15 August 1962: Michael Charlton (Four Corners)
15 August 1964: Johnny O’Keefe
15 August 1981: Paula Duncan (Cop Shop)
15 August 1992: Jana Wendt (A Current Affair)
15 August 1998: Ben Unwin and Sara Mumcu (Home And Away)
15 August 2009: Kyle Sandilands (Australian Idol)
15 August 1971: The Seven Network sitcom The Group makes its debut in Melbourne. The series, starring Ken James, Greg Ross, Gregory de Polnay, Terry O’Neill and Roslyn Wilson, was based around a group of flatmates — three men and a woman — and their landlord. The Group made its debut in Sydney on 18 August 1971. It was not renewed for a second series.
15 August 1976: The sitcom The Bluestone Boys makes its debut on ATV0, Melbourne. The series, set in a fictional prison, featured (pictured above, from left) Chuck Faulkner (Division 4), Vic Gordon (Matlock Police), George Spartels and Garry Meadows (The Price Is Right). Other cast included Brian Blain, Eric Oldfield (The Godfathers), Carla Hoogeveen (Class Of ’74), Frank Wilson (New Faces), John Michael Howson (Adventure Island) and Denise Drysdale (The Ernie Sigley Show), with Bert Newton making a guest appearance in the first episode as a TV reporter. Sydney’s TEN10 debuted the series on 27 August 1976.
15 August 1992: Seven debuts 13-part drama series Bony, the spin-off from the 1990 telemovie of the same name, starring Cameron Daddo as part-Aboriginal detective David John Bonaparte, the grandson of the central character from the 1971 original series, Boney.
15 August 1995: Various special telecasts to commemorate Australia Remembers — the 50th anniversary of VP Day. Including the Australia Remembers Parade, live from Brisbane, the Prime Minister’s Address To The Nation, and a special edition of The 7.30 Report. This is followed by the Flame Of Freedom Celebrations, live from Brisbane, and the documentary Faces Of War: The Battle Comes Home.
15 August 2010: The series premiere of Offspring, starring Asher Keddie as Nina Proudman, the obstetrician juggling a successful professional life with a somewhat erratic family and romantic life.
