My days at 7 were some of the happiest. 2009: Jeannette Smith (nee Ashley) Company Secretary – Kingsrose Mining Limited Having only recently arrived from Africa the year before joining TVW, it was all rather exciting as a 21 year old to be given an opportunity to work at a television station! Ernie Taylor interviewed me and I recall at that time being informed how strict the organization was regarding accuracy and presentation of documents. How true! Ernie Taylor I remember the first couple of weeks so well: I would arrive home each day with loads of paper stashed in my handbag...

Peter Conroy (on the right) with Bob Mercer (who was STWs first General Manager) at a Sales Seminar in 1969. (Marie Breckinridge was taking notes of the meeting) – Photo courtesy of June Holmes The lower pic shows the late Milton Francis (Melbourne Representative), the late Harvey Bean (Managing Director Bean-Birrell Advertising) the late Peter Conroy and Ron Guyot (Sydney Representative) – Photo courtesy of Dr Peter Harries Bill Bowen reports that the Saturday West Australian Obituaries announced… “Peter John Conroy” died on Thursday 10th September 2009. Peter...

Danni Harford was a dancer and choreographer with TVW between 1964 and 1968, then appeared in many specials and lavish stage productions. Danni Harford Danni danced regularly with Kevan Johnston, during his time as TVW choreographer, then took on that role herself. Later returning to appear in a number of the key productions where Brian Smith was the choreographer. In this video, Danni relates the Channel Seven Ballet period, where young pretty dancers supported Seven’s popular variety show In Perth Tonight and the high rating Club 7 Teen. Danni also provides insight of the early dance...

Lindsay Smith was a audio operator who worked for TVW from January 1961 to January 1968. Lindsay Smith in TVW’s Audio Contol Room for Studio 2 on New Years Eve 1963-1964 Lindsay and wife Lyn on New Years Eve 1963-1964 Lindsay and Lyn at the 1964 TVW Ball In December 1964, Lindsay took a break from his audio duties to join the TVW crew of Michael Gale (journalist) and Matt Williams (cine cameraman) on a trip to Lake Dumbleyung, a 13 kilometres long and 6.5 kilometres wide salt lake in Western Australia, to cover the world water speed record attempt by famed British car and motorboat...

Joy Campbell (nee Heweston) worked firstly as a Secretary for George Howell in the music department for the Perth Talent Service and from there to Frank Moss, Brian Treasure and Jim Cruthers, working for TVW from 1963 to 1967. In the early days of TVW under Frank Moss, all the secretaries had to be trained in the Accounts department first before they were assigned to a department and then for a period of about 12 months. We all did time in most departments so that if any one was away any one of us could step in and help out. I worked for George Howell in the music department for Perth Talent Service...

Following a number of complaints about this web site not covering all Western Australian television stations at this time, we consider a few words of explanation are in order. It seems the site’s activities have also caused confusions regarding its relationship with the Australian Museum of Motion Picture Technology (AMMPT), which is conducting a “50 Years of TV in WA” exhibition at the Fremantle Arts Centre from Monday 5th October, 2009 -to- Friday 4th December, 2009. AMMPT is a separate body of cinema and television collectors, who are devoted to restoring and preserving...

Working at TVW Channel 7 in the Early Days: Private staff party showing Peter Partridge and Gwen Andrews My introduction to working as a secretary at Channel 7 was for Bill McKenzie when he was Film Manager to fill in for Margie Naylor (Heweston) while she was on leave in South Africa. From the first day I felt so ‘at home’ and enjoyed the friendly atmosphere of TVW. When Margie came back we worked together for a little while and I really valued hers and her twin sister, Joy’s friendships during my time at Seven. Bill McKenzie I went to work for Brian Treasure when he...

MEMORIES OF DAYS AT CHANNEL 7 Jill Korbosky 1959 – as a child. I attended Children’s Channel 7 starring Rolf Harris; his wobble board and his magical sketches which appeared suddenly from a multiple of squiggles and Oliver the Octopus. 1968 – 9 years later. I was hooked from the moment I stepped inside the corridors of the Channel 7 studio for an interview. So much activity, so many different things to see. Studios, cameras, telecine and large offices manned with very happy people. And it covered such an enormous area. This place had something special going for it. ...

Peter documents the demise of the Ampex ACR25s and how high maintenance and new technology made them obsolete. Peter Croft with an Ampex ACR25 We debated long and hard what to do as it broke our hearts to scrap these great machines, but they were so big and heavy (they weighed literally one tonne) that we just couldn’t find any reason to keep them. You’ll notice that we were wearing black armbands in one of the shots. These were partly a joke, but we were genuinely fond of these machines as techs. It’s not as if they’d been kept, they could just be switched on and...

The secretarial ladies at TVW were a classy bunch, in all ways, but in particular their standard of work. TVW only employed the best typists and shorthand was a must. Jim Cruthers was most particular about the presentation of memos. Double spaced, concise text on bond paper, quality IBM golfball with carbon ribbon, and no errors. In the work environment, it was important that the TVW ladies appear modestly dressed, and much attention seemed to be given to that in the early days… particularly during the mini-skirt era. Many of the ladies have kindly provided photos and anecdotes relating to...