On Air Family and Regulars
Tonight Live established an “on-air family” which included Dutchman Jack Degenkamp, the world’s oldest cameraman. Jack gave tips on clog dancing, demonstrated levitation and even delivered a Christmas message on the last show of the year. In 1993 he was the subject of a Tonight Live special : Jack Degekamp, This is Your Life.
Merv Ford, the floor manager, was also used on air. Merv’s star shone so brightly that when he was working as floor manager for Seven’s coverage of the Australian Open Tennis he was recognised by the crowd more often than some of the players.
Other on air regulars included Paul Grabowsky the band leader. Later, a young red-headed floor manager named Dane Clarke would fill in for Merv and feature in stunts. Another on air regular was a member of the production staff, Leanne Rollins (AKA Leanne from Yarck) who worked in the Tonight Live office. On the second show a guest pulled out at the last minute, so Leanne was roped in show and told stories and showed pictures of her father’s donkey, which happened to be in a state or arousal when the photo was taken.
Tonight Live always had a stand-by guest in case someone failed to turn up who for the first three months of the show was historian Magnus Clarke who was an expert in international affairs and who got made up and sat in the green room every night for months on the off chance that a guest wouldn’t show.
Other regulars included Phillip Brady, a great Australian entertainer and one the pioneers of Australian television, appeared on Tonight Live almost weekly in the first year because he made Vizard laugh. Glenn Robbins, Steve Bedwell and many others appeared regularly.
Read more about this topic: Tonight Live With Steve Vizard
Famous quotes containing the words air and/or family:
“There is something about poverty that smells like death. Dead dreams dropping off the heart like leaves in a dry season and rotting around the feet; impulses smothered too long in the fetid air of underground caves. The soul lives in a sickly air. People can be slave-ships in shoes.”
—Zora Neale Hurston (1891–1960)
“It is extraordinary that when you are acquainted with a whole family you can forget about them.”
—Gertrude Stein (1874–1946)