January 2020 archive

30 years since Tonight Live began

Thirty years ago, the Seven Network and lawyer-turned-comedian Steve Vizard gave the 10.30pm timeslot a shake-up with their new variety show, Tonight Live With Steve Vizard. Vizard had been part of the team involved in the late-night sketch comedy series The Eleventh Hour, made for HSV7, Melbourne, in 1985. While many of his fellow cast …

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Kay McGrath signs off last bulletin

Brisbane newsreader Kay McGrath has signed off from her last Seven News bulletin on Sunday night, ending more than 30 years at the Seven newsdesk in Brisbane. Originally from New Zealand, McGrath travelled the world before settling in Queensland in the late 1970s, scoring a job at the Gold Coast Bulletin newspaper followed by a …

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TV names in Australia Day Honours List

Nine Network newsreader Peter Overton (pictured), veteran performer Noeline Brown, transgender actor and activist Georgie Stone and TV presenter Johanna Griggs are among television identities to feature in this year’s Australia Day Honours List: Officer in the General Division of the Order of Australia (AO): Ian Healy (AO) — “For distinguished service to cricket at …

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Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2020/01/tv-names-in-australia-day-honours-list.html

Arcade: Going from hero to zero

By the turn of the ’80s it was the unofficial benchmark for each commercial network to have two successful soapie dramas in the schedule. Seven had Cop Shop and Skyways, and Nine had The Sullivans and The Young Doctors. The then 0-10 Network had the popular Prisoner and teen drama The Restless Years. For some reason, …

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Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2020/01/arcade-going-from-hero-to-zero.html

Obituary: Grant Goldman

Grant Goldman, voice over announcer and radio presenter, has died at the age of 69. He had been diagnosed with terminal cancer in 2017. Starting his career at the age of 14, Goldman was a distinctive and familiar voice on radio, working at numerous radio stations including 2UE, 2WS, 2DAY, 2GB, 4IP, 3UZ and 5AD. …

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Obituary: Tom Long

Actor Tom Long, best known from the original Seachange series and the film The Dish, has died at the age of 51. Long was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2012. Last year he took part in an immunotherapy medical trial in Seattle last April, with 17 other patients. He was declared cancer free after several …

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Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2020/01/obituary-tom-long.html

Happy New Year from the Young Talent Team

Happy New Year (1972) from the cast of Young Talent Time. Pictured clockwise from bottom left: Julie Ryles, Greg Mills, Debbie Byrne, Phillip Gould, Anne Hawker, Johnny Young, Johnny Hawker, Rod Kirkham, Vikki Broughton, Jamie Redfern and Jane Scali. Source: TV Week, 1 January 1972

Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2020/01/happy-new-year-from-the-young-talent-team.html