Ron Hedgecock, one of Australia’s oldest diagnosed Aspies, is 72. He’s an Aussie actor, a lecturer in Phrenology and Art History and a public speaker about living with Asperger’s Syndrome. Here’s our interview:
DONNA:
Hi Ron. Well, when I met you you told me you were one of the oldest people in Australia diagnosed with Asperger’s.
Tell me about that.

RON.
I hope I wasn’t exaggerating or speaking carelessly when I claimed to be one of the oldest. But looking at it logically, one might assume that any mature males getting a diagnosis today would most likely still be in the work force, a fair bit younger, and probably in a relationship, and probably with children. The need for an explanation of their bizarre or non-social behaviour would then be rather important. In my sort of age range (72) and having successfully hit retirement, it is likely that the wife has given up bothering, or the pair have split up. And let’s face it, with older males, I think it’s safe to say that it is most frequently the partner who prods or persuades them to go for a diagnosis. It will only be a relatively small number of men who will be naturally keen or conscientious enough to want to investigate their idiosyncrasies in any depth off their own bat.

I was always fascinated by Psychology, – I guess because of the very fact that I recognized through most of my maturity that I just happened to be an ‘Alien’ of some unexplained variety. None of the literature in my earlier years dealt with Aspergers. The relevant characteristics were not recognized as bearing the hallmarks of a ‘Syndrome’. And such people as myself were described, depending on the severity of our habits and natures, as Eccentrics, Loners, Schizoids, Neurotics, Introverts, Narcissists or worse. If we showed really serious mal-adaptation, then we were classified as Schizophrenics or whatever. Luckily as my eventual Diagnostician told me about 6 years ago, mine is an AS of the milder form (I describe it as ‘borderline’, but certainly unmistakable), and a high intelligence had made it possible to over-ride many potential detrimental effects, and to consciously figure out how to live in the NT world without it being too obvious.

It was the third of my wives, – an intelligent and well-read lady who first brought the possibility of AS to my attention, some 19 years ago; and two of my tame Psychologists in quick succession gave the same rough assessment about 15 years back. It was with the greatest relief and joy that I learnt of my Aspie nature; and I duly felt as though I’d come home at last.

DONNA:
A lot of people understanding their place on the autism spectrum end up writing or doing public speaking about that journey. How about you?

RON:
In the last couple of years, I completed the script of a book of my own on my reminiscences and speculations that hopefully will be titled Confessions of an Asperger with Attitude. My public lectures on AS usually come under the heading of Confessions of a Borderline Aspie.

DONNA:
I hope you get your book published or you could self publish for free via http://www.cafepress.com .
Meeting you is like walking into Shakespeare. There’s just something about you which says ‘hey, this guy is an actor’… you have that ‘theatrical thang’ about you. So tell me about some of your roles.

RON.
Oh wow! And thanks for that. (I’ll take it as a compliment).

DONNA:
It was.

RON:
I guess I learnt to speak well and clearly, with an educated Australian accent from an early age. Presumably, being Aspie, I didn’t pick up too many bad habits from my peers, and at school I just loved to read parts in plays. It led to training in Radio Stage and TV Acting in the mid 1950s, and being a Radio Announcer in North Queensland in the early 60s.
DONNA:
I can really see that. You have a really wonderful voice.

RON:

Because of the demands of a couple of my disastrous marriages and subsequent child-rearing, I entered the regular work force, and didn’t get back to theatre until about 1980. From then on, I did a lot of stage work, and eventually went professional, being classified now as a ‘Freelance Actor’, with the appropriate Equity membership. I’ve directed plays on a number of occasions, one of my alltime favourites being John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men.

I am at my happiest as a Character Actor, enjoying the challenge of hiding my face and hair behind appropriate make-up or colouring; and my voice behind a good range of ages and accents.

DONNA:
I can relate to that, but my problem is I never felt the urge to have an audience.

RON:
Perhaps again, because of my Aspie nature, I’m best described as a ‘Technical Actor’, with the ability to create consciously the characteristics of the role that is assigned to me, rather than finding the ‘truthful’ emotions deep inside, in the way that a ‘Method’ Actor might do.

DONNA:
No, as a screenwriter, I play out all the characters in my scripts. I’m definitely someone who cares deeply about the relateability and realness of my characters. If I were an actor I’m certain I’d be a Method actor. I’m quite the anthropologist.

RON:
Among my favourite parts have been the Cynical American Reporter in Inherit the Wind, – the hen-pecked Cockney husband in Noel Coward’s Fumed Oak, – the tragically flawed School Master in Rattigan’s The Browning Version (Interesting! The Character is most likely Aspie.) The CS Lewis role in the semi-biographical Shadowlands, and probably above all, the role of the real life 17th century Diarist and Bibliographer John Aubrey in the one-man play Brief Lives. Oh yes, and I must add one other favorite part, as the mad and alcoholic little Plastic Surgeon Dr Einstein in the old 40s farce Arsenic and Old Lace (part done by Peter Lorre in the famous film).

DONNA:
I love the sound of these marvelous, gritty characters.

RON:
I’ve had bits and pieces in Television shows and on film; with my most notable and enjoyable experiences in the Australian Movie filmed in Ballarat itself some 6 years back called Dalkeith. I played the grumpy old man who compered the weekly sing-along for the folks in the retirement home.

DONNA:
You have lectured in art history?

Ron, you are a walking art history.
Did you study that as well as acting?

RON. Always had a love of Art. Cant paint or draw to save my life though.

DONNA:
Oh, I can 😉
But I can’t cook without supervision 🙂

RON:

My study and the subsequent lectures represent one of my Aspie fads and ‘special interests’. Have not studied the subject formally. Am self taught; but classify myself as a Professional Lecturer and Platform Speaker, and it has been a natural progression to get to lecture on any topic that is of interest to me. In my library is a collection of several hundred volumes of books on Art, specializing in Renaissance and Christian Art, with emphasis on the exposition on what is known as Iconography, the study of Symbolism and Subject matter in Paintings. Sounds dull, but I find people love it.

DONNA:
No, as an artist, I’d probably love it, but my receptive language processing is rather shot and a presenter wouldn’t speak at the pace I’d require nor use gestural signing to assist the speed of my info processing, in which case I’d end up just hearing mostly blah, I expect, especially if the subject and speaker are unfamiliar.

RON:
Many people have seen Sister Wendy doing her similar sorts of talks on TV. I use lap top and Digital screening to illustrate my talks profusely, with many pictures, the majority of which are not popularly known, and which are most entertaining. I offer any of my lectures to Churches, Clubs, Groups and specialized societies, adapting the content and direction of the material to their own briefs and interest requirements. Talks on Christian Art are not intended to preach or convert, – but hopefully to broaden the mind and to enlighten people on the heritage within their religious tradition.

DONNA:
Cool, I hope some people reading this may want to book you as a speaker.
Now, to Phrenology. Now Ron, that’s got to be one of the most obscure topics alive today.

Tell me about Phrenology, your interest in and beliefs about it, about Sovereign Hill (for those who have never been there) and what’s it like performing this at Sovereign Hill?

RON. Phrenology was an extraordinarily important study through much of the 19th century. Founded by a Viennese Physician in 1796, it took off all over the world; and it is generally understood that the Phrenologists were the first ‘scientists’ to determine that the brain actually has a function and that it is divided into various ‘parts’ that control and order the functions of the human body as well as the mind. Good Queen Victoria had her royal children’s heads examined by the most prominent British exponent.

DONNA:
I can hear that line ‘you ought to have your head examined’.

RON:

It was believed by the Phrenologists that the convolutions in the outer shape of the human skull offered a representation of the strengths and weaknesses of the brain divisions directly underneath; and so, much to the disgust of the practitioners, the practice became popularly known as ‘reading the Bumps on the head’. So when someone tells you to ‘Go and get your head examined!’ that’s what it means. So at Sovereign Hill in Ballarat, which is a hugely important and fascinating outdoor museum, commemorating the Gold Rush in Victoria, I dress up each Saturday in Top Hat and Frock Coat etc and depict a rather nervous old man called Professor William Prendergast Lodge, who offers mini-lectures on Phrenology and gives brief demonstrations of his art, while and after examining the skulls of visitors, and taking measurements with a pair of calipers. Prof Lodge explains that he only just came out from ‘the Old Country’ last year, which is supposed to be 1860. the actual script I devised for this gives the appearance of authenticity, though a lot of the text is comic and entertaining. I don’t of course believe in Phrenology, but my alter ego certainly does.

DONNA:
Oh I love that stuff. Being able to imagine oneself in a different time or life…that’s the stuff of writing film too.

RON:
The ‘Science’ was exploded almost completely by the end of the 19th century. But it must be understood that the Phrenologists were people who served much the same purpose as Counsellors and Psychologists back in those days, for those who were not turning for advice to their Clergymen.

Sovereign Hill is a wonderful place to visit. Gets up to half a million visitors from all over the world every year. The staff seen in the street, running the shops and driving the coaches etc are all in costume; and one can easily spend a couple of days exploring and enjoying the atmosphere. One can pan for gold (and find it too), watch real gold being poured into ingots; see old-fashioned music-hall entertainment in the beautifully recreated Victoria Theatre; explore the authentic Chinese Village. Oh, just a huge amount to do and see. For retired folks like myself it is a real delight to volunteer there. You meet folks from all over the world, constantly have your photo taken with the visitors, and chat to them. As an Aspie, and for that matter an Actor, I have a whole repertoire of comments, serious and humorous that I trot out in talking.

DONNA:
Ha ha, yes I used to scan volumes of sociological texts and after 4 years of studying the topic I could trot out all manner of related scripts too.

RON:

All of it I’ve virtually scripted for myself, and I can ad lib the thoughts and feelings of my character for hours. I find this far far easier and more fluent than the business of doing the ‘real’ and natural talk of the NT.

DONNA:
Wow, that’s totally how it was for me in my 20s. See, as a kid I couldn’t understand most speech or actions so that left me pretty bored except for my patterns and mouthing and feeling textures, playing with light and shadow, things like that. But I found I could replay entire TV shows as any and all the characters so I completely relate to what you’re saying. When I began to use functional speech around age 9-11 it was painfully clunky and slow and many kids just walked off and a friend who didn’t said it was really hard to listen to and she much preferred my fluent characterisations even if they weren’t conversational. Then, in adulthood, once I gained academia, I could do those sort of scripts and I didn’t have to worry about personal communication as largely everyone was just posturing and waffling in this academia speech so couldn’t tell it was generally just scripts, especially in short bursts.

RON:
It is an enjoyable acting job, and you make good friends out of the other volunteers who work on the same days as yourself.

I have a lecture demonstration on Phrenology, in which I commence in costume and character as the old practitioner, switching after a little while to modern approach and showing an audio-visual on the subject.

DONNA:
I didn’t know you’d done comedy but it doesn’t surprise me.
There’s a fab couple of comedians with ASD performing in Adelaide recently as part of the Fringe Festival and also the Adelaide Autism Arts Expo which I was involved with last year. Maybe you could put up a listing on http://www.auties.org to form a comedy club. You know we have a category there called “seeking to form an activities club”. You can co-select it as part of your listing. Ballarat is pretty far from us in Melbourne, but what’s the halfway mark between the two?

RON:
Well Bacchus Marsh and Geelong are not too far out of the way to get to for special meetings. But I do get to Melbourne when something significant comes up to attend. Ah, as far as comedy is concerned, well, I’ve always enjoyed something of an infinite sense of humour, as I describe it. I do love telling jokes, though it must be understood I’m not a comedian of the sophisticated (or crude) stand-up variety. I’ve played a lot of comedy on stage, and I love it. I’ve got a small repertoire of comedy sketches and monologues, and there are a few very old-fashioned Comic Songs that I’ve been known to put over.

DONNA:
I don’t get verbal comedy but I can laugh on queue really well because I can tune in really well to the shifts in people’s tones and movements. I can make verbal humor, just not processing it receptively. I do find characterisations funny though.

I see you also do poetry. I do a monthly poetry challenge where I send out invitations to the members on my mailing list and they can send me any 1-2 word title for a poem which I have to send back within 48 hours. By the end of the 48 hours everyone has so far received their poems. I’ve then posted them on my blog at http://blog.donnawilliams.net . If you’d like to start yourself a free website/blog, mine blog is a free software thingy from http://www.wordpress.com . You can get one there too and it’s a fab way to put up articles etc to display your poetry or show people what you do.

RON. I greatly enjoy doing poetry readings, and for that matter readings of all sorts, whether Dickens, Shakespeare, Wilde, Coleridge, etc. For several years I entered the Speech and Drama section of the famous Ballarat South Street Eisteddfod, and scored a few good wins. One of my popular presentations that I offer is one I call The Craft of the Actor, in which I discuss my life in entertainment, and read and perform various things of all sorts. I have a select wardrobe of specialized costumes and hats that give me the opportunity to dress up for my performances. I have been guilty of composing poetry. But I would warn anyone who is interested that I mainly write either Limericks and comic verse, or rather old-fashioned (even Victorian) type pieces. I do love playing with words, – another of my specific Aspie special interests. Thanks for your offer.

DONNA:
Religion is one of your interests. I’m a spiritual atheist with Taoist, humanist leanings.
Where does that fit in with you?

RON. Yes the study of religion is a prime interest. I’ve pursued esoteric matters for well over 50 years; but though I’m not a church person, I have an on-going fascination with the study of Bible origins, and Christian beginnings and doctrines. Terms that could apply to me would include Humanist/Gnostic/Agnostic/Spiritual Optimist/Freethinker. I love Fraternal Lodge type activity, especially with mystical pursuits. I do lectures on such things as well.

DONNA:
Cool, sounds like we’d be relatively similar along spiritual lines.

As an actor, what was your worst, your best and would be your most ideal role?

RON..My least ideal roles would be anything physical. No sportsmen, adventurers, etc. No Latin Lovers or handsome heroes.

DONNA:
Ok so in your 70s they might be a little exhausting 😉

RON:
My ideal roles would be character parts. When I was 20 I played elderly men, and seemed to gravitate to Alcoholics Drug Addicts and Dirty old men. Funny considering I’m a non-drinker, non-smoker etc etc. See above for favorite parts in plays. I do love doing highly emotional roles, so long as the emotion is built around the speeches in the script. My speciality lies in interpreting lines.

DONNA:
Hmm, I don’t think I’d be good at interpreting lines. I can write them though, no problem. I excel at gathering people patterns. I’m a sort of mathematician of the soul.

As an Aspie actor, how do you feel acting interplays with having Asperger’s?

RON:
Well there have been quite a lot of Aspie actors. I’ve never had any doubt that the famous Sir Larry Olivier was an Aspie. Interesting that so many characters on film and TV lately have been or appear to be Austistic or Aspie. I think with pleasure of Doc Martin, Monk, Constable Reg Hollis in the Bill, Dr Tony Hill (actually identified as AS) in Wire in the Blood. As the comment was made by Tony Attwood, when I was interviewed for the Age magazine a few years back, – just how can an Aspie be an Actor????

DONNA:
Really? Very silly of him. I have met many wonderful auties and Aspies who from a young age show great signs of being adept at scripting, rote learned roles, excited by capes and hats and glasses and enjoying becoming super heros or steam trains. I think the clincher is the audience thing though. I used to detest and fear any sense of audience. I came to tolerate it and now I respect it and see it as an honour to present to any group. But I don’t need any audience, I have no hunger for it.

RON:
Well for starters I’d tell Tony, you have a script and a director. You are not just flung out as in everyday life to flounder through a series of situations and interactions that are unpredictable and alien. As I said earlier, I’m a technical Actor, and so I can consciously create and contrive whatever I do on stage or on film; and I am not put in any danger emotional or situational by the vagaries of the folks who I interact with. They are as tightly controlled and predictable as I am.

I can of course, portray and depict any and all of the emotions (especially in my voice) that are either denied me in ordinary life, or that are just too dangerous to let out. I can indulge in one of my big special interests, and find a (literal) platform in which I can self-express to the nth degree. We know that Aspies blend and mix best with those who share their biggest interests, and so we gravitate to clubs and specialized societies that love the same things. This makes the intense and concentrated work on acting with others of like nature just wonderful.

One other more obvious thing perhaps is that Actors will tend to hide behind their voices or their poses, just as writers will hide behind their pens.

DONNA:
Oh yes, artists are masters at hiding behind their creations; music, paintings, sculpture, poetry….
And the artistic personality trait is typically solitary and I’ve met a significant percentage of people with ASD who strongly have this trait.

RON:
Though I’ve learnt to be or to appear natural and spontaneous, the greater part of it all in me (even with my closest intimates) is calculated and thought out. There is only just a little I suspect of the real me that comes out in front of other people I think that to some extent I’m performing all the time, – but not in an obtrusive sort of fashion, or a dominating style. I’m only really myself when alone (oh, and with my beloved Pussycats!) But it must be said that however hard I have to work to associate with others and to talk to them, for the most part I do it gladly because the hard work is a necessary price to pay in order to have the friendships and relationships that I value.

DONNA:
Yes, I socialise but its highly structured… it’s almost always Wednesdays from 10-12 or at 7pm… I spend most of my time in my own company which suits me fine.

Lovely to chat with you Ron. Anything you’d like to add?

RON.
It’s been a pleasure, Donna. Aspergers of course has become one of my special special interests, it must be said. And I just love talking and/or lecturing about it. I’ve made such a lot of wonderful friends all over the world on the Internet. Learnt so much, and been able to contribute at times too. Never tire of reading literature on AS, and my books on the subject are among my most treasured; as well as certain of the authors who produced them and become personal friends. I have met Professor Tony Attwood on a few occasions, and after hearing his colleague Isabelle Henault speak at the World Congress in Melbourne the other year, have corresponded with her, following which, she included a page out of my notes in her recent book on Aspergers and Sexuality. She has also been kind enough to provide me with a Foreword for my forthcoming book mentioned above.

DONNA:
Marvellous. So glad to hear sex is still an active topic when one is 70 🙂

If people would like to throw you some work, what kind of work would you like and how can people find you?

RON. Lecturing and Entertaining essentially. The sorts of things I talk about above will show a bit of my range. I can be located at Ballarat in Country Victoria.

Phone number 03 5332 3431,

and email hedrich@dodo.com.au.

I do a certain number of voluntary presentations to groups that have no funding resources. Depending of course on traveling demands as well as the type of group that I might be invited to address or perform for, I charge accordingly.

DONNA:
I’m sure your fees are quite reasonable and I know that whoever hires you would rarely find a more wonderfully colorful character to hire. Ron’s Hedgecock’s employment related listing can also be found under ‘autism spectrum listings’ on http://www.auties.org .

All the best,

Warmly,

Donna Williams
author, artist, composer, screenwriter
http://www.donnawilliams.net
http://www.auties.org