wiggles: Ukulele Baby!
2011
as Jeff Wiggle
Everybody Clap! Everybody Sing!
2011
as Himself
The Wiggles Big Birthday!
2011
as Jeff Wiggle (Purple)
The Wiggles: Let's Eat
2011
as Jeff Wiggle
Dorothy The Dinosaur - Travelling Show
2011
as Jeff Fatt
The Wiggles: Hot Poppin' Popcorn
2009
as Jeff Wiggle
The Wiggles - Big, Big Show!
2009
as Jeff Wiggle
The Wiggles: Go Bananas
2009
as Jeff Fatt
The Wiggles: Sing a Song of Wiggles
2008
as Jeff Wiggle
The Wiggles: You Make Me Feel Like Dancing
2008
as Jeff Fatt
Wiggle & Learn
2008
as Jeff Wiggle
Dorothy the Dinosaur’s Memory Book
2008
as Jeff Fatt
The Wiggles: Pop Go the Wiggles!
2007
as Jeff Fatt
The Wiggles: Getting Strong
2007
as Jeff Fatt
The Wiggles - Dorothy the Dinosaur's Party
2007
as Jeff
The Wiggles - Wiggledancing Live in Concert
2007
as Jeff Fatt
The Wiggles: Racing to the Rainbow
2006
as Jeff Fatt
The Wiggles: Wiggles 15th Birthday
2006
as Jeff Fatt
The Wiggles: Splish Splash Big Red Boat
2006
as Jeff Fatt
The Wiggles Live in Concert 2006: Sailing Around the World
2006
The Wiggles: It's Time to Wake Up Jeff!
2006
as Jeff Fatt
The Wiggles: Splish Splash Big Red Boat
2006
as Jeff Wiggle
Steve Irwin: He Changed Our World
2006
as Self
The Wiggles: Wiggly Giggly Adventures
2006
as Jeff Wiggle / Henry the Octopus (voice)
The Wiggles: Here Comes The Big Red Car
2006
as Jeff Fatt
The Wiggles: Here Comes The Big Red Car
2006
as Jeff Wiggle
Da Kath & Kim Code
2005
as The Wiggles
The Wiggles: The Wiggles Show
2005
as Jeff Wiggle / Henry the Octopus (voice)
The Wiggles: Sailing Around the World
2005
as Jeff
The Wiggles: Lights, Camera, Action!
2005
as Jeff Wiggle
The Wiggles: Wiggly TV
2005
as Jeff Fatt
The Wiggles: Live: Hot Potatoes!
2005
as Jeff
The Wiggles: Santa's Rockin'!
2004
as Jeff Wiggle
The Wiggles: Cold Spaghetti Western
2004
as Jeff Wiggle
The Wiggles: Top of the Tots
2004
as Jeff Wiggle
The Wiggles: Space Dancing
2003
as Jeff Wiggle / Zeezaps / Wags the Dog / Henry the Octopus (voice)
The Wiggles: Whoo Hoo! Wiggly Gremlins!
2003
as Jeff Wiggle/Henry the Octopus (voice)/Wags the Dog (voice)
The Wiggles: Wiggle Mania
2003
as Jeff Wiggle / Henry the Octopus / Wags the Dog (voice)
The Wiggles: Wiggle Bay
2002
as Jeff Wiggle
The Wiggles: Wiggly Safari
2002
as Jeff Wiggle
The Wiggles: Hoop-Dee-Doo! It's A Wiggly Party!
2001
as Jeff Wiggle
The Wiggles: Yule Be Wiggling
2001
as Jeff Wiggle / Henry the Octopus / Wags the Dog (voice)
The Wiggles: Hoop-Dee-Doo it's a Wiggly Party
2001
as Jeff Wiggle / Henry the Octopus (voice) / Wags the Dog (voice)
The Wiggles: It's A Wiggly, Wiggly World!
2000
as Jeff Fatt
The Wiggles: Meet The Wiggles
1999
as Jeff Wiggle / Henry the Octopus / Wags the Dog (voice)
The Wiggles: The Wiggly Big Show
1999
as Jeff Wiggle
Rove
1999
as Self
The Dorothy the Dinosaur and Friends Video
1999
as Jeff Wiggle
The Wiggles: Toot Toot
1998
as Jeff Fatt
The Wiggles: Ready, Steady, Wiggle
1998
as Jeff Wiggle
The Wiggles: Ready, Steady, Wiggle
1998
The Wiggles: Yummy Yummy
1998
as Jeff
The Wiggles: Wiggle Time
1998
as Jeff Wiggle
The Wiggles Movie
1997
as Jeff Wiggle
The Wiggles: Wiggly, Wiggly Christmas
1997
as Jeff Wiggle
The Wiggles: Wiggledance!
1997
The Wiggles: Wake Up Jeff
1996
as Jeff
The Wiggles: Big Red Car
1995
as Jeff
Big Red Car
1995
as Jeff Wiggle
ABC For Kids: Live In Concert
1993
