From 1960 till 1974, Carolyn Tannock (nee Noble) graced our television screens in Western Australia, except for interruptions for her wedding, honeymoon, childbirth and  valued time dedicated to her own brood. For much of Carolyn’s career at TVW was devoted to entertaining children, starting in April 1960, at the youthful age of 17 and a half. A time when Rolf Harris was hosting Children’s Channel Seven, and Walt Disney’s Mouseketeers were all the rage.

So popular was this imported children’s program that TVW decided we should have a local version too. The hunt was on for a vivacious and articulate young lady who became synonymous with  celebrity to the young viewers of Perth. 

By coincidence, Carolyn’s parents were friendly with Jim and Sheila Cruthers, and during a family holiday at Rottnest, Carolyn looked after the Cruthers’ young children, John and Susan. Particularly Susan, at the Basin, at Rottnest. Jim Cruthers was to become  the person responsible for the successful application for Perth’s first television station and then the founding  General Manager of TVW.

When TVW  interviewed girls for the first Children’s Channel Seven hostess, Carolyn who trained as a secretary, was called in for an interview . She was one of about eight, and most of the others had come from an elocution studio. Carolyn didn’t, though she was taught elocution at school. Coralie Condon interviewed the girls, and had a little chat. There was no apprehension at the time, as Carolyn’s household was without a television set. Very shortly afterwards they rang and told Carolyn that she got the job… which Carolyn described as fantastic. So they came and took a photograph of her with the mouse ears on, and wearing her sister’s dress. Carolyn started work at TVW as a secretary at 10 o’clock in the morning and wore the same uniform as all the other girls at Channel 7. She mainly typed envelopes in the office, then around 4 or 4:30, would go down and take off her blue uniform blouse and put on her yellow T shirt, with ‘Carolyn’ emblazoned across the front.  

Carolyn’s first segment on TVW followed Rolf Harris, and was 15 minutes in duration. This consisted of about 15 children who came in and sat at the Mickey Mouse Club house and were interviewed on-air by Carolyn as their parents watched from home. Carolyn was chief Mouseketeer to 25,000 mice.

Carolyn thinks the Mouseketeer segment was incredibly popular as television was so new. TVW had started the local Mickey Mouse Club because they had bought the Disney produced US program of the same name, which had a huge following.  Carolyn tells how, “They had these big enrollment days in the city. The mums and dads used to come and get the badges and sign their names, and write in all their details, which came to a total of 25,000 from which 15 were selected each day to come in and appear on the Mickey Mouse Show. They all put on their ears and sat on their Mickey Mouse stools and I interviewed them, asking… ‘What’s your name? How many brothers and sisters have you got? Have you got any pets at home? What do you like to do for the holidays? It’s lovely meeting you Jenny’, and then go onto the next one. Every parent got to see their child on television, and that was the great joy, and the reason why it was so popular.”

So new and exciting was television in the early years, that Carolyn, like all TVW on-air personalities, were treated like stars, with crowds and autograph seekers wherever the publicity machine took them. Often truth was the casualty when the press reported a story, as Carolyn explained when the horse shy girl was encouraged to feed the steed and hop in the saddle, despite her better judgement. Carolyn has some clippings and photos of her riding the horse… and reports that she,  “…hates horses, but they wanted me to do a story with Jim Atkinson… and I was terrified. That’s what you did for publicity.”

Carolyn also went down for an Ashton Circus appearance and a lion got loose and finished up in a balcony in Terrace Road.

 
Carolyn commented on all the contrived press stories on her, “Because television was so big at the time, whenever they had a photograph of television people, it seemed to sell magazines.”

“When Rolf went away, we were going to be hosts of Children’s Channel 7, and Jim Atkinson had joined the station, with Judy Lee a part of that for a short time.”, explains Carolyn.  “We hosted this wonderful Children’s program which was produced by Penny Hoes, who came from England, and she was a fantastic producer, and it was a very interesting and educational program for children.”  Five to ten minute segments and then Carolyn hosting in between, with live commercials within all of this… and then the Mickey Mouse show at the end of it.  

One year there was a different theme for every day on Children’s Channel Seven. She had a wonderful pink dress made for Carolyn’s castle, and wore a tiara. There were five themes and five different outfits.

Carolyn said that Lloyd Lawson and her had a good relationship. She used to help out on the Today show, Audrey Barnaby helped out too, it was a 2 o’clock show and she didn’t have to wear the mouse ears or T shirt, so she dressed in really nice clothes. They had an audience of ladies… it was a good fun show and they had lots of laughs. Lloyd was much loved by many, many women… he had a great following. Fond memories for Carolyn.

On one memorable occasion Audrey Barnaby was marrying Geoff Long and Gary Carvolth and Carolyn were invited to the wedding but only got back to the studio at 5 minutes to 5… just minutes before the live Children’s Channel Seven. This cause a bit of stress for the production team at that time.

Carolyn thinks that Gary Carvolth most probably started at Channel 7 at the same time as her, and they were the same age. They used to have lots of fun… he actually did a spaceship segment on Children’s Channel Seven where they would both sit in the cockpit… and as they sat at the controls, they would most of the time just giggle themselves silly… because they found something funny in everything. Carolyn says, “We were great friends.”

Televisit was Coralie Condon’s program, that was a Wednesday, and Carolyn did a little bit on that. That was a very informative program and Coralie had wonderful people who would come along for various segments… some were regulars… some were not.

Carolyn reports that, “Coralie was also the producer of our program. That is the Children’s Channel Seven early days.” She organised Pat Thomas who did the pets, Harry Butler did the nature segment, Len McKenna did wildlife, Scott Proper-John with hobby time. Scott was brilliant as he had every kid in Western Australia making models with pop sticks.” Carolyn wonders, “I think today that if you look back on one of those Children’s Channel Seven programs, you would think holy moly what is this… school or something… it’s just all informative. Very little fun and dance.” Everybody thought it was great at the time, because that’s all there was. It certainly was a good program.   

TVW gave Carolyn a trip to Victoria to appear on children’s programs there, and it was an amazing trip at the time, she had never flown in a plane, apart from Rottnest, and Coralie came too as her chaperone, and they stayed in this fabulous hotel in Melbourne. Carolyn appeared with King Corgi and read stories… and also appeared on In Melbourne Tonight… unfortunately it was the night when Graham Kennedy wasn’t the compere… “But I do remember Graham Kennedy gave me a lift home in his Mercedes… which was a very good story to bring back from Melbourne”, reports Carolyn.

TVW also gave Carolyn an air fare to England on the first Air India trip out of Perth. She was away for three months, it was wonderful and still talks about it.

In 1964,  Carolyn Noble and Gary Carvolth won the best male and female personality Logie Awards for Western Australia.

Though at first Carolyn had to wear her own clothes, TVW later provided a budget and Neil Hunsley (the brother of TVW’s Jean Hunsley) an excellent dressmaker and designer, created her wardrobe.

Carolyn recalls that Brian Treasure treated her like a daughter, and made her feel very special. She thinks that Brian was the vision behind very many good things that happened at Channel 7 in the early days. Carolyn remembers going in to see him one day and her hand was shaking so much when she showed him her engagement ring.

When Carolyn and Peter Tannock announced their engagement, the Daily News reported that a noble was to wed a royal, as Peter played for the East Perth football club. They married in 1965. Then Carolyn moved to America and had a baby… she went for two years and that was the end of that section of her television career… which she considered a great job, it was easy, and quite well paid for a secretary. Trina Brown then took over Children’s Channel 7.

While Carolyn and her husband were in America, living in an apartment block opposite the university, they could see the armed National Guard attending to the riots, after the death of Martin Luther King [on April 4, 1968 (aged 39)]. She brought back a copy of The Sun, a Baltimore newspaper dated 8th of April, with the headlines, “1,900 U.S. Troops Patrolling City; Officials Plan Curfew Again Today; 4 Dead, 300 Hurt, 1,350 Arrested”. It was such big news that Darcy Farrell rang her from TVW and interviewed her on how it was affecting them.

On returning from the US in 1968, her second baby was born soon after. Carolyn returned to Channel 7 in a Saturday morning children’s show which contained a young talent quest, with a judging panel, of which one was Coralie Condon, and there was Max Kay too. This evolved into Stars of the Future.

Patricia Stephenson was an exquisite young singer on an early version of Stars of the Future. It was originally shown on Saturday mornings, but later moved to a family viewing spot at 7pm on Thursday evenings. It was recorded on Saturday mornings. The talent show would run through the year and finish up with grand finalists. None of them ever made a big mark on Australian music, but it had a great following here, and it won a logie too (four in total as Sandy Palmer continued on with the series). Carolyn thinks the show started about 1970, and in May 1971 it went to prime viewing time.

Many young male hearts were broken when Carolyn became engaged and then married, and Perth television screens missed her bubbly presence when she finally retired to family life.

Former Channel Seven CEO Max Bostock provides the following perspective on a number of TVW intiatives…

In my production role at TVW, I had an involvement with many of the programs mentioned by others. However a few stand out in my memory.

In 1968 a group of senior executives from Channel 7 Perth established Telethon, a registered charitable trust dedicated to raising funds to improve the lives of children and young people throughout Western Australia. By 2008, Telethon had raised over $80 million and provided much needed financial assistance to a significant number of charitable organisations, children’s hospitals and research/medical facilities.

In early discussions about a Telethon. Jim Cruthers wanted it. Brian Treasure didn’t. Brian, ever the salesman, was not pleased about losing revenue for 24 hours. Prior to Robert Holmes a Court, there was no paid advertising during Telethon. Brian had a good point as clients made a donation and received free plugs during the show, thus reducing overall revenue. However, when the decision was made BST backed it to the hilt and as usual gave us many great ideas and encouraged corporate donations.

The production of Telethon was always a team effort. As far as I can remember, the studio program was produced by a group headed by Marion Leyer. Later Brian Smith assisted with choreography and production. Prior to Brian joining us Shirley Halliday and her dancing school provided the choreography and the dancers. Later Brian and Danny Harford produced the entertainment segments. Various members of the staff had responsibilities to other elements of the overall production. In fact practically the whole staff was involved in one way or another. Telephonists, interstate guest hosts, car drivers etc. Some outstanding professional performers became annual visitors and many locals were launched into the entertainment industry.

The atmosphere created in the studio, and the whole building, by the crowds and the talent, is something I have never experienced before or since. In fact I believe the policy of inviting viewers into our premises for this, and other shows, had a lot to do with TVW’s success in the early days. We captured the swinging viewer because they had seen where their programs came from and felt part of TVW7.

During my time at TVW, I was invited to New Zealand to produce their first Telethon. I believe it is still going. Later I also produced the National Olympathon from Sydney to raise funds for the 1984 Olympics.

I first saw a Pageant when I was at Channel 10 in Adelaide (the TVW owned SAS-10). It was organised by the big retail store, MARTINS. It was not a Christmas Pageant. As our management showed interest in it, I returned to Adelaide the next year to learn more. To my surprise I was told they were not giving away any secrets and my interest was not welcome. To be fair it was not an event organised by a television station. Martins did the lot. 

As always we were backed by the total TVW staff, and with their support, and the support of local dancing schools, clubs etc, we were able to produce a parade that stopped the town.

I can still remember driving through city streets early on the morning of the event with a long pole attached to the vehicle to ensure no overhanging wires or decorations would snag a float. Prior to the commencement of the parade Tim and Phil Boase would check every towbar and welding joint to ensure our valuable cargo was safe.

To avoid barriers, the council agreed to paint a blue line around the Pageant route, and it was remarkable that very few children or adults crossed that line into danger.

Police figures show that crowds increased from 100,000 in 1972 to 350,000 in 1977. This production is a credit to all those dedicated people who worked on it and I am proud that it still continues today with the high standard of production continuing.

After several attempts to attract top world acts to Perth it became obvious that they were well outside our budget. We tried a different approach. We chose a few stars with hobbies in areas where we could offer something special in Australia, such as fishing. We sent off several letters offering a wonderful holiday in return for a TV appearance or a show.  BUT NO MONEY. 

As could be expected, we were not rushed with takers. Except for one. We had offered Bob Hope a golf tour with some of our top Pro Australian golf stars and backed up our proposal with a letter from the Premier, Sir Charles Court. To our surprise we received a letter from his manager expressing interest. I flew to Los Angeles for discussions. He introduced me to Bob and it was then I realised he was not as interested in golf, as in the opportunity to have the crew and facilities free of charge to produce his annual NBC special. Bob was always looking for ways to save a buck. He thought the title BOB HOPE DOWN UNDER, and from the remotest Capital in the world, had something going for it. Particularly if it cost him nothing for travel, accommodation etc. We arranged contra with Qantas and local hotels and the deal was done.

In 1978 he came with a group of forty crew, performers and musicians. Others who came with him were Florence Henderson (Brady Bunch), Barbara Eden ( I dream of Jeannie), and Charo.

On a couple of occasions during his stay Bob invited me to go walking with him. The only problem was he went walking about midnight and returned to the Hotel in the early hours to check the material produced by his three joke writers before it was transferred to large idiot sheets by his fulltime idiot sheet writer and holder. Bob never ad-libs. He corresponded with me for many years after the visit. We were trying to set up a show from Kalgoolie.

The American producer, Chris Bearde, was so impressed with our gun director, Keith Mackenzie, that he invited him back to LA to edit the programme for NBC.

Bob Hope (1903–2003), was a British-born American comedian and actor who appeared in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in radio, television and movies. He was also noted for his work with the US Armed Forces and his numerous USO tours entertaining American military personnel. Throughout his career, he was honored for his humanitarian work.

This was probably my biggest challenge. In about 1977 the State Government started sounding out local business to support the celebration of WA’s 150th birthday. Because the winners of our Beach Girl Competition represented Australia in the MISS UNIVERSE PAGEANT, and I was the Australian franchise holder for this pageant, I suggested preliminary discussions with the Pageant principles about holding the event in Perth.

At first the costs of flying and accommodating about 90 contestants, 50 staff, and equipment from all over the world seemed prohibitive. However early discussions with Qantas and Sheraton showed promise. The fact that the program would be shown to about 500,000,000 viewers around the world was attractive. I was given the go ahead to negotiate and present management with a budget.

In 1977 a Qantas representative and I flew to the Dominican Republic to attend the Santa Dominica Miss Universe Pageant. We had discussions with the Managers of the event, Harold Glasser and Bob Parkinson. We negotiated a deal that ensured Qantas would receive adequate advertising for its considerable contribution. They would fly 90 entrants from 90 different countries around the world and about 50 support staff from the USA and the UK. A big ask.

TVW and Qantas approved the budget and after confirming other contra arrangements a preliminary contract was signed in 1978. As a result I flew to Mexico with TVW production staff members, Keith MacKenzie, Marion Leyer and Brian Smith. Also with us was the Qantas representative, staff from the Sheraton Hotel and Ita Buttrose

The preliminary events were held in Mexico City and the telecast was in Acapulco. In spite of the many distractions our crew gained valuable information about the requirements and procedures we would face in 12 months time. We also staged an Australian exhibition to promote the event in Perth.

At the 1989 event in Perth we shared the limelight with the crashed Russian Satellite and the collapse of some stage set pieces that were not designed to carry the weight of the combined USA press corps. 

As it happened, during the prerecording of the opening credits prior to the telecast, we discovered to our horror, that NBC were only giving Qantas 30 seconds promotion instead of the agreed 90 seconds. After discussions NBC refused to increase the promotion time. At this point I probably took the most dangerous decision of my career. I instructed the Entertainment Centre staff to extinguish all the lights. TV stations around the world would lose millions of advertising dollars if the show was not telecast. NBC representatives told me they would take legal action and I would never work in television again, if I didn’t turn the lights on again. It was only after they relented and remade the promo to 90 seconds, and we saw it in the can, that I gave the OK to turn the lights on. To this day I doubt whether senior TVW Management knew of this near disaster.

I must have been forgiven for my ‘lights out’ episode because I was invited to South Korea the following year to be a judge for the 1980 Miss Universe Pageant.

Veteran TVW staffers will be aware of former News Editor and General Manager Darcy Farrell’s propensity for exercise. Richard Ashton recalls that on returning to the studios following newsworthy events, Darcy would leap out of the news vehicle at Dog Swamp and run all the way up the Flinders Street hill, and down Cobham Avenue to the Newsroom.

Gordon McColl recalls Darcy regularly putting on his running shoes after work, to jog the distance from Tuart Hill to his home in Nedlands.

Darcy has run most of the Channel 9 City to Surf events, including 2008, and has competed in numerous full marathons in Australia and overseas.

“Usually, without distinction,” he modestly explained.

Darcy  and Jim Cruthers received considerable publicity in late 1967 when they walked along the beach from Quinns to Geraldton.

They were accompanied by Bill Macartney, son of WA Newspapers famous managing editor J.E.Macartney, John Cruthers and other relatives and friends, Philip Dempster and Trenn McCurry.

The below pictures show the trekkers in action and on arrival at Geraldton Yacht Club.

Friday, December 15th, 1967, the sunburnt and weary party of six, led by Darcy Farrell, arrived in Geraldton after a 275 mile beach walk which took 13 days.

They towed most of their gear in two trolleys, slept on the beach and were up and walking before dawn every day.

By 11am, after six or seven hours pushing into the powerful nor’westerlies, they would stop for tucker and then take a siesta before resuming the walk.

The team would cook on the beach and be in their sleeping bags as dusk was descending.

One trolley couldn’t stand the pace and was eventually discarded; there were plenty of snakes and other hazards; occasional injuries and a couple of the 46-mile days were tough.

Even today, Bill Macartney’s three adult sons look at these old photos and try to persuade their Dad to re-enact the venture.

Bill is super fit and recently competed in the Rottnest swim. John is an expert in Australian art, Philip is farming. Trenn lives in Geraldton, Jim and Sheila lives at Point Walter and Darcy ran the 2009 Gallipoli Fun Run.

Geraldton Walk Photo Gallery

ALF BINKS  (TVW 1959-1983)

• 1959  Alf joined TVW Limited as an assistant to the Company Secretary. 

He was an advanced accountancy student in those days before calculators and computers and come from a background in accounting and commerce.

His first task was to set up a new accounting system for the television station.  He was responsible for designing management systems and stetting up the accounting functions of the company. 

• 1962  Having qualified as an accountant early in 1962 he was appointed to the position of Company Accountant. 

He introduced computerisation to the company which was the second television station in Australia to use computer facilities in the program scheduling functions.

• 1963-1970  TVW prospered financially and was in a position to undertake a program of expansion in the media and entertainment industries. 

Alf was at the forefront of a program of acquisitions including the purchase of Radio Station 6IX, Television Station SAS10 and City Theatres, operator of a chain of cinemas and drive-ins in Perth. Alf was appointed Chief Accountant and took on the role of CFO of the Group having responsibility for corporate, taxation and stock exchange reporting matters for the companies in the Group.

• 1973 Alf was professionally recognised and became a Fellow of the Australian Society of Certified Practicing Accountants and following his work on behalf of the company with the Australian Stock Exchange in Perth, he was admitted as an Affiliate of the Securities Institute of Australia.

• 1977 The company nominated Alf to participate in several major community projects including the refurbishment of His Majesty’s Theatre, the construction of Cinema City and the Perth Entertainment Centre. 

• 1978 Following the retirement of Frank Moss, the board appointed Alf to the position of Company Secretary of the Group and his understudy Wally Staniforth was appointed Chief Accountant.

TVW Limited was renamed TVW Enterprises Ltd to reflect the broad range of activities of the Group.  At this time the company had grown to become the fourth largest Western Australian Incorporated company ( by market capitalisation ) and many national companies started to show strong interest in taking up strategic share holdings in the company.

• 1979 Decisions by the Federal Government to relax Electronic Media ownership rules lead to a flurry in takeover activity in the ownership of Australian Television Stations.

These government decisions were to have far reaching affects in the ownership and control of Australia’s Commercial TV stations.

Alf led a campaign to ward off corporate predators. He made many visits to the Eastern States to find “White Knights” who would help secure the independence of the Company. 

Things came to a head when both Alan Bond and Robert Holmes a Court started a bidding war for TVW. 

The end came when Sir James Cruthers invited Robert Holmes a Court to join the board of the company.

This quickly led to the complete takeover of the Company following which Sir James retired from the Company to take up a senior position with the Rupert Murdoch Empire of media companies. 

• 1980 The “golden” years of Western Australian television came to an end with an entirely new ethos being introduced by the new and subsequent owners of the WA TV Stations. They had paid huge sums to acquire the commercial TV licences and were under pressure to service the high capital outlay.

Shortly after the takeover most of the senior executives of TVW resigned or retired to take up good positions in other areas of the Media.

• 1981 Alf was appointed Group General Manager of Finance and Administration and became the main interface for the company with Robert Holmes a Court and the Bell Group. Robert moved into Sir James office but his visits to the television station became less frequent when he moved on to other projects such as the attempted takeovers of the Herald And Weekly Times Limited and BHP.  With both of these projects he was unsuccessful but despite losing the takeover battles he was able to make some more super profits from trading in the shares of these two corporate Giants.

• 1983 Following a disagreement with the new owner of TVW regarding the preservation of retiring staff superannuation entitlements, Alf decided he would resign from the company he had served for 24 years. He had several offers of good positions but decided to enter the Chartered Accounting profession and continued this rewarding career change until his retirement.

Max Bostock – (TVW 1960-1981)

Max became a professional musician at the age of 15 in 1942. He played Piano and Vibes in many nightclubs, and in the late 1940’s created the big stage band that became well known on radio and stage shows in the major ballrooms in Melbourne and Sydney. 

In the early 50’s he did a weekly national program on radio 3DB called ‘The Happy Gang’.

At the commencement of television in 1956, He did musical arrangements for many stage performers, and TV shows, including the LATE, LATE SHOW with Bert Newton on HSV7, and later for GTV9’s IN MELBOURNE TONIGHT with Graham Kennedy.

After visiting Perth in early 1960 to work in a show produced by Brian Williams, He accepted an offer from Brian Treasure to join the staff of TVW. He considered this a decision that shaped the rest of his working life.  As TVW was a new station, in an isolated state, everyone was on a learning curve and it created a family atmosphere.  Many of the formats that shaped TVW’s production direction into the future originated in this period. 

Max Bostock commenced with TVW in 1960 as Musical Director on the Tuesday Date and Saturday Showtime series.

Brian Williams, Frankie Davidson and Max Bostock

Max also had excellent contacts with many east coast talent including Dorothy Baker, Frankie Davidson and Dig Richards.

Max Bostock directs The Good Oil with choreographer Kevan Johnston

TVW were producing many musically orientated shows in the first decade, including Teen Beat, Club Seventeen in which Max directed the series with Gary Carvolth, and the musical elements of In Perth Tonight, Invitation to the Dance and the production and direction of Coralie Condon’s musical comedy The Good Oil, staring Jill Perryman and Kevan Johnston. Max also played a key role in setting up the highly successful annual TVW Telethon, which is now famed for its outstanding contributions to charity.

Max Bostock welcomes Bob Hope to Perth

Bob Hope Down Under

In later years, Max executive produced or had a strong influence over most TVW productions, setting up a Special Projects Department to organise and execute a wide range of events, ranging from the Birdman Rally, Milk Carton Regatta, the many Christmas Parades,  the grand opening of The Perth Entertainment Centre, the 1980 World Professional Ballroom Dancing Championships, TVW arena productions and grandest of all the 1979 Miss Universe at The Perth Entertainment Centre.

▪ 1960-1964 Musical director/producer

▪ 1964-1968 Production Manager

▪ 1968-1974 Station Manager

▪ 1974-1977 General Manager

▪ 1977-1980 Chief Executive Officer

▪ 1980-1981 Associate Director

After joining TVW in 1960, Max progressed from Musical Director, through Producer/Director, Production manager, Station Manager, General Manager, and in 1977 was appointed CEO of TVW Enterprises Ltd.

He was awarded the MBE in 1980 and was always a bit embarrassed by this. He considered production to be a team job, and this award should have included many of his skilled and dedicated staff. 

He left TVW in 1981, and after producing the NATIONAL OLYMPATHON for the Olympic Federation and Network 10, he was sent to L.A. to produce the Australian opening program to the 1984 OLYMPIC GAMES from Los Angeles. However this was interrupted when he was sent an airline ticket and asked to attend a meeting with Rupert Murdoch on a flight between San Francisco and Boston.

He accepted Rupert’s offer of the position of Executive Director of Network 10, responsible for Melbourne and Sydney TV Stations, several radio stations and a production company. Later this was upgraded to CEO. He retired in 1986 to become ‘National Fundraising Director’ for the Australian Olympic Federation until 1988.

Max Bostock was welcomed home from the Eastern States by past and present TVW staff and management.

TVW Foundation Company Secretary

Frank Moss – (TVW 1959-1978)

After five and a half years in the R.A.A.F. as a signals officer, Frank Moss did a Commonwealth Reconstruction Training Scheme course in accountancy and cost accountancy. Then followed eight years as factory manager and company director of David Gray and Co.

▪ 1939 Royal Australian Air Force – Pilot Officer Signals

▪ 1950 Assistant Secretary The Western Australian Chamber of Manufacturers

▪ 1952 Secretary Director of David Gray & Co. Limited

He was appointed secretary of TVW in January of 1959, and soon after became deeply involved with the business affairs of the embryonic television station, making payments as the building went up and equipment was purchased.

▪ 1959-1976 Foundation Company Secretary

▪ 1976-1978 Executive Director, Finance and Administration

Darcy Farrell points out that Frank Moss was an unsung hero of Channel Seven, and should be recognised for his humanitarian role with in the organisation.

The success of TVW in the early years owes much to the sacrifices key people made meeting deadlines and keeping facilities going under often stressful situations. Most managers were pushing themselves and staff to the limit, and had little time for counseling those in need.

It was always Frank Moss who had a sympathetic ear to people under stress, and his help and advice was a most significant part of the operation, keeping it going when other people were often too busy with the job demands.

A retirement dinner was help at the Sheraton Perth Hotel on Thursday, September 20, 1979, to commemorate Frank’s valued service to the company. In attendance were the following members of the Board, management and colleagues… as shown in this group photograph taken by Douglas Joseph Burton.

Back row, from left: D’arcy Biesot, Darcy Farrell, Greg Byrne, Dick Ashton, Kevin Bicknell, Max Bostock, Syd Donovan, Rolf Lindsey, Bernie Roddy, Wally Staniforth, John Hunn, Jan Vermazen, Alf Binks.

Front row: Bill McKenzie, Joe Sweeney, Jim Cruthers, Frank Moss, Jack Donovan, Ken Kemp, Charles Hugall.

Frank Moss Gallery

Bob Finkle: TVW 1967 – 1979

   

Bob Finkle started in the WA Television Industry at STW 9 on April 5 1965 at the early age of (not quite) 16 years. Originally employed as a trainee technician, mainly in audio, he chose every opportunity to play with a studio camera until management couldn’t help but notice and offered him the chance to transfer from Engineering to Production Department as junior cameraman. Bob remained as cameraman and Floor Manager at STW 9 until May 1967 when he moved up the road to TVW 7.

As a relative newcomer and still younger than the other cameramen Bob spent most of his time in the second crew working on commercials, News, “Romper Room”, “Children’s Channel 7”, “TV Bingo” that were mainly recorded from Studio 2. Other members of the “B” crew were Jack Keily (Floor Manager), John Owenel, and sometimes Murray Kelso. Studio Supervisor John Easton also filled crew rostering gaps on occasions.

At this stage Senior Cameraman Russell Sage was promoted to Director, John Slater up to Senior Cameraman and with Murray Kelso moving up a notch gave Bob the opportunity to move into the “A” crew with Floor Manager Barry Daniel to work on other programs and commercials mainly from Studio 1 and into Outside Broadcasts. Over the next few years John Slater left for Canada and a couple of years later Murray Kelso went to Channel 10 in Sydney. Cameramen John Owenel, David Brown and Ernie Oxwell had already left. Other cameramen to come into the crew over the next few years included Roy Chivers, Rod Garnaut, Bryn Watkins, Steve Lowe, Peter Allan, Tim Thunder, Geoff Waldock, Chris Murray, Eddie Alfirevich. Jeff Thomas as Floor Manager.

Some of the Studio Productions Bob was a Cameraman on from 1967 to 1972 included “Club Seventeen”, “In Perth Tonight”, Telethon, “World of Football”, “It’s Academic”, “Reach for the Stars”, “Stars of the Future”, “Children’s Channel 7”, “Caltex Sports Star of the Year”, “Beauty and the Beast”, “Anything Goes”, “Perth’s New Faces”, “Letter Box”, “Spellbound”.

Outside Broadcasts included, “Miss Western Australia”, “Miss West Coast”, Claremont Speedway, WAFL, Cricket, “Disney on Parade” (Perry Lakes), Golf, Royal Show, Military Tattoo, “Sandover Medal Count”, Wanneroo Motor Racing, Motor Cross, Tennis, opening of the Perth Concert Hall, “Rock Mass”, Christmas Pageants, “Backstage with Fiddler (on the Roof)”, Election Tally Room.

End 1972 Bob was promoted from Senior Cameraman to Director.

Jan and Bob

1973 saw Bob and Jan Finkle transferred to Adelaide sister station SAS10 as the third of the staff transfers. Mike Humphry and John Lyons were previous transfers to SAS 10, Danny MacKay and Mike Mortimer from SAS 10 to TVW 7.

During this year at SAS 10 Bob directed programs including (some of) “A Touch of Elegance”, “Adelaide’s New Faces”, “Romper Room”.

Following their return to Perth, from 1974 to 1979 Bob directed Studio programs including, “Jest For Laughs”, “Watts and Martin Star Makers”, “Chard”, Telethon, (some of) “Children’s Channel 7”, “World of Football”, “Hey Jude”, “Every Day Saturday – a Rock Ballet”.

Outside Broadcasts included, “Miss West Coast”, “Miss Australasian Beach Girl”, “Miss Western Australia”, “Miss Personality”, “1979 Pearce Air Display”, WAFL, Tennis, Show Jumping, Christmas Pageant, Summer Racing Carnival.

▪ 1980 – Bob Finkle was appointed the position of Production Manager of Hobart’s TVT 6.

▪ 1982 – 1985 Bob joined GTW 11 Geraldton as Production Manager.

▪ 1985 – 1990 Bob was employed as Program Production / Operations Manager Taimac Video Corporation.

▪ 1990 – formed his own business initially based in Perth. During this time Bob was contracted to the Western Australia Police Service as Production Officer for an 18 month period.

Bob Finkle now runs his own Video Production / Duplication business in Mandurah.

Bob Finkle Photo Gallery

Cameraman and director Bob Finkle worked at TVW from 1967 to 1979, during which time he was involved in many studio and outside broadcast productions. These ranged from sporting to variety programs, and included the pioneering black and white era, right through to the introduction of colour television and beyond.

Bob Finkle

Bob has kindly provided the following photos, which can be found in the photo gallery below…

Photo Descriptions

1967 – Kings Park OB Cameraman Bob Finkle

Letterbox – Host Jeff Newman

Letterbox – Host Chris Bartlett

Trina Brown presents the Weather

1968 – Perth New Faces Floor Manager Barry Daniel

1968 – Perth’s New Faces Cameraman Bob Finkle

1968 – Dinner Group Photo

Left to Right: Jan & Bob Finkle, David & Bev Brown, Mark & Norma Hashfield, John & Shirley Easton, Jane & Kevin Mohen

Wanneroo Raceway OB

News Reader David Low

1969 – Miss West Coast Garry Meadows

1969 – Miss West Coast

1969 – Miss West Coast Judging Panel

1970 – Claremont Speedway OB Camera Bob Finkle

1972 – Anything Goes Cast & Crew

Front Row L – R:

Helen Blackburn (Make up), Jeff Thomas (Floor Manager), Laurie Lever (Lighting), Peter Partridge (Tech), Bob Williams (Staging), Ian Bowering (Tech), Peter Allan (Camera), Eugene Eulasavich (Tech).

Centre Row L – R:

John Fryer (Host), Ron Christie (Producer), Danny Mackay (Director), Jan Finkle (Production Assistant), Peter Dean (Host), (next 3 unknown, 1 musician, 2 staging).

Top Row L – R:

(2 unknown musicians), Bob Finkle (Camera), Roy Chivers (Camera), (unknown musician), Tim Thunder (Crane driver), Keith Spice (Boom Operator), Kim Pack (Audio), Tom Creamer (Technical Director).

Camera operator Ernie Oxwell

Camera operator David Brown

Childrens Channel 7 set

Max Bostock described TVW as a family, with many people working as a close knit group coordinating the many facits of production. There were no one man bands, and often up to half a dozen people at a time were dedicated to promotional projects. At it’s most grandest, the Miss Universe Quest, which was part of the crowning glory of the 150th anniversary of Western Australia. To achieve all this, Max established a department to undertake these tasks.

TVW Special Projects Department

By Richard Ashton

Channel 7 in 1972 put together a department called Special Projects, later to be known as special events. As the title suggested the projects we would be involved in would be large promotions which would help to promote Channel 7 and show our community involvement, and hence encourage more viewers two only watch seven giving us a better rating. I was transferred to it. My partner in this new department was Ron Christie. Ron was a senior television producer who had transferred to Perth from our sister station SAS-10 Adelaide. As a producer in Adelaide at NWS-9 he was producer for the very popular Ernie Sigley’s Adelaide Tonight show. He and I were to produce special projects and promotions for Channel 7 these included the introduction of the annual Christmas Pageant, Bath Tub Derby, and the very successful Bird Man Rally. This was an event in which people were invited to fly at least 50 metres in an un-powered aircraft.

The very successful Birdman Rally held at Two Rocks Marina Yanchep

Our Special Events department secretary Louise Borsje entered Jeff Newman’s Bathtub in the first event. We made him the craft in the TVW scenery workshop; note the big yellow outside broadcast truck on the South Perth foreshore behind the big crowd.

Ron Christie

Ron eventually transferred back to South Australian as production manager for SAS-10, later to become SAS Channel 7 Adelaide.

My new partner in crime was Vern Reid who transferred from the news department. Vern was later to be involved in Channel 7’s charity fund raiser Telethon, including the Telethon Trust, the group responsible for giving out funds for the various medical projects to better children’s lives. Telethon’s major contributor was to the Princess Margaret Children’s Hospital. Much later Vern resigned from television to become general manager for the new Fremantle Football Club called the Fremantle Dockers. I’m sure all his skills learnt in the special events department were put to good use to promote the “Dockers.”

Fremantle Dockers Float

We in special events department put together and produced many other things including the AFI Awards, a very large production at the Entertainment Centre. And introduced many characters including Sunny Sandgroper. By 1975 we produced many programs and promotions. One such program was the Introduction of Colour TV into Western Australia and we also produced the opening of the Perth Entertainment Centre Boxing Day 1974. We produced programmes like the Celebrity Challenge in conjunction with the production department. Our department gradually changed perspective by the late seventies joined the special unit away from the studio in a special factory unit set up for the purpose in the production of the American TV special Bob Hope Down Under, culminating in 1979 with 150th Anniversary of Western Australia. Our, that is Channel 7 contribution was the Miss Universe Pageant, with a live TV program being broadcast by satellite to America and many other countries around the world.

Some of the many TVW Special Events…

Opening of the Perth Entertainment Centre

My 10,000 helium filled balloons fly from the balcony at the opening ceremony of The Perth Entertainment.

Christmas Pageant

The Christmas Pageant 1973 opening sequence in St Georges Terrace

Richard Ashton’s not so well fitting Official cap as Chief Marshall for the parade

Nativity Float

Riverboat Float

The Mississippi steam boat was the second one Peter McDermott from the TVW workshop built to my design. It was strong enough to cope with a full jazz band on the top deck. the first one was too tall the funnels had to be lowered to clear the Murray St over-way. This one is still in use in Pageants to this day.

Richard’s design of Father Christmas Float is still in use to this day. The five reindeer section is a separate trailer.

The reindeers were made by MG Car Club’s Patron John Goff. This float for the first time had stereo sound from speakers under each float section.

Gulliver’s Travels float

Choc Carton Regatta

The huge aeroplane won the best craft for that year. The event was held at Hillarys boat harbour.

Tent touring shows for Disney

Cinderella segment of Disney on Parade inside the big tent at Perry Lakes rugby field

Celebrity Challenge

The wheelbarrow race was one of the events held at the warm-up track at Perry Lakes reserve. The producers of that event that year were Marion Leyer and Jo Ledger. Judy Thompson is on the far left, then Sandy Palmer and Ann Sanders..

Bob Hope Down Under an international TV special to be played on USA TV

1980 World Professional Ballroom Dancing Championships

Miss Universe

Building the Miss Universe Set

Building the main setting for Miss Universe on stage at the Perth Entertainment Centre. The use of centre was one of the main reasons the show was televised from WA.

Miss Universe 1979 winner Maritza Sayalero from Venezuela

Miss Universe 1979 was held at Perth Entertainment Centre, Perth, Australia on July 20, 1979. 18-year-old Maritza Sayalero earned Venezuela’s first Miss Universe crown.

An unfortunate outcome, after the successful broadcast, occurred when a mob of news photographers rushed to the throne of the new Miss Universe, they overloaded the stage supports causing part of the stage to collapse, in which 20 contestants were involved. Costa Rica’s Carla Facio Franco, and Philippines Criselda Flores Cecilio suffered bruises. Malta’s Dian Borg Bartolo, and Turkey’s Fusin Tahire Dermitan had leg injuries.

Veteran cine cameraman Peter Goodall demonstrates a range of early cameras from an era when film was the prime visual source of television news coverage. As videotape equipment and electronic cameras became smaller, film was displaced by the new medium, which required no processing. The early 16mm black and white film was shot on reversal stock, which meant that the film shot by the camera was developed using a variety of chemical tanks to produce a direct positive image. That same film would then be edited and finally taken to telecine, where the moving image was projected onto an electronic camera tube, to produce the television image. The reversal film process avoided the need for a negative stage, which then would have required time consuming printing and further developing to achieve the normal positive image.

TVW Film Processing Unit

Left to Right “unknown”, Jenny Alford standing, Stuart Leadbetter.

Peter Goodall reports on the AURICON Pro 600… “A Beast it was… the first “sound-on-film” camera in Perth. At one time, Alex McPhee was sent to cover the Australian Golfing Championships at Karrinyup! The rest of the camera crews couldn’t believe it…. On his own… with this camera plus tripod, sound amplifier, mike and a car battery… Alex covered two holes of the course. It’s no wonder that the incidence of injured backs for camera operators in Australia was 80 per cent !!!! No body seemed to care too much in those days.”

TVW Cine Cameraman Alex McPhee Jrn

Peter Goodall and the 16 mm Auricon Pro 600

The Bell & Howell 70DR had an impact when television stations ventured out of the studio and incorporated film into the nightly news programs. Some of the most dramatic close combat footage from the Vietnam war was shot using these cameras. It has a spring driven motor that was wound up using a crank attached to the side. A fully wound camera would allow one to shoot for 35 to 40 seconds at 24fps. Cameramen had to become experts at quickly winding up the camera to insure they got the shot.

BELL & HOWELL LENS TURRET

BELL & HOWELL 16MM 70DR

BELL & HOWELL 70DR

Peter demonstrates brother Mike Goodall’s Cinema Products CP-16 Sound Camera, which was primarily designed for television news filming and were quite popular before the advent of portable videotape Electronic News Gathering (ENG) formats, as well as for documentary and drama production. They featured a magnetic audio system with a built in mixer that recorded onto special pre-striped 16mm single perforated magnetic sound film. It accepted a 400 foot film magazine.

CINEMA PRODUCTS CP-16

CP-16 OPEN

CP-16 BATTERY SLOT

CP-16 INSIDE

CP-16 CONTROLS

CP-16 BACK

The Paillard Bolex automatic loading non reflex 16mm camera was also a good animation camera.

PAILLARD BOLEX NON-REFLEX

PAILLARD BOLEX TURRET

PAILLARD BOLEX CLOCKWORK WINDER

PAILLARD BOLEX LENS TURRET

PAILLARD BOLEX VIEWFINDER

PAILLARD BOLEX INSIDE

Pioneer TVW News Cameramen

1959 – Keith ‘Digby’ Milner and Tom Hall

1980’s – Jenny Alford in the TVW News Library viewing 16mm news film on a Steinbeck.