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Friends & Neighbours: Long-time mates Kevin Smith and Geoffrey Dolan share a common boundary Woman's Weekly, September 4, 2000 Not that the lull in their working relationship ever kept them apart. Geoffrey lives just over the back fence from Kevin.  The pair became neighbours last October, after Kevin’s wife, Sue, noticed the house behind theirs was up for rent. Geoffrey, who’s single, didn’t have a permanent abode so Sue helped arrange for him to take over the lease. Kevin then moved Geoffrey’s gear out of the Smiths’ garage and down the driveway to his new home. Living so close though has its drawbacks. "Of all the rooms he can see into from his bedroom, he gets a clear view of our bedroom," Kevin grumbles. "I’ve told him to keep his underpants on." But whenever Kevin and Sue, who’ve been married 16 years, need a babysitter, Geoffrey is there. When work calls Kevin abroad or to another part of the country, Geoffrey keeps an eye on the family. When issues surrounding their local Soccer Club need attention, they can be addressed immediately - Geoffrey is the club’s president while Sue is its secretary. And when the rugby’s on, Geoffrey brings the beer. Kevin supports Canterbury and Geoffrey is a Hurricanes man so some games are watched from opposite corners of the room. But when it comes to the All Blacks, the duo are united. Kevin explains, "I’m a lucky man because Suse loves the footy - she’ll even remind me what time the game’s on." But she doesn’t share the sense of loss Kevin suffers after an All Blacks defeat. And she doesn’t follow the rituals Kevin makes up so the team has the best chance of winning - Geoffrey does. "We’re really superstitious but it’s that need to believe you can influence the outcome of the game we’re fulfilling," says Kevin. "If we’ve lost a game and we’ve watched it in a certain pub, we’ll never watch a game at that pub again. I have underpants I’ll never wear again because the All Blacks lost when I was in them." "I can never watch a game in Australia again," agrees Geoffrey.  Kevin and Geoffrey have been friends for 13 years. They met in 1987, when they both auditioned for a production about Elvis Presley’s life, Are You Lonesome Tonight? It was Kevin’s first foray into the world of acting. He and "Doley", as he affectionately calls his mate, discovered they had lots in common especially their mutual love of sports, in particular, rugby. "We’ve both played senior rugby - I was still playing when we met," he says wistfully. "I didn’t know what to expect of actors. I was really pleased Doley and I had rugby in common." Neither man plays now but they’ve promised Kevin’s eldest son - and Geoffrey’s godson - Oscar, one day he’ll see them pass the oval ball between them. It’s only likely to happen if Sue’s back is turned though. The last time they hit the paddock, Geoffrey was carried off 20 minutes into the game with a snapped hamstring. Kevin followed a few minutes later after someone kicked him in the head. Sue had to put her foot down as Kevin had been concussed so many times before. If she didn’t know the pair so well, they might get away with more. But Sue’s had lots of opportunities to cotton on to their tricks. Geoffrey flatted with the Smiths when they lived in Christchurch and he has taken over their spare room more than once while "in between" houses." You know how you get your mate to come home with you when you’re late because you know she won’t growl if you have someone with you?" confides Kevin. "Well, it doesn’t work any more. Suse growls at both of us." Together, the two men have been through some tough times, including mourning the recent All Blacks losses to Australia and South Africa. But they have also faced unemployment together and survived the collapse of various theatre companies. Geoffrey and Kevin were among the actors and wardrobe people unceremoniously escorted from Auckland’s Mercury Theatre when it closed down. "When you’re involved in theatre, you’re in boots and all and your attachment is really emotional," Kevin says. At the time, Kevin and Sue had only recently moved to Auckland, bought a house and started their family. "We have a running joke everything we touch ends up closing down," says Kevin. The Are You Lonesome Tonight? production was supposed to tour New Zealand for five months. "It only lasted six weeks." The Smiths and Geoffrey have always managed to land on their feet though. Over the years, Kevin has become a household name as an actor and Geoffrey is best-known for his work as a corporate entertainer. Kevin and Sue have vicariously lived the single life through Geoffrey and he has vicariously lived the domestic life through Kevin and Sue. In Lawless 2, the boys swap roles and the irony has not been lost on them. Kevin plays John Lawless, a "lone wolf", while Geoffrey's character, Detective Sergeant Dave Bruford, is married with kids. "I'm really just playing Kev," Geoffrey says with a grin. "It's been relatively easy to sink into the character." Keryn Henger Lawless 2 - Dead Evidence screens on Thursday, 7 September, at 8.30pm on TV2. | |
© Geoffrey Dolan 2004-2009
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Please contact the webmaster if you have any problems or questions regarding this website.