Australian singer-songwriter Peter Allen was BOTD in 1944. Born Peter Woolnough in Tenterfield in rural New South Wales, he started his show-business career playing the piano in a local pub. He moved to Queensland in 1959, forming the music duo the Allen Brothers with Chris Bell. The pair were discovered by Judy Garland and became her back-up act on her tours. In 1967, Allen married Garland’s daughter Liza Minnelli, separating three years later. Following their divorce, Allen began to accept his homosexuality. He met his life partner Gregory Connell in 1973, employing him as his make-up designer so they could travel together. Allen became a popular solo performer, but scored his greatest successes writing songs performed by others: his single I Honestly Love You became a hit for Olivia Newton-John and I Go to Rio was recorded by Pablo Cruise. His song Best That You Can Do, co-written with Burt Bacharach, Carole Sayer and Christopher Cross and recorded by Cross, became the theme for the 1981 film Arthur, winning an Oscar for Best Song. Allen made frequent appearances on Broadway, and co-wrote and starred in the musical Legs Diamond in 1988. He is best-known for his patriotic ballad I Still Call Australia Home, which became his signature song. Despite his flamboyant stage persona, Allen remained in the closet for most of his life. He died in 1992 of an AIDS-related illness, aged 48, six years after Connell’s AIDS-related death. His life and music were celebrated in the musical The Boy From Oz, first performed on Broadway in 1998 and starring Hugh Jackman as Allen, who won a Tony Award for the role.