Tag: Blue Heelers

Obituary: Mary Fitzgerald (Parker)

Mary Fitzgerald, one of the first TV presenters on Melbourne television, has died in hospital in Melbourne after a short illness, surrounded by family. Born Mary Parker in England, she grew up in Melbourne after her family relocated to Australia. One of her brothers was Michael Parker, who went on to be private secretary for …

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Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2023/05/obituary-mary-fitzgerald-parker.html

Obituary: Maxine Klibingaitis

Maxine Klibingaitis, actor from series including Prisoner, Neighbours and Family And Friends, has died at the age of 58. The cause of death has not been given. She was a teenager when she was cast in the ABC series Home in 1983. Her big break came later that year when she debuted as punky and …

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Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2023/04/obituary-maxine-klibingaitis.html

Obituary: Terry Norris

Terry Norris, veteran actor and former state politician, has died at the age of 92. His early acting career was in the theatre, first at Melbourne’s Tivoli before going to the United Kingdom, where he stayed for over a decade. It was there that he met his future wife, Julia Blake, and the pair would …

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Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2023/03/obituary-terry-norris.html

Classic TV Guides: Skippy

Skippy The Bush Kangaroo, possibly Australian television’s first major television export, made its Australian debut in Sydney and Melbourne on 5 February 1968. Ninety-one episodes over three series were made between 1966 and 1969. Following the adventures of the Waratah National Park ranger’s youngest son, Sonny Hammond (Garry Pankhurst), and his ultra-intuitive marsupial companion, Skippy …

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Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2023/02/classic-tv-guides-skippy.html

Obituary: Tony Barry

Tony Barry, veteran film and television actor across Australia and New Zealand, has died peacefully after a long illness. He was 81. Born in Queensland, he grew up in Sydney. Despite early ambitions of following his father into becoming an aircraft engineer, Barry tried various jobs after leaving school. He eventually scored some minor bit …

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Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2022/12/obituary-tony-barry.html

Obituary: Martin Vaughan

Actor Martin Vaughan, who played the lead role in the ABC mini-series Power Without Glory, has died at the age of 91. Born in Queensland, Vaughan came to Melbourne as an adult and began work as a public servant before discovering an interest in amateur theatre. His interest turned professional when he signed with The …

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Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2022/11/obituary-martin-vaughan.html

A Tale of Two Magazines

In 2002 the biggest battle in the TV landscape wasn’t on screen but was based around duelling TV magazines. For over 20 years, TV Week had a national monopoly on the market, published by Southdown Press (later Pacific Publications) on behalf of a joint venture between it and Australian Consolidated Press (ACP). This arrangement was …

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Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2022/07/a-tale-of-two-magazines.html

TV Week Logie Awards: 25 years ago

Blue Heelers star Lisa McCune won the Gold Logie at the 29th annual TV Week Logie Awards. The presentation, on Sunday 18 May 1997, was hosted by Daryl Somers and held at Melbourne’s new Crown Entertainment Complex. The venue would go on to host the Logies for the following 20 years. The Gold Logie was …

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Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2022/06/tv-week-logie-awards-25-years-ago-12.html

Obituary: Tommy Dysart

Actor Tommy Dysart, best known from Prisoner and the Yellow Pages “Goggomobil” commercials, has died at the age of 86. One of the first students enrolled at the National Institute Of Dramatic Art (NIDA) when it opened in 1959, Dysart’s acting career began in theatre. He soon made his television debut with a guest role …

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Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2022/06/obituary-tommy-dysart.html

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