HUGH JACKMAN - JACKMAN MOURNS BROADWAY PRODUCER

Movie star HUGH JACKMAN has paid tribute to the musical producer who have him his Broadway break, BEN GANNON - who died yesterday (04JAN06) aged 54. Gannon who lost a long battle with cancer at his Sydney, Australia home, co-produced THE BOY FROM OZ on the New York stage - and made the decision to hand the lead role to Jackman, who was a huge success playing singer/songwriter PETER ALLEN. Jackman says, "I will always be very grateful for the day, some five years ago, when Ben Gannon and his producing partner Robert Fox offered me the role of a lifetime, in The Boy From Oz. "Working with Ben and Robert on that production was one of the highlights of my career. "Ben Gannon was an extraordinary man. "A true friend and confidant to me and my family over the last five years. We will miss his humour, candour, love, support, joie de vivre and, most importantly, his friendship. "He always had very fine taste, and an insatiable appetite for excellence. "His passing has left a huge hole in the Australian entertainment industry."