Jimmy Hannan (pictured), host of teenage music program Saturday Date, was awarded the Gold Logie for Most Popular Personality on Australian Television at the 7th annual TV Week Logie Awards.

The awards were held on Friday 26 March 1965 at the Palais de Danse, Melbourne and hosted by Gerald Lyons. Crowds of fans queued outside the venue to gain a glimpse of their TV favourites and to seek their autographs. Members of the public could also purchase tickets to attend the event itself.

The only telecast of the presentation was a 20-minute segment after In Melbourne Tonight had finished up on GTV9. Country and interstate viewers were only to see taped highlights at a later date… if at all.

The Logies’ overseas guest was actress Donna Douglas from the popular US sitcom Beverly Hillbillies. As well as handing out the statuettes to the various Logie winners, Douglas (pictured with Judy Stone) was also to accept Beverly Hillbillies‘ Logie for Best Overseas Show.

Hannan’s Gold Logie win was not only the result of his hosting Nine’s Saturday Date and the 5-minute Top Pop but also due to regular appearances on Bandstand and In Melbourne Tonight. Such was his popularity that only months after his Gold Logie win, Hannan was ‘banned’ from appearing on the Nine Network because his management had signed a lucrative deal — reported to be worth £74,000 over three years — to switch to Melbourne’s ATV0 and its network partners in the new year. Although he was no longer allowed to appear on screen, Hannan continued to be paid his full salary by Nine pending the expiration of his existing contract.

Husband and wife team Bobby Limb and Dawn Lake continued to add to their Logie collection. Lake won Best Female Personality, while Limb won Best Male Personality in New South Wales. Their show Sound Of Music also won the Logie for Best Live Show.

Melbourne-based drama series Homicide won a Logie for Best Australian Drama and the comedy hit The Mavis Bramston Show won Best New Show.

The Logie for Best Single Documentary was won by ABC‘s A New Heart For Graham. The special, hosted by Keith Smith, followed the case of eight-year-old ‘Graham’, who suffered a hole in the heart. The program followed the boy’s progress through surgery, including interviewing medical personnel and filming the actual surgical procedure, and convalescence.

As well as the usual state-based awards, two special Logies were awarded for services to newsreading: Melbourne’s Eric Pearce and Brisbane’s Melody Welsh. Welsh is regarded as one of the first female news presenters on Australian television.

Graham Kennedy continued his winning streak of Logies for Most Popular Male Personality in Victoria.

Robyn Nevin, later to become a successful actress, was a presenter for ABC in Tasmania and won Most Popular Female Personality in that state.

National awards:

Gold Logie: Jimmy Hannan

Best Female Personality: Dawn Lake
Best Teenage Performer: Billy Thorpe

Best Live Show: Sound Of Music
Best Documentary Series: Project 64
Best New Show: The Mavis Bramston Show
Best Australian Drama Series: Homicide
Best Single Documentary: New Heart For Graham

Most Outstanding National Show: The BP Super Show

Best Overseas Show: Beverly Hillbillies

State-based awards:

NSW: Bobby Limb, Judy Stone, Tonight
VIC: Graham Kennedy, Toni Lamond, Eric Pearce*, In Melbourne Tonight
QLD: Dick McCann, Jackie Ellison, Melody Welsh*, Theatre Royal
SA: Ernie Sigley, Glenys O’Brien, Country And Western Hour
TAS: Graeme Smith, Robyn Nevin

* Special award for newsreading.

Source: TV Week, 3 April 1965. TV Week, 10 April 1965. TV Times, 25 August 1965.

The 57th annual TV Week Logie Awards. Sunday 3 May, 7.30pm (Red Carpet 7pm), Nine Network.