Bert Newton Has Proved the Teacher’S If You Loved Sport, Chances Are Once Considered the Poor Hint of the Skills Bert Newton Instincts Were Right on the Money
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02 SUNDAY, JUNE 21, 2015 HERALDSUN.COM.AU Some of our favourite actors The most controversial list on TV — who made it and why “GOOD evening and welcome to to iconic series such as Number 96, television.” Prisoner, The Sullivans, Neighbours, With those words, uttered by Home and Away, SeaChange and Bruce Gyngell in a Sydney studio Blue Heelers. on the evening of Sunday Steve Vizard believes the power September 16, 1956, Australian of television lies in its ability to audiences got their first glimpse of bring together people from all the medium which would walks of life. “The magic of live TV ultimately unite us in collective is its ability to connect people in moments of joy, laughter, sadness, different cities around the country shock and relief. through a shared moment, whether It is easy to forget, when you it be a shared laugh, a shared gasp switch on the box at night, how or a shared tear,” he says. much it has influenced Australia. Daryl Somers, who led Ossie It was television which allowed and the gang on Hey Hey It’s us to share Cathy Freeman’s jubilant Saturday for 27 years, is an victory at the Sydney Olympics. It outspoken advocate for the need left us weeping over the death of to honour and preserve our Grace in The Sullivans, but clutching television history. He says our sides with laughter thanks to watching old episodes of shows is Norman Gunston, Paul Hogan and like peering inside a time capsule. Kath & Kim. “They offer insights into what Next year Australian television people were talking about at the celebrates its 60th birthday. Over time, the sorts of attitudes and those decades we have seen many opinions people had,” he says. magnificent changes to the “In 100 years’ time students medium, most notably the might want to study these shows to introduction of colour and digital learn more about the time and transmission. Through all the many of them will be gone.” axings and the ratings wars there One of the recurring comments has been a talented troupe of from our television legends has people who have made Australian been about the importance of live television such a compelling force. television and original drama, not This week we honour some of just for the jobs they provide but the folk who have left a lasting for the moments they create. mark on the small screen. It is no coincidence that the TV You have to begin with Bert moments which seem to resonate Newton, a true pioneer of the most strongly with people are industry, clearly a legend of the those which are unscripted and small screen. unexpected. Legends, too, are the gifted and Australian TV can claim credit often courageous TV journalists for giving superstars such as like Ray Martin, Mike Willesee, Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce, Kylie Kerry O’Brien and Jana Wendt, Minogue and Chris Hemsworth who not only brought us their first breaks in performing. memorable stories from around Before the world knew the globe but helped to shape our Hemsworth as Thor, Australians Why Bert will always be our favourite second banana political and social landscapes. got to know him in the Summer Comics such as Steve Vizard, Bay Diner. Oscar winner Crowe, Andrew Denton and Magda much as it irks him to admit it, got OMING up with novel 55 of them spent entertaining Szubanski made us laugh, often at his start in Ramsay Street as excuses about unfinished Australians on TV and stage — ourselves. Kenny Larkin, a lad with a mullet. homework was the first Bert Newton has proved the teacher’s If you loved sport, chances are Once considered the poor hint of the skills Bert Newton instincts were right on the money. Bruce McAvaney was the one cousin to cinema, television is now Newton would show as a Newton left school at 15 to Clive performer. pursue a radio career, but ended up telling you whether you were a more powerful in many ways than TV and stage actor winner or a loser, along with more the big screen. As a boy when questioned about extraordinaire becoming one of Australia’s TV’s than a few statistics you may not Today we present a special why he had not completed his pioneers and most popular school work, Newton explained his performers. have needed! liftout, Legends of the Small Greatest TV legend? grandmother had died. Together with his close friend And then, of course, there are Screen — our list of TV heroes still If he was expecting sympathy, Graham Kennedy and partner in comedy, Graham our many actors who brought life working to make TV great. he was very much mistaken. His Favourite moment from Kennedy, Newton first made his exasperated teacher pointed out your career? mark on the small screen on In that, according his excuses, it was Hosting a Royal Command Melbourne Tonight, creating some WORDS: Siobhan Duck PICTURES: David Caird the third Newton grandmother to performance in the early ’80’s of the box’s most iconic moments PRODUCTION/STYLING: Anna Byrne die that year. before the Queen and the on the madcap nightly live TV Actresses wear Country Road, Basque from Myer Chadstone, Without missing a beat the Duke of Edinburgh at the show from Channel 9. Farage, LXE and Trenery; hair and makeup by Lilly Miljkovic, Liz Jones, Brad Mullins, budding entertainer replied, “My Sydney Opera House. Until recently, Newton would Joel Babicci, Sandra Wograndl, Samantha Powell and Allison Boyle. Bert Newton photo: antique Favourite moment as a 1950s televisions supplied by Mark Lawson. David Koch and Karl Stefanovic photo: farmhouse style grandfather remarried quickly.” bridle at any suggestion he was a kitchen by ianthomson.com.au; styling: GQ fashion editor Barnaby Ash; clothing: David Jones. Newton laughs as he viewer? “legend” of the genre, joking it was Dannii Minogue photo: Needle and Thread dress, Myer; hair and makeup by Darren Cartledge; recalls the reaction. “He (the Taking a break from rehearsals a title bestowed only on people Lee’s Asian Grocery, Prahran Markets. Daryl Somers photo: Cougar’s Tattooing, Hawthorn. Ian teacher) later told me he knew who are past their expiry date. Smith photo: Pentridge Prison D division. Lisa McCune photo: Melbourne East Police Constables hosting an In Melbourne Rebecca Gauci and Adrian Farano; hair and makeup Dean Nixon. Sigrid Thornton photo: then I was destined for success — Tonight OB at Puckapunyal These days, having survived a Melbourne Aquarium. Steve Vizard photo: 747 Jumbo jet, courtesy Avalon Airport; hair and maybe not on the sports field or in Army Base to watch man walk quadruple bypass, he is more makeup Dean Nixon. Kerry O’Brien photo: Georges Heights gun placements, Sydney Harbour. business, but in show business.” on the moon. accepting, even overwhelmed by Magda Szubanski photo: The wig room, ABC studios, Elsternwick; hair and makeup Kate Radford Almost 70 years later — the notion people, particularly his - V1 HERALDSUN.COM.AU SUNDAY, JUNE 21, 2015 03 Why Bert will always be our favourite second banana peers, would describe him as recluse. He wasn’t. He was just hold him back was the fact he with Kennedy. While Kennedy and Despite his many accolades and “legendary”. In Newton’s mind, it very private,” Newton says. didn’t have a “Bert Newton” of his Newton were friends before they popularity with viewers and peers is still Graham Kennedy who is the “He had a great intellect and he own to work beside him. began working together, Newton alike, Newton hasn’t had a regular king of Australian TV. didn’t suffer fools. Graham wasn’t “I took that as a very great and Lane were strangers. TV gig in almost 10 years. Newton still misses Kennedy, around for this era of technology compliment,” Newton says. “I have “I was delighted when the call He confesses TV executives who died in 2005 at the age of 67. and social media. Back then he never had a problem with being came to work with Don as I “aren’t exactly banging down the “I think the only person who would send faxes to people at 3am. the second banana, as they call it. thought my career was basically door” with offers. And in an era didn’t truly appreciate how Imagine what he would have been “With Graham and with Don grinding to a halt,” he laughs. where reality TV rules supreme, he brilliant Graham was, was Graham able to do now! we always felt that we didn’t care “My biggest concern working isn’t certain there would be a show himself,” he says. “Thankfully he never had my who was getting the laughs as long with Don was coming into the that best used his skill-set. “Before a show, he was anxious fax number.” as we were getting them. It was a dressing room in the morning to Not ready to retire, he busies to the point of being almost Newton recalls that while many partnership. find a pretty young girl there and himself with his stage career, and is physically sick. And then he would stars were “jealous” of Kennedy’s “With Graham I think it was having to remember her name,” appearing as the narrator in The walk on to the set and be brilliant. screen charisma, he wasn’t probably 60/40 and with Don he laughs. “I’d never know which Rocky Horror Show. It was like he saved part of himself threatened by his friend’s talent. maybe more like 50/50.