On Friday November 27th 2009, Keith Bales of the TVW Reunion planning committee organised an enjoyable post reunion dinner at the Romany Restaurant, on the corner of Lake and Aberdeen Streets in Northbridge. Not only was it a celebratory dinner for the planning committee, entertainers, sponsors and wives, but also a number of past CEO’s, Managing Directors and General Managers of TVW, who have contributed or taken a keen interest in our WA TV History web project. Those who attended were… Sir James Cruthers’ biographer Mark Balnaves of Curtin University Max and Betty Bostock Bill...

Re-live the magic of the TVW 50th Anniversary Reunion with this special commemorative DVD produced by Mintox Media. Featuring keynote entertainers Johnny Young and The Strangers, this fabulous keepsake also includes the arrival of the Nightcruiser party buses, entertainers from Stargate Actor’s Academy, and guest performers Jeff Phillips, Robbie Snowden and Justin and Katherine Freind. On of course the stars of the show… YOU! This exclusive record of the event is your opportunity to treasure an afternoon of laughter, surprises, tears and hugs! SEE the magic, HEAR the...

Most of you may already have heard but for those who worked at Channel 9 in the old days, you will be saddened to hear of the passing (today) of JACK WONG SUE.     Jack was known as the Host of the Channel 9 program called Down Under. The following has been passed to me by Bruce Dargie: Decorated Australian war hero Jack Wong Sue has died in a Perth hospice, aged 84. Jack Sue was a member of the Z-Force unit, the predecessor to the SAS, during World War II. He served behind enemy lines in Borneo for six months when he was a 19-year-old. There he witnessed the Sandakan...

EIGHT YEARS WITH SEVEN IN THE SIXTIES Brian Harrison-Lever Brian Harrison-Lever with Carolyn Tannock (nee Noble) After returning from a 4 year working holiday in the UK in 1963 I made an application for a job as a Set Designer with Perth’s new, commercial television station, TVW Channel Seven. I was interviewed by the then Station Manager Brian Treasure. He read through my references noting that I had previously worked as an Instructor in Mountaineering, Art and Theatre Design at the Westmorland Experimental School, Brathay Hall. He gave me a friendly smile and said: Brian Treasure...

In 2006, it was the 50th anniversary of television in Australia. The Australian Museum of Motion Picture Technology (AMMPT) commemorated this occasion with two events. The first was an exhibition in the undercroft of the Perth Town Hall in October 2006, and the second, a reunion for Perth television stations with TVW7, ABW2 and STW9 being represented. Rolf Harris kindly recorded a 15 minute message for replay at this reunion, which was held at the Italian Club in November 2006. Rolf Harris Celebrates 50 years of TV The following notes are drawn from Rolf’s address, with additional comments...

Back in the 1970’s, Annette Grennell (nee Purvis) was a young performer on STARS OF THE FUTURE, a national half hour children’s variety program which received Logie Awards in 1972, 1974, 1975 and 1976. Annette also appeared during the MISS WEST COASTS, TELETHONS and sang the theme to FAT CAT’S FUN SHOW. Annette Purvis, Lynne Wholley and Rhonda Thunder – Stars of the Future reunite Annette Grennell (nee Purvis) – Performer/Publicity 1970-1980 Lynn Wholley – Entertainer/Secretary 1973-1978 Rhonda Thunder (nee James) – Entertainer/Production...

Val Sutherland (nee Amoore) worked in the Seven Publicity and Program Departments form 1979 to 1985 (Typist/Publicity Co-ordinator/Publicity Manager). Gerry Swift, Val Sutherland, Martin Trevor, Jo-Ann Ledger Val reports that, “My years at Channel 7 were so much fun and I was very fortunate to meet a group of fantastic people that are still my very best friends today (including my husband!!).” My favourite pic of all – the Farewell Party to Sir James. Hollywood line-up with all those legs & short skirts – how ironic after Sir James was so strict about all...

Thirty One of the Past Fifty Years 1965 – 1996 ( Being paid to have fun ) By Tom Creamer I joined TVW7 in December 1965. I’d recently migrated from England and was looking for work. I phoned the station on the off chance they might have a vacancy and was lucky enough to be answered by a girl on the switchboard who was also English. There weren’t any vacancies but she, somehow, talked the Chief Engineer John Quicke into giving me an interview the following day. My luck still held and he offered me a job. I spent the next week at Ascot racecourse with the OB crew, running cables for the...

It started off as small tea party for Coralie Condon and Pixi Burke (nee Hale) to reminisce about the theatre, the performing arts and everything in general. Pam Leuba, Coralie Condon, Audrey Long and Pixi Burke Once word got out, it soon turned into a great post TVW reunion get together. Two people who missed out on the TVW reunion on Sunday October 18, 2009 were Pam Nielson (nee Leuba) and Russell Sage. Pam will be remembered as WA’s first woman newsreader and Russell for being a top studio and OB cameraman in the first decade of TVW Channel 7. Pam is in Perth for a short time...

Just a belated note to thank the organisers for the wonderful reunion. You all worked so hard for such a long time apparently, and your efforts paid off handsomely. We all had such a great time, so nice to see friends from those happy days at TVW. Photo – myself, Carolyn Gould and Luise Borsje Thanks again, Best wishes, Kay Linton-Mann (nee Sunners) Kay Linton-Mann, Carolyn Bendall and Luise Nelthorpe Kay Linton-Mann (nee Sunners) – Publicity 1974-1977 Carolyn Bendall (nee Gould) – Finance/News 1975-77 Luise Nelthorpe (nee Borsje) – Admin/Production 1971-1976 Carolyn...