Reg Whiteman – the life and soul behind children’s favourite Fat Cat for several decades – died in Perth on Thursday July 28, 2011, aged 82. He had been in poor health for some time. Reg Whiteman – Fat Cat Tribute WA TV History Reg Whiteman (Born 3/8/1929 – Died 28/7/2011) Early in his career Reg was a dancer and inaugural member of the WA Ballet Company, along with Kevan Johnston. Then he was the stage manager at His Majesty’s Theatre and took pride in dressing many of the stars, such as Rudolf Nureyev and Barry Humphries, who was performing as Dame Edna...

In 1982, Richard Ashton wrote an produced a 19 minute video tour of Channel Seven, which is presented by Peter Dean. Behind the Scenes at TVW Channel 7 in the 1980’s WA TV History Peter Dean takes us through a tour of TVW Channel 7 in Perth, Western Australia, when it was still an autonomous station and not locked into a particular network. It shows an era when programs were still being freighted in by air daily, with courier Fred Hanzel shuttling containers of film and videotape back and forth between the airport and the studios. The film department’s Herbert French was looking...

The dance studios of the late 1950’s through the 1960’s and beyond have been a wonderful resource for TVW-7, providing dancers and choreographers for Children’s Channel 7, Stars of the Future, Invitation to the Dance, The Nutcracker, The Good Oil, In Perth Tonight, Teen Beat, Club 7 Teen, the Christmas Pageant, and lots more. ABW-2 and STW-9 also benefitted in this way with their variety shows. Prominent dance teachers of the day were Shirley Halliday, Sharyn Woodhouse and Norma Atkinson. The Ballroom dance fraternity also played a role with the Gilkison and the Wrightson dance...

Since 2008, our small team of enthusiastic television veterans, supported by stories, photos and videos from many of the pioneers, is providing the basis for the content on this web site. There is now an ever increasing list of oral history contributors… Sir James Cruthers Carolyn Noble (Tannock) Sir James and Gary Carvolth Coralie Condon Darcy Farrell Kevin Campbell and Max Bostock Trina Brown (Williams) Sandy Palmer (Baker) Audrey Barnaby (Long) Elizabeth Cater (Black) Shirley Halliday and Sharyn Hatch Kevan Johnston Danni Harford Brian Smith Audrey...

ABC TV OB at Leederville Oval 2011 ABC Technical Producer Mark Hird has kindly provided us with details of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s television outside broadcasting activities in Western Australia. Mark Hird Unlike the commercial TV stations in WA, the ABC outside broadcast section remains busy, not only servicing ABC productions but also hiring their facilities for a wide range of broadcasts. Mark, picks up the story… ABC TV OB at Leederville Oval 2011 Over the last ten years or so Perth TV OB’s have not been totally idle. In addition to our...

Coralie Condon recently turned 96 years of age on May 16th, but that has not slowed her down, still attending theatrical performances and regularly entertaining friends and family, even though her eye sight is fading. On Monday 23rd of May, Coralie played hostess to a gathering of colleagues when two former senior executives Max Bostock and Kevin Campbell met with Professor Mark Belnaves, and fellow television veterans, to record an oral history of the early days at TVW Channel 7 in Perth, Western Australia. Professor Mark Belnaves is the Senior Research Fellow in New Media at the Curtin University...

Members of the radio drama and theatre community are united in their sorrow at the passing of one of its finest, Gillian Claire Margaret Berry (nee Lomberg), who passed away on April 4, 2011. She had been ill for a number of years with motor neurone disease and it is one consolation that she is now free of pain and suffering. Gillian Berry Gillian was born in South Africa and educated in the UK, France and Holland. She graduated from South Africa’s University of Natal Kwa Zulu (UKZN) with an honours degree in drama and literature. Gillian took part in literally hundreds of...

Halcyon days at the ABC Ball in the Basil Kirke Studio This is a personal account of the ever changing work environment that took place at the former Australian Broadcasting Corporation site in Adelaide Terrace, Perth, and the circumstances leading up to the site’s abandonment. Obviously wish to portray a positive impression, whilst attempting an honest description, as unlike the commercial arena, the ABC is a public institution that our tax dollars pay for and which many people faithfully follow as a reliable and alternate source of entertainment and information. It is...

“The first lady of Western Australian television” deserves that honour on so many levels. Not only is Coralie the grande dame of WA theatre, being a playwright, composer, actor, producer and director of not only stage productions, but also kick started local television production in WA. Coralie Condon “The first lady of Western Australian television” Coralie was also the first woman employed by TVW Channel 7 and the first lady seen live on WA television, on the evening prior to the official opening night. On May 16th, 2011, Coralie will be celebrating her...

ABC Radio veteran and former STW-9 staffer David Carlisle kindly reminded us that today, Saturday 7th May 2011, marks Six Years since the last ABC Radio News Bulletin was read from the former ABC studios in Adelaide Terrace, Perth. The newsreader was Alan Knight, who just happened to be the newsreader this morning too. Alan Knight Alan also read the ABC television News on occasions. News was the last department to make the move from Adelaide Terrace to Fielder Street, East Perth. Alan has been with the ABC for 20 years, after 2 years with 6KY (now Mix 94.5). Former ABC announcers...