Tag: Alvin Purple

Obituary: Alan Hopgood

Alan Hopgood, veteran actor and playwright, has died from cancer at the age of 87. Born in Tasmania, Hopgood made his TV acting debut in 1957, starring in the ABC play Sound Of Thunder. He went on to appear in a number of one-off plays for television including Tragedy In A Temporary Town, Antony And …

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Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2022/03/obituary-alan-hopgood.html

Prisoner stars before Prisoner

Last week marked the 40th anniversary of the debut of Prisoner. Most of the actors from the series had come from established acting backgrounds, though for many it was Prisoner that made them household (and even international) names even though they were not necessarily strangers to television. So what were some of the Prisoner cast …

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Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2019/03/prisoner-stars-before-prisoner.html

Classic TV Guides: Burst Of Summer

“How does a beautiful aboriginal girl pick up the dreary threads of her normal life after a brief but heady taste of glory as a film star?” Such was the premise of Oriel Gray‘s play Burst Of Summer, as described in TV Times magazine in 1961. Burst Of Summer told the story of singer Peggy …

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Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2017/09/classic-tv-guides-burst-of-summer.html

40 years since The Box, Class Of ’74

Forty years ago there was a turning point for two of Australia’s most prolific television producers — Reg Grundy and Hector Crawford. Grundy (pictured), a former radio announcer, had built his TV production empire largely on game and panel shows — many being local adaptations of formats developed overseas. It was a successful strategy but …

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Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2014/02/40-years-since-the-box-class-of-74.html

The 3rd AACTA Awards

Actress Jacki Weaver (pictured) has been applauded for a career spanning over 50 years at last night’s 3rd annual AACTA Awards (formerly the AFI Awards). Weaver received the Raymond Longford Award for lifetime achievement at the presentation held at The Star, Sydney. The accolade comes just days after she was made an Officer of the Order …

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Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2014/01/3rd-annual-aacta-awards.html

Paul Bongiorno in Australia Day Honours

Network Ten‘s National Affairs editor Paul Bongiorno has been appointed a member of the Order of Australia (AM) in today’s Australia Day Honours. Bongiorno received recognition for his significant service to the print and broadcast media as a journalist, political commentator and editor. In a career that started with the Seven Network in 1974, Bongiorno has been …

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Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2014/01/paul-bongiorno-in-australia-day-honours.html

1993: May 2-8

A host of fun! All Together Now star Steven Jacobs will be joining Jo Beth Taylor to co-host a special edition of Australia’s Funniest Home Video Show, with the show featuring some of his own bloopers from All Together Now. With production of All Together Now said to be winding up Jacobs is looking for …

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Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2013/05/1993-may-2-8.html

Happy 80th Birthday, ABC!

It was 80 years ago today (1 July 1932) that Australia’s national broadcaster — ABC — was officially opened by Prime Minister Joseph Lyons. The Australian Broadcasting Commission — as it was then — initially comprised of twelve existing radio stations, covering each State capital city as well as Newcastle, Corowa, Rockhampton and Crystal Brook …

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Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2012/07/happy-80th-birthday-abc.html

Talking Alvin

In over 30 years in showbusiness, Graeme Blundell has authored books (including biographies of Graham Kennedy and artist Brett Whiteley) and worked on both sides of the camera and the stage – and despite appearing in countless television and film productions, he is most likely to be best remembered for his role as the ‘70s …

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Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2009/06/talking-alvin.html

1979: February 17-23

Good medicine! The Seven Network‘s new comedy series Doctors Down Under promises that the only treatment viewers will get from St Barnabas Hospital over the next three months will be a dose of laughs from Doctors Waring (Robin Nedwell) and Stuart-Clark (Geoffrey Davies).  The two actors decided to adapt the long-running English comedy series to …

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Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2009/02/1979-february-17-23.html