Musician, entertainer.
A performer for almost eighty years, Enzo Toppano was the youngest of six siblings born to Italian farmers Leonardo Toppano and Katerina (D'Appolonia). His parent had left their homeland after the war, initially settling in Canada for ten years before moving to Australia shortly before Enzo was born. He learned piano accordion from his father and began his life as an entertainer while still at school and made his radio debut on the ABC at 13. At age 21 he travelled to Britain and quickly established himself as the best instrumentalist on the London Palladium circuit.
Shortly after arriving in London, Toppano met up with fellow Australian performer, Peggy Mortimer, who had been in Britain for several years (the pair had met years before as guests on the Dick Bentley radio show). The two entertainers had been booked to appear in the same Entertainments National Service Association show touring to Vienna (then under the control of the four Allied powers). They fell in love and married in 1950. Their first child, daughter Peta, was born a year later. Later, while Enzo toured England on the Stoll Moss theatre circuit, Peggy appeared in concert performances and continued her work with the BBC.
The Toppanos returned to Australia in the mid-1950s when Peggy's father became ill. They intended going back to Britain but found life much easier at home than in post-war England. After deciding to stay the couple toured throughout Australia and New Zealand in tours of Ice Parade, Ice Capades, and in shows produced by Harry Wren. Among the first entertainers to appear on Australian television, the Toppanos were given their own segment on Sydney's first TV breakfast show (hosted by Ray Taylor and broadcast on ATN-7). 'Enzo was the musical director, accompanist for other acts, comedy actor and even cameraman one day when the regular man didn't turn up. Peggy did interviews, sang and played the piano' (Lorenzo Toppano).
In 1968, Enzo (music) and Peggy (libretto) wrote the musical The Flintstones which successfully toured Australia and New Zealand with the Rudas Organisation. The following year they began working exclusively with Tibor Rudas as writers and composers for his organisation. This engagement saw them tour through more than 35 countries, including North America, the Bahamas and Europe.
After returning again to Australia in 1971, the Toppanos and Lorrae Desmond wrote the religious rock opera, The Jesus Christ Revolution for Harry Wren. When the producer heard that Jesus Christ Superstar was imminent he pushed the trio to complete the libretto (which they did in six weeks) and it subsequently toured Australia and New Zealand (where it became one of the most popular musicals of its time). It also won the award for best new musical at the Edinburgh Festival in 1972.
In 1973 and 1974, the Toppano family performed exclusively for the Hilton hotel nightclub circuit throughout Asia, and at casinos and nightclubs in Las Vegas, New York, the Bahamas and Montreal. From 1976 to the mid-1980s, they were a permanent fixture at the Manly Music Loft, appearing in a string of revues, including In the Family Way (written by Peggy), Once More With Feeling and Encore.
After his wife's death in 2003, Toppano dedicated himself to performing in her memory. He and his son, Dean, frequently performed in homes and institutions for dementia and Alzheimer's disease patients in her memory. In the last week of his life, Toppano was with his sons in Mexico recording keyboard overdubs for a coming CD for the Latin American market.
