Hey Hey ready for revival

Almost a decade after its demise, Hey Hey It’s Saturday is set to come back – at this stage in the form of two reunion specials to air on the Nine Network later this year.

If the specials rate well then it may trigger negotiations for a revived ongoing series.

Daryl Somers, who hosted HHIS for its entire 28 year run and in later years also produced the show, has been eager to see the program returned to screens and there have on-again off-again rumours about the show’s return for some years. 

There was also a possibility in recent years that Somers’ connection to Seven as host of Dancing With The Stars could have seen HHIS revived on that network.  In 2006, Somers staged a mini-reunion of HHIS cast members as part of the Melbourne-based Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal.

It is not known how many HHIS former cast members would be involved in the reunion specials or any future series.  The reunion specials are also not expected to air on Saturdays with reports that they may go to air on Tuesday in an attempt to dent the popularity of Seven’s factual titles and drama Packed To The Rafters and Ten’s new game show hit Talkin’ ‘Bout Your Generation.

The original Hey Hey It’s Saturday began in October 1971 as a Saturday morning program on GTV9 Melbourne, featuring Cartoon Corner host Somers and Collingwood footballer Peter McKenna.  The program’s original format was Saturday morning cartoons linked with studio segments. 

McKenna left the program and was replaced with Ossie Ostrich, a puppet operated by Ernie Carroll, a writer and performer on some of GTV9’s earlier children’s and variety shows.

The HHIS team then later included radio announcer John Blackman as the show’s rarely-seen booth announcer who would provide voices for some of the show’s famous characters including Charlie Who, the Angel, Mrs MacGillicuddy and Fred Fly.

The popularity of the show triggered a couple of album releases – Hey Hey It’s Daryl And Ossie and Keep Smiling With Daryl And Ossie – and the phasing out of the cartoon segments in the show, focusing more on live studio segments. 

HHIS appeared to be over after 1977 when the team moved across to the rival 0-10 Network to present a prime-time game show, The Daryl And Ossie Show, in 1978.  The game show lasted eight weeks and HHIS was re-instated at Nine early in 1979 with a new addition to the team, children’s TV presenter Jacki MacDonald who had been hosting Nine’s replacement Saturday morning show in the meantime.

In February 1984, HHIS became Hey Hey It’s Saturday Night, airing in the 9.30pm timeslot and providing an entertaining option to the usual Saturday night TV fare.

In June 1985 the show moved to the earlier timeslot of 6.30pm and had removed the ‘Night’ from the show’s title.  HHIS continued to add new team members, including Wilbur Wilde, Red Symons, Ian ‘Molly’ Meldrum (pictured) and others including Shane Bourne, Maurie Fields and cartoonist Andrew Fyfe.  Dominating the two-hour early-evening block on a Saturday night it became difficult for other networks to rival its popularity.

Jacki MacDonald left the show in 1988 and was later replaced by two-time TV Week Gold Logie winner Denise Drysdale, who in turn was later replaced by Jo-Beth Taylor, Penne Dennison and Livinia Nixon.  Ernie Carroll, who has recently turned 80, retired from the show in 1994.

Just months after winning the TV Week Logie for Most Popular Light Entertainment Program, HHIS was cancelled late in 1999.  The Nine Network, and later Seven, would continue to show clip packages of some of the show’s most requested or most remembered segments, including many acts that performed in the show’s mock talent quest segment, Red Faces.

The return of HHIS, even in a ‘reunion’ form, appears to be an attempt by Nine to revamp one of its most popular entertainment brands of the ‘80s and ‘90s, a time when the network was the undisputed top-rating network, as its prime-time schedule is now struggling to keep up with the Seven Network and occasionally Network Ten.

Source: Herald Sun, TV Tonight

1979: February 24-March 2

Cover: Peter Lochran, Diana McLean, Chris Orchard (The Young Doctors) 

Stars of '79
TV Times has approached TV producers to nominate the actors and actresses who they believe will make a big impact in 1979.  Don Battye, producer of The Restless Years, sees a big future for new recruits Jamie Gleeson and Lenore Smith:  "The rapport between Jamie and Lenore was instant, it was as if they'd known each other for ages."  ABC producer Alan Burke believes that John Gregg, to appear in the new series The Oracle, will be the actor of the year in 1979:  "He's a wonderful actor and will be very dominant in our drama output this year."  Alan Coleman, producer for The Young Doctors, believes that newcomer Peter Lochran will be the show's next heart-throb and predicts a big future for Linda Stoner, who has recently left The Young Doctors for a new role in Cop Shop.  Eileen O'Shea, publicist for the Seven Network, said to look out for Bill Stalker, a New Zealand actor who will appear in the upcoming series Skyways, and a greater profile for Joanna Lockwood, one of the founding cast members of Cop Shop.  A spokesman for Melbourne's ATV0 is also predicting big things for English actor Barry Quin, one of the cast members of the new series Prisoner.  ABC light entertainment producer Ric Birch has listed Ric Herbert and David Atkins, two of the stars of the upcoming TV Follies series, as potential big names of the future.

Warder, warder everywhere!
The studios of Melbourne channel ATV0 have been transformed into a prison, both inside and out.  The transformation is part of the production for the 0-10 Network's long-awaited new drama Prisoner.  Not only have 12 permanent sets - more than usual for a locally-produced series - been constructed within the ATV0 studios in Nunawading, but the exterior of the studio complex has also been adapted to serve as the exterior for the fictional Wentworth Detention Centre.  Fake prison windows adorn the side of the brick building and a prison garden, complete with vegetable patch and BBQ area, have been set up on the lawns beside the building.  Nearby is a large brick wall and security gate and, beside it, a daunting signboard that reads 'Wentworth Detention Centre for Women'.  Pre-production research for the series has been meticulous, including the assistance of real-life prisoners, prison wardens and government agencies.  So impressed is the network that the show's initial run of thirteen episodes has already been extended to 42.  ATV0 public relations director George Wilson told TV Times: "It is a human interest drama which will not only follow the lives of prisoners and staff in the detention centre, but will delve into their lives outside.  Prisoner will not use explicit sex or nudity to give shock or drama."  Produced by the Reg Grundy Organisation, Prisoner premieres this week on TEN10 Sydney and ATV0 Melbourne and later in other states.

C'mon Ossie C'mon!
Daryl Somers and Ossie Ostrich (pictured) have returned to the Nine Network after a year which saw them move to the 0-10 Network for the ill-fated The Daryl And Ossie Show.  The pair have already made their on-screen return to Nine with Hey Hey It's Saturday returning after its one-year hiatus.  Bob Phillips, manager for Somers and Ernie Carroll (Ossie's human alter-ego), has announced that their return to Nine will also include plans for a weekly big-budget pop music series later in the year, and possibly even a movie featuring the two. 

Top stars set for telethon
GTV9's annual telethon for the Yooralla Society of Victoria is on this weekend has set a target to raise $1 million.  As well as the all-day telethon, the appeal will also include a three-day carnival, near the GTV9 studios, for the children who collect for the appeal.  Telethon manager John Hart has said that this year's telethon will also feature personalities from all Melbourne radio stations that have been raising funds for the appeal over the last two weeks.  And the telecast will feature a technological first - a computer-operated light display which will flash lights indicating phone room calls.  Guest stars appearing on the telethon will include stars from Nine Network programs The Sullivans, The Don Lane Show, The Young Doctors, plus other local and overseas celebrities.  The telethon will also be relayed through regional stations across Victoria.

Briefly...
ABC journalist Richard Carleton has found that Norman Gunston's fame has quite possibly spread to South Africa!  While touring Africa over the past few months, Carleton found the "Gunston" brand of cigarette was very popular with the South Africans.

The Young Doctors' Chris Orchard says that his main motivation for migrating from England to Australia eight years ago as a 19-year-old was "Sun, surf and sex.  Well, what else do you think about at 19?"

Actress Carol Burns will be rejoining her jazz ballet classes with some trepidation.  She is wondering what will her classmates will think of her when they see her portrayal of a vicious lesbian in the new series Prisoner.

Viewpoint:  Letters to the Editor
"Of all the commercial TV channels in Australia, I think Canberra's CTC7, which calls itself "Super 7," is the most impolite, rude and arrogant.  Whenever a program runs late the station never tells its viewers about it, or apologises."  E. Behr, ACT.

"I am most concerned at the lack of interest by TV stations in the show-jumping potential in this country.  A couple of weeks go the largest show-jumping event was held at Wentworth Park, Sydney - but what TV coverage did it receive?  It was a news item, and TEN10 gave a one-hour program - and that was all.  So how about TV stations waking up and giving the public a chance to watch this most exciting sport?" G. Beaton, NSW.

"We movie buffs applaud ABC for screening old movie classics but, as the viewing audience for them will probably be mainly over the age of 45, the starting time of 10.00pm is usually the time old movie buffs are about to go to bed." C. Wilson, NSW.

What's On (February 24-March 2):
GTV9's annual telethon for the Yooralla Society of Victoria starts on Saturday at 7.00am and continues through 5.00pm, before resuming at 8.30pm and closing at midnight.  The phone number for donations is (03) 42-0221.

On Sunday night, HSV7 presents the premiere of the million dollar documentary series This Fabulous Century hosted by Peter Luck (pictured).  The new series, including footage from Cinesound, Movietone and the National Film and Sound Archive to illustrate the history of Australia from Federation to the present day, debuts with a one-hour episode up against GTV9's new 60 Minutes.

Tuesday night marks the two-hour debut of the 0-10 Network's new drama Prisoner (pictured) with the series continuing on Wednesday.  In the opening episode, Karen Travers (Peita Toppano) is sent to prison after refusing to give evidence when charged with the murder of her husband.  Country girl Lynn Warner (Kerry Armstrong) is admitted to Wentworth for kidnapping and burying alive a young child, though she maintains her innocence.  And inmate Franky Doyle (Carol Burns) tells prison warden Vera Bennett (Fiona Spence) that the inmates have given her a new nickname, "Vinegar Tits".

On Wednesday night, HSV7 screens a delayed telecast of the 1979 Grammy Awards from Los Angeles' Shrine Auditorium, hosted by John Denver.

The Australian Football Championship Night Series begins on HSV7 on Friday night, promising "the richest football competition Australia has ever seen.  Total prize money will be approximately $370,000."

Special guests appearing during the week on ATV0's Peter Couchman Tonight include Simon Townsend, John Waters, Alison Durbin, Stuart Wagstaff and Derryn Hinch.

Sunday night movies are Survive! (HSV7), Moonshine County Express (GTV9) and Camelot (ATV0).

Source: TV Times (Melbourne edition), 17 February 1979.  ABC/ACP

1979: February 10-16

Around the world in 60 Minutes
The wait is over.  This week marks the debut of Nine's new multi-million dollar current affairs gamble 60 Minutes.  The show's reporting team and producers have been around the world gathering stories.  Former ABC New York correspondent Ray Martin has been travelling the United States.  Former A Current Affair and Eyewitness News journalist Ian Leslie has been to Asia, and former A Current Affair and This Day Tonight reporter George Negus has been through Europe.  With executive producer Gerald Stone, the program has been in planning since May last year and is believed to have a budget of $2 million.  Stone is confident that his reporters' personalities will help them connect with viewers, even though they are reluctant to adopt the celebrity tag that may come with the show.  "I can't say I'll be looking forward to that side of it," Leslie told TV Times.  "I loathe the idea of my personal life coming under scrutiny because I become well-known as a TV reporter.  I shall be guarding against that side of the job." 

Ossie battlers hit back
After departing GTV9 in a blaze of publicity a year ago, Daryl Somers and Ossie Ostrich had the disappointment of the ill-fated The Daryl And Ossie Show for the 0-10 Network.  But now the pair could be making a return to the Nine Network in a deal that could include them featuring in a movie later in the year.

The laugh's on them
A new rapid-fire sketch comedy series is about to debut on ABC.  Jokes is to be a four-part series comprising purely of jokes presented as short sketches, some as short as ten seconds.  Starring in the show is Noni Hazelhurst (The Sullivans), Chris Haywood, Robyn Moase and Terry Bader. 

Star seekers - a game of snakes and ladders
Winning a TV talent quest is not a sure-fire way to stardom.  Even though some winners manage to get an extra few bookings or maybe a short-lived record deal, the journey to stardom is still a long hard slog.  For Ray Highcock, since winning Pot Of Gold, he has lost his job, his prize and his agent.  But the 42-year-old is not giving up, "I've got to get this entertainment bug out of my system, so I'll keep giving it a go."  Singer Christine Mullane won a trip for two to the UK from Young Talent Time, but found the prize didn't include accommodation, but did score a record deal that only led to one failed single.  Another singer, Denis Walter (pictured), won a Young Talent Time contest in 1971, and then went on to win on New Faces, but even then his dreams of instant wealth and stardom wasn't to be:  "And that was my first let down.  I think all I got was a $200 prize."  Walter has been one of the lucky ones since then, however, with regular appearances on Young Talent Time, four top-selling albums and performing at a Royal Command Performance in London.

Briefly...
Luigi, the Italian taxi driver featured regularly on Willesee At Seven and The Penthouse Club, is going to be missing from TV screens for the next few months.  Alter ego Colin McEwan is headed to the United Kingdom and Europe, but may film some Luigi segments for the Willesee program.

Radio 3UZ announcer Peter Byrne is going to be the new 'man about town' for HSV7's new Saturday Night Live (formerly The Penthouse Club). 

Former Bellbird star Elspeth Ballantyne is enjoying a career comeback with a role in the movie Blue Fin and an ongoing role in the 0-10 Network's upcoming new series Prisoner.

Viewpoint: Letters to the Editor
"I read with interest your recent article on Lorraine Bayly in TV Times, and her identity crisis, but was disgusted to read how much she is being paid each week.  As far as I am concerned, that is none of our business.  Also, this attractive, very talented actress does nothing to get into the public eye and telling us her salary is certainly invasion of privacy." V. Hannaford, WA.

"I have been a regular ABC viewer for 17 years, and have always admired the tremendous personality and style of the various announcers.  Their clean, neat appearance and well-educated accents epitomise Australian manhood at its best.  And I think the most promising of the new faces is Graeme Lyndon.  I congratulate ABC for their good choice, and, of course, I must congratulate Graeme Lyndon for such a consistently high standard of performance." D. Anderson, NSW.

What's On (February 10-16):
HSV7's Saturday morning music show Sound Unlimited, hosted by Donnie Sutherland (pictured), presents its fifth anniversary show.

GTV9's Sunday night talent quest, New Faces with Bert Newton, returns for another year - followed by the premiere of current affairs program 60 Minutes.  HSV7 tries to take some of gloss of the new current affairs show by programming a US special, Mickey Mouse's 50th Anniversary, up against it.

On Tuesday night, ATV0 presents the Victorian Sports Star for 1978 from the Southern Cross Hotel, hosted by Tony Charlton with Tracy Wickham.

Sunday night movies are The Ambushers (HSV7) and The Omega Man (ATV0).  US mini-series Washington Behind Closed Doors screens over six consecutive nights on GTV9.

Source: TV Times (Melbourne edition), 10 February 1979.  ABC/ACP

1978: November 4-10

Their Restless Years
Three of The Restless Years' more 'senior' cast members were asked by TV Times to recall some of their own 'restless years'.  June Salter (pictured, bottom right) recalled hiding her smoking habit from her parents, "when I finally had the courage to tell mum 'I'm 23 and I'm going to smoke in front of you from now on,' she replied 'I don't see why not, you've been doing it behind my back since you were 17."  John Hamblin admitted to being a bit of a loner and spending a lot time bird-watching: "not the two-legged variety, the feathery kind.  Birds, history and castles were my passions." But at the age of 20 he was seduced by a woman 15 years his senior, changing his whole attitude to life.  Jill Forster said in her younger years she was "all those terrible things: Head prefect, school captain, very bookish.  Probably because I was an only child."  She later had a string of failed romances from the time she was 17, "I was always a romantic in search of the great love."

Our Sally hits the jackpot!
Former Young Talent Time cast member Sally Boyden has just returned from Hollywood where she completed a role in the movie Little Dragons, and is now to return to the US to star in the Mary Poppins-type film The Adventures Of Holly Hobby.  The young star, now set to become the highest paid Australian child performer to date, is also contracted to appear in a thirteen-part TV series based on the telemovie Lassie The New Beginning. 

TV's reluctant prince of pop
Countdown's Ian 'Molly' Meldrum (pictured, interviewing HRH Prince Charles on Countdown's 100th episode) can't sing, dance or act, admits that he isn't the most articulate speaker, and hates being on camera.  Despite this he is one of Australian TV's most influential personalities.  "I never wanted to work in front of the camera - in fact, all I ever wanted to do was to be a record producer and a journalist," he told TV Times. "If I had my way I wouldn't be on screen at all."  Meldrum's TV career started miming pop songs on ATV0's Kommotion and later presenting a weekly segment on Uptight, a program which Meldrum describes as "the best thing ever to happen in Australian pop.  It was the forerunner to everything."  After working in London and the US, Meldrum reluctantly returned to TV in 1973 to present a rock report on a Saturday morning program for HSV7, and then the following year was involved in a trial run for a new pop music show for ABC called Countdown.  But despite hosting one of the most popular TV shows in the country and earning what he calls a "comfortable" wage, Meldrum still says he's hopeless with money, forgetting to pay a string of parking fines and, after a recent burglary, realised he'd also forgotten to renew his insurance, "I have an accountant to look after my interests now."

Briefly:
Cast members of The Restless Years made a guest appearance on the 1000th episode of Bernard King's (pictured) morning TV show King's Kitchen, to screen next month on the 0-10 Network and on STW9 Perth. 

Cast and crew associated with the new 0-10 Network series Prisoner have been banned from speaking to the press.

TV Times reporter Joanna Parsons was involved in a plot to lure actor Ron Frazer into a fake interview which would be 'interrupted' by Roger Climpson claiming "Ron Frazer, This Is Your Life!"

Viewpoint: Letters to the Editor:
"What is going on?  We have one variety show in Adelaide, The Ernie Sigley Show, apart from the eastern imports.  Is this all Adelaide can offer?  Compared to The Don Lane Show and Mike Walsh, the Ernie Sigley show is dead.  Poor old Ernie, I think it is time he gave it away before it gives him away."  G. Culbertson, SA.

"Having only one channel here, ABC, we are forced to watch with disgust, episodes of The Truckies.  I feel The Truckies is a slur on hard-working and responsible truck drivers and makes them look like morons."  N. Ford, NT.

"I think The Truckies is thoroughly entertaining and John Wood (pictured), who plays Stokey, is one of my favourite Australian actors."  G. Wallenda, WA.

"I wish to complain about a program on our local TV station, a special The Battle Of Eureka Stockade, rated A.  It was on at 5pm and this is a time that young children are watching television.  I thought it would be a good educational program, but with words like 'bastards', 'slut', 'rip your guts out' and so on, it was not very educational."  E. O'Connor, QLD.

What's On (November 4-10):
The 0-10 Network has secured the rights to televising the events of the VRC Melbourne Cup Carnival for the first time.  Saturday's coverage starts with a Cup Carnival Breakfast, held at the ATV0 studios and hosted by Michael Williamson, followed by Derby Day coverage from Flemington.  On Tuesday, ATV0 presents eight hours of Melbourne Cup Day coverage, starting at 9.00am with a Melbourne Cup Day Preview, then at 11.00am Michael Schildberger hosts six hours of Melbourne Cup coverage, with races called by Clem Dimsey.  Thirteen cameras will be placed around Flemington Racecourse to capture the day's events including fashion displays.  ATV0 then returns to Flemington for Oaks Day on Thursday.

The non-ratings season is now evident with some regular shows having finished up or moved to alternative timeslots and some lesser-known replacements filling in. 

GTV9's The Young Doctors (pictured) has been moved to 8.30pm two nights a week, with its usual 6.00pm timeslot filled by repeats of the US comedy Nanny And The Professor.  And filling the gap left by The Daryl And Ossie Show, which finished on ATV0 last week, is an American game show All Star Anything Goes, featuring teams representing various US sitcoms and dramas including Eight Is Enough, The Brady Bunch, The Jeffersons and The Waltons.  ATV0's The Peter Couchman Show has been replaced by late-night movies, and British series Coronation Street is returned to GTV9, screening Monday and Tuesday nights.

Despite the exodus of some programs for the summer, regular programs including Cop Shop, The Sullivans, The Don Lane Show, The Mike Walsh Show, The Steve Raymond Show, Blankety Blanks, The Restless Years, Willesee At Seven, Countdown, The Inventors, Micro Macro (pictured) and This Day Tonight are still in the schedule.

Sunday night movies are the Australian film The Night Nurse (HSV7), Rosetti And Ryan (GTV9) and Assault On A Queen (ATV0), while ABC presents the Australian Opera production of  Fra Diavolo.

Source: TV Times (Melbourne edition), 4 November 1978.  ABC/ACP

1978: October 28-November 3

Sammys Golden Night
It was a Who's Who of Australian Showbusiness when 800 stars, producers and writers gathered at Sydney's Seymour Centre on 11 October for the third annual Sammy Awards.  The awards, held in partnership between TV Times, the Variety Club of Australia charity and the Seven Network, honour the Australian film and television industries.  The event is also a major fund-raising effort for Variety which has collected over $30,000 over the last three years.

1978 Sammy Awards TV category winners: Gold (male): Mike Walsh Gold (female): June Salter Chips Rafferty Memorial Award: Ken G Hall Best Actor in a Single TV Performance: Tony Bonner (End Of Summer) Best Actress in a Single TV Performance: Davina Whitehouse (The Night Nurse) Best Actor in a TV Series: George Mallaby (Cop Shop) Best Actress in a TV Series: Lorraine Bayly (The Sullivans) Best Variety Performer: Julie Anthony Best Variety Program: Julie Anthony's First Special Best Comedy Program: The Norman Gunston Show Best Drama Series: The Sullivans Best TV Play: End Of Summer Best News Coverage: Brisbane shoot-out (QTQ9) Best Documentary: A Big Country Best Current Affairs Program: Four Corners 'Utah' report Best Children's Series: Wombat (BTQ7) Best Sports Coverage: Australian Open Golf 1977 Best Light Entertainment Program: The Mike Walsh Show Best Writer TV Series: Tony Morphett (The Sullivans) Best Writer TV Play: Cliff Green (End Of Summer)

News team under fire in Vietnam
An ABC news team came under fire on the Cambodian-Vietnamese border, during a four-week news-gathering visit to Vietnam.  ABC's Singapore correspondent Tony Joyce, sound recordist Steven de Vroom and cameraman David Westray, were filming material for a documentary, Vietnam Today, to screen nationally on ABC later in the year.  "There was quite a bit of sniper fire and shelling so we were creeping and crawling, close to the ground.  We were warned if the Cambodians saw us they would assume we were Russian military advisors.  Then they would really let loose.  Luckily they didn't," Joyce told TV Times.  The Vietnam visit is only the second by Australian newsmen since the war ended in 1975.  A team from the 0-10 Network had been there earlier this year.

Polly put the kettle on for Kerry
Before Against The Wind and the role of convict woman Polly came along, actress Kerry McGuire (pictured) had almost despaired that her big acting break would ever happen.  The 32-year-old actress, who had studied at NIDA and scored some roles in TV series such as ABC's Dynasty and the Seven Network's Catwalk and stage productions including Hedda Gabler and Antony And Cleopatra, was still waiting for a big break but feels now with Against The Wind she is able to move into the next stage of her acting career: "I think I'm just beginning to break into my age group.  I've been a mature style of actress competing with some very good older women.  Now I'm growing into the era that should be mine..."

Briefly:
Marcia Hines is to present another series of six shows for ABC in the new year, but still has commitments in Europe to fulfil before she can start work on the series.

Former Homicide cop Don Barker is back in Melbourne for a guest role in the new 0-10 Network series Prisoner, now in production.

Former Australian Test skipper Bobby Simpson is to be chief commentator for the Gillette Cup series of cricket matches to be telecast on the 0-10 Network over the next three months. 

Viewpoint: Letters to the Editor:
"Why, oh why has TEN10 decided to put The Steve Raymond Show on at 1.30 of all times?  Don't they realise that a very popular show is on the other channel at the same time.  Steve Raymond will put on a fantastic show, but after watching Days Of Our Lives for the past twelve years, I think TEN10 could have found any other time to put the show on." E. Fuller, NSW.

"Although I am enjoying Against The Wind (pictured), I find it difficult to believe that after a hard life for 10 years that people would not age at all.  It is a pity that the continuity was not up to the excellent standard of the rest of the series so far." J. Higson, NSW.

"I really enjoyed the article in TV Times about viewers who ring in to TV stations.  However, I hope they got a better reception than I did on the two occasions I phoned TV stations here in Sydney.  When I called ATN7 to congratulate them on their camera-work in the 1977 Hardie-Ferodo at Bathurst, the switchboard operator was amazed that a woman would even watch motor racing, let alone comment on the camera-work.  Then I called ABC to say how much I was enjoying Sailor, but the girl on the switchboard  didn't go a bundle on my taste in TV programs either.  I'll never ring in again, that's for sure." M. Bennett, NSW.

What's On (October 28-November 3):
On Saturday, ATV0 presents the Gillette Cup cricket, live from the Gabba in Brisbane, for the match between Queensland and South Australia.  On Sunday, the Gillette Cup moves to the Sydney Cricket Ground for the match between New South Wales and Victoria.

Denise Drysdale (pictured) is Ernie Sigley's special guest on HSV7's Penthouse '78.

On Monday night's A Big Country on ABC, reporter Kenyon Castle follows jazz musicians Don Burrows and George Golla on their tour through the mining areas of the north west.  The program features aboriginal performers David Gulpilil and David Blanasi.

Vince Lovegrove presents a two-hour special on HSV7, Australian Music To The World, paying tribute to the Australian artists who have achieved international acclaim.  Lovegrove and his film crew travelled the world to catch up with Australians including the Bee Gees, the Little River Band, Olivia Newton-John, Peter Allen and Sherbet.

The Naked Vicar Show and The Best Of Norman Gunston appear on HSV7 on Wednesday night, while on GTV9 there's a one-hour special An Evening With Les Girls, recorded at the Carousel Room of the Chevron Hotel, Surfers Paradise.

On Friday night, ATV0 presents the final episode of The Daryl And Ossie Show, after forty episodes, and The Peter Couchman Show presents a special Melbourne Cup preview on Friday night.

Jeanne Little (pictured) and John Ewart are guest panelists on ABC's Micro Macro on Friday night, joining host Noel Ferrier and regulars Carol Raye and Stuart Wagstaff.

Sunday night movies are The Shootist (HSV7), A Touch Of Class (GTV9) and The Drowning Pool (ATV0), while ABC's Sunday night opera is L'Heure Espagnole (The Spanish Hour) produced at ABC's Sydney studios and featuring the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.

Source: TV Times (Melbourne edition), 28 October 1978.  ABC/ACP

1978: October 7-13

The Sammys: Who will win?
TV Times promises a glittering night of stars when the third annual Australian Film and TV Awards - otherwise known as The Sammys - will be presented this week from the Seymour Centre in Sydney. The awards are a joint venture between TV Times, the Seven Network and the Variety Club of Australia. Roger Climpson will be the awards host and among the presenters to take part in the awards will be Tasmanian-born Hollywood actress Merle Oberon.

There are 39 award categories in this year's Sammy awards covering both film and television, but not all will be included in the two-hour Seven Network telecast. Following is a list of some of the award categories and nominations:

Best Variety Performer: Bert Newton (pictured), Paul Hogan, Don Lane, Barry Crocker, Marcia Hines, Julie Anthony, Garry McDonald

Best Actress In A TV Series: Joanne Samuel, Lorraine Bayly, Jill Forster, Tina Grenville, Paula Duncan, Rowena Wallace, Julieanne Newbould, June Salter

Best Actor In A TV Series: Paul Cronin, Sonny Blake (pictured), Nick Hedstrom, Malcolm Thompson, Tim Page, George Mallaby, Peter Adams, John Hamblin

Best Drama Series: Case For The Defense, Young Ramsay, The Sullivans, Cop Shop, The Young Doctors, The Restless Years

Best Sports Coverage: Australian Open Golf, VFL Grand Final, Davis Cup Tennis, World Series Cricket, VFA Grand Final, Hardie Ferodo 1977

Best Current Affairs Program: Willesee At Seven, Four Corners, A Current Affair, Eleven AM, Shoulder To Shoulder.

Best Comedy Program: The Norman Gunston Show, The Naked Vicar Show, Bobby Dazzler, Father Dear Father, The Paul Hogan Show, The Dave Allen Show, Benny Hill In Australia

Best Children's Series: Romper Room, Fat Cat And Friends, Here's Humphrey, Super Flying Fun Show, The Curiosity Show, What In The World, The Magic Bag, Wombat, This Week Has Seven Days, Happy-Go-Round, Magicat

Best Light Entertainment Series: Family Feud, This Is Your Life, Sound Unlimited, It's Not Just A Story, Blankety Blanks (pictured), The Mike Walsh Show, The Peter Couchman Show, Countdown, Mastermind, Nightmoves

Gold (Female): Cornelia Frances, Delvene Delaney, Lorraine Bayly, June Salter, Marcia Hines, Noeline Brown, Paula Duncan, Joanna Lockwood, Caroline Jones, Julieanne Newbould, Wendy Hughes.

Gold (Male): Don Lane, Paul Hogan, Mike Walsh, Graham Kennedy, John Waters, Harry Butler, Roger Climpson, Garry McDonald, Robert Moore, Mike Willesee (pictured), Sir Robert Helpmann, Paul Cronin, Gulpilil, Bill Hunter.

Grundy claims record!
Reg Grundy Productions is claiming a world record for an independent TV production company. The company has a current production schedule of around 30 hours a week of TV programming, with programs emanating from four capital cities: The Restless Years, The Young Doctors and Blankety Blanks from Sydney, The Daryl And Ossie Show from Melbourne, Pyramid Challenge and Perfect Match from Brisbane, and Family Feud from Perth. Although this only accounts for around 17 hours a week of TV airtime, production of game show episodes are produced in larger quantities each week to enable stockpiling of episodes. For instance, Pyramid Challenge has 20 episodes being produced in one week, while they are only aired at a rate of five per week.

Not just a pretty face!
Monique Daams (pictured) is the girl adding a touch of glamour to the 0-10 Network's The Daryl And Ossie Show. The Dutch-born 24-year-old has appeared in numerous TV commercials and modelling contests - winning the Australian Quest of Quests four years ago - but this is her first regular TV appearance. Executive producer of The Daryl And Ossie Show, Bill Mason, predicts a big future for Daams, "We wanted a fresh face, one that was not over exposed on TV, and someone with intelligence as well as beauty. We saw several dozen girls and Monique fitted our concept perfectly. We think she has a big future in TV."

Just briefly:
Crawford Productions and the 0-10 Network are planning a new police drama for next year, tentatively titled Murder Squad.

Harry Michael's Greek Affair looks like becoming a home away from home for former Number 96 stars, with Elaine Lee, Joe Hasham, Bettina Welch and Shiela Kennelly having filled in for Michaels who is in Greece.

Paul Jennings, the former radio newsman whose political impersonations made him a national personality on shows like A Current Affair, is now working backstage at ATV0 as the warm-up man for the studio audience of The Tea Ladies.

Viewpoint: Letters to the Editor:
"There are many things on TV that bother me, but three things especially make me clench my fists. The first is Ross D Wylie on ATV0. I like the movies they put on but I can never stay awake once he comes on. And why can't GTV9 bring their late movies up to date? We're almost into the 1980s and they're showing films from the 1940s and 1950s. And I like Mike Walsh but I also like a bit of variety. I'm sick to death of soap operas." S. Edgell, VIC.

"I am sick of reading letters complaining of small inaccuracies in the production of The Sullivans. Some the criticisms are not even valid. Even if the criticisms do have some basis, surely a more constructive way of rectifying the mistake is to write to Crawford Productions directly." A Pellizzer, VIC.

What's On (October 7-13):
The Nine Network's new early-morning show, The Job Show, debuts on Monday, screening weekdays at 6.30am leading in to The Super Flying Fun Show.

The third annual Sammy Awards are on HSV7 on Wednesday night at 8.30pm, honouring the best talent in Australian film and television.

GTV9 presents the (TV Week) King Of Pop Awards, a 90-minute presentation on Friday night, hosted by Glenn Shorrock with special guests Kate Bush and Leif Garrett.

Sunday night movies are The Great Scout And Cathouse Thursday (HSV7) and Lost Horizon (ATV0) while GTV9 presents the first instalment of mini-series The Bastard, with remaining parts screened on the following two nights.

Source: TV Times (Melbourne edition), 7 October 1978. ABC/ACP

1978: September 23-29

Cover: Michael Landon (Little House On The Prairie)

The Sammys are coming!
The third annual Sammy Awards promise to be the most exciting yet, with a stunning line-up of stars, programs and movies all vying for honours among 39 categories. This year will also mark the inauguration of the Chips Rafferty Memorial Award. The Sammy Awards, presented by TV Times in association with the Variety Club of Australia and the Seven Network, will take place on 11 October at Sydney's Seymour Centre. The two hour telecast will be hosted by Roger Climpson.

Dating Jenny is no picnic!
Since playing the mysterious Miranda in the movie Picnic At Hanging Rock, Anne Lambert has had roles in The Box, Glenview High and Chopper Squad, and now takes on a new role in Cop Shop. Lambert plays Jenny McGregor, girlfriend of Constable Roy Baker (Gil Tucker, pictured), but has some strange fascinations: "Jenny has a strange fascination towards violence. She is attracted by the uniform, the guns and the handcuffs."

TV ads draw viewers' fire
In 1977, 715 people were so annoyed by advertisements that they complained to the Advertising Standards Council (ASC). Half of those complaints were specifically about television advertising. The largest proportion of complaints were in the "taste and decency" category. Among the advertisements to be accused of general bad taste included those featuring bus-loads and TV screens full of lemons, the depiction of bad manners in bubble gum and potato chip advertisements, the depiction of rats eating Australia in an anti-inflation ad, the use of rough words such as 'gutsy' and 'damn', and advertisements for R-rated movies. Complaints were also received about the use of sex to sell products such as toothpaste and vitamins, the depiction of women in advertising and advertising displaying food wastage. The ASC's third annual report states that about one in eight complaints received are found to be justified.

Service to help the unemployed
The Nine Network is about to launch a new weekday morning program aimed at helping the unemployed find work. The half-hour program, Looking For A Job, will be hosted by Brian Bury and Gail Jarvis and will update job opportunities as listed by the Commonwealth Employment Services. The program will also feature interviews with representatives from major employers including BHP and The Shell Company of Australia, government agencies and the armed forces.

Viewpoint: Letters to the Editor:
"I am glad to see ABC produce a program for our truckies, but as a truckie's daughter I was let down by the program. Here in Western Australia our truckies aren't beer-drinking, pill-popping drivers. Sure, they do both, but only to a certain extent. The program is making the WA truckie look exactly the opposite to what he really is. In the East the truckie may be like that, but over here it's a different matter." V. Mazza, WA.

"I am concerned about the order in which episodes of Doctor Who are screened. I would rather see all the Jon Pertwee stories in order (and the Tom Baker ones for that matter) than just a handful of randomly selected stories." S. Collins, QLD.

"Again we have an example of how writers are regarded in this country. In the preamble to Woman In The House on Stuart Wagstaff's World Playhouse, Stuart Wagstaff made a point of mentioning everyone at the beginning of the play, with the exception of the writer. Mr Wagstaff also said "... but it was really Neil Fitzpatrick's play." Correction. It was Luis Bayonas' play. Surely as an actor, Mr Wagstaff knows that neither the actors nor the director could have done such a good job if they hadn't started with a good script." M. Kelly, NSW.

What's On (September 23-29):
With The Daryl And Ossie Show now airing weeknights on ATV0, their former Saturday morning timeslot on GTV9 is now taken by The Super Saturday Show, a line-up of cartoons presented by Queensland personality Jacki MacDonald.

Guest performers on this week's Penthouse '78 include Bartholomew John, Maria Venuti and Col Elliott.

It's the lead up to the 1978 VFL Grand Final and on Monday night, HSV7 has the Brownlow Medal Count live from the Southern Cross Ballroom hosted by Peter Landy. On Thursday night, Landy presents a one-hour special That Was The Season That Was. On Friday afternoon there's live coverage of the Bourke Street parade of the Grand Final teams, and on Friday night through to Saturday morning, John Waters presents the Football Marathon, featuring highlights from HSV7's archive of VFL matches.

Relative Air Pollution, the second episode of ABC's comedy Tickled Pink, features Noel Ferrier (pictured) as owner of a radio station, 2KK, and traces his tormented life at the hands of his wife and sister-in-law, which becomes further complicated when the radio station undergoes a metamorphosis at the hands of his nephew, Jethro (Robert Hughes). The comedy also stars Judi Farr, Robina Beard, Stephen O'Rourke and Shaunna O'Grady.

Sunday night movies are The Don Is Dead (HSV7), Nowhere To Run (GTV9) and White Line Fever (ATV0), while on ABC, performer Jill Perryman is the special guest on the final episode of variety series Capriccio!

Source: TV Times (Melbourne edition), 23 September 1978. ABC/ACP

1978: September 9-15

Million dollar TV extravaganza begins!
The Seven Network's million-dollar historical epic Against The Wind premieres this week. The 13-part series, starring Mary Larkin and Jon English, took six months to make and is the culmination of intense research and meticulous set construction and costume design to properly reconstruct 19th century Australia. Also starring in the mini-series is Frank Thring, Gerard Kennedy, Frank Gallacher, Lynn Rainbow, Fred Parslow and Hu Pryce. Executive Producer is Ian Jones.

Peita's no jail bird
Former The Young Doctors and Class Of '75 actress Peita Toppano has scored the role of housewife-turned-murderer Karen Travers in the upcoming Grundy Organisation series Prisoner, being made for the 0-10 Network. Production of the thirteen one-hour episodes is to start in Melbourne in October and the series also stars Elspeth Ballantyne (Bellbird), Val Lehman, Carol Burns, Colette Mann and Richard Moir.

Cricket 'fever' for 34 nights
The Nine Network is so confident that its World Series Cricket will capture a large summer TV audience, that between 28 November and 4 February it will screen all major matches in the series with most of them airing in prime-time. Program manager Gordon French told TV Times, "We found viewers had reacted very favourably to night cricket. And if people want night cricket we will provide it to them. We are, after all, governed by the wishes of our viewers."

Steady job sours 'Sugar' Wood
John Wood (pictured), of ABC's The Truckies, has a big problem when he's working on a TV series - boredom. He worries constantly that the hours spent sitting around waiting his turn on camera will affect his performance: "That was one of the problems I had on Power Without Glory. At first, it was great, as Sugar - the character I played - was in all the action, but in the middle episodes all I seemed to do was walk on to the set just to let people know Sugar was still around." This would be one reason why Wood would be wary about joining a long-running series, such as Cop Shop or The Sullivans, in a sustaining role: "I think I'd go screaming mad with the boredom of week-to-week chore acting."

Just quickly...
Stuart Wagstaff has revealed that he has never had a written contract for his cigarette commercial work. Everything, including pay rises, was done by gentleman's agreement.

Latest catch-phrase in the United Kingdom is "I'll rip yer bloody arms off!" following the screening of the pilot of The Little Big Show, starring Grahame Bond.

The atmosphere at Melbourne's ATV0 studios has never been so highly charged since the halcyon days of The Box, with all studios working to capacity.

Viewpoint: Letters to the Editor
"I've been watching The Restless Years from the beginning and haven't missed out once. But since Deborah Coulls isn't in it any more, I dislike it a bit. There have probably been reasons for taking Deborah out of it, but I reckon Sue Smithers (pictured) can't act as well as Deborah." A. Wiesenthal, NSW.

"I cannot understand why ABC sent Norman May to Canada to commentate at the Commonwealth Games after his awful exhibition at the last Olympic Games, especially the swimming events." W. Dickie, NSW.

"Would somebody mind telling that bore, Ian Meldrum, to grow up! Why ABC insists on inflicting him on the ever-suffering viewing public is beyond me." A. Rankins, NSW.

What's On (September 9-15):
ABC's long-running current affairs program Monday Conference features an interview with the Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser.

As mentioned above, Against The Wind debuts Tuesday night on HSV7 in a two-hour episode. Earlier the same night, ABC screens the first of a six-part series Run From The Morning, a mystery thriller starring Michael Aitkens (The Truckies), Bud Tingwell, Rod Mullinar and Bill Kerr.

It's a big week for premieres for ATV0 this week. On Monday night at 7.00pm, The Daryl And Ossie Show debuts as a half-hour variety/game-show format with Daryl Somers and Ossie Ostrich having made the move from hosting GTV9's Hey Hey It's Saturday last year.

Stuart Wagstaff hosts the debut of the ATV0's new talent quest series, Showcase, reviving the former 1960s format of the same name. Leading the 36-piece orchestra is producer Hector Crawford, and judging the acts are Robert Helpmann, Margaret Schofield, Roger Savage and Kenn Brodziak.

On Thursday night, ATV0 presents the first episode of comedy series The Tea Ladies, starring Pat McDonald and Sue Jones (pictured) as tea ladies working in Parliament House, Canberra.

Sunday night movies are There's A Girl In My Soup (HSV7), Holiday On The Buses (GTV9) and The Man Who Would Be King (ATV0), while on ABC's Capriccio!, actor Warren Mitchell has chosen the music to be performed on the program.

Source: TV Times (Melbourne edition), 9 September 1978. ABC/ACP