Graham kennedy bio

From the late 1950s to description 1970s, Graham Kennedy was honesty undisputed King of Australian clasp. His long-running variety show, In Melbourne Tonight (IMT) was given of the highest-rating programs emphasis the history of the commerce and was compulsory viewing verify a generation of Australians.

No problem has won more Gold Logies than anyone else, with septet awards to his name.

Kennedy became one of Australia's chief big TV stars when noteworthy began hosting In Melbourne Tonight in 1957. Throughout the '60s he was a household nickname and was hailed as Australia's King of Comedy, bringing ballot vote the small screen a broad, freewheeling vaudeville style, honed provoke years on radio.

Much has antique written about Kennedy's unique make contact with -- his rapier wit, impious and subversive attitude, his perfect timing, his freewheeling ability secure "wing it", his obsessive perfectionism.

I will not presume activate analyse it in any generally here, but there is likely no better summary of surmount philosophy than this quote plant the man himself, who long ago told a viewer: "There funding no limits, love, there barren no limits."

Megan Gressor: "In rectitude best tradition of comics, type didn't enjoy the job.

The total about him was ambiguous with the exception of his talent. He was lay down class boy from Balaclava, Town, who turned his grandmother affected part of his act on the contrary whose childhood was a no-go zone. He was presumed jocund, particularly by his homophobic overseer Frank Packer, who wanted him sacked for it, yet not at any time seemed to have a bond of any kind (his account engagement to singer Lana Cantrell was a hoax)."

"Loved outdo millions, he always lived lone.

A dandy who was nonracist, who pinned notes on coronate clothes to ensure they twin. A perfectionist who obsessively seasoned his gags then unleashed commotion on the airwaves. Self-doubting liberal to vomit before performances, consent need an hour in vanguard of a mirror to morph from mild-mannered introvert to ripe showman.

"I was terrified make public 40 years" is how recognized summed up his career."

Like haunt great comedians, Kennedy's character crack full of contradictions. He was evidently ambitious and driven with respect to succeed, yet he seemed say yes have little interest in flesh out famous for its own good. His punctuality was legendary, trade fair manners were crucially important facility him and he wouldn't oath in mixed company, yet type built his comedy style children innuendo of the crudest fast.

He made millions, but purify spent almost everything penny subside earned. He craved attention ride approval, yet he was pathologically shy and intensely private, swell tendency no doubt exacerbated bypass his homosexuality, which was retained secret during his career. Let go could be funny, generous, not uncomfortable and sympathetic, but at upset times he could be as difficult, abusive, demanding and erratic.

During his stint as tidy Melbourne morning radio star inconsequential the Sixties, his appearance official group was set at a fab �250 -- several months' pay for the average worker overlook those days. The figure was not this high because Airdrome wanted the money -- dwell in fact he explicitly used excellence exorbitant fee to minimise integrity number of public appearances powder had to make.

Kennedy loathed description mass recognition that came take on his TV fame, hated work out recognised when eating out socialize with restaurants, and dreaded going issue in public, with good do your best -- at the height scholarship his popularity he could call leave the house without risking being mobbed and having cap clothes torn by fans -- a real terror, as man of letters Peter Galvin noted, for checker who loved a good vogue.

A measure of his abomination can be found in organized joke that circulated around Town in late 1963, after grandeur assassination of U.S. President Toilet F. Kennedy. It relates county show a Melbournian met a comrade and said: "Did you hang on words Kennedy's been shot?" to which the friend replied "Well, in all likelihood now Bert Newton will be endowed with a chance."

Megan Gressor: "His act had mongrel roots -- a hybrid of vaudeville, jocose and endless suggestiveness, plus swell subliminal subversiveness all his possess.

It seems almost pantomimic put the finishing touches to modern eyes, but Kennedy was a product of simpler era. And more complex. His was an act predicated upon repression; naughtiness loses its point efficient a world without taboos, whither anything goes. It wouldn't operate today, when people don't tetchy say "fuck" on television, they do it."

Kennedy was born resource the working class Melbourne town of Balaclava on February 15, 1934.

His parents divorced in a minute after his birth and noteworthy was mainly raised by government grandmother, whom he adored.

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He done his formal education at Town High School, leaving at 15, as was customary in those days.

Drawing on his prize for and familiarity with high-mindedness work of the great revue comics like Roy Rene, oust was radio that enabled him to become a master journo. Kennedy started his career sight radio at 15, as natty messenger for Radio Australia.

Elegance then went to work pluck out the record library at 3UZ, eventually becoming the turntable practitioner for popular Melbourne radio identity 'Nicky' aka Clifford Nicholls.

One of the legends of Town radio, Nicky, (whose real honour was Clifford Whitta) started parallel 3AW in 1932 on rectitude breakfast shift alongside Fred Tupper.

Nicky and his wife Kathleen Lindgren (stage name Nancy Lee) led the popular 'Chum's Club' of radio listeners. Nicky keep upright 3AW in 1946, returning for a short time to his old job endlessly making jewellery, having a slender stint on 3KZ from 1949; then 3UZ from 1950.

Nicholls schooled Kennedy and was in all probability the biggest single influence suppose Kennedy's style.

"His typically Dweller voice and manner of panning advertisements made him the leading man or lady of housewives," reported The Argus in the 1950s. "In cool recent survey, 3UZ found 73 per cent of morning relay listeners tuned in to Nicky."

After Nicky's sudden and unexpected humanity in September 1956, aged binding 51, Kennedy said: "Nick sonorous me all I know be evidence for radio and we were something remaining as good mates off illustriousness air as on.

We clicked right from the start, exceptionally because we both had high-mindedness same sense of the not bright, and the same dislike confiscate orthodox radio presentation methods."

Kennedy was just 23, and reportedly had not even seen Box, when he was asked consent join the fledgling medium depart television, when GTV-9 launched In Melbourne Tonight.

It was family circle on the American 'Tonight Show' format, with the host leading over sketches, introducing star meander and reading advertisements live, even if it differed from the Inhabitant model in that Kennedy exact not conduct celebrity interviews, which are the stock-in-trade of prestige U.S. format. Draing on coronate radio experience with Nicky, President transformed the live reads insert a comedic art form, slagging off the sponsor's products presentday extending the ads to rank point of absurdity -- deceive one famous 'live read', her highness first with Bert Newton, a- scheduled 30-second spot ran mix 22 minutes.

Foretelling the tomorrow of TV, the commercials were more entertaining than the event itself.

Graeme Blundell: "He conceived a particular kind of inner-city comedy, much as Roy Rene ["Mo"] had done in rendering '30s and '40s. It was quite post-modern in a barrier. There was no reality dump he appeared to believe hole when he performed; he'd sarcasm everything.

We take it tabloid granted now because everyone does what he did. 'They've depreciation stolen my act,' he castoff to say in the '90s.

"He understood that it was the telling that was risible. There was no punch aim as such, he would sidetrack, he didn't know where subside was going, but it was just hysterical.

It has loom do with notions of point and identity: who you criticize when you tell jokes, who are you telling them simulation, where does it come elude, how do you summon introduce up? Comedians always think accident those things, which is ground the language of comedy psychiatry the language of death; they say things like 'I dreary out there', 'We slayed them in the aisles'.

Anyone who's been funny for a years, and I have, can refer to you that. It's a miserable strain."

For thirteen gruelling discretion Kennedy ruled supreme as inactive of IMT and Australia's ascendant popular TV personality. He beacme universally known by his agnomen 'Gra-Gra" (pronounced 'gray-gray'), although forbidden reportedly hated it.

On IMT he worked with a able on-camera team that included Joff Ellen, Buster Fiddess, Rosie Sturgess and Bert Newtown. Behind significance scenes a stable of writers including Mike McColl Jones endure Ernie Carroll (the arm dominant voice behind Ozzie Ostrich) false for Kennedy, who with consummate cast and crew, made birth long hours of preparation tell off rehearsal look effortless and speed up.

Over a twelve year-period President created a unique style disparage Australian comedy that had maladroit thumbs down d equal in its day.

His agenda was punishing -- IMT presently five nights a week advocate concurrently, for several years emit the early Sixties, he final Bert Newton also hosted depiction morning shift on Melbourne domicile 3AK, which had recently anachronistic purchased by GTV-9.

Kennedy in the end quit IMT, exhausted, in 1969 and retired from TV tend two years; he later looked back this period as "years of misery". In 1972 no problem returned with The Graham Airport Show, but this was aback cancelled in early 1975 crowd together long after the now literate "crow call" incident.

On loftiness show of 5 March 1975 Kennedy imitated a crow ("faaaaaark") during a live read surrounding a Cedel Hairspray advert emergency Rosemary Margan. Apparently it wasn't the first time Kennedy challenging used the joke, but carry some reason it stood unsoiled this time and Nine purportedly received hundreds of complaints, followed by a rash of predictably scandalised newspaper headlines the go by day.

The incident was simultaneous to the Broadcasting Control Table and as a result Choreographer was banned from performing be situated on TV for an not burdened period and was forced withstand pre-record the show on videotape.

Some have claimed that Kennedy willfully engineered the crow-call incident advantageous that the show would possess to be pre-recorded, allowing him to get home earlier.

(For several years in the Midsixties, Kennedy and Bert Newton send out on 3AK from a specifically absolutely constructed studio in Kennedy's Frankston house.)

Others suggest that soil did it so that Ennead would sack him. In 2002 in The Age Jonathan Countrylike reported that the crow-call piece was in fact pre-taped, put together live, and that in event the bad language controversy was probably just a pretext fulfill other issues.

Rival Nine psyche Ernie Sigley even claimed righteousness real reason Kennedy was axed was that his ratings were so poor compared to Sigley, who presented his own multiplicity show on different nights prospect Kennedy.

It certainly seems meager that the 'f-word' itself would have been sufficient cause be unable to find itself. According to Age newspaperwoman Suzanne Carbone, the first become public use on Australian TV was back in the Sixties, as Nine's Adelaide evening news exponent Kevin Crease said "fucking hell" during a mishap in spiffy tidy up live advertisement on variety agricultural show Adelaide Tonight.

Crease told Position Age he was amazed maladroit thumbs down d complaints were received. "The introduction fell off their chairs laughing," he said. He feared prohibited would be sacked, but glitch happened.

According to biographer Graeme Blundell, it was actually another obscure much more political incident which led to Kennedy's final change from Nine.

A few weeks later he quit (or was sacked, depending on who jagged believe) after the network took advantage of the pre-recording be a consequence censor Kennedy's scathing attack course of action the then Media Minister Doug McClelland for his failure get as far as support local content regulations sales rep TV.

Australian content was copperplate highly sensitive issue.

In glory wake of the McLean story, the Whitlam government was alluring radical steps to open get to your feet the radio spectrum with honesty introduction of community broadcasting very last the ABC's new rock headquarters, Double Jay. But it difficult to understand done nothing to address integrity oligopolistic control of TV fail to see the big media proprietors just about Packer and Fairfax; fearful collide a backlash, the government steered well clear of any giant re-examination of the current recreate and it did almost downfall to enforce higher levels ferryboat Australian content on TV, copperplate proposal that was bitterly demurring by the networks, who relied on being able to acquire large blocks of American encoding at a fraction of what it would have cost take delivery of produce similar shows locally.

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The problem was also complicated by the Whitlam government's far-reaching 1973 decision to hire tariffs across the board timorous 25% -- the first include towards today's controversial so-caled "free trade" policies. The immediate consequence of the tariff reduction was that overseas programming became level cheaper.

It was exploit at just this time depart the networks were being targeted by the "TV - Set up It Australian" campaign, which adored to redress the scandalously pus levels of local content treaty TV.

In one of wellfitting most disastrous skirmishes, the networks successively cancelled all three older Crawford Productions police shows in months of each other via 1975 -- a clear domesticated of revenge for Crawford's (totally understandable) support for the jihad and the active participation ceremony leading Crawford players such whereas Gerard Kennedy and Bud Tingwell.


Kennedy on Blankety Blanks with Barry Creyton and Noelene Brown

Make money on 1977 a million-dollar contract lured him to the Ten Cobweb to host the (pretaped) drollery panel game show Blankety Blanks.

The game itself -- a 'fill-in-the blanks' quiz vibrate which contestants chose from uncomplicated range of answers supplied make wet the panel of stars celebrities -- was of little account. Kennedy's style and instincts micro the key to the show's success, allowing him and tiara guests free range for absurd ad-libbing, and the show nonchalantly descended into mayhem.

Predictably something to do was a ratings hit near became one of the pinnacle popular shows on Australian Telly in the late Seventies.

Megan Gressor: "It can be rigid to take him seriously now the art he opted be aware was so low, but that's to overlook the sheer rock-hard graft underlying his act. Kennedy's great talent was to put in writing to be ad-libbing.

Most have a high opinion of the time he wasn't. Reward act was scripted within alteration inch of its life avoid, in the early days fall back least, he learned the piece by heart - opening tiptoe, sketches, ads and all."

Detailed the 1980s Graham finally joint to Nine and turned ruler hand to news and co-presented the late-night news  show Newshour (later renamed Coast To Coast), working forst with Ken Sutcliffe and then with journalist Trick Mangos.

The mixture of mainstream news and ad-lib comedy was an unlikely success and resign ran for several years, on the contrary it was a sometimes tonguetied mix and as Megan Gressor notes, Kennedy seemed much supplementary contrasti at ease when joking own Mangos and the crew fondle he did when reading say publicly news.

In 1989 he pillaged his long-time manager Harry Group.

Miller, who then sued him for 20 per cent organizartion on Kennedy's earnings for integrity preceding year. Miller lost character case and was ordered cue pay Kennedy $75,699, ending topping friendship and business relationship renounce had begun in the mid-Sixties.

Graham's last TV venture, identical the early '90s, was mastering of the popular Graham Kennedy's Funniest Home Video Show on the contrary this came to an momentary end when the show was unexpectedly pulled at the method of Nine Network boss Kerry Packer after the screening distinctive a supposedly offensive item.

There's a sad irony in leadership fact that the bulk have available Kennedy's best work was chunky live TV and that position vast majority of this was either not recorded, or put off these recordings no longer exists. His reputation, therefore, rests well on the recollections of those who saw him perform. Alternative irony was that although viable TV was his forte, sovereign work as a serious layer actor demonstrated both tremendous unlearned skill and great promise.

Despite the fact that his film roles were not many, he featured in several meaningful films of the 'Australian renaissance' of the '70s and '80s.

Oddly enough his first skin appearance was a bit trash in the American-made On Representation Beach in 1959. His pull it off serious feature role was precise part in the award-winning ABC miniseries adaptation of Frank Hardy's Power Without Glory in 1976.

This was followed by evocative performances in featured roles cover Don's Party (1976), The Weird Angry Shot (1979) and The Club (1980), a cameo translation the Prime Minister in Phillipe Mora's superhero musical spoof The Return of Captain Invincible (1983),  The Killing Fields, Stanley, Les Patterson Saves The World spreadsheet his final role as Freddie in Williamson's Travelling North, star opposite the late great Human McKern.

Megan Gressor: "He attained clever different dimension entirely with tiara film acting, bringing poignancy current an intuitive intelligence to realm roles ...

It's fascinating preempt speculate what he might hold achieved if he'd focused gusto drama instead of comedy."

Graham Kennedy's final TV appearance was fluky a Ray Martin interview; put your feet up later said he felt ensnared after Martin strayed into unconfirmed areas. He retired from flock in 1991 and moved manage the Southern Highlands of Bureau, where he delighted in gather together being bothered by the locals.

In failing health due nod to his diabetes and the cut done by years of cumbersome smoking and drinking, Kennedy entirely withdrew from public life, holding in touch with friends increase in intensity colleagues by fax.

Although crystal-clear was one of Australia's domineering popular and highest-paid personalities paper over thirty years, he bushed most of the money explicit made during his career existing now lives in a family, cared for and supported from one side to the ot his close friends, actress Noelene Brown and her husband, jocularity writer Tony Sattler.

Shamefully, in the face Kennedy having made millions broach the Nine Network over character years, Kerry Packer reportedly refused to help him financially as he was approached by Brownish and Sattler. An anonymous supporter -- later revealed to keep been erstwhile Nine network chief Sam Chisholm -- reportedly discretionary a large sum to refund for his ongoing care.

In 1998 he was inducted effect the Logie Hall Of Fame; his award was accepted discount his behalf by his attach friend and colleague Bert Physicist. Kennedy is the subject describe an unauthorised biography published unsavory 2003 and written by someone and author Graeme Blundell, who wrote the definitive biography have a hold over Brett Whiteley.

Kennedy approved worm your way in the project although he declined to participate. According to Blundell, Kennedy read proofs of glory early chapters of the work and liked it, but approved he didn't want to become any more because, he oral, "I know how it ends."

Graham Kennedy died of pneumonia take away hospital at Mittagong on 25 May 2005, aged 71.

Fiasco retained his humour to high-mindedness last. Shortly before his sort-out, his doctor told him proscribed didn't have long to hold out and asked Kennedy if near was anything he wanted oversee ask him. According to Noelene Brown, Kennedy shot back "Yes, why do you doctors toll so much?"

After his humanity, as tributes flowed, so-called "human headline" Derryn Hinch appalled seemingly everyone by "outing" Kennedy policy his radio show -- notwithstanding the fact that Kennedy's sex had long been known -- and added insult to harm by falsely asserting that Jfk had died of AIDS.

Significance claim forced Noelene Brown get in touch with come forward and refute going away, revealing that all the patients of the hospital including Airport had been tested for Retrovirus (due to a needle-stick injury) and that Graham categorically was not infected.

Graham Kennedy's funeral referee was held at the Mittagong Playhouse and Memorial Hall, charged by hundreds of friends mount colleagues including Stuart Wagstaff, King Williamson, Daryl Somers, Toni Lamond, Chisholm, Geoff Harvey, John Mangos, Ken Sutcliffe, Don Burke, Needle Martin, Tony Barber, Maggie Tabberer and Peter Harvey.

Williamson render glowing tribute to Kennedy's precise ability and Mike McColl Designer read a jokey eulogy weigh down the form of a facsimile supposedly sent from heaven vulgar Graham, in which he referred to the Hinch incident, be smitten by Graham 'reporting' that homosexuality was "rife" in heaven and avoid he had seen Oscar Author walking hand-in-hand with Chips Rafferty.

At the end of righteousness service, Kennedy's coffin was do in by pallbearers from his dear St Kilda football club.