October 2014 archive

Obituary: Mike Dorsey

Mike Dorsey, the actor best known for playing Reg “Daddy” MacDonald in Number 96, has died in Western Australia. Number 96 writer David Sale tweeted news of Dorsey’s passing earlier this week. Born in England, Dorsey migrated to Australia in the mid-1960s and soon started appearing in guest roles in various TV series including Hunter, …

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Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2014/10/obituary-mike-dorsey.html

1994: October 29-November 4

Cover: Jonathan Taylor Thomas (Home Improvement), Mark Curry (Hangin’ With Mr Cooper) Byrne hot for Real Life Rumours around the television industry indicate that former 60 Minutes reporter and Sydney radio 2BL presenter Jennifer Byrne is set to return to TV as host of Seven‘s Real Life, replacing Stan Grant. Adding fuel to the speculation is …

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Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2014/10/1994-october-29-november-4.html

Number 96 movie’s 40th birthday bash

The Imperial Hotel in Sydney is next month celebrating the movie version of Number 96, forty years after its cinema release. (Update: Tickets now on sale through Ticketbooth) In an era still of black and white TV, the original cinema release of Number 96 in 1974 gave fans of the show their first chance to see the …

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Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2014/10/number-96-movie-celebrates-its-40th.html

Homicide: 50 years on

Today marks the fiftieth anniversary of the first appearance of Homicide on Australian television. The series, produced by Crawford Productions, wasn’t the first drama produced by Australian television but was the first to demonstrate that Australian audiences would watch locally-produced drama in overwhelming numbers. Its success sparked a booming industry of Australian television drama production. But …

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Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2014/10/homicide-50-years-on.html

On TV: 19 October 1979, Melbourne

The next in our occasional series looking at what was on TV on this day in years past. Today we’re going back to Friday, 19 October 1979 in Melbourne, as listed in TV Week (with Mike Walsh on the cover with Jeanne Little and Sue Smith, celebrating 1500 episodes of The Mike Walsh Show) If you wanted …

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Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2014/10/on-tv-19-october-1979-melbourne.html

1994: October 22-28

All kidding aside! The ratings success of Nine‘s new Just Kidding has handed co-host Sofie Formica (pictured) a tough choice to make. With the first series of 26 episodes completed in advance, Formica went on an extended holiday in the US. But now the Nine Network wants her to come back to do more episodes. “If …

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Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2014/10/1994-october-22-28.html

Anne Wills for Adelaide’s Feast Festival

For 50 years, Anne Wills has been an icon of Adelaide. From early beginnings as a contestant on NWS9‘s Telethon Quest she was soon appointed as weather presenter for NWS9 in 1965. She famously made front page news when she promised that she would wear a bikini on screen if the temperature hit 100 degrees fahrenheit (37.8°C) …

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Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2014/10/anne-wills-for-adelaides-feast-festival.html

Big Girl’s Blouse turns 20

It is 20 years ago today that Big Girl’s Blouse made its television debut. The sketch comedy series, featuring Fast Forward co-stars Gina Riley, Jane Turner and Magda Szubanski, initially aired as a one-hour special on 13 October 1994 before eight half-hour episodes were screened during 1995. Big Girl’s Blouse introduced us to Kath Day (Turner), her daughter …

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Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2014/10/big-girls-blouse-turns-20.html

1994: October 15-21

Jo Beth’s Cinderella story Australia’s Funniest Home Video Show host Jo Beth Taylor and Getaway‘s Lochie Daddo (pictured) will be starring in Australia’s first all-star Christmas pantomime. Taylor will be playing Cinderella and Daddo her Prince Charming — but it’s not the first time the two have been paired up professionally. In the video clip for …

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Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2014/10/1994-october-15-21.html

Nine Adelaide is on the move

After 55 years operating from studios in North Adelaide, NWS Nine Adelaide is on the move to new premises in the Adelaide CBD. Refurbishment at the new address, 169 Pirie Street, has commenced with Nine’s 100-strong staff expected to be onsite from the third quarter of 2015. Nine will also gain naming rights to the former Adelaide …

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Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2014/10/nine-adelaide-is-on-the-move.html