TV Week Logie Awards: 25 years ago

Ray Martin won his third Gold Logie as Most Popular Personality On Australian Television at the 36th annual TV Week Logie Awards.

The awards were held at Melbourne’s World Congress Centre on Sunday 17 April 1994 and telecast on the Nine Network. It was the first time since the 1960s that the awards were presented away from their traditional Friday night slot. “I hope we’ve started something with Sunday night at the Logies,” Martin, hosting the awards for the first time, told TV Week. “It was exciting having the first ‘new look’ Logies.”

Martin’s Gold win ranked him ahead of fellow nominees Gary Sweet, Daryl Somers and Home And Away star Dieter Brummer. “I thought it was Gary’s year, so I’m very pleased,” Martin told TV Week. Martin, who had recently switched from hosting Midday to A Current Affair, also won the Logie for Most Popular Light Entertainment Personality.


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It was a big night for ABC‘s Police Rescue, with Gary Sweet and Sonia Todd winning the Silver Logies for Most Popular Actor and Actress. Police Rescue won the first of the new category Most Popular Drama, beating Nine Network dramas Law Of The Land and Snowy.

The Seven Network’s Home And Away again won the Logie for Most Popular Series, beating A Country Practice and GP. Home And Away star Melissa George won Most Popular New Talent, ahead of Kimberley Davies and Jo Beth Taylor.

Hey Hey It’s Saturday won Most Popular Light Entertainment Program, beating The Late Show and Midday. However, The Late Show in turn beat Hey Hey It’s Saturday for Most Popular Comedy Program.

Burke’s Backyard won the Logie for Most Popular Lifestyle/Information Program for the fifth consecutive year and the only show to have won the award since the category launched in 1990.

The Seven Network’s Real Life, hosted by Stan Grant, broke A Current Affair‘s five-year winning streak for Most Popular Public Affairs Program.  “I never had any doubts at all when people were saying we wouldn’t go the distance,” Grant told TV Week. “I know one thing. They don’t give these awards to critics, so they can go write what they like.”

Seven also won Most Popular Sports Program for its coverage of the 1993 AFL Grand Final, and Agro’s Cartoon Connection won Most Popular Children’s Program for the fourth year running.

Ruth Cracknell, star of the ABC situation comedy Mother And Son, won the Logie for Most Popular Comedy Personality. Cracknell and co-star Garry McDonald both won Silver Logies for the industry-voted Most Outstanding Actress and Actor.

ABC scored well in the Most Outstanding categories, with wins by The Late Show, Phoenix 2 and documentary Labor In Power.

The Nine Network’s coverage of the announcement of Sydney as host city of the 2000 Olympic Games won Most Outstanding Achievement In News, and the Sunday report “Ships Of Shame” won Most Outstanding Public Affairs Report.

Veteran actor Charles ‘Bud’ Tingwell was the 11th inductee into the TV Week Logie Awards Hall Of Fame. Through his career, Tingwell has been an actor, director, writer, producer and teacher and a passionate supporter of the Australian industry.  His career started in 1941 as a cadet announcer at Sydney radio station 2CH. His career later took him to the United Kingdom where he worked for the next 15 years on stage, film and television. He returned to Australia in the early 1970s, initially as a guest star in Division 4 and then an ongoing role with Homicide. From that point on Tingwell had worked almost continuously, both in front and behind the camera.

The awards presentation got off to a futuristic start with a reworking of The Heat Is On (as “The TV’s On”) with David Dixon and Abi Tucker, and a line-up of stars including Gary Sweet, Jon English, Rebecca Gibney, Jane Hall, Shirley Strachan, Kimberley Davies, Derryn Hinch (on drums), Matthew Krok and Marika (Mark Mitchell) revved up the crowd with the ’70s hit Most People I Know.

Actors Michael Crawford and Murphy Brown star Grant Shaud were overseas guests at the Logies, with soul singer Randy Crawford performing the ballad Imagine.

TV Week Logie Winners 1994: Public Voting Categories:

Gold Logie — Most Popular Personality: Ray Martin (Midday)

Silver Logie — Most Popular Actor: Gary Sweet (Police Rescue)
Silver Logie — Most Popular Actress: Sonia Todd (Police Rescue)

Most Popular Series: Home And Away (Seven)
Most Popular Drama: Police Rescue (ABC)
Most Popular Light Entertainment Program: Hey Hey It’s Saturday (Nine)
Most Popular Light Entertainment Personality: Ray Martin (Midday)
Most Popular Comedy Program: The Late Show (ABC)
Most Popular Comedy Personality: Ruth Cracknell (Mother And Son)
Most Popular Public Affairs Program: Real Life (Seven)
Most Popular Lifestyle Information Program: Burke’s Backyard (Nine)
Most Popular Sports Program: AFL Grand Final (Seven)
Most Popular Children’s Program: Agro’s Cartoon Connection (Seven)
Most Popular New Talent: Melissa George (Home And Away)

TV Week Logie Winners 1994: Industry Voting Categories:

Gold Logie — Hall Of Fame: Charles ‘Bud’ Tingwell

Silver Logie — Most Outstanding Actor: Garry McDonald (Mother And Son)
Silver Logie — Most Outstanding Actress: Ruth Cracknell (Mother And Son)

Most Outstanding Achievement In Drama: Phoenix 2 (ABC)
Most Outstanding Documentary: Labor In Power (ABC)
Most Outstanding Achievement In News: “Sydney 2000 Announcement” (Nine)
Most Outstanding Achievement In Public Affairs: “Ships Of Shame”, Sunday (Nine)
Most Outstanding Achievement In Comedy: The Late Show (ABC)
Most Outstanding Achievement By Regional Television: Rest In Peace (Prime)

Source: TV Week, 16 April 1994, 23 April 1994.

The 61st annual TV Week Logie Awards. Sunday 30 June, 7.30pm (Red Carpet 7pm), Nine Network and 9Now.

Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2019/06/tv-week-logie-awards-25-years-ago-9.html

1 comment

    • Caroline B. on 30 June 2019 at 10:19 AM
    • Reply

    I loved the U tube memories – a wealth of Australian talent hit our screens back then, sadly so many no longer with us today. The intro in control room so cleverly put together. Even a mention with Geoff Harvey -the great musical director of the time. This clip is full of memories for us oldies. Thank you TV AU.

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