Among the parties getting underway on New Year’s Eve 1968 in Perth there was one in which were gathered a number of staff from the STW Channel 9 newsroom. As always on this last day of the year, the party was expected to go on at least until midnight when the New Year would be welcomed in.

There was, though, already a shadow cast over the evening with the knowledge that the next day would bring more details of a tragedy that had occurred earlier in the day – the crash of a MacRobertson Miller Airline’s aircraft just 50 kilometres short of its destination, Port Hedland. As reported in evening television news bulletins, none of the plane’s occupants had survived the crash. STW Channel 9 reporter David Gladwell was at the party but said he would be leaving early as he and a cameraman were scheduled to leave at dawn by charter aircraft to cover the story of the crash.

There is no doubt that the crash would have been a topic of conversation at the party but little did the gathering know that before the end of the night they, personally, would be deeply touched by the tragedy. For David Gladwell and his cameraman it would a reporting assignment with the extra dimension of personal emotional involvement in the death of a former colleague.

Flight number 1750 – a Vickers Viscount – was nearing its flight north from Perth when it came down about 11.30 am on Indee sheep station. Its crash site was first sighted by a light aircraft quickly sent up to search for the plane when it failed to arrive at Port Hedland airport; a ground party reaching the wreckage about an hour later confirming there were no survivors.

Twenty six people – 21 passengers and the crew of five – died in the crash. It was the name of one crew member which would make the tragedy a very personal one for the Channel 9 news staff at that New Year’s Eve party. It became known to them as the evening progressed. The crew member was Kay Aubrey – a trainee air hostess, her ground training completed, she was on her first familiarisation flight for MMA. Just a matter of weeks before she had been Channel 9‘s newsroom secretary.

STW9 began broadcasting in June 1965. The fledging television station had begun with a relatively small staff – its newsroom, for instance, staffed by just a news editor, Graeme Walsh, two journalists, Mark (?) and Alan Macintosh (former Daily News, Perth, reporter); two cinecameramen, Ray Cox and Bill Nelson; one film editor, Geoff Wallace; and Kay Aubrey.

Kay would always be remembered with great affection by her fellow workers. Diminutive in stature, pretty and with the biggest, most beautiful brown eyes, she was sweet-natured and extremely good at her work. She had turned twenty-one years of age during her time at Channel 9 and a now expanded newsroom staff were delighted to be invited to the party her parents held to celebrate Kay’s majority having been reached.

They were just as pleased for her when in 1968 she excitedly announced that she had been chosen to fly as an air hostess with MMA and would be leaving the station. Though the staff were very pleased for Kay at what promised to be an exciting career opening up for her, this was tinged, somewhat, with regret that they would be losing a much appreciated and well-liked workmate.

They could not know, of course, that this regret would be compounded to a much greater degree when they would learn so soon after she left Channel 9 that Kay had died in what remains to this day the third worst crash in Australian civil aviation history.

The crash of MMA’s Viscount received world-wide attention in civil aviation circles. The British-made, four-engined aircraft had been a very popular passenger plane and its makers had enjoyed big sales to the airlines of various nations. It was brought down when severe metal fatigue in its right wing main spar snapped; half the wing and one engine breaking away sending the plane plunging to the ground. Immediately after the accident and as investigations into the cause of the crash began, the Department of Civil Aviation temporarily grounded all Australian-registered Viscounts. This temporary grounding was eventually made permanent.

On a personal note, after the crash of Flight 1750 I was able to reflect on the mixed fortunes that are often at play during one’s lifetime. MMA had taken delivery of its Viscount in September 1968. It had been transferred from Ansett Airlines which by this time had become the owners of MacRobertson Miller Airlines.

Soon after its arrival in WA it made its first flight as a passenger-carrying aircraft. On that inaugural flight the airline invited a number of media representatives to go along and report on the extra speed, comfort and other innovations their recent acquisition offered passengers flying north.

I was one of those invited. I had previously flown north a number of times on MMA’s Fokker Friendship aircraft. Certainly, the Viscount as an alternative to the Friendship was superior in a number of ways and it was a very enjoyable flight.

It was following the Viscount’s crash that I had cause to reflect on how during that inaugural flight just some weeks before, the metal fatigue in the right wing’s main spar had been relentlessly edging closer towards ending the aircraft’s life. Obviously, for me, it was fortuitous, that I flew on the Viscount just weeks before its end and the death of much-respected member of the Channel 9 news team we all knew so well.

Terry Spence

Wish also to express our appreciation to Helen Mumme and June Holmes for their help locating photographs for this story.

    STW Channel 9 in Perth, Western Australia, encountered a fatal helicopter crash on Monday 9th December 1985, at Spencers Brook, near Clackline, in the wheat belt region. The pilot John Little was killed instantly, when the main rotor blade came through the windscreen. Mr Little (aged 43), a former farmer, was the chief pilot for West Coast Helicopters, as well as a senior officer with the Air Training Corps in WA.

    The passengers in the Bell Jet Ranger helicopter at the time of the accident were Keith Woodland and Lance Bennett. Television producer Mr Woodland survived the crash with cuts and bruises, but his cameraman Mr Bennett suffered a broken leg and back injuries.

    The helicopter was flying at tree-top level alongside a multi-coloured bus for a 15-second film sequence for the 13-part half-hour puppet TV series of children’s television programs called “The Ozlets”.

STW9 Perth Helicopter Crash on Monday 9th December 1985

WA TV History
STW helicopter hits a power line and “barrel-rolled” on to the main road, killing the pilot instantly.

    The helicopter was being used as an airborne filming platform, and was flown at about 30 feet above ground level along the side of a roadway, while the film crew filmed a bus that was travelling along the road. The helicopter was observed to gain altitude and pass over a power line then descend again to 30 feet above ground level. After travelling a further 500 metres the helicopter struck a spur line running from the main power line, pitched nose up before descending out of control and colliding with the ground.

    The wreckage slid 50 metres before coming to rest on the road. The position of both the sun and the support poles of the spur line would have made detection of the line difficult unless the pilot had prior knowledge of its position. The pilot was not seen to conduct a survey of the area for obstacles prior to commencing low level operations. The task required the pilot to concentrate on the bus to the right of the helicopter as well as the flight path ahead.

    Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any malfunction which may have contributed to the occurrence. It appeared that on impact with the spur line one cable contacted the bottom of the windscreen pillar and the other became entangled in the rotor blades. All significant damage to the aircraft appeared to have resulted from ground impact.

Details courtesy of Terry Spence, Bob Penno and Chis Woodland (Chris is Keith’s brother, who was earlier in the helicopter, but at the time of the crash was involved in production activities on the ground). Fellow helicopter pilots Alvan Treweek and Tim Boase provided support, with Alvan’s help most appreciated in conveying this report. The official accident report and parts of the West Australian newspaper story have been quoted.

    TVW Channel 7’s work shop manager Neville Wynne was not only involved in designing and building sets for television productions, but also responsible for building many of the floats for Seven’s first Christmas Pageant in 1972.

    In addition, Neville spent many hours restoring exhibits for TVW’s museum, before it was dispersed during the rein of Robert Holmes à Court. A Tiger Moth was found abandoned at Jandakot with a bee hive in it, which Neville stripped back to its frame and rebuilt in the Channel Seven workshop.

    Former Seven Supply Officer Ken Kemp advised that the Company Secretary Frank Moss swapped the engine with a chap in return for a cut away version, to illustrate the internal workings.

Another TVW museum exhibit was a Slingsby Gull glider, that was also restored by Neville.

Photo taken by Neville Wynne of Richard Ashton in the cockpit of the Slingsby Gull glider

Richard points to the Gull Glider at the RAAFA Museum

TVW’s Slingsby Gull glider now located at the RAAFA Museum

    Though the contents of the TVW Museum have long gone, the Tiger Moth and the Glider can now be found displayed at the Royal Australian Air Force Association (WA Division) Aviation Heritage Museum in Bull Creek.

    Sadly Neville lost his life in a glider accident on Sunday 3rd March 1991. It was a glider he had been restoring over many years.

    The below information was kindly provided by workmates of Neville. Don Woodward was a Seven reporter and fellow pilot, as was Tim Boase, who flew the Seven News helicopter to cover the story.

Don has kindly provided the following background…

Neville was flying a glider called a Kookaburra, a very old wooden trainer. I was gliding the day of the accident at Beverley and believe Neville’s flight was the first after its yearly service. Tim Thunder (Seven audio operator now deceased) was at Cunderdin and he was going to go for a ride with Neville after the test flight. Part of the procedures of doing a yearly test flight in a glider involves a high speed run. I believe Neville was doing this when glue holding a bulkhead in the rear of the fuselage failed. This bulkhead was where the horizontal tail is secured to the fuselage. The tail broke away making the Kookaburra uncontrollable. Neville had a parachute on but was unable to bail out in time due to a safety catch on the front of the canopy.

Contact was then made with Andrew Repton, the gentleman who compiled the accident report and has now kindly added this explanation…

I investigated and worked out the sequence of events that led to the glider crash that involved Neville.

I don’t have a copy anymore that I know off, but I remember exactly what happened. I was on duty instructing that day as well

It seems that Neville had been restoring the glider over a number of years, but the part of the plane that came apart was a section still held together by old glue, which degrades over time.

The tail eventually fell off during a high speed test run.

The unfortunate thing is that the safety strap they used to keep the canopy shut during flight, also prevented Neville from opening the hatch to parachute to safety.

Andrew advised that there was evidence that Neville had made a vain effort to break his way out of the canopy.

Please find attached a copy of the Gliding Federation of Australia’s Airworthiness Directive regarding this model of glider, following the crash.

    Two years earlier at at TVW’s 30th Anniversary in 1989 it was a time for Seven veterans to celebrate their many achievements over the decades. Three present on that occasion were former TVW Supply Officer Ken Kemp, Workshop Manager Neville Wynne and veteran producer director Brian Williams.

Neville was a skilled craftsman of many disciplines who is sadly missed by all who knew him.

    Tragically a Channel Seven Perth videotape operator and commercial pilot, Ken Mosedale, was killed at 10.10pm on Monday 4 September 2000. Ken was piloting a Beechcraft King Air 200 aircraft taking seven workers to the Sons of Gwalia mining operation at Leonora. The flight, which became known as the ‘Ghost Flight’, never arrived, crashing 65km south east of Burketown in Queensland.

    Air Crash Investigators determined that some twenty minutes into the flight it was likely that the cabin depressurised, causing the pilot and passengers to black out, and eventually the plane crashed when it ran out of fuel.

What a tragic loss of life.

Tribute to Ken Mosedale – Pilot and television employee

WA TV History
Veteran TVW cameraman, producer and director Richard Ashton pays tribute to a very well liked colleague who sadly lost his life in a mysterious accident which grabbed the imagination of the news media at the time.

    Radio and TV veteran Ian Stimson points out that Ken Mosedale was a jack of all trades at GWN doing everything from audio, studio camera to master control. Being one of the pioneering staff at BTW back in 1967, when they had no videotape to start with. Greg Milner also said that he worked closely and became a mate of Ken when he was News Editor at GWN 30-odd years ago.

    There were also many kind words recorded in Hansard, with Ken Mosedale being known to various State politicians, as expressed in the condolence motion of 7th September 2000, in the Legislative Assembly.

    A common thread talking to people who knew Ken was that he was a particularly helpful chap, most willing to assist and possessed unlimited patience. Admirable qualities now sadly lost with his passing.

    In the 1970s, brothers Keith and Chris Woodland joined STW9. They created the elephant character Flapper, the cat Brindley and Doctor Featherweather.

Flappers Super Heroes 1980

Clash of The Creatures 1983

Jenny Dunstan, Chris Woodland and Flapper in STW9 Goodnight segments 1985

    They were involved in making family and childrens programs for STW 9 for a number of years with many shows including Flappers Super Heroes, Clash of the Creatures, Flappers factory, Perth’s Young Entertainers, various Appealathons and many others.

    After a four year degree in Graphic Design and two years lecturing, producer Keith Woodland moved into television, conceptualising, producing and directing many innovative and top rating programs. Initially for Seven in Perth and then Channel Nine. Brother Chris was seen as the on-camera talent co-creating, directing and presenting hundreds of programs, documentaries and one-off specials over the years.

Elephant Productions STW9 1978 – 1984

WA TV History
The team at Elephant Productions was involved in making family and childrens programs for STW 9 for a number of years. They produced many shows including Flappers Super Heroes, Clash of the Creatures, Flappers factory, Perth’s Young Entertainers, various Appealathons and many others.

    In 1979, Jenny Dunstan, who was university trained in Drama and Theatre Arts, became the hostess of the Perth Building Society’s Squirrels Club for children, which went to air on Saturday mornings.

    The three set up the production business of Elephant Productions in 1981-82 and it continues as a successful venture today. The trio’s most memorable presentation was Perth’s Young Entertainers, a real contribution to Western Australian television.

    Jenny Dunstan is a multi award winning Director, Producer, Actor, TV Presenter and Voice Over Artist with over 20 years experience in professional theatre, commercial television and independent film and multi-media production. Not only performing on national television but acted in many TV programs, commercials (including being the face of Ford Australia for over 7 years), TV mini-series and Feature Films around Australia. She has won a Silver Logie for “Most Popular Female in WA Television” and a “Best Talent” award for television acting.

    Since 1985, Elephant Productions became firmly established creating highly successful programs for the commercial, resource and government sectors. Its directors are Keith and Chris Woodland, Michael Callaghan and Jenny Dunstan. Its offices are located at 205 Park Street, Subiaco.

Perth’s radio industry is mourning the loss of a familiar voice and big personality, the former 6KY, 6IX, 6PR, 6PM and 92.9 announcer known as Jim Beam, who passed away, aged 69.

He worked at 5KA Adelaide during the late 1960s, using his real name Errol Battersby on air. He also worked under the name ‘Big Red’.

John Cranfield has kindly advised that on moving to Western Australia, Errol was heard broadcasting from 6PR, just prior to the Gentle on Your Mind Days in the early seventies. At one stage at 6PR he was known on air as Earl Baxter.

He was then heard working from the James Street studios of 6KY in Perth, before the station was taken over by STW Channel 9 in 1973, to then move to the new studios at Dianella, along side the television station.

Then around 1980, when Cherie Romaro brought the Easy Rolling format to 6IX, Errol moved up the hill to the TVW Channel 7 owned radio station, at the height of this formats popularity. This all changed in 1987 when 6IX was sold to the Austereo Radio Network and the station was branded on-air as The Eagle 1080 AM. When Austereo failed to obtain one of the AM-FM conversions on auction, it subsequently sold the station to regional operator Radio West who re-instated the original 6IX call-sign.

Meanwhile, by 31st December 1990, Errol was working at 6PM, which on that date was the first AM radio station in Perth to convert to the FM band. The new station was branded 6PMFM (call-sign 6PPM) on the frequency 92.9 MHz. Its now known as 92.9FM.

Since leaving commercial radio, Errol worked in marketing in Perth and also had a stint working for Perth’s aboriginal community station 6AR during the early 2000s.

Errol had been a resident of the Inglewood Hotel for 15 years, when he sadly passed away on 11th February 2013, with Inglewood resident and television veteran Michael Goodall alerting us to this sad fact.

A Wake was held at the hotel on Saturday 23rd February 2013.

Errol’s long-time friend, Gary Shannon, was first to reveal the news of Errol’s passing on his Facebook page, commenting;

“It is with great sadness I would like to let any body who knew him or any person who remembers Jim Beam. I first met Jim when I was 17, working at 6KY in James St. Jim was a larger than life character, a big man with a lot of red hair and a big personality.”

“Everybody loved Beamy, including me. it is with tears in my eyes I send this post and just wanted to say thanks to the ‘LARGE ORANGE CREATURE’ for sharing part of his journey with me and for his encouragement, advice and kindness towards me in the early days”.

“Heaven has a new hot booming voice.

“RIP Beamy, I’ll miss ya mate.”

Bob Stuart then commented,

“Nice epitaph, Gaz. I worked with Errol Battersby, who morphed into Jim Beam, at 3TR Sale, back in 1970. He was a good bloke and a ton of fun.”

Murray Dickson said,

“Big Man, big voice, big talent and a great mate. Knew him from our early days in Adelaide and then had the pleasure of working with him twice in Perth. Hadn’t seen him for a couple of years but managed to catch up with him at the Inglewood before I moved back to Thailand. Thanks for the great memories old mate, including the day I got Gene Pitney in to read the news during your show on 6KY. He’ll be sadly missed by all who knew him and that includes the crowd at the Inglewood. RIP Jim!”

Russell Goodrick said,

“The 70’s , Rock , 6KY ….Grahame Cherry, Gary Roberts, Brian Lehman, Mark Condon and the ever large Jim Beam….Rock Steady my friend . You were one of the best .. will miss your omnipresence and smiling face at the Inglewood.”

Dennis Robinson said,

“This is very sad news for me. I worked with Jim as an announcer at 6PM and 92.9 in the 80’s and he was a lot of fun to work with. A real funny man. Thanks for letting us know Gary. It was great working with you too.”

Jenny Seaton said,

“We are sadly losing our mates. Big man Big voice Big heart and Big Talent. Big loss…..Jenny Seaton”

Steve Gobby said,

“Good friend, I still talk about the memories of Saturdays with the Highnooners at the Tuart Hill Tavern and trips to Subi on Grand Finals in the 70’s. Play some records in Heaven. See ya later.”

Steve Hart provided the following anecdote, Circa 1986 -

“I had just met with a ‘PD’ at the ‘FM’ station in Perth. Full of vigour and more enthusiasm than I was talented, that PD “wished they could hire me” but alas, there wasn’t a position available. At that same meeting, I was advised that 6IX would love to see me! And that I should make my way over to the ‘TV’ and ‘Radio’ station and ask for Jim Beam, which is exactly what I did.

“I should mention, that this was at a time when I had not even been employed in the industry prior, and I presumed that I could walk into any station and just ask for a job, and – wait for it – actually get it.

“After hearing my story, and ‘politely’ listening to my air check, Jim Beam, diplomatically, advised me of the game that was afoot and going on at my expense. It was Jim Beam who told me that an up-and-comer would need to cut his teeth in the country. And that the only position available at the time was mornings, and that he doubted that I was up for the task, chuckling all the while.

“It was soon after this, that I managed to talk with Gary Shannon, who helped me out with a new and improved air check, and also provided some wise words before I set off for a far distant town to commence my career. Do you recall Shannon?

“Thank you fellas. And thanks to the PD who set me off on that wild goose chase. While you did get a laugh out of my expense, I also met with the people that followed, which allowed me to get wise with the industry antics, and its protocol..
Farewell Jim.”

Radio station 6IX also sent their condolences;

“Deepest sympathy to his family. Always remembered The Staff and Management, 6IX.”

Comments reproduced were posted by friends and colleagues in the West Australian and on various blogs commemorating Errol’s contributions to the industry. Wish also to thank Michael Goodall and Bob Finkle for their help making this known.

    Nickel Queen was an Australian comedy film released in 1971 starring Googie Withers and directed by her husband John McCallum. The story was loosely based on the Poseidon bubble, a nickel boom in Western Australia in the late 1960s, and tells of an outback pub owner who stakes a claim and finds herself an overnight millionaire.

    Finance was raised from a Perth syndicate, which included TVW Channel Seven and Fauna Productions in Sydney, with the credits showing that the movie was made by Woomera Productions. A number of TVW staff are in the Parmelia Hotel scene, where John Hudson has a part as the television interviewer, with Rick Rogers as the radio interviewer. Lu Belci is seen as the News cine-cameraman.

    The Government of Western Australia provided valuable assistance with the making of the film. There were appearances by Sir David Brand the Premier of Western Australia, The Hon. Charles Court (later Sir Charles) the Minister for Industrial Development and The Hon. Arthur Griffith the Minister for Mines.

Nickel Queen (1971) with John Hudson as TV interviewer

WA TV History
The “Nickel Queen” was made in Western Australia with TVW Channel 7 in Perth as a major investor. It was a tiny budget compared to todays movies, though incredible saving were achieved by innovative management.

    The film came about after TVW got in touch with John McCallum (1918–2010), an actor, producer and director, who was the executive producer of the popular Australian television series “Skippy” (1968-1970).

    The “Nickel Queen” starred McCallum’s wife Googie Withers (1917–2011), an English film and television actress. The Perth actors Eileen Colocott and Maurice Ogden can be recognised in this clip.

It was made during the mining boom known as the Poseidon bubble. A stock market bubble in which the price of Australian mining shares soared in late 1969, then crashed in early 1970. In 1974, the Senate Select Committee on Securities and Exchange (better known as the Rae Committee) handed down its report on the Poseidon bubble, in which it documented numerous cases of improper trade practices. It recommended a number of changes to the regulation of stock markets, which ultimately led to Australia’s national companies and securities legislation.

    The Liberal State government of Sir David Brand was most helpful. McCallum was intent on getting things done as cheap as possible and TVW’s General Manager (later Managing Director) Sir James Cruthers remembers that McCallum offered too many people tickets to the opening night as an incentive. TVW invested $150,000, Fauna Films invested $150,000 and $200,000 was raised from local investors.

    Sir James also remembers the incredible situation with the nightclub scene where the public were paid $10 and fed in the process, to appear as extras. Though they had to pay for their own drinks.

    The world premier of the “Nickel Queen” was held on April Fools day 1971, and the critics were not entirely favourable. There was terrible antipathy between the newspapers and television at that time.

It was a time when Lang Hancock and E. A. “Peter” Wright founded The Sunday Independent newspaper (weekly) in the glow of the mining boom. The first issue came out in April 1969. The Sunday Times’ owners, News Corporation acquired it in 1984 and it was wound up in May 1986.

    The best of the “Nickel Queen” movie premiers was four days later in Kalgoorlie, where everyone recognised their friends. The audience drowned out the sound of the movie with their excitement.

Nickel Queen (Full Movie)

The “Nickel Queen” full movie length version of 1 hour 24 minutes

   

    It is with great sadness we report the passing of the Reverend John Hudson on Thursday 17th of January, for people are unanimous in saying that John was one of the nicest, kindest and caring people you could ever wish to meet as well as a talented current affairs and television news journalist. A career that involved speaking publicly from not only the pulpit, but to a much wider audience Statewide over the airwaves.

    John’s funeral was held at Karrakatta Cemetery with a cremation service on Friday 25th January, 2013. The service was conducted by the emeritus Archbishop Barry Hickey, the eighth Roman Catholic Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Perth, who served from 1991 until his retirement in 2012. The Archbishop was a long time friend of John, and had earlier conducted the funeral service for John’s wife Thelma, who passed away on Friday 14th September, 2012.

Video Tribute to John Hudson

Courtesy of Simon Hudson

    Born Edward John Chapman Hudson on November 30th 1931, in Northampton, in the East Midlands region of England, about 67 miles (108 km) north-west of London, he preferred being called John.

    His first church position came from his future father-in-law Tom Hickling, secretary of the Congregational Church at Roydon in Essex. The church in which he wed Thelma Hickling, and to this day displays their wedding photo.

   On emigrating to Australia in 1958, John became the executive secretary of the WA committee for the World Council of Churches, an inter-church organisation founded in 1948. Its members today include most mainstream Christian churches, but not the Roman Catholic Church, which only maintains accredited observers status at the meetings.

    It was soon after ABW Channel Two opened in Perth (7th May, 1960) that John began appearing on television, firstly as a panel member in October 1961 on the quiz show, “What’s My Food”. Then from December 1961 he was making appearances on the afternoon program “Woman’s World” and by 1962 was creating a lot of interest with a program called “Point of View”.

    It was also in 1961 that the ABC came up with a different way of treating the news. A controversial new style of reporting which analysed stories behind the news of the day, rather than blandly conveying the story in a most formal fashion, as occurred in the traditional News bulletins. This new concept began with the weekly “Four Corners”, now the longest running current affairs program on Australian television. This was an approach to News which John become involved in, when the ABC eventually extended the notion to each individual State.

    Meanwhile, with the opening of STW Channel 9 in Perth (12th June, 1965), John conducted a Sunday religious program called “Seek The Truth” in 1965 and 1966.

   Then in 1967, the nightly (Monday to Friday) current affairs program “This Day Tonight” started in Sydney and Melbourne, followed then in each State, with John Hudson as a regular reporting local human interest stories. Though Sydney and Melbourne were possessive about the name “This Day Tonight”, so the Perth version was called “Today Tonight”.

    Prior to this, John Hudson had been working in the ABC Talks Department in Perth, broadcasting on radio with Tony Evans, who went on to be the first host of “Today Tonight”. Former TVW and ABC News journalist Bruce Buchanan was appointed executive producer, and John and Bruce remained friends from that day. Sporting man Jim Fitzmaurice was also recruited, but owing to budget constraints, Bruce gained his services as a reporter part-time between his Sporting commitments.

    In 1968, John resigned from the ABC to join Channel Seven in protest of their policy regarding “Today Tonight”, which he considered rendered it inconsequential.

    It was a time within the ABC when there existed conflicting views about how they should present News. Traditional reporting and presentation demanded a strict adherence to impartiality. This seemed at odds with the pioneering current affairs approach of asking probing questions, that often challenged the interviewee in an endeavour to reach the truth and engage in political analysis. “Today Tonight” was not only hard hitting, but considered provocative and ruffled many feathers in the conservative ABC, with its staid News bulletin reporting of the era.

Peter Holland reminised,

“I well remember John Hudson at the ABC during the late 1960s. He used to pop his head in the announcers presentation booth and have a chat after Today Tonight… I clearly recall my disappointment when he told me he was going. He was a very nice man, warm and friendly. He spoke to me several times about his frustration and disillusionment with ABC management.”

    John then became busy presenting “Your Town” on TVW, which included a segment with John Rennie providing his satirical monologues. John was also involved in Channel Seven’s current affairs output, for though the ABC is credited with originating this genre of television, Darcy Farrell’s newsroom was busy from the dawn of TV in Western Australia, providing content that fitted that category. The station’s general manager (Sir) James Cruthers and Darcy were newspapermen and carried over the feature articles and special interviews into the television sphere. Celebrities were interviewed by eminent journalists such as Syd Donovan and Dan O’Sullivan, in programs such as “Viewpoint”, and political debates were introduced prior to elections. “Close Up” was another series of current affairs specials with Syd Donovan, which John Hudson became a part of.

    A mark of John’s standing in the journalistic field was his selection to interview the recently dismissed Prime Minister of Australia, by the Queen’s representative Sir John Kerr. This has Gough Whitlam, Prime Minister of Australia, 1972-75, commenting on the defeat of the Labor Party at the 1975 election, as televised on TVW Channel 7 in Perth, on April 19, 1976.

Whitlam talks about why he expected to win the election; what he regrets most about losing it; his reaction to the departure of several Labor Party members; the effects he feels that the events of 1975 had on his credibility; his view that the Australian Labor Party could again come to power in 1978 and his reasons for this belief; where he feels the swing in world politics will lead; the fact that he has no regrets about what he said about the Governor-General and Malcom Fraser after his sacking; his feeling towards the Governor-General at the time of the interview; with the Liberal Party having been in power for less than 5 months, he refers to the fact that they have plunged the country into an economic mess in the time that they had been in; whether or not he he would go into politics or stay in law if he had his time over, but that he wants to keep going in politics.

    John was selective in what he covered, particularly when supporting folk in need. They needed to be genuine and deserving cases of people in plight, caused by circumstances beyond their control.

Steve Thompson was a cameraman assigned to News events, who is now very saddened to learn of the industry losing a legend such as John.

“It is very sad news indeed. I worked with John at TVW during the 70’s, occasionally filming stories with him.

I do remember one story we went out to cover in the North Fremantle area. With John’s talent for telling compassionate stories we were sent to see a family that had fallen on hard times and were seeking community support. They were having trouble feeding their children. When we arrived at their house John began to access their circumstances and said to me not to bring the camera just yet. I accompanied him into their lounge room, then kitchen. John looked around, then walked over and opened their fridge, closed it’s door and turned to me and said quietly we’re leaving. When we drove off he said he’d noticed a couple packs of cigarettes on the kitchen table so that’s why he went to the fridge. All it contained were 2 or 3 bottles of beer and no food and for us no story.

He was a very caring and intuitive person and knew how to communicate and empathise with people, an essential requirement for any journalist and he was a very good journo.”

    Keith Mackenzie (TVW Producer/Director 1966-1982) joined with John Hudson, Don Rowe (TVW/6IX News/Production/Promotions 1970-1979) and Bill Meacham (TVW Senior Cine Cameraman 1967-1980) to make a number of documentaries which took them all over the world. One program titled “Fragile Handle with Care” took a look into the future, anticipating what may happen in the 1980’s with regard to society, entertainment, technology and the environment.

Keith kindly provided the following account of working with John Hudson and the team.

Memories of working with John, a very special and unique man.—-

I was fortunate to start my Directing career at TVW 7 where I worked on just about every type of Production. Included among them were documentaries, a new challenge for me.

I forget how it all started, but, a small close knit team was formed with John, Bill Meacham and myself sometime in the 1970’s. At that time I was working on Studio and Outside Broadcast programmes, John was in the Channel 7 Newsroom as a Journalist and Reporter, and Bill was the Head Film Cameraman.

Now, when a particular documentary assignment was discussed, and given the go ahead, off went the three of us to anywhere in The World. John was the Producer/Writer/Interviewer/Fixer. Bill was the Cameraman and Editor and I Directed and recorded the Sound.

A three person team making documentary films was rare in those days and we were the envy of many organisations, particularly UK based ones who, due to Union agreements, had to have more than double the number of crew.

John was one of the nicest, kindest and caring people you could ever wish to meet, and in producing Docos, with his unlimited charisma, he could usually talk even the most reluctant participant to be involved and be interviewed.

John was also a man of the Church, the Rev. John Hudson, but that was the other side of his life together with running a farm in Keysbrook.

Here are a few of the many programmes that the three of us made together. They are not in chronological order and I forget the dates and most of the programme titles.

Most of them are Political motivated–

The Cocos Islands with John Clunies-Ross, the last “King” and Ruler of The Islands.

Sri Lanka problems. I remember one evening going with John to a secret Tamil meeting in Colombo, this was well before any Tamil uprising happened.

Thailand, where we made two films, one on Drugs and one with the Royal Family. We filmed in the notorious Bangkok Hilton jail, in the poppy fields, in the opium villages, on a drug raid in the jungle, and on a drug bust at Bangkok Airport. Our internal air travel was provided by the Thai Air Force flying in a Dakota.

On one of our trips our feet were perched on top of some wooden boxes down the middle of the plane. One of us asked what they were… to be told, just coffins. I don’t remember if they had bodies in them or not.

The other Doco was with the King and Queen of Thailand where we were given full access to them and their activities. We travelled all over the country with them as they visited the villages and their subjects. I remember filming with them in a market with stalls selling used teeth and used spectacles.

The Seychelles, where there had just been a coup when President Albert Rene took over the country. As often, when on an assignment with John, we had special access to people and situations and often got close to their families. We went back to film another Doco one year later to see how things had changed in the country. There was always a heavy military presence on Mahe, the main Island, and I remember once looking into President Rene’s garage at his house to see that it was stacked full of guns and ammunition. On one occasion we were filming a parade where he was taking the salute. The military tried to stop us getting near him but when he saw that it was us filming he gestured to them that we were OK, another example of John forming a close relationship with one of our subjects.

There was also a Studio based “Close Up” Special “Gouldham is not Guilty” with John and Syd Donovan.

(This followed a Western Australia case where Bernard Kenneth Gouldham’s conviction was set aside following a special reference to the Court of Criminal Appeal, several years after he had completed serving a prison sentence. The accused was convicted of an offence and served a prison term of almost a year. Subsequently the conviction was quashed as a result of fresh evidence. The State Government made an ex gratia payment to him of $12,500.)

Another Doco in the 70’s that Bill, John and I were involved with, was a little different from the normal.

Ruth Ellis was the last Female to be hanged in England in 1955–
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruth_Ellis

Thames TV in London had produced a documentary about Ruth with a few unanswered questions about an accomplice, Desmond Cussens, who kept very quiet at the time of her trial, and later, when she implicated him just before she was hanged, had disappeared.

The programme was about to air when, for some reason, one of their researchers was looking at phone directories around the world and came across the name Desmond Cussen here in Perth. Channel 7 was contacted and John, together with Bill and myself, were assigned to research and check it out. We had a copy of the Thames Documentary.

We found Desmond running a Flower Shop in Scarborough. We set up a hidden Camera in Bill’s car and then followed him to his house. John went and knocked on the door to tell him about the Thames Documentary and ask him if he was that Desmond Cussen (all Filmed) which he admitted.

Desmond was shattered as it had been many years of living anonymously and he thought it had all gone away. John persuaded him to come to Studio 2 to view the Documentary on a Steinbeck set up in the middle of the studio floor, and John sat through it with him and afterwards asked him some questions. It appeared to Desmond that only John and Desmond were in the deserted Studio, however, all this was being recorded as I had set up three locked off Studio Cameras and I was in Studio 2’s Control Room.

Eventually Peter Williams, the Producer/Reporter from Thames TV, who had produced the documentary, came out from London and Desmond was persuaded to do an Interview with Peter, which, Bill and I filmed in a room at the Sheraton Hotel in Perth.

On one occasion we were sent off to film a more relaxed, non political Doco, in South Africa, although, as it turned out, tragedy struck before we started filming. TVW 7 were going to stage the 1979 Miss Universe Pageant at the Entertainment Centre in Perth. In 1978 a production team, including Max Bostock, Marion Leyer, Brian Smith and myself went to Mexico to work with the CBS Television Production Team on the 1978 event. The winner that year was Margaret Gardiner from South Africa who would be an important part of the 1979 Pageant in Perth. So, it was decided to film a Doco on Margaret when she returned to South Africa, where she would receive a royal welcome followed by a tour of the country.

On arrival in South Africa, the night before we were due to start filming, John had a phone call to say that Peter, his son, had been killed in a tractor accident on their farm in Keysbrook. John didn’t know what to do and was concerned about our assignment. Bill and I told him to forget about the programme and made him return to Perth as soon as possible. We carried on without him but were unable to support him at Peter’s Funeral. I doubt that John ever really got over Peter’s death.

After the Miss Universe Pageant in Perth the three of us, together with Don Rowe, formed a company called “Threshold” basically to make Documentaries. Although short lived we had a few interesting projects. One was “Fragile, Handle with Care” which was about the Earth and its future, looking forward into the 1980’s.

We went around the world filming various segments. Some of those included entertainment, with an interview with Robert Stigwood, the Bee Gees manager, on a Yacht in New York. A bonus was being invited to The Bee Gees Concert in Madison Square Gardens that evening. We featured Sir Freddie Laker of SkyTrain fame on future Air Travel as well as a visit to the McDonnell Douglas factory to discuss future Supersonic aircraft development. We interviewed Billy Graham in Dallas on Religion. We featured British Rail and filmed in the drivers cab of an InterCity 125 between London and Edinburgh. Another bonus was tickets to The Edinburgh Military Tattoo.

Don Rowe reminded Keith of a number of other segments in “Fragile, Handle with Care”…

On that trip producing “Fragile, Handle With Care” … John also spent time with and interviewed pioneer heart transplant surgeon Christian Barnard, consumer advocate Ralph Nader, astronaut John Glenn, the ‘inventor’ of cloning Robert McKinnel, Muppet movie director James Frawley … and many more .. including nightclub and erotica entrepreneur Paul Raymond (Windmill Theatre), the staunch social conservative Mary Whitehouse who was opposed to society becoming more permissive, Edward Norman (Dean of Peterhouse at Cambridge) an ecclesiastical historian, (Lord) Alexander Hesketh (whose great passion is motor racing) and the nightclub entrepreneur Steve Ruebell (co-owner of the New York disco Studio 54 – a popular and world renowned nightclub from 1977 until 1981). On that trip Stuart Joynt was also part of the team.

This then reminded Keith of other points of interest…

When we were shooting the Sir Freddie Laker sequence we wanted shots of aircraft landing and taking off at London’s Gatwick Airport, but, not from a distance, but from close up, shot from the side of the runway half way along. We got permission, but to allow us to film, Bill and I had to be insured for One Million Pounds each for half a day to cover the morning of the shoot.

Later we flew on SkyTrain to New York, I think it was on a DC 10, where some of the baggage included bicycles. SkyTrain was one of the very first really cheap ways to fly to New York.

When we took off, Bill was filming the take off on the Flight Deck. Just after leaving the ground there was a mighty Bang and the aircraft shook. I did wonder if it was Bill that caused it, but, no, we had been struck by lightning on take off, however all was well and we were able to continue.

Much later Sir Freddie inspired Richard Branson to start Virgin.

Also at that time Maybelline, the cosmetics company, were looking for an Australian film company to shoot all their Australian Commercials. They were not allowed to show the American versions in Australia, they had to be actually made in Australia. Exact copies of the American versions had to be produced. Maybelline were involved in The Miss Universe Pageant so we already had good contacts with them. During our around the world filming trip we visited them in America and John did a great pitch which secured us the contract.

I also have many fond memories of burning the midnight oil over a glass or two in a hotel room somewhere in the world discussing ideas for future projects.

During our working times together our families also grew close, in fact, John baptised our two children.

Eventually the three/four of us went our separate ways and on to new challenges, but, I will always remember many happy times working with a unique man “The Rev”.

Don Rowe went on to point out that…

Some of Hudson’s best work is shown in a film produced by Jon R. Noble ACS of Filmwest, where he was a one man crew. Producer, director, cameraman and soundman. The film was narrated and presented by John Hudson, and produced for no fee to assist the Australian doctors attempting to alleviate the suffering of Ethiopian men, women and children, during the 1974 catastrophic humanitarian crisis brought about by crop failures in sub-Saharan Africa.

Don says that John went to Ethiopia during the first great famine (before Geldorf) and showed WA doctors and nurses battling to keep kids alive. He appealed for funds – and help. His role was a cross-over between a journalist and a Minister of Religion. It was the humanitarian – or humanist coming to the fore.

Ethiopian Famine Relief – 1974

    Another dream of John’s was to provide a refuge for lost souls, where money obtained from the sale of St John’s Congregational Church in Fremantle was used to purchase 110 acres of farm land on South West Highway, between Serpentine and Keysbrook. This rural property initially had one old house, to which two new small houses and one bigger house were added. This enabled a group of helpers to move in to support a variety of needy people who fell through the government support agency cracks. People such as battered wives, folk in need of respite care, and indigenous children wanting assistance. A community environment was soon set up on the property, which had facilities to provide shared accommodation. It became a working farm designed to involve the residents in activities that would distract them from their worries. This included running sheep and growing lucerne to sustain them. A kindergarten was established and run by Carol Swann, which also attracted children from the local district. Meanwhile John and his family lived there and conducted Church services, between this and his metropolitan commitments.

    Sadly, this all came crashing down in September 1978, with the death of his son Peter in a tractor accident on the farm. He was only fifteen years of age. After this John became more reclusive. Though he did continue working with Keith, Bill and Don during their brief time under the production company ‘Threshold’ until Keith left Perth to work for the BBC in mid 1982.

    Then the church sent him a brief message thanking him for his years of service. For in 1977, most congregations of the Congregational Union of Australia merged with all Churches of the Methodist Church of Australasia and a majority of Churches of the Presbyterian Church of Australia to form the Uniting Church in Australia.

    It was the former TVW News Editor and government advisor Darcy Farrell and his former journalist colleague and then Premier Brian Burke (from 25 February 1983 until his resignation on 25 February 1988) who offered John a lifeline through Homeswest.

    John worked in a public relations role, and worked with former TVW colleague Brian Coulter for the Government Media Office.

John ended up working for both Labor and Liberal state governments, starting with Burke then followed by other Labor Premiers (Peter Dowding 1988 to 1990 and Dr Carmen Lawrence 1990 to 1993) and then Liberal Premier Richard Court, whose term was from 1993 to 2001.

    The State Housing Commission became Homeswest in 1985 and several schemes were developed to encourage tenants to transition into home ownership. These schemes included Keystart, the Aboriginal Purchase Scheme, the Home Purchase Assistance Scheme and the Small Loans Scheme.

    A field that related to people in need and matters of compassion from a man of the cloth who lived his beliefs.

    During Archbishop Hickey’s service at John’s funeral, he related an amusing take on the Superman story. This related to a belief in the existence of the man of steel, who changed from a mild mannered reporter to the superhero in a telephone box. To which one person explained their lack of belief in this notion, based on the point that no one had ever encountered a ‘mild mannered reporter.’ Which was something John actually was, as his charm always came though in the field of hard nosed news gathering.

    John maintained a strong belief in the doctrines of the church, particularly those relating to the aspects of passing through death to eternal life. On hearing the diagnosis that his disease was terminal, he was comforted in the belief that he would be able to be reunited with his late wife Thelma, who passed away only last year, on Friday 14th September, after a difficult year of precious time with her family.

    John had cancer and told Don Rowe only a week before that all he wanted was to be with Thelma. It appears that John underwent surgery on the morning of Thursday 17th of January, but didn’t come out of it.

    John and Thelma raised four children Simon, Matthew, Phillipa and Peter (deceased).

    At John’s funeral service, Simon gave a scripture reading whilst Matthew and Phillipa provided eulogies that enlighten us about John’s background, family and more private aspects.

    There was a good contingent of family, friends and colleagues present to celebrate a good life well lived.

We wish to thank Keith Mackenzie, Don Rowe, Bill Meacham, Darcy Farrell, Bruce Buchanan, Carol Brands (formally Swann), Michael Goodall, Peter Holland , Steve Thompson and Simon Hudson for their much valued input to this tribute.

Christmas Greetings for 2012

WA TV History

This holiday season the WA TV History team is having a short break and hopefully you will too.

It’s been another great year with lots to do.

Great people to meet, of which many where old friends and colleagues… all members of the radio and television fraternity.

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

May next year bring you good health, happiness and prosperity.

    The western region of the Australian Museum of Motion Picture and Television (AMMPT) has had a series of presidents since Daryl Binning decided to concentrate on the role of national president. Photography emporium proprietor Ron Frank kept the seat warm for a short time, followed by television pioneer Ross McDonald. The current president is John Fuhrmann, a man with vast experience in sports administration with an early background as a football umpire, whilst maintaining a long held passion for music as a theatre organist.

    John’s background in the cinema industry is as a MGM (Metro Theatre) organist from 1966 to 1973, specialising in music from Broadway shows and the roaring twenties on the WurliTzer pipe organ, which since the demolition of this grand theatre, now resides at the Karrinyup Community Centre. Before that, he played a grand electric organ at the long-gone Ambassador Theatre in Perth City, before moving to the pipe organ at the former Metro Theatre on William Street.

    A few years ago, The Western Region of AMMPT installed a theatre organ at the historic Cygnet Theatre in Como to give movie-goers an idea what the cinema experience used to be like, with the melodies of a bygone era kindly provided by John at the keyboard. AMMPT now conduct a regular public fund raising event at this cinema on the third Sunday morning of each month.

    This dedicated team of veteran projectionists and cinema enthusiasts congregate to conduct screenings of classic movies from the heyday of Hollywood, with the Cygnet as the nostalgic venue.

    The AMMPT stalwarts who make this possible include: Barry Goldman, Graeme Lacey, Peter Foyster, Tony Smith and Gerry Voutsinas with George Robinson and Jillian Carlson selecting the programme for 2013. Meanwhile, former Cygnet employee Val Cope is now acting as the ticket seller and Agnes Foyster does the raffle every month, as well as assisting in the candy bar.

    Adding to the charm of the occasion is that the cinema is a fine example of Art Deco style architecture, with the building being nominated by the National Trust in 1995 for the WA Register of Historic Buildings, and then included in the Register of the National Estate in 1997.

The theatre is owned by Colin Stiles of the famed Stiles cinema family, and managed by AMMPT member Graham Kahn.

AMMPT Presents 2013 Classics of the Silver Screen

WA TV History
The Australian Museum of Motion Picture and Television (AMMPT) present a preview of their movie schedule for 2013.

A range of classic motion pictures which will be screened at the heritage listed Cygnet Cinema in Como, Western Australia.

Doors open at 10am and screenings commence at 10:30am.

The program includes nostalgic items and other short films, which will bring back memories of a real “picture show” experience.

Mrs. Miniver (1942) – February 17th

    Elements of this film combine with drama, romance, light humour, and finally, tragedy when the Second World War suddenly throws English life into turmoil. The movie deals with what civilians have to go through while the men are off fighting in the war. The rationing and shortages and then the blitz as Germany seeks to terrorise the British people into submission. Stars Greer Garson as Mrs. Kay Miniver, Walter Pidgeon as her husband Clem Miniver, Richard Ney as son Vin Miniver, Teresa Wright as his love interest Carol Beldon, who is the grand daughter of Lady Beldon, played by Dame May Whitty. The movie won 6 Oscars.

A Tale of Two Cities (1935) – March 17th

    An adaptation of Dickens’ classic novel, which is set in London and Paris before and during the French Revolution. Ronald Colman plays lawyer Sydney Carton, who defends emigre Charles Darnay (Donald Woods) from charges of spying against England. He becomes infatuated with Darnay’s fiancée, Lucie Manette (Elizabeth Allan), and agrees to help her save Darnay from the guillotine when he is captured by Revolutionaries in Paris.

Northwest Passage (1940) – April 21st

    Set in Colonial American during the French and Indian Wars (1754 – 1763), it recalls the true exploits of a group of Rangers sent up into the French-Canadian woods to destroy the Abenaki red indian village on the St. Francois (Saint-Francis) river in Quebec. It has been the base for raids and attacks on British settlements. Major Robert Rogers (Spencer Tracy) is an officer in the British army who believes that one should be living and thinking like the American Indian in order to fight them. This film also tells the story of two friends, Langdon Towne (Robert Young) and Hunk Marriner (Walter Brennan), who join Rogers’ Rangers, as the legendary elite force engages the enemy. The movie is packed with spectacular battles, heroism, heartbreaking scenes and blood-letting deeds.

Maytime (1937) – May 19th

    Maytime is a MGM musical romance starring Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy. Based loosely on Sigmund Romberg’s 1917 operetta, with the story also resembling Noël Coward’s operetta Bitter Sweet in which an elderly Miss Morrison recounts her life as Marcia Mornay (Jeanette MacDonald) a once young and beautiful American opera singer in Paris who was guided to success by famed voice teacher Nicolai Nazaroff (John Barrymore). One evening, she encounters an American voice student, Paul Allison (Nelson Eddy) and the two unexpectedly fall in love. Unfortunately for her, she has already accepted the marriage proposal of her mentor, Nicolai, and breaks off her relationship with Paul, to reluctantly marries Nicolai. After seven years of marriage, Nicolai sets up Marcia for an engagement performance in the United States of the opera “Tsaritsa”. Nicolai signs up Paul as her leading partner, not knowing of Marcia and Paul’s past. When he realises what he has done, Nicolai becomes enraged with jealousy. Years later as an elderly woman, who now lives in lonely seclusion, she tells her story to a younger woman in the hopes that is will help her decide between a career and love.

The Great Dictator (1940) – June 16th

    A satire on Adolf Hitler against fascism that directly addressed Anti-Semitism and was released in 1940, before the United States entered World War II. The tragedy was that Chaplin made a plea for the madness to end, but it was already too late. The film is set twenty years after the end of World War I in which the nation of Tomainia was on the losing side, Adenoid Hynkel (Charles Chaplin) has risen to power as the ruthless dictator of the country. He believes in a pure Aryan state, and the decimation of the Jews. This situation is unknown to a simple, sweet and innocent Jewish-Tomainian barber (Charles Chaplin) who has since been hospitalized the result of a WWI battle. Upon his release, the barber, who had been suffering from memory loss about the war, is shown the new persecuted life of the Jews by many living in the Jewish ghetto, including a washerwoman named Hannah (Paulette Goddard), with whom he begins a relationship. The barber is ultimately spared such persecution by Commander Schultz (Reginald Gardiner), who he saved in that WWI battle. Jack Oakie as Napaloni, the Dictator of Bacteria (a spoof on Mussolini), appears late in the story and shares with Chaplin some of the brilliant comedic moments. Jack Oakie received a Supporting Role Oscar nomination and Chaplin a Best Actor nomination.

Mildred Pierce (1945) – July 21st

    Mildred Pierce (Joan Crawford) works her way to the top, from waitress in a greasy diner to the wealthy owner of a successful restaurant chain, after husband Bert (Bruce Bennett) finds affection with Maggie Binderhof (Lee Patrick) and leaves Mildred to raise their daughters on her own. Realtor Wally Fay (Jack Carson) advises her while making numerous rebuffed passes and introduces her to Monte Baragon (Zachary Scott) whose property becomes the first of a chain of restaurants. The selfish and money-hungry elder daughter Veda (Ann Blyth) stoops to every level to get what she wants, when she pretends to be pregnant by wealthy Ted Forrester (John Compton) in order to cheat his family out of $10,000. Mildred has an affair with Monte and agrees to marry him in exchange for a third of her businesses. It soon becomes clear that something is going on between Veda and Monte. Meanwhile, Ida Corwin (Eve Arden) provides comedy relief with her sarcastic wit, as her no nonsense gal pal.

The Sundowners (1960) – August 18th

    In the Australian Outback in the 1920s, the Carmody family, Paddy (Robert Mitchum), Ida (Deborah Kerr) and their teenage son Sean (Michael Anderson Jr.) are sheep drovers, always on the move. Ida and Sean want to settle down and buy a farm. Paddy wants to keep moving. His friend Rupert Venneker (Peter Ustinov) is an educated but slightly mysterious Englishman and likable drifter, who is too irresponsible to have a family of his own, and therefore clings to the Carmody family. Mrs. Firth (Glynis Johns) is an awfully pleasant barmaid-innkeeper who loves men’s company and knows how to deal with them. Theres a sheep-shearing contest, the birth of a child, fist-fights, the Aussie’s love of beer, a game of two-up, drinking, gambling and a race horse as the film captures the essence of vagabond life down under whilst showing the exotic wild life in all its beauty and spender.

Broadway Serenade (1939) – September 15th

    A singer Mary Hale (Jeanette MacDonald) and pianist/composer Jimmy Seymour (Lew Ayres) are a show biz couple, working the small joints in the Big Apple, hoping for a shot at the spotlights. Coincidentally, they both get a break at the same time; Jimmy earns a chance to pursue his music abroad, while Mary is cast in the road company of a big producer’s new show when wealthy backer Larry Bryant (Ian Hunter) spots Mary and is taken with her beauty and golden voice. Larry persuades Broadway producer Cornelius Collier Jr. (Frank Morgan) to put Mary in his show. By the time Mary returns to New York she’s already a star, while Jimmy’s career has gone nowhere, and he feels threatened by Mary’s success. Harriet Ingalls (Katharine Alexander) the show’s original star is pushed out, so quits promising to seek revenge and accuses Mary and Larry of having an affair. Jimmy’s jealousy over her supposed romance with the producer gets the better of him. This love story is set against a terrific musical score and packed with one hit song after another, makes Broadway Serenade a powerful, triumphant success.

King Kong (1933) – October 20th

    Carl Denham (Robert Armstrong) is a film director full of energy who is famous for shooting animal pictures in remote and exotic locations. He needs to finish his latest movie and has the perfect location; Skull Island where, according to legend, there lives an awesome god-like beast named Kong. But he still needs to find a leading lady. This ‘soon-to-be-unfortunate’ soul is an attractive unemployed New York woman, Ann Darrow (Fay Wray). Denham’s plan is to shoot a variation of the Beauty and the Beast story, using Ann as his beauty and Kong as his beast. Everyone involved gets more than they bargained for when Ann is kidnapped by the island natives and offered as a sacrifice to Kong. She is kidnapped by the gigantic prehistoric ape and saved only by the courage of the ship’s mate Jack Driscoll (Bruce Cabot), whilst avoiding all sorts of other creatures and beasts. Denham eventually captures Kong and takes the beast back to New York as a show to gratify the public curiosity in a theatre, from which he breaks out to go on a rampage in Manhattan. The suspense, pacing, sensuality and violence all adds up to a blood pumping experience with a climax on the Empire State Building. Though the special effects look primitive compared to today’s cinema technology, this was movie history in the making. For its time, every aspect is innovative. First-of-their-kind special effects, first-of-its-kind plot, famous performances and a final sequence that remains as an eye-popping cinematic experience. Had this never been made, the whole history of films may have taken a different course.

When Comedy was King (1960) – November 17th

    A feature-length documentary devoted to the great clowns of silent comedy assembled by producer and film buff Robert Youngson. Hilarious glimpses into the past, giving credit to the great innovators of the slapstick visual comedy era of Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, Harry Landon, Roscoe ‘Fatty’ Arbuckle, and many more. Featuring nostalgic footage from the films of the two major comedy studios of the era, Mack Sennett and Hal Roach, with the Keystone Kops and The Sennett Girls.

Roberta (1935) – December 8th

    All-American football player and coach John Kent (Randolph Scot) tags along as Huck Haines (Fred Astaire) and his band, the Wabash Indianians travel to an engagement at Le Havre, in France, for a season in a Russian nightclub. However, there is a misunderstanding and the owner Alexander Petrovitch Moskovich Voyda (Luis Alberni) expects the arrival of an Indian band and he calls off their contract. John and company visit his aunt Aunt Minnie (Helen Westley), a dressmaker who found success in Paris, and the owner of the posh fashion house of Roberta, run by her assistant, Stephanie (Irene Dunne). Actually, she and her doorman cousin Ladislaw (Victor Varooni) are deposed Russian royalty. There they meet the singer Countess Scharwenka (Ginger Rogers) alias Huck’s old girl friend Elizabeth “Lizzie” Gatz, who gets the band a job at the Cafe Russe, an elegant Old Russian restaurant with its frescoes, and fashion show that incorporates Astaire and Rogers dancing. The finale includes a very blonde Lucille Ball as one of the models wearing a fashion gown. Meanwhile, Madame Roberta passes away and leaves the business to John and he goes into partnership with Stephanie, who find they’re interested in one another. But the visitation of Sophie Keel (Claire Dodd), a snobbish girl John once loved, complicates matters between him and Stephanie. The film is filled with not only beautiful music but the fashions of the day in gorgeous art deco settings. The musical program includes: “Let’s Begin” (sung by Fred Astaire and Candy Candido); “Russian Folk Song” (sung by Irene Dunne); “I’ll Be Hard to Handle” (sung by Ginger Rogers/danced by Astaire and Rogers); “Yesterdays” (sung by Irene Dunne); “I Won’t Dance” (sung by Rogers and Astaire with dance solo by Astaire); “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes” (sung by Irene Dunne); “Lovely to Look At” (sung by Dunne, later reprised by Astaire and Rogers); “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes” (instrumental dance by Astaire and Rogers); and “I Won’t Dance” (finale, danced by Astaire and Rogers).