Chopper Reid dies

[MC Extra Dollop]

In Dixon's book he is fairly frank about Chopper. For instance he says Chopper often gambled away the touring entourage's takings and they struggled to get paid - and he said that well before Chopper died.

On that basis, if Dixon is calling bullsh_t on Chopper's 60 Minutes interview, I believe him.

Not quite sure why anyone would have let him handle any of the proceeds that didn't directly belong to him.

 

[Dan Cooper]

Not quite sure why anyone would have let him handle any of the proceeds that didn't directly belong to him.

No doubt they soon learned that lesson for themselves - the hard way!

 

[Kalmah]

In Dixon's book he is fairly frank about Chopper. For instance he says Chopper often gambled away the touring entourage's takings and they struggled to get paid - and he said that well before Chopper died.

On that basis, if Dixon is calling bullsh_t on Chopper's 60 Minutes interview, I believe him.

I read that book as well. He said that they almost got in a fight or something and later Chopper took him out to a farm and put a gun to him and said if he does it again he's getting buried or something like that. Wouldn't surprise me.

 

[Dan Cooper]

I read that book as well. He said that they almost got in a fight or something and later Chopper took him out to a farm and put a gun to him and said if he does it again he's getting buried or something like that. Wouldn't surprise me.

I was enjoying reading that book early on. But it got to the point where I barely wanted to finish the thing. Overall, I rated it pretty disappointing.

 

[Kalmah]

I agree. It had a few good stories mixed in but overall was pretty poor. It was obviously put together pretty quickly and cheaply.

 

[Dan Cooper]

I agree. It had a few good stories mixed in but overall was pretty poor. It was obviously put together pretty quickly and cheaply.

Towards the end it was reading decidedly like a poor man's version of the later Chopper Read books.

 

[CD Xbow]

I'm resurrecting this thread to share a funny story about Chopper. He's been long dead, about as long as this thread, and I've retired so I don't see any harm it. I'm sure he would see it as adding to his legend.

The Doctor had to examine him because he had bleeding from the bowel, and was required to do a PR examination, and just after slipping the gloved finger in, Chopper said, "Doc, you know what?" The doctor said "What?", being more interested the examination.
"You gunna have to marry me after this."

He was really sick at the time, so to come up with that was pretty impressive. Though I suspect he may have used the gag a few times in the past, in similar, but not quite exactly the same circumstances. He was certainly a better humourist & raconteur than he was a criminal. He was a pretty poor criminal. Perhaps if his life had panned out in a slightly different way he might have made a living as a comedian or similar. But isn't that true of all of us?

 

[footyfan1978]

Hard one to judge. Seems a completely loose cannon in his younger years, as evidenced by his complete inability to st y out of jail.

But seems to have made a decision to leave that life and some stage, and instead become a figure of entertainment. Which he did do with a fair degree of success, leaving crime behind. I guess you could almost say he rehabilitated, in his own way.

Had no doubt many of his tales are exaggerated or invented, but I think it's probably part of that process. His new life was to entertain so he had to deliver.

I just watched over an hour of his interviews from 90's on youtube and then also the last one on 60 minutes.
Larrikin but psychopath is best guess without being an expert on the personality of sick minded people.

 

[utility]

This is awesome!

 

[Punk Rooster 16]

I only went off Wikipedia which says the tour was in 2005 but I found an old article later on that had part of an interview that said he was on a tour in Adelaide in 2002, he also did a book launch around different parts of the country in 2002. There's a thread on here too which backs up that he was on tour in 2002 http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/what-do-people-think-of-chopper-read.42513/ I also watched his movie again last night hadn't seen it for years but can't recall if he had any input, at the start of it when he is in prison there is some references to the Painters & Dockers war.

I went to the Adelaide tour at the Athelstone FC- I remember I well, as it was his debut in his spoken word tours. 2002 would be correct.

 

[windyhill]

Met him once, after the football many years ago, it was between The Royal and The Cricketers Arms, gave him a huge hug and quick as a flash he said “ mate, a handshake would’ve done” He was very good value considering our group were off their ****.

 

[bibbyk]

Well I guess Andrew Rule doesn't seem to think he did it. I still maintain that the matter would of been pursued a lot more rigorously if Collins went missing the same time as Chopper was passing through town. Instead of just the standard routine line of inquiry he received over it.

As far as the Issacs murder I tend to believe that one. He has been telling that story for a long time and I get the feeling the prison staff back in the 70's would of been happy to turn their back to the murdering of someone who committed those crimes.

Does anyone know of what happened to Choppers old mate he called "Dave the jew"? He mentioned him in a lot of books and says he committed many crimes but was never jailed. He had a picture of him in one of his books I think his real name was David Epstein. He said he made him his godfather of his first son. The Tasmanian police also hid away all the witness's in the Collins case because they heard he was travelling over from Melbourne to get rid of a few of them.

In Choppers last book he wrote he said that Dave is basically a schizophrenic these days and just walks around talking to himself.

"David the Jew" is my grand uncle, so my mother's uncle. His real name is definitely not David Esptein. He passed in 2014 from a heart attack and is buried under my great grandmother (his mother) who passed in 2023. They're burried in a small country town. He was always very kind to me and had wonderful stories. My mother didn't like him much. But I liked uncle David. He was a quiet and reserved man. But not one to fk with. He definitely didn't have schizophrenia. But he was a bit "fried" from living the hard life.