Melbourne show business identity Frank Howson, 72, has flown to Sydney for surgery to fight “inoperable bowl cancer”.

Howson, producer-director-author-actor-singer-artist, has confided with friends that he may less than three months to live.

“A surgeon in Sydney is attempting to operat. If it doesn’t work, I’ll be dead within 3 months,” Howson published on social media on Friday (Jan. 12).

Howson was born in Melbourne and started in show business when he was seven. After leaving school, Christian Brothers College, St. Kilda (1963–1967), Howson’s first job was with Melbourne radio station 3UZ as office boy. Eventually promoted to panel operator, he worked on John McMahon’s popular weekly show Radio Auditions>

Whenever not enough acts showed up, young Frank was summoned to perform under made up names. During this period Howson was nicknamed ‘Magical Frank’ when asked to perform on a pilot for a TV talent show by 3UZ’s Jimmy Hannan.

DJ Stan Rofe signed Howson to a recording deal and produced his first single: “Seventeen Ain’t Young” (written by Jeff Barry / Hide and seek (Richie Adams, Mark Barkan) performed by “Frankie Howson” (1969) who was 17 during recording, it became a Top 40 hit in Melbourne.

Howson released two other singles This Night (Howson, Kenneth Firth, Miller) and 1983 The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter (John Capek, Howson).

Howson was manager of the Australian branch of German-based I.C. Records to publish musical works (including his own) distributed by EMI. He co-wrote John Paul Young’s 1984 album One Foot In Front. He signed new romantic band Pseudo Echo and co-wrote their songs Autumnal Park and Destination Unknown with Tony Lugton, they later had a 1987 No. 1 hit in Australia with their version of Funky Town. I.C. Records scored three national hits in Australia in its first 12 months of operation. Howson and Peter Boyle were Executive Producers for John Paul Young’s 1983 hit Soldier of Fortune (John Capek, Marc Jordan)[ reaching No. 15.

Howson and Allan Zavod wrote Time Can’t Keep Us Apart which won the 1987 Asian Popular Song contest performed by Kate Ceberano[8] to an estimated TV audience of 500 million.

Frank Howson began his career as stage actor, singer and dancer, and appeared in 21 major productions (including the Australian production of Oliver!) before turning 21.

In the early 1970s, Howson met fellow actor Barry Ferrier while they were both appearing in the original Australian production of Jesus Christ Superstar, and the two men subsequently collaborated on a number of theatre-related projects. The first of these was a children’s musical entitled The Faraway Land of Magical Frank, which was produced at the Toral Theatre in Melbourne in January 1976.

Later that year, Howson and Ferrier released a concept recording of a follow-up children’s musical, entitled The Boy Who Dared to Dream, performed by Trevor White, pop singer Mark Holden and actors John Waters and Tommy Dysart. The first staged production of the show (featuring some of the actors from the concept recording) was mounted in Melbourne in January 1978, with a second production in May 1981.[10]

Frank Howson went on to create two more children’s musicals, without Ferrier’s involvement: Aladdin and his Wonderful Lamp (music by Robert Gavin, 1981) and Sinbad the Sailor: The Last Adventure (music by Ian McKean, 1982). Both were initially staged at the Alexander Theatre at Monash University..

Howson moved to Hollywood in 1997 after a falling out with his business partner and the collapse of Boulevard Films.

Howson has been married three times:

Howson has been debilitated, at times, by Spasmodic Dysphonia which affects his voice; it is periodically mitigated by Botox injections into his larynx.

Howson in 2012 and 2013 wrote and directed two sell-out seasons of the musical “Genesis To Broadway” at Chapel Off Chapel, Melbourne. Cast member Fem Belling was nominated for a Green Room Award for Best Performance in a Musical.