Kimberley’s secret bush retreat
Neighbours star Kimberley Davies (pictured) loves living in the city but she is a country girl at heart. The model-turned-actress grew up on a farm near Ballarat in western Victoria. “I gave all the animals on the farm names,” she told TV Week. “I had two lambs called Molly and Polly and a kelpie called Spike. The lambs used to follow me everywhere. I used to idolise Molly in A Country Practice and I dressed just like her. I’d put tinsel on my gumboots and do my hair like hers.” When time permits Davies delights in visiting family that still live on farms in the area.
Larry’s price is right
An old TV favourite is set to reappear as the upcoming summer replacement for Nine‘s Sale Of The Century. Larry Emdur, former host of The Main Event and now breakfast presenter on Sydney’s 2UW, is tipped to host the revival of The Price Is Right. The format was last broadcast in Australia as a Saturday night program hosted by Ian Turpie for Network Ten in 1989.
‘It’s our swansong’
Former Sale Of The Century co-host Jo Bailey is making a brief return to the game show, putting to rest industry rumours that she had been sacked. Bailey, who is about to appear in new lifestyle show Looking Good, will be back on the set with Sale host Glenn Ridge for one week. “When Jo left, one criticism I think was quite justified was that it all happened so fast. We never had a chance to say goodbye to her,” Ridge told TV Week. “Because we all think the world of her, we’re very happy to be able to do that now. I suppose you could say it’s our swansong.” Ridge has told TV Week that despite media speculation Sale will be back in 1994. “When Jo left, the media were all kicking their boots in and saying we were doomed,” he said.
Running late for Sydney
Sydney securing the rights to host the 2000 Olympic Games was big news enough, but what was to follow was even better for TV fans — The Late Show was making a rare trip from its Melbourne home base to the harbour city. The special Sydney-based show included guest appearances from celebrities Don Burke, Jeanne Little, Geoff Harvey, sports presenter Ian Maurice, Money host Paul Clitheroe and SBS sports commentator Les Murray as the various Late Show cast were being ‘billeted out’ for their stay in Sydney. Lucky Grills, whose 1970s TV cop series Bluey has had a new lease on life as the comically re-voiced Bargearse, was joined by Al Grassby, Christopher Truswell (‘Nudge’ from Hey Dad!) and Gwen Plumb for the show’s musical mix-up act — Grassby, Grills, Nudge and Plumb (pictured) — a play on the name Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. The show also featured a cameo by ABC managing director David Hill and a recreation of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, painted by Ken Done, filled the set’s backdrop. Whether The Late Show will be back for return visit to Sydney is yet to be known — the ABC is hoping to negotiate a third series of The Late Show, although there are rumours that the Nine Network is keen to pursue them.
Briefly…
- Scott Michaelson is set to lead a string of cast departures from Neighbours over the coming months. Michaelson, who plays Brad Willis, will be taping his final scenes at the end of the year. Also to exit the series are Natalie Imbruglia and Rachel Blakely. Michaelson is heading to the UK but not before dropping in for a visit on Nine‘s Paradise Beach.
Network Ten has confirmed that Healthy Wealthy And Wise will be back for its third series in 1994 — without Jacki MacDonald (pictured). She is stepping away from the show to be a full-time mum.- Neighbours star Bruce Samazan is rumoured to be hosting a new country music pilot for ABC. The pilot for the unnamed show will be taped in Brisbane in November. If the show goes ahead it does not mean he will have to leave Neighbours.
- GP stars Michael O’Neill and Theresa Wong are to be written out from the long-running ABC drama — and both could not be more thrilled. O’Neill is planning to relocate to country Victoria with his wife and two young sons for a more laid back lifestyle, while Wong is looking forward to spending more time on her newly-launched graphic design business.
Lawrie Masterson: The View From Here
“A friend of mine suddenly announced the other night that he finally had made up his mind and is going to tackle an acting career full-time. He is certainly not a millionaire, but I’d say he is as secure as anyone can be these days. So why would he want to throw it all in at his time of life and start all over again? The Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA) estimates that between 85 and 90 per cent of its actor members are out of work at any given time. On figures provided by the MEAA, my friend, who does not have a well-known name or great track record to back him up, can expect to earn $159 minimum an hour doing commercial voice-overs. They are specialist work and, at that rate, I imagine the competition is hot. If he lands a job as an extra in a movie, he gets $86.90 a day. If it’s a TV series, make that the princely sum of $87.20 — and, I repeat, that’s a daily, not hourly rate. Minus tax and agent’s commission, that doesn’t leave much over for limousine hire or holidays on the Riviera, or even in the Riverina!”
Program Highlights (Melbourne, October 23-29):
Saturday: Afternoon sport includes indoor cricket (1.05pm, ABC), Women’s National League hockey (3pm, ABC) and the National Netball Championships (5pm, ABC).
Sunday: Sunday night movies are The Doctor (Seven), Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade (Nine) and For The Boys (Ten).
Monday: In A Country Practice (7.30pm, Seven), Darcy (Kym Wilson, pictured) faints when she tries to watch an operation on her injured knee. In Healthy Wealthy And Wise (7.30pm, Ten), Jim Brown heads to Tamworth; Lyn Talbot presents a backpacker’s guide to travelling; Iain Hewitson cooks two traditional recipes from the American South; and Ross Greenwood looks at the costs involved in a funeral.
Tuesday: Actress Linda Cropper guest stars in GP (8.30pm, ABC). Ten begins a rerun of the ABC mini-series Brides Of Christ (8.30pm) — screening over three nights.
Wednesday: In Neighbours (6.30pm, Ten), Gaby’s (Rachel Blakely) behaviour arouses Philip’s (Ian Rawlings) suspicions that she may be planning to challenge him for his job. Liz Hayes hosts the new fashion and beauty series Looking Good (8pm, Nine), featuring reporters Jo Bailey, model Toneya Bird (best known from the controversial Antz Pantz underwear commercials) and photographer Rennie Ellis.
Thursday: In Snowy (8.30pm, Nine), Michael (Bernard Curry) stands by Stuart (Bill Kerr) as he is found guilty of attempted murder.
Friday: In The Great Outdoors (7.30pm, Seven), Frankie J Holden visits the sea lion colony at Seal Bay in South Australia; Rex Hunt tries out a houseboat holiday in the Hawkesbury River district; Ernie Dingo searches for pearls in Broome; and Penny Cook visits the environmentally friendly town of Bellingen on the NSW north coast.
Source: TV Week (Melbourne edition), incorporating TV Times and TV Guide. 23 October 1993. Southdown Press.
