memorable tv           

GOOD MORNING AUSTRALIA

10 Network/ x120m-e / 1981-92

Breakfast news show (Australia's first). Hosts included Sue Kellaway, Gordon Elliott, Kerri-Anne Kennerly and Mike Hammond. When the show ended the title was passed on to Bert Newton's mid morning show (see below). 

GOOD MORNING AUSTRALIA

10 Network-Capitol / x120m-e / 1993-2006

Daytime, early morning entertainment show with celebrity guests, music etc, hosted by Bert Newton and also featuring Tonia Todman and Dorinda Hafner. Basically a later in the day continuation of the above entry.

GOOD MORNING MR DOUBLEDAY

Fremantle-Independant Television System / 18x30m-e / 1969 (First Episode: 9 February)

Creator: David Swift / Producer: Ron Way / Design: Brian Thompson / Executive Producer: Paul Talbot

Sitcom detailing the misadventures of a none too confidant teacher, the Mr Doubleday of the title,  the series was directly adapted from a US original called Good Morning Mr Peepers.

With:- ALLAN LANDER as Mr Doubleday / KAY EKLUND / GERRY GALLAGHER / KATY WILD

GOOD NEWS WEEK

ABC (then 10 Network) / x30m-e / 1996-2001

Current affairs come satirical comedy show similar in style to the UK's Have I Got News For You, with two teams looking and joking at the weeks news. Team captain's were Mikey Robins and Julie McCrossin and host was Paul McDermott. The show ran on ABC for three years before switching to Ten. Anthony Akroyd was an early team leader.

GOOD VIBRATIONS

7 Network-Southern Star-Lynn Bayonas  / 2x120m-e / 1992

Writers: David Phillips, Morris Gleitzman, Lynn Bayonas / Camera: Gary Moore / Design: Michael Bridges / Costume: Bruce Finlayson / Music: Allan Zavod / Producer: Lynn Bayonas / Executive Producers: Kim Williams, Des Monaghan / Director: Graham Thorburn

Fantasy drama serial. When two sisters and their families move to the town of Buck's Crossing and are amazed to find their  house is Astral Transfer Station Five-Five-Two-0 and is a portal to the afterlife. It also turns out that one of the sisters ex-husband has plans for the redevelopment of the entire town.

With:- STEPHEN WHITTAKER as Raf / GENEVIEVE PICOT as Kate Riener / FELICITY SOPER as Sky / ALAN HOPGOOD as Cec / WILLIAM McINNES as David / SASHA CLOSE as Lily / DAVID HOFLIN as Donovan / JEFFREY WALKER as Jack / GRANT DODWELL as Leo / MANDY SALOMON as Judy Bruin / RICHARD NORTON as Sonny / MELISSA JAFFER as Annie / NEIL MELVILLE as Jim / TERRY GILL as Fred / VIC GORDON as Old Joe 

GORDON AND THE GIRLS

10 Network-Crawford / x60m-e / 1967 black and white

Creator/Producer: Alf Spargo

A weekday afternoon mix of entertainment, chat, variety, quizzes erc. Shown four times per week and hosted by Gordon Boyd with assistance from Margaret Britton and Roy Hempson. 

THE GORDON BOYD SHOW

ABC / 7x30m-e / 1964 black and white

Producer/Director: James Upshaw

Variety show headlined by the English Gordon Boyd and also featuring singer Jane Martin.

THE GORDON CHATER SHOW

7 Network / 19x60m-e / 1968 black and white

Writer: Hugh Stucxkey, Ron Frazier / Producer: John Pond

Variety series starring the then pretty popular Gordon Chater ably assisted by Brit Miriam Karlin. Broadcast live with Tommy Tycho and his orchestra providing the music.

G.P.

ABC-Roadshow-Coote and Carroll / 200x60m-e / 1989-96 (First Episode Broadcast: 7 March 1989)

Creator: Sue Masters / Producers: Sue Masters, Greg Shears, Bruce Best / Music: Simon Walker / Executive Producers: Penny Chapman, Matt Carroll

Medical drama series. Stories of the doctors working out of the Ross Street Surgery. Set in the Sydney Suburb of Glebe. 

With:- PETER BRYANT as Dr Chris Wright / STEVE BISLEY as Dr Henry King / ZOE CARIDES as Dr Sonja Kapek / SARAH CHADWICK as Dr Cathy Mitchell / AARON BLABEY as Sean / MICHAEL CRAIG as Dr William Sharp / MELISSA JAFFER as Dr Maureen Riordan / LENKA KRIPAC as Vesna Kapek / JOHN McTERNAN as Dr Robert Sharp / JUDY McINTOSH as Dr Nicolas Tanner

THE GRAEME BELL SHOW

ABC / 6x30m-e / 1958 black and white

Producer: Theo Carlstorm

Music based show starring jazzman Graeme Bell. 

GRAHAM KENNEDY

9 Network / 1x60 minute episode / Thursday 11 November 1971 @ 8.30pm  

THE GRAHAM KENNEDY SHOW

Channel 9 / x90m-e / 1960-61 1972-73 and 1975

Late night entertainment show much in the mould of The Tonight Show and hosted by the eponymous man of the title, mainly notable for the fact that Kennedy apparently swore once during a live commercial (although he claimed to imitating a crow). Regulars over the years included Bert Newton, Bruce Mansfield, Peter Smith, Jeff Ellen and Joy Westmore.

GRAHAM KENNEDY'S WORLD OF COMEDY

7 Network / 6x50m-e / 1985

Producer: Gary Reilly / Music: Mike Perjanik

A clip driven show in which Graham Kennedy introduced material from overseas performers.

THE GRASS IS GREENER

SBS / 6x30m-e / 1992

A look at seven kiwi's (New Zealanders) who made an impact in Australia. The seven were Jane Campion, John Clarke, Derryn Hinch, Harry M Miller, Sam Neill, Mark Hunter and Todd Hunter.

GRASS ROOTS

ABC-Eastway / 8x60m-e / 2000

THE GREAT BOOKIE ROBBERY

9 Network-PBL / 3x120m-e / 1986 15 - 17 November

THE GREAT CHASE

9 Network / x60m-e / 2000 (Shown Saturday's 7.30pm)

GREAT EXPECTATIONS: The Untold Story

ABC-Hemdale / 3x120m-e / 1987 February 

THE GREAT OUTDOORS

7 Network / x30m-e / 1993-continuing

Travel show in which Ernie Dingo travels to so far flung and exotic locations around the world sampling the local food, culture and so on. Other hosts include Penny Cook, Jack Absalom, Sofie Formica, Neil Crompton, Bridgit Adams (-2001), Sharon Tyrell , Ted Egan, Shelley Craft (from 2002), Sophie Faulkner (from 2002).

THE GREAT TEMPTATION

7 Network-Grundy / x30m-e / 1970-76

A daytime general knowledge quiz similar in style to Sale of the Century. The show was firstly know as New World Temptation for sponsorship reasons and later became known as simply Temptation. In 1971 a prime time hour long version running concurrent with the daytime one. Hosted by Tony Barber and also featuring Barbie Rogers. Announcer was Max Rowley.

THE GREAT TV GAME SHOW

10 Network-Media Arts / x60m-e / 1989

Executive Producer: Ian McFadyen

Comedy angled gameshow featuring teams of self confessed square eyed tele addicts. Based ona US quiz called Remote Control. Hosts were Richard Stubbs and Jane Holmes. Regulars on the teams including Russell Fletcher, Lynda Gibson, Margie Nunn and Michael Blair.

THE GREATER ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF THE GLORIOUS ANTIPODES

ABC / 6x30m-e / 1969 black and white

Writers: Maurice Wiltshire, John O'Grady / Producer: Bill Monroe

A sketch comedy show that focused on great moments in Australian history. Based on a book called Look Dad, They're Hanging Grandpa by Gilbert Anstruther. The regulars were John Derum, Ric Hutton, Peter Rowley, Chris Johnston, Alan Harvey, Diane Granquist and Maggie Kirkpatrick. The same team followed this up with Australia A to Z. 

GREED

10 Network-Grundy / 8x60m-e / 2000-2001

Quiz show based on a US original and hosted by Kerri-Anne Kennerley with five contestants answering general knowledge type questions and trying to knock each other out in an attempt to win a $1 million dollars. When the prize wasn't won it was added to making it possible to win as much as $2 million. The questions were multiple choice and the players worked as a team but still tryed to knock each other out.

THE GREEK VARIETY SHOW

10 Network / x60m-e / 1977-84

Producer: Harry Michaels

Also known as The Greek Affair this variety show featured the music of Greece and was hosted by Harry Michaels.

GREENSTONE

Beyond-TVNZ-Tainui Corp-Communicado / 4x90m-e / 1998

GRIM PICKINGS

9 Network - South Australian Film Corp / 2x120m-e / 1989 15-16 November

Writer: Graeme Koetsveld / Novel: Jennifer Rowe / Camera: Roger Dowling / Design: George Liddle / Music: Mike Perjanik / Producer: Damien Parer / Executive Producer: Jock Blair / Director: Ricardo Pellizzeri

Drama serial. Family secrets are unveiled when a body is discovered during an apple harvest.

With:- LORRAINE BAYLY as Betsy Tender / LIDDY CLARK as Verity 'Birdie' Birdwood / MAX CULLEN as Inspector Toby / CATHERINE WILKIN as Kate / NEIL FITZPATRICK as Wilf Tender / BRIAN VRIENDS as Damin / CAROLINE WINNALL as Zoe / PHYLLIS BURFORD as Alice Allcott / ROSEY JONES as Susie / EVA HAMBURG as Anna / STUART McCREERY as Nick / HELEN O'CONNOR as Jill / SCOTT HIGGINS as Chris / LYNDA GIBSON as Theresa Sullivan 

GROUND FORCE

7 Network / x30m-e / 1999-

A gardening make-over show based on the successful UK title of the same name. The garden expert Graham Ross and his team (who were Patrick [son of Jack] Thompson, Fiona Bruyn, Pascall Fox and Andrew Wilson. spend two days secretly transforming someone's usually rough garden into a paradise. 

THE GROUP

/ x30m-e / 1971

Creator: Michael Harris  / Idea: Anne Hall / Producer: Don Cash, Bill Harmon

Sitcom with quite a forward plotline for its time, three men share a flat with two girls, Mark was a student of psychiatry, Bob an accountant, Jeremy was involved with the music business. Jennifer was a student and Laura was a receptionist/would be model.

With:- KEN JAMES as Mark / Gregory Ross as Bob / Gregory de Polnay as Jeremy / Jenee Welsh as Jennifer / Wendy Hughes as Laura 

GTK

ABC / x10m-e / 1969-76 black and white and later colour

Producer: Ric Birch

Early evening music show featuring music clips of the latest 'pop combo's'. The title stood for Getting To Know and the show was a forerunner of Countdown.  

GUESS WHAT

9 Network / x30m-e / 1992-93

Children's game type show in which cartoonist Andrew Fyfe drew pictures that a team of kids had to try and get to the bottom of. Hosted by Alison Brahe and then Jacqueline Rindt for the 1993 season.

GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER?

9 Network / x30m-e / 2001 (First Episode Broadcast: Sunday 17 June / 6.30pm)

Lifestyle. Host Suzie Wilks tells a fan that the person they are mad about is going to be coming around for dinner. Chef Anthony Telford was also on hand with a budget of $200 for food as was a designer to make things look a bit special. Guest on the first show was actor/singer Michael Crawford.

A GUIDE TO A SWINGING BACHELOR

10 Network / 1x60m-e / 1970 (Broadcast: Thursday 2 April / 8.30pm)

Special hosted by Joey Bishop in which he attempted to provide tips and education for students seeking a bachelors degree, with the set made up to look like a university. Members of the staff included telephonist Shelley Berman, rake Noel Harrison, his maid Anne Morgan Guilbert, single Larry Storch, masseur Dean Jones and his date Emmaline Henry, also on hand were 12 Playboy models.

GUNSTON'S AUSTRALIA

7 Network / 8x30m-e / 1981

Writer: Garry McDonald / Producer: John Eastway

Comedy. Personality Norman Gunston (as played by Comic Garry McDonald) tours Oz in search of interesting people and places. Only 6 of the 8 episodes were shown during the original run (mainly down to poor ratings).

A GUY CALLED ATHOL

7 Network / 13x60m-e / 1968 black and white

Writers: John Muir, Eric Green

Producer: Norman Spencer

Variety series headlined by Seekers bassist Athol Guy (hence the punning title). Featuring a mix of comedy, music and chat. regulars included Terry Norris, Bill and Boyd, Pat Carroll and the Joe Latona Dancers.