Television.AU – The History of Australian Television

Obituary: Terry Norris

Tue, 21 Mar 2023 13:00:20 +0200

Terry Norris, veteran actor and former state politician, has died at the age of 92. His early acting career was in the theatre, first at Melbourne’s Tivoli before going to the United Kingdom, where he stayed for over a decade. It was there that he met his future wife, Julia Blake, and the pair would …

ABC sells Gore Hill studio site

Sat, 11 Mar 2023 22:00:55 +0200

The ABC has sold its last remaining slice of its heritage Gore Hill precinct in Sydney. The 14 hectare property, on Lanceley Place, Artarmon, has been sold for $95 million to the Goodman Group. The site was the location of ABN2‘s studios and transmitter from when the station commenced operation in 1956 — although the …

Logie Awards moving to Sydney

Mon, 06 Mar 2023 13:00:31 +0200

The Seven Network, as new broadcaster partner of the TV Week Logie Awards, has announced that this year’s presentation will be held on Sunday 30 July in Sydney. It is the awards’ first time in Sydney since 1986 and the first time on Seven since 1995. The move to Sydney ends the Logies’ multi-year deal with …

The Dismissal: 40 years on

Sun, 05 Mar 2023 22:00:36 +0200

The screening of the mini-series The Dismissal — forty years ago this week — marked a significant landmark for both its host network, Ten, and in Australian television’s growing interest in mini-series production. Australia’s commercial networks had hopped on the mini-series bandwagon as far back as 1976 with Luke’s Kingdom and 1978’s Against The Wind. …

1973: Which channel would go?

Sun, 26 Feb 2023 02:00:45 +0200

The question around the ongoing viability of three commercial networks has been raised, on and off, for many years. It was a question asked right back to when the federal government first permitted a third commercial network in the early 1960s — and in 1973 the industry itself was almost willing to sacrifice some of its own to ensure the sector’s survival. In February that year, the newly sworn-in federal minister for media, Senator Douglas McClelland, was considering a proposal from the executives representing Australia’s capital city commercial networks to have cities where three commercial channels existed reduced to two. …

ABC’s Certain Women

Mon, 13 Feb 2023 22:00:51 +0200

Fifty years ago, ABC‘s Certain Women marked a shift in putting the primary focus in Australian television drama on women. Up until then, Australian television drama was largely male-dominated. Indeed, it was not until 1972 that the TV Week Logie Awards sought to add a category for Best Actress. Although serials like Motel, Bellbird and …

Classic TV Guides: Skippy

Sun, 05 Feb 2023 01:00:42 +0200

Skippy The Bush Kangaroo, possibly Australian television’s first major television export, made its Australian debut in Sydney and Melbourne on 5 February 1968. Ninety-one episodes over three series were made between 1966 and 1969. Following the adventures of the Waratah National Park ranger’s youngest son, Sonny Hammond (Garry Pankhurst), and his ultra-intuitive marsupial companion, Skippy …

Obituary: Gary Fenton

Wed, 01 Feb 2023 09:00:32 +0200

Gary Fenton, a former senior executive at the Seven and Nine networks, has died. He was a programming director at HSV7, Melbourne as far back as 1976. In 1988, when still in the programming role, he told The Herald newspaper: “It’s treading a fine line trying to come up with a schedule, and programs within …

Obituary: Diana Fisher

Sat, 28 Jan 2023 09:00:03 +0200

Diana Fisher, royal commentator and TV panellist, has died at the age of 91. She had been admitted to hospital in Sydney earlier in the week following a two-year battle with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Born in the UK as Diana Davis, her first job was at the BBC, where she stayed for eight years and met …

Historic WIN news footage saved

Fri, 13 Jan 2023 22:00:51 +0200

Archival news footage from as far back as the 1960s has been rescued from destruction amid a clean-out of the WIN studios in Mildura. Being the region’s only local TV news service for over 50 years, the station archive contains unique news and commercial footage at risk of being lost forever. Much of the collection, …

7Bravo: The first week

Tue, 10 Jan 2023 13:00:24 +0200

The Seven Network has announced the first week of programs for its new reality and entertainment channel 7Bravo, launching this Sunday on channel 75. With programs from the Bravo and E! brands, titles include Million Dollar Listing NY, The Real Housewives Of New Jersey, Judge Jerry, Top Chef, Dinner Date, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy …

Obituary: Joan Sydney

Thu, 05 Jan 2023 14:00:40 +0200

Actor Joan Sydney, best known as Matron Maggie Sloane in A Country Practice, has died at the age of 83. English-born, her early career was in the theatre, which she continued after arriving in Australia in 1965. She made her Australian TV debut in the telemovie The Scalp Merchant in 1978, followed by an appearance …

Happy New Year from Number 96

Sat, 31 Dec 2022 15:00:38 +0200

Happy New Year (1973) from Number 96 cast members Joe Hasham, Abigail, Elaine Lee and Tom Oliver. The series that arrived with much controversy early in 1972 had ended the year with some big cliffhangers: Is Bev Houghton (Abigail) having an incestuous relationship with her brother, Rod (John Benton)? Will Salvadore Russo (John Serge) survive …

2022: We remember…

Sat, 31 Dec 2022 02:00:13 +0200

Judy Banks Shane Warne Brian Davies Rob Readings Alan Hopgood Ernie Carroll Caroline Jones Tommy Dysart Carol Raye John Tingle Olivia Newton-John Vince Gil Basia Rendall (Bonkowski) John Hamblin Martin Vaughan Tony Barry Bobby Driessen 2021: We Remember… 2020: We Remember… 2019: We Remember… 2018: We Remember… 2017: We Remember… 2016: We Remember… 2015: We …

2022: The Big Reset

Fri, 30 Dec 2022 22:00:04 +0200

It seems that 2022 will be best remembered for holding a giant re-set of some of our biggest TV names and shows, as some of our highest-profile presenters have decided to call it a day — either temporarily or perhaps longer term. It is hard to recall a year where so many key personalities have …

Obituary: Bobby Driessen

Fri, 30 Dec 2022 07:00:41 +0200

Former Young Talent Time star Bobby Driessen has died at age 56. No cause for his death has been reported other than he died suddenly in his sleep. Born in the Netherlands, Driessen and his family moved to Australia, initially living in Adelaide and then Darwin. The family survived Cyclone Tracy in 1974 but moved …

Have a Strictly Ballroom Christmas!

Sat, 24 Dec 2022 22:00:32 +0200

Television.AU wishes everyone a very Merry Christmas. This year’s Christmas flashback takes us back to 1992, when TV Week‘s multi-network Christmas photoshoot took its theme from the year’s biggest movie hit, Strictly Ballroom. Decked out in their tizzy finery were Rachel Blakely (Neighbours), Bruce Roberts (Home And Away), Steven Jacobs (All Together Now), Gia Carides …

Young Talent Time’s Caravan Holiday

Fri, 23 Dec 2022 22:00:33 +0200

Tucked away on a Saturday afternoon on Christmas Eve, 1972, Melbourne’s ATV0 screened the 20-minute film Caravan Holiday. The short film, produced by Lewis/Young Productions and Ansett Television Films, served as a promotional spot for the Caravan Trade and Industries Association and starred the eight junior cast members of Young Talent Time — Vikki Broughton, …

Obituary: Tony Barry

Thu, 22 Dec 2022 22:00:27 +0200

Tony Barry, veteran film and television actor across Australia and New Zealand, has died peacefully after a long illness. He was 81. Born in Queensland, he grew up in Sydney. Despite early ambitions of following his father into becoming an aircraft engineer, Barry tried various jobs after leaving school. He eventually scored some minor bit …

The 12th AACTA Awards

Wed, 07 Dec 2022 22:00:20 +0200

The ABC series Mystery Road: Origin and the Netflix series Heartbreak High were the big winners at the 12th AACTA Awards. Mystery Road: Origin won a total of seven awards, including Best Drama Series, Best Lead Actress In A Drama (Tuuli Narkle) and Best Lead Actor In A Drama (Mark Coles Smith). Heartbreak High, a …