Richard Beckett (author)

Richard Beckett (1936 – 1987) was an Australian author and journalist.

Beckett was a founding staffer (Assistant Editor) of Nation Review, an irreverent and ground-breaking Sunday newspaper, nicknamed 'The Ferret', launched in 1970 by Gordon Barton. Beckett was its irascible and entertaining food columnist for eight years, using the pseudonym Sam Orr. He wrote several books on food and wine, alternative life-style, and Australian history.

Beckett left his home in Molong, New South Wales, in early 1987, moving to Daylesford, Victoria. Single again and in poor health, he initially stayed at the Royal Hotel. Daylesford friends, concerned about his welfare, arranged for him to rent a miner's cottage high on Wombat Hill, near the Convent Gallery, where he lived for eight months. His trusted typewriter, usually with a wine glass on one side and a range of reference books on the other, remained in action as he wrote articles for The Age, Australian "Epicure", and other publications. Beckett's great friend John Hepworth kept in constant touch.

When friends visited, Beckett took the opportunity to dine out, a meal at "Lake House" being particularly memorable. He became particularly fond of his neighbours' grey cat, Orson - indeed, a piece about Orson was one of Beckett's final articles for The Age. He described enjoying a walk in the snow in the Wombat Hill Gardens not long before he collapsed and died, alone, in August 1987. He was cremated at Fawkner Cemetery. Friends, including Dinny O'Hearn, John Hepworth, John Hindle and Brendan Giffney, met at a favourite Carlton hotel, "Stewarts", to remember his life. His obituary, "The Press Loses A Fiery Spirit", written by his friend Kevin Childs, was published in The Age. In late 1987, a small group of friends, led by John Hepworth, farewelled Beckett on a thundery day in Melbourne when, according to his wishes, his ashes were strewn in the Yarra River.