Bert Newton

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Bert Newton
Born	23 July 1938 (1938-07-23) (age 71) Fitzroy, VIC, Australia
Occupation	Television personality
Spouse(s)	Patti McGrath
Children	Matthew and Lauren

Albert Watson "Bert" Newton, AM, MBE, (born 23 July 1938), is a multiple Gold Logie winning Australian television, radio, film, stage performer and author.

Contents 1 Childhood 2 Radio 3 Television 3.1 Early television career 3.2 Television career 1975 - mid 1992 3.3 Move to Channel Ten (1992 - 2005) 3.4 Return to Channel Nine (2006 - present) 4 Other media 5 The Logies 6 Honours / other awards 7 Personal life 8 Further reading 9 External links 10 References

[edit] Childhood

Newton was born in Fitzroy, an inner suburb of Melbourne, Victoria in Australia as Albert "Bert" Watson Newton.

He was educated at St Joseph's Marist Brothers College which is Roman Catholic. In his early years he had thoughts of entering the priesthood. Newton remains a devout Roman Catholic to this day.

[edit] Radio

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Newton's first paid radio appearance was on 3XY on 10 June 1952 as a schoolboy, doing advertisements dressed as a clown with Doug McKenzie, later to become "Zag" in Zig and Zag.

"... there was a radio program on 3XY Melbourne called Scouting Around, compered by the late Tom Jones. One week the broadcast was recorded at our Scout Hall, and as the direct result of this, I began to appear on 3XY".

This led to regular appearances on a Saturday morning children's show, in which he worked with Stan Rofe and McKenzie.

In May 1954, 3XY employed him as a junior announcer (aged 15); by 1955 he was presenting In Melbourne Speaks.

He began a morning progamme on 3UZ in 1976. The Herald and Weekly Times Ltd appointed Newton as general manager of 3DB in 1986, which he combined with on-air appearances until 1988.

[edit] Television

[edit] Early television career

Newton began his television career at Melbourne's HSV-7, hosting The Late Show.^[1] For several years Newton worked with former manager Mason Jarrett whilst trying to find work on numerous television stations.

Newton left HSV-7 and went to GTV-9 in early 1959 to host a daytime television program In Melbourne Today.^[2] After appearing in a live commercial on In Melbourne Tonight with his friend Graham Kennedy at Easter 1959, he began to make regular appearances on the show and assumed hosting duties on some episodes. This began a lifelong association with Kennedy.

In 1960 and 1961, Newton, along with Graham Kennedy, appeared in the national Graham Kennedy's Channel 9 Show (a one-night-a-week national version of IMT). In January 1962, the show was cancelled and replaced by the similar The Channel 9 Show, hosted by Bert Newton.^[3]

[edit] Television career 1975 - mid 1992

Newton appeared on Channel Nine in these years. He appeared on:

• The Don Lane Show: Starting in 1975, Don Lane hosted his own variety show, The Don Lane Show, on Channel 9. Newton was cast in the role of sidekick and "barrel boy". Newton was dubbed "Moonface" on the show, and the nickname stuck. On the show Newton would frequently appear in outlandish costumes, often sending up celebrities. One of the most memorable events on the show was when Bert Newton sent-up Demis Roussos, and Roussos was sent on to the set while Newton was doing the impersonation. Newton remained on the show until the show ended in 1983. It was during his time on this show that he became recognized by many as perhaps the best television sidekick that showbusiness has seen.
• The Bert Newton Show: Newton briefly hosted his own program, The Bert Newton Show, recorded in Sydney for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. It was not a success, and he returned to working with Kennedy.
• New Faces: In 1976, Newton replaced long-running compere Frank Wilson on the amateur talent program New Faces. The show was a success, and lasted until 1985. In 1992, Newton hosted another version of New Faces; however, it did not last for long.
• Ford Superquiz: In 1981, Newton (and wife Patti) presented a quiz show, Ford Superquiz, produced by the Reg Grundy organisation for the Nine Network.
• Tonight With Bert Newton: Tonight With Bert Newton was a short-lived attempt to bring back the spirit of IMT. It aired in 1984.

[edit] Move to Channel Ten (1992 - 2005)

From mid-1992 until 2005, Newton appeared on Channel Ten as host of Good Morning Australia

• Good Morning Australia: In 1992 Newton moved into daytime television as host of The Morning Show, which soon changed title to Good Morning Australia (GMA) on Network Ten. The show revived Newton's celebrity status and was a continuing success for Ten. GMA was a mix of interviews, music and innuendo which was primarily ad-libbed. Much of the screen time was dedicated to infomercials. Unusually for television the show was broadcast live-to-air on Mondays and Tuesdays but for the rest of the week live-to-tape (recorded complete and aired later).^[4]

In October 2005, Channel Ten announced that the program would be cancelled at the end of the year, after a 14 year run. Although Newton was offered ongoing employment (in an unclear role) at Channel Ten, he stated that he would return to Channel Nine in 2006.

[edit] Return to Channel Nine (2006 - present)

After finishing up on Channel Ten's Good Morning Australia in late 2005, Newton returned to Channel Nine in early 2006. Here is what he as appeared on:

• Bert's Family Feud: In 2006, Newton returned to the Nine Network and hosted Bert's Family Feud, a revised version of Family Feud for 2006 and some of 2007, until the show was cancelled on 8 May 2007. The show's voiceover was Simon Diaz who works at MIX101.1 which is the radio station once known as 3DB, where Bert once worked.
• 20 to 01: Since 2006, Newton hosts the new series of 20 to 1 taking over from Bud Tingwell.
• What a Year: Another program, in a similar vein to 20 to 1, is What a Year hosted by Newton and comedian Julia Zemiro in 2007, replacing previous hosts Mike Munro and Megan Gale. The program took a light-hearted look at a chosen year in history, revisiting major events and pop culture from the year.

Bert gets a salary of A$800,000 from Nine. [1]

[edit] Other media

Newton's stage appearances include Professor Marvel/the Wizard of Oz in The Wizard of Oz, Cogsworth in Beauty and the Beast, Franz Liebkind in The Producers, and Max in The Sound of Music. On 27 October 2008, it was announced that Bert would be taking over the role of The Wizard in the Broadway Smash Wicked^[5] playing at the Regent Theatre, after the sudden death of Rob Guest. He took over in November.

His film roles include

• Doctors & Nurses (1981) .... Mr Cody
• Fatty Finn (1980) .... Mr. Finn
• The Wannabes (2003) .... as himself
• Remembering Nigel (2007)...The Agent

Newton published an autobiography Bert! : Bert Newton's Own Story in 1979.

[edit] The Logies

Bert Newton has been a part of the Logies since the awards started in 1959. Newton has received several TV Week Logie Awards, and been nominated for several awards. Below is what Newton has won and been nominated for:

Awards won:

• Four Gold Logies: 1979, 1981, 1982, 1984 (for his roles in The Don Lane Show and New Faces)
• Hall of Fame: 1988
• Three 'Best Compere' awards: 1972, 1973, 1974 (for his role in In Melbourne Tonight and The Graham Kennedy Show)

Awards nominated:

• Gold Logie: 1983 (for The Don Lane Show and New Faces), 2006 (for Good Morning Australia) and 2007 (for 20 to 1 and Bert's Family Feud).

Newton has also hosted the Logies (1968 - 1980, 1982, 1984, 1989 and 1993, and co-host in 2006). Newton holds the records for most Logies hosted, and most Logies hosted in a continuous run. Some 'moments' of Newton's hosting duties include:

• He famously said to Muhammad Ali "I like the boy", belatedly realising "boy" could be taken as a racial slur.
• In 1973 American actor Michael Cole, best known for his role in the TV series The Mod Squad, accepted an award while obviously drunk and ended his barely coherent thank-you speech with an expletive.
• In 2006, after the awards he had a fall and injured himself. The injury was visible for a number of Bert's Family Feud Episodes.

[edit] Honours / other awards

Newton was the first Melbourne-born King of Moomba in 1978.^[6]

Newton was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 1979, for his service to the performing arts.^[7]

On 12 June 2006 he was made a Member of the Order of Australia "for service to the entertainment industry as a presenter, actor, comedian, and through support for a range of medical research and charitable orginisations"^[8][9] .

"For Bert" was written by GTV-9's musical director Brian Rangott. The lyrics include:

Everything I do,

I do for Bert -

[...]

Some may think Bert's not much,

But they like his gentle touch -

Everything I do,

I do for Bert!

In 1997 Newton was the subject of a This Is Your Life tribute. His wife Patti was honoured with her own tribute in 2001.

The Best of Bert Newton was aired in 2002. Channel Nine Salutes Bert Newton was broadcast in early 2004, depicting the career of Newton from his earliest days.

In 2001 he was awarded a Centenary Medal.

Show business awards include a Mo Award (1997), a Television Society of Australia award (1981 and 1983), three Penguin Citations and three Pater ("Professional Excellence in Television and Radio Arts and Sciences) awards for radio.

To celebrate the 50th Anniversary of television in Australia, Channel 9 ran a show titled 50 Years, 50 Stars, where they looked back at the Top 50 stars of Australian television. Bert Newton was listed as the #1 Australian TV star of the past 50 years.

On Tuesday 1 July 2008, Newton was awarded Victorian of the Year. [2]

On Wednesday 23 July 2008, Channel 9 marked Bert's 70th birthday with a star studded one hour special This Is Your Life hosted by Mike Munro.

[edit] Personal life

Newton lived at home with his mother until the age of 36, prompting widespread gossip that he was gay.^[10] In 1974 he married Patti McGrath, a co-worker.^[10] The Newtons have a son, Matthew, and a daughter, Lauren. Matthew Newton has become an actor and has appeared in a number of Australian films and television dramas.^[10]

[edit] Further reading

• Newton, Bert (1977). Bert! Bert Newton's Own Story. Toorak, Victoria, Australia: Garry Sparkes & Associates. ISBN 0-9080-8124-3. 
• Blundell, Graeme (2003). King: the life and comedy of Graham Kennedy. Sydney: Pan Macmillan. ISBN 0-7329-1165-6. 
• Lane, Don (2007). The Don Lane story. Frenchs Forest, NSW: New Holland Publishers. 

[edit] External links

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Bert Newton

• Bert Newton at the Internet Movie Database
• Patrick Carlyon profiles Bert Newton, 12/10/2003, The Bulletin
• Bert Newton Biography, Information, etc ...
• "Dinkum Aussies" - Bert Newton
• 2002 article about Newton in The Age newspaper
• Bert Newton and the history of Australian TV
• Revenge of the second banana
• Channel Ten Good Morning Australia page
• AM award

[edit] References

v • d • e Gold Logie Award for Most Popular Personality on Australian Television 1960s Graham Kennedy (1960) · Bob Dyer (1961) · Lorrae Desmond (1962) · Michael Charlton (1963) · Bobby Limb (1964) · Jimmy Hannan (1965) · Gordon Chater (1966) · Graham Kennedy and Hazel Phillips (1967) · Brian Henderson (1968) · Graham Kennedy (1969) 1970s Barry Crocker and Maggie Tabberer (1970) · Gerard Kennedy and Maggie Tabberer (1971) · Gerard Kennedy (1972) · Tony Barber (1973) · Graham Kennedy and Pat McDonald (1974) · Ernie Sigley and Denise Drysdale (1975) · Norman Gunston and Denise Drysdale (1976) · Don Lane and Jeanne Little (1977) · Graham Kennedy (1978) · Bert Newton (1979) 1980s Mike Walsh (1980) · Bert Newton (1981) · Bert Newton (1982) · Daryl Somers (1983) · Bert Newton (1984) · Rowena Wallace (1985) · Daryl Somers (1986) · Ray Martin (1987) · Kylie Minogue (1988) · Daryl Somers (1989) 1990s Craig McLachlan (1990) · Steve Vizard (1991) · Jana Wendt (1992) · Ray Martin (1993) · Ray Martin (1994) · Ray Martin (1995) · Ray Martin (1996) · Lisa McCune (1997) · Lisa McCune (1998) · Lisa McCune (1999) 2000s Lisa McCune (2000) · Georgie Parker (2001) · Georgie Parker (2002) · Rove McManus (2003) · Rove McManus (2004) · Rove McManus (2005) · John Wood (2006) · Kate Ritchie (2007) · Kate Ritchie (2008) · Rebecca Gibney (2009) Logie Awards

v • d • e Hosts of the Logie Awards Hugh O'Brien (1960) · Gerald Lyons (1962) · Gerald Lyons (1965) · Bert Newton (1967–1980) · Michael Parkinson (1981) · Bert Newton (1982) · Mike Willesee (1983) · Bert Newton (1984) · Greg Evans (1985) · Mike Willesee (1986) · Don Lane (1987) · Daryl Somers (1988) · Bert Newton (1989) · Mark Mitchell (1990) · Daryl Somers (1991) · Steve Vizard (1992) · Bert Newton (1993) · Ray Martin (1994) · Andrew Daddo and Noni Hazlehurst (1995) · Daryl Somers (1996–1998) · Andrew Denton (1999–2000) Shaun Micallef (2001) · Wendy Harmer (2002) · Eddie McGuire (2003–2004) · Eddie McGuire, Rove McManus and Andrew O'Keefe (2005) · Bert Newton, Ray Martin, Daryl Somers, Lisa McCune and Georgie Parker (2006) · Adam Hills, Dave Hughes and Fifi Box (2007) · Various hosts (2008) · Gretel Killeen (2009) Logie Awards