1979: November 3-9

Sammys golden night out
The fourth annual Australian TV and Film Awards, the Sammys, have been presented at Sydney’s Seymour Centre.  Winning the Gold Sammy awards, for excellence in performance during the year, were daytime TV host Mike Walsh and singer and TV presenter Marcia Hines.  For Walsh it is his second Gold Sammy and Hines also won a Sammy for Best Variety Performer.

But the biggest hit of the night was the mini-series Against The Wind, taking out four awards including Best Drama Series, Best Actor in a TV series (Gerard Kennedy) and Best Actress in a TV Series (Kerry McGuire).

1979 Sammy Awards TV category winners Gold (male): Mike Walsh Gold (female): Marcia Hines Chips Rafferty Memorial Award: Stanley Hawes Best Actor in a Single TV Performance: John Hargreaves (A Good Thing Going) Best Actress in a Single TV Performance: Belinda Giblin (Say You Want Me) Best Actor in a TV Series: Gerard Kennedy (Against The Wind) Best Actress in a TV Series: Kerry McGuire (Against The Wind) Best Variety Performer: Marcia Hines Best Drama Series: Against The Wind Best Comedy Program: Neutral Ground (Tickled Pink) Best TV Play: The Plumber Best Variety Program: Hollywood (TV Follies) Best Documentary: The Last Tasmanians Best News Coverage: Pentridge Riot (GTV9 Melbourne) Best Current Affairs Program: 60 Minutes Best Sports Coverage: Australian Open Golf (Nine Network) Best Children’s Series: Top Mates Best Light Entertainment Series: Parkinson In Australia Best Art Direction: Quentin Hole (Ride On Stranger) Best Writer (TV Series): Peter Yeldham (Run From The Morning) Best Writer (TV Play): Peter Weir (The Plumber) Best Editing: Michael Balson (Mutiny On The Western Front) Best Costume Design: Clare Griffin (Against The Wind)

Trapping Lorraine was a piece of cake!
It was Lorraine Bayly’s sweet tooth that led her into being featured on the Seven Network’s This Is Your Life.  TV Times reporter Joanna Parsons and photographer David Murray were asked by the show to invite Bayly (pictured) to an interview while she was in Sydney attending the Sammy Awards.  The interview was to take place in a hotel restaurant where TIYL host Roger Climpson and camera crew would sneak into the restaurant via the kitchen and quietly set up at a table behind Bayly.  The maitre d’hotel would then present Bayly with flowers “sent by the gentleman sitting at the next table.”  Then Bayly would turn around to find Climpson to declare “Lorraine Bayly, This Is Your Life.”  But the plans for the mock interview almost went awry when Bayly suggested the interview be conducted in her hotel room.  It was a quick-thinking Parsons, knowing Bayly’s weakness for chocolate cake, who then responded, “but they have the most wonderful chocolate cake in the restaurant.  Wouldn’t you like to try it?”  Bayly fell for it and the set-up continued as planned.  Bayly then responded, “Do you mean the interview wasn’t really…?”  Parsons assured her that it was still a genuine interview, to be published soon in TV Times.

They’re off!
In the lead-up to the Melbourne Cup, TV Times talks to four of Australia’s top race callers about the ‘race that stops a nation.’  ATV0 race caller Clem Dimsey (pictured) admitted that when he first called the Melbourne Cup for the 0-10 Network last year, he lost a stone in weight due to the tension.  Although Dimsey has called the Melbourne Cup race on a number of prior occasions, last year was the first as part of a nationwide coverage of the race.  Dimsey’s tip for the Melbourne Cup is a New Zealand horse, Kankama.  ABC race caller Joe Brown will notch up a milestone when he calls the Melbourne Cup for the 32nd time, equalling the record set by the late Ken Howard.  “It’s the highlight of the working year,” he says.  Brown has tipped Dulcify for the Melbourne Cup.  Radio 3UZ caller John Russell, who will also call the race for the Macquarie Radio Network and the Nine Network, has called the Melbourne Cup only twice before now but had been the understudy for veteran caller Bert Bryant for 23 years.  Russell is reluctant to give a tip for the big race as he is involved in various phantom race calls involving big prizes, though he does name Dulcify, Kankama and Our Big Gamble as good chances.  The Seven Network and radio 3DB’s Bill Collins will be calling the Melbourne Cup for the 26th time this year, but still admits to getting nerves before the race.  “I still remember the nerves before I called my first cup and the drama still gets to me these days.  The build-up is impossible to resist,” he says.  Collins, nicknamed ‘The Accurate One’, was reluctant to give a cup tip too far in advance but did feel that Dulcify and Double Century should do well.

Briefly…
Many of the staff from Riverside were present for the baptism of Cop Shop’s latest addition, Prudence Jane Marion Benjamin, the daughter of Claire (Louise Philip, pictured) and Tony Benjamin (Greg Ross).  Prudence, played by a baby boy named Zigi Barrett, took to the filming calmly with only a small cry of protest towards the end of filming.  The episode airs this week in Sydney and Melbourne, next week in Brisbane and later in Adelaide.

Three former TV cops, George Mallaby, Leonard Teale and Warwick Randall, have recorded safety messages for Melbourne radio station 3MP.

The Seven Network is negotiating to buy the TV rights to the film Cathy’s Child, the film which won three awards at the recent Sammys.  However, it will be some time before the film appears on TV as it has still yet to be released in cinemas in Perth and many country areas.

ATV0 newsreader Bruce Mansfield likes to dress well.  His current favourite tie is a classy number with a rose motif.  Anyone can buy a similar one, if prepared to pay $75.

Actress Penny Ramsey has made a return to work, after seven years as a full-time housewife and mother of two, as the wife of deputy governor Jim Fletcher (Gerard Maguire) in Prisoner.  The daughter of actress Lois Ramsey has had a varied career, including appearing on The Mavis Bramston Show as a teenager in the ‘60s, hosting a children’s show and appearing in the stage musical Hair.

Viewpoint: Letters to the Editor:
”After more than 10 years of journalists using the word “charisma” I have a vague notion of what it means.  Could you ask ABC journalists in Canberra if I have to wait as long to crack on to ‘hiatus’?” W. Murphy, NSW.

“I would like to express my extreme disappointment at the way ABC deprived us of the presentation of the awards at both the State of Origin Australian Rules carnival and the 1979 grand final in Western Australia.  On 6 and 8 October, ABC were good enough to televise the State of Origin matches.  This included something like nine hours of top-class football, and surely, if this was possible an extra half-hour at the conclusion was possible.  When they returned to the studio it was only to show an absolutely pathetic cartoon, The White Seal, or, on the weekend of the WA grand final, a repeat of Countdown.  Remember that country viewers are, unfortunately, stuck with only this one annoying channel.” L. Beaton, WA.

“Lately, I don’t think Prisoner has had its usual quick humour and zest.  This seems to have come about only since the character of Noelene Bourke (Jude Kuring) left the series.  Although she was unpopular, I believe she put the finishing touches to the show.  She and her daughter, Leanne (Tracey-Jo Riley), should be reintroduced.  Having a youngster in the program is a good idea, as it keeps us in contact with the difficulties of the young.” D. Harvey, NSW.

What’s On (November 3-9):
Weekend sport includes the NSW Open Championship Golf, from The Lakes in Sydney, live on ABC.  ATV0’s coverage of the Melbourne Cup Carnival kicks off on Saturday with Michael Williamson hosting the Derby Day Sportsman’s Breakfast, followed by Phil Gibbs and Clem Dimsey’s preview of the Derby Day races and then ATV0 crosses to Flemington for five hours of live coverage of all the day’s races.

GTV9 presents the first in a series of Australian-made specials featuring Ronnie Corbett, of The Two Ronnies.  The special features guest stars Pamela Gibbons, Chris Kirby and June Bronhill.

ATV0’s Melbourne Cup coverage starts with a half-hour special on Monday night followed by a 90-minute preview on Tuesday morning.  At midday, ATV0 crosses to Flemington for five hours coverage of all the day’s races for Melbourne Cup Day.  Phil Gibbs and Michael Schilberger head the coverage, with Annette Allison providing interviews with special guests during the day.  Clem Dimsey calls the day’s races.

Motoring expert Peter Wherrett, host of popular shows Torque and Marque, returns to TV to present a 40-minute special, Torque About A Crisis, on ABC.  Wherrett examines the Federal Government’s campaign to educate drivers about improving the efficiency of their vehicles with proper treatment and improved driving style.

ATV0 presents a repeat of the documentary, The Last Tasmanian, a recent winner at the Sammy Awards.

GTV9’s Friday night movies is ABBA The Movie, the 1977 production featuring the story of a radio disc jockey (played by Robert Hughes) following the pop group on their Australian tour in order to get an interview with them.  The movie also features Tom Oliver, formerly of Number 96 fame.

Sunday night movies: The Hindenburg (HSV7), Nightmare In Badham County (GTV9), Holocaust 2000 (ATV0).  ABC presents the latest in its series of Australian plays, Money In The Bank, starring Tom Richards (Matlock Police), Barbara Stephens and Max Meldrum.

Source: TV Times (Melbourne edition), 3 November 1979.  ABC/ACP

1979: 21st TV Week Logie Awards

After more than twenty years in television it had been a long time coming – but the 21st anniversary TV Week Logie Awards finally saw Bert Newton win his first Gold Logie.

Newton, a veteran Logies host as well as host of New Faces and sidekick on The Don Lane Show, had been nominated several times over the years for the Gold Logie and had seen colleagues Graham Kennedy and Don Lane already take home gold statuettes in previous years.  In accepting his Gold Logie, Newton mentioned his mother, Gladys: “I want her to experience what I am experiencing now.  We lost her daughter, my sister Alice – she was my greatest fan – a couple of years ago.  Mum, this is for your daughter and my sister.”  Newton then phoned his mother from his Hilton Hotel suite immediately after the show.

As well as winning the Gold Logie, Newton also won the award for most popular male personality in Victoria.

The awards presentation was held on Friday 16 March 1979 at Melbourne’s Hilton Hotel and televised nationally through the Nine Network and relayed to thirty regional channels across Australia.

The night provided some famous moments – Robin Williams, from Mork And Mindy, was a comic hit on the night, and champion boxer Muhammad Ali provided a moment that would be recalled in Logies history for many years to come.  Host Newton had quipped, “I like the boy..!” to Ali – a comment that is largely innocent in Australia but the term “boy” has racist connotations in America.  Some rapid adlibbing from the normally unflappable Newton saved the moment from turning nasty.

But it was a moment that was close to not happening at all, as Ali had only agreed to appear at the awards night less than 24 hours before showtime and had only arrived at Melbourne airport minutes before the show started.  A police escort rushed him to the Hilton Hotel and through the crowds of onlookers waiting to catch a glimpse of him.

Other overseas guests at the awards included Lauren Tewes (The Love Boat), Cicely Tyson (Roots), British actor David Hemmings, American actor Henry Silva, Days Of Our Lives stars Susan Seaforth Hayes and Bill Hayes and George And Mildred stars Yootha Joyce and Brian Murphy.

A total of 43 awards were presented on the night.  The Nine Network’s long-running drama series The Sullivans  (pictured) claimed four Logie awards – including Paul Cronin and Lorraine Bayly for most popular lead actor and actress awards and The Sullivans winning most popular Australian drama series.

The Don Lane Show won most popular variety or panel show as well as most popular program in Victoria.

The Seven Network’s landmark 1978 mini-series Against The Wind (pictured) won three awards – Jon English for best new talent, Kerry McGuire for best performance by an actress in a supporting role and Against The Wind won best new drama.

The 0-10 Network won a special Logie for Outstanding Contribution to Community Service with its Have A Go campaign.  The campaign, initiated by Sir Kenneth Humphreys, chairman of TEN10 Sydney, was a series of commercials to motivate Australians to take a greater sense of pride in their country.  The campaign was later endorsed by the prime minister, Malcolm Fraser, as well as state governments. 

The film documentary The Last Tasmanian, aired on the 0-10 Network, won the Logie for best single documentary.  The film, three years in the making, traced the life and death of the Tasmanian aborigines and had been a hit around the world with French and Welsh language versions also made.

Regional television also won two awards.  The annual award for Most Outstanding Contribution by Regional Television was won by Goin’ Down The Road, a 30-minute documentary by Central Tablelands station CBN8.  The documentary about a rodeo rider was selected from a final list of four nominations – the others being Six Tonight (BTV6, Ballarat), Voices Of The River (TNT9, Northern Tasmania) and Bravo Boston (NBN3, Newcastle).

The Logie for most outstanding contribution to children’s television is usually won by a capital city network, but in 1979 the award was taken out by Rainbow, a series of five programs produced by Northern Rivers station NRN11.  The series, produced by Godfrey Philipp, featured children from local schools with each episode covering a different theme.

ABC won two Logies for its single drama, Bit Part, featuring veteran actor John Meillon.  And 12-year-old Warwick Poulsen won the industry voted award for most popular performance by a juvenile for his role in the telemovie Because He’s My Friend where he played a retarded child.  Actor Michael Aitken won a Logie for his script for Neutral Ground, an episode of the Tickled Pink comedy series.

The full list of winners from the 21st annual TV Week Logie Awards:

Viewers’ Voted Awards

Gold Logie: Bert Newton (New Faces, The Don Lane Show)

Silver Logie – Most Popular Actor: Paul Cronin (The Sullivans, Nine)
Silver Logie – Most Populat Actress: Lorraine Bayly (The Sullivans, Nine)

Most Popular Teenage Personality: John Paul Young
Most Popular Variety or Panel Show: The Don Lane Show (Nine)
Most Popular Comedy Show: The Paul Hogan Show (Nine)
Most Popular Drama: The Sullivans (Nine)

Best New Talent: Jon English (Against The Wind, Seven)

Industry Panel Awards

Best Performance By An Actor In A Major Role: John Meillon (Bit Part, ABC)
Best Performance By An Actress In A Major Role: Kerry McGuire (pictured. Against The Wind, Seven)

Best Performance By An Actor In A Supporting Role: Peter Adams (Cop Shop, Seven)
Best Performance By An Actress In A Supporting Role: Chantal Contouri (The Sullivans, Nine)

Best Performance By A Juvenile: Warwick Poulsen (Because He’s My Friend, ABC)

Best Single Drama Production: Bit Part (ABC)

Best TV Script: Michael Aitken for Neutral Ground (ABC)

Best Single Documentary: The Last Tasmanian (0-10 Network)
Best Documentary Series: A Big Country (ABC)

Best News Report: Bank Siege (QTQ9 Brisbane)
TV Reporter Of The Year: Bill Bennett (Willesee At Seven, Seven)

Best Sports Report or Documentary: Surfabout (Nine)
Outstanding Coverage of a Sports Event: Bathurst Hardie-Ferodo (Seven)

Outstanding Contribution to Community Service: Have A Go campaign (TEN10 Sydney)

Outstanding Contribution to Children’s TV: Rainbow (NRN11 Coffs Harbour, RTN8 Lismore)

Outstanding Contribution by a Regional Station: Goin’ Down The Road (CBN8 Orange)

State Awards (Most Popular Male, Most Popular Female, Most Popular Locally-Produced Program):

VIC: Bert Newton (GTV9), Mary Hardy (pictured. HSV7), The Don Lane Show (GTV9)

NSW: Mike Walsh (TCN9), Noeline Brown (ATN7), The Mike Walsh Show (TCN9)

QLD: Paul Griffin (QTQ9), Jacki MacDonald (TVQ0), Country Homestead (QTQ9)

SA: Ernie Sigley (NWS9), Pam Tamblyn (ADS7), The Ernie Sigley Show (NWS9)

WA: Terry Willesee (STW9), Stephanie Quinlan (TVW7), Channel Nine News (STW9)

TAS: Jim Cox (TNT9), Kerry Smith, Saturday Night Show

Source: TV Week, 24 March 1979, 31 March 1979.

1978: September 30-October 6

Happy the War bride
When Alice Morgan and Michael Watkins (Megan Williams and John Walton, pictured) walk down the aisle together on The Sullivans, the bride's dress will bring back happy memories for one viewer, Mrs Emmett of Victoria, who wore the same dress on her own wedding day in 1943 and offered it to Crawford Productions for use on the series. The wedding of Alice and Michael took place at Melbourne's Church of Our Lady of Victory in Camberwell but, unlike a real wedding, took a full day of rehearsals and filming before Alice could say "I will." The wedding episode of The Sullivans screens this week on GTV9 Melbourne and later in October on TCN9 Sydney and NWS9 Adelaide.

Blinkity blinks!
Most quiz shows give contestants a chance to show how clever they are. Not so, with ABC's new show Micro Macro, as host Noel Ferrier (pictured, centre) says it will show them up with not a clue as to the answer. An adaptation of a European format, Micro Macro will put two teams of celebrity panelists against each other in a quiz of visual puzzles relying on the quickness of the eye. Among the regulars to appear on the show will be Carol Raye, one of Ferrier's companions on Blankety Blanks, and personality Jimmy Hannan, who is more familiar to viewers as a game show host rather than contestant.

The pause that refreshes
This Day Tonight host Clive Hale (pictured) finds there's nothing like a bit of meditation to calm those pre-program nerves, but he's never meditated in the studio, always at home. But since he and wife Elizabeth moved from Adelaide to Sydney so he could take over as host of the NSW version of This Day Tonight, he's often had to give his daily meditation a miss. "I'm determined to get back into it. TV is a high pressure industry and it's fairly unnerving talking into a lens," he told TV Times. Despite the show's increased ratings since Hale took over the hosting role, This Day Tonight is set to finish up later in the year.

The call of the wild!
TV channels are often inundated with phone calls from viewers asking about certain programs or to give feedback - sometimes constructive, but sometimes just illogical! One such phone call went like this:

Caller: "Why have you taken off The Restless Years?"
Receptionist: "But this is Channel 7, and that program is on Channel 0."
Caller: "I don't care. Just tell me why you've taken it off!"

Viewers have also had cause to call up Sydney's TCN9 to complain about The Mike Walsh Show. Rival station TEN10, which used to screen the show, still gets viewers complaints about the program, and ATN7 and ABN2, neither of which have ever screened it, also receive complaints about it!

And in Melbourne, one young viewer calls up HSV7 when The Flintstones is repeated, and always asks to speak to Fred Flintstone, but responds angrily when told that Fred is not available. A Perth woman also called up STW9 to ask if she could borrow a couple of palm trees, as seen on Gilligan's Island, for a Hawaiian party.

Viewpoint: Letters to the Editor:
"After the never-ending stream of cops and robbers and doctors and nurses, the classic The Importance Of Being Earnest was like a welcome oasis. As it was heralded by TV Times as the movie of the week, earning a four-star rating, one might wonder why good family entertainment such as this could be shown at midnight. Perhaps TEN10 are aiming at giving the dole payees, who don't need to rise at 6 or 7am, a little culture." V. O'Hara, NSW.

"Richard Peach and Richard Morecroft both look great and do a great job of newsreading. And thanks for presenting us with a weatherman, who tells us about the weather. Better than the over-glorified, shiny females of the commercial stations." A. Voake, SA.

"Having watched The Truckies' episode 'Country Music', I register my disgust with the series. Having virtually endured the previous episodes (because we haven't a choice of channels), the 'Country Music' episode I found most distasteful. If ABC is hoping to sell the series overseas I now add that it will certainly paint a sad and sorry picture of our Australian male, and our truckies in particular." W. G. Walker, WA.

What's On (September 30-October 6):
HSV7's live telecast of the 1978 VFL Grand Final is not listed in the program guides, possibly not confirmed at time of publication, but a full replay is scheduled for 6.30pm Saturday night.

Following the Grand Final, Penthouse '78 presents a special edition to celebrate 1000 episodes of HSV7's World Of Sport, featuring highlights of over twenty years of the world's longest running sports show. Joining host Ernie Sigley is World Of Sport host Ron Casey and regulars including Bill Collins, Fred Villiers, Jack Elliot, Rollo Roylance, Lou Richards and Gus Mercurio.

Sunday morning and afternoon on HSV7 is dominated by the Hardie-Ferodo 1000, over nine hours of live coverage from Bathurst Raceway in NSW.

Monday afternoon marks the debut of ATV0's new game shows Pyramid Challenge and Perfect Match and variety show The Steve Raymond Show.

The documentary The Last Tasmanian features on ATV0 on Wednesday night, a two-hour presentation tracing the genocide of the Tasmanian Aborigines, starting with the arrival of white man in 1803 and culminating with the death of Truganini - the Last Tasmanian - in 1876.

Sunday night movies are Sharon: Portrait Of A Mistress (HSV7), Soldier Blue (GTV9) and the premiere of US series Dallas (ATV0) with the first series of five episodes to be screened over three nights. ATV0 follows Dallas with a special presentation, Television's 22 Years, hosted by Steve Raymond (pictured) and featuring guests Graham Kennedy and Johnny O'Keefe.

Source: TV Times (Melbourne edition), 30 September 1978. ABC/ACP

1978: August 5-11

Cover: The Love Boat

Tasmania's holocaust
The Australian-made film The Last Tasmanians, which has already aired in Britain and been sold to other countries, is to be shown on Australian TV later in the year. The 90-minute movie tells of the extermination of Tasmanian Aboriginals in the late nineteenth century, and received rave reviews when shown on BBC earlier in the year. While there was no interest from Australian networks in financially backing the "slightly dramatised" documentary when in production (it ended up being partially funded by BBC and French group SFP), ABC and the three commercial networks had since made bids to buy the rights to screen the movie - with the 0-10 Network successful.

Walsh's Walkabout
With The Mike Walsh Show about to be based in Melbourne for a week, host Mike Walsh has announced plans to take the popular daytime show to other parts of the country. "We get a huge response from all over Australia. After we announced that we were going to Melbourne, GTV9 called us to say they had been inundated with calls from people wanting to be in the studio audience," he told TV Times.

Bert gets the boot
Nine Network personality Bert Newton (pictured) has been awarded The Footlighter Award (a cigarette lighter shaped like a foot) for personality of the year at the annual Footlighters showbusiness ball in Melbourne. The night was highlighted by an off-beat floorshow featuring The Naked Vicar Show's Colin McEwan as an un-angelic Charlie's Angel, Maurie Fields as a girl guide and Ross D Wylie as a limping nun. After accepting his award, Newton had to race off to the Nine studios to appear on The Don Lane Show.

Peter can lend you an ear
In a dance routine on this week's The Saturday Show, don't be fooled into thinking there are nine John MacNally's on screen. No special effects, but rather, there will be MacNally (pictured with co-star Suzanne Steele) accompanied by eight dancers all wearing latex masks in his likeness - the work of ABC props artist Peter Dack whose desk is surrounded by relics of former ABC productions; such as fake snakes from Bellbird, a rubber hand used in a Bellbird scene where Lynette Curran had to touch a live electric fence ('the producer wanted real sparks'), and a lump of latex that was stuck to Graham Kennedy's face to show a nasty bruise after his character had been beaten up in a scene in Power Without Glory.

Viewpoint: Letters to the Editor:
"I greatly enjoyed the program Mastermind, but disagree with the method of questioning. The method of asking an entirely different set of general knowledge questions is, I think, most unfair. They are so varied it is impossible to make an even test of the competitors' knowledge." B. O'Shea, NSW.

"I cannot understand how Willesee At Seven is such a highly rated program. Mike Willesee (pictured) himself blunders his way through the show, mutters useless comments almost inaudibly, and half the time doesn't even bother to look to camera." G. Jackson, New Zealand

"Country Road is excellent. It is good family viewing and full of good talent. So why must it be shoved into a late timeslot? Surely it's more feasible to put Dave Allen and Soap on later?" P. Martin, QLD

What's On (August 5-11):
ABC presents limited live coverage, about an hour on each of the first two days only, of events from the Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, Canada, with half-hour evening and late-night highlights packages each night during the week.

Dame Enid Lyons, the first female member of the House of Representatives, and later the first female Cabinet Minister, is the guest on the final episode of interview program Woman In Question.

The series may have been axed a year beforehand, but the movie version of the former hit series Number 96 is shown on ATV0 on Tuesday night - and on Friday night, the comedy All At Sea, featuring some of the former cast members of Number 96 and game shows Blankety Blanks and The Celebrity Game.

Sunday night movies are The Strange Vengeance Of Rosalie (HSV7), Save The Tiger (GTV9) and Avanti! (ATV0).

Source: TV Times (Melbourne edition), 5 August 1978. ABC/ACP