“Jack Karlson died from prostate cancer in 2024, aged 82.”

“Months earlier, he had reunited with one of the policemen in the video, Stoll Watt, to announce an upcoming documentary into his obscure and eccentric life.”

“There are two main schools of thought on this, the NFSA says - one that he had been confused for a Hungarian chess player known for dine-and-dash attempts in Australia at the time.”

“The other theory is that credit card company American Express had reported him to the police for using stolen credit cards, the national archive writes.”

“NFSA releases its Sounds of Australia 'capsule' every year, to recognise recordings that have had lasting impacts and shaped cultural moments.”

“Its 2026 capsule also includes Missy Higgins' 2004 hit Scar, celebrated for a chorus that 'defined a generation of Australian pop'; and the beeping of the country's pedestrian crossings, which had 'reshaped how Australians move through cities and suburbs'.”