First published in New Zealand TV Weekly 11 July 1966
AUCKLAND
Lovely comment in local letter criticising writer Barry Crump’s TV appearances: He falls flat on his face in his endeavour to retain that ‘Good Keen Man’ image with roll-your-own gimmicks and Urewera accent.
.... Goonery is becoming quite a feature of Town and Around with Barbara Magner really prepared to clown it up with such episodes as her off-to-work Domain gallop. But if such sequences deserve second playings, why not combine them into a weekly Best of T and A? ..... Do the small fry really enjoy the guff they are served up? Too many of the adults taking part in junior shows tend towards the ickle-biddy-tootie manner and seem to think they’re looking down through the screen at a very small baby in a woolly hat with a pom-pom on top. . . Christchurch’s Roy Woodward is acting chief announcer while Bob Irvine is away with the Lions tour. '. . . . The Compass local cut-in after Budget night was a bright idea, but the people picked didn’t have anything very vital to say ..... Hope the Selwyn Toogood quiz show, currently canning programmes in the north, spares us that awful false joviality which was a feature of his radio shows.../ Wonder if Dinah Lee’s decision to go and entertain the troops in Vietnam will spark off any such enthusiasm among local entertainers?..... Painter Barbara Leighton didn’t give any indication on her TV interview why she could pick up £200 for 20 minutes panel-chatting-in England
WELLINGTON
Judy Callingham in her most glamorous days as a continuity announcer on WNTV1 used to give the impression that she was champing at the bit to do other TV work. Sure enough, she has developed a real personality as one of the Town and Around team of reporters. Now, like other TV personalities, she’s being asked to give lunchtime addresses round the town. Extract from one of them-New Zealanders have a guilt complex about television,
Judy has got herself engaged-to another member of the Town and Around team John Whitwell of Lower Hutt-and plans a September wedding. But she hopes to continue with Town and Around after her marriage ..... Compass missed its flip on its Budget discussion. Everyone concerned might have been talking about anything and everything except the document presented in Parliament. So much for the so-called experts ..... Edwina Myers of the Town and Around team had a rather unpleasant experience when she got caught in rush melees on Wellington’s suburban train service, and suffered what was thought to be a broken arm. However the injury was less serious than at first thought ..... Wellington’s new landmark, the TV Transmitter tower reaching 400 feet up from 1,500-foot Mt. Kau Kau, could look spectacular lit up at night, but NZBC is not enthusiastic about spending any of its £1.3 million (whew!) profit on such frills ..... Television revenue rose in 1965-66 by £1.25 million but was sufficient only to contain costs which climbed steeply.
CHRISTCHURCH
Christchurch speech and drama teacher, Mrs Doreen Corrick recently returned from a month’s trip to California, the prize she was awarded for winning a “Pick the Song” contest, with some advice for would-be New Zealand actors and actresses. She said that in the United States TV, theatre and film producers are now seeking talent among young people who have been to university and obtained a degree in theatre arts. Also, she went on, drama students wore the same sort of clothes as those worn by any well-groomed young person. She saw none of the “arty-type” garments that so many young would-be New Zealand actors and actresses feel they must wear.... Other highlights of the visit: A TV studio visit where Mrs Corrick and family were shown over the Munsters’ house and the outdoor set for McHale’s Navy.... This could probably only happen in Christchurch (where we’re more English than the English, don’t you know?), but it’s being said that. some parents are just a little worried about the effect that joker Barry Crump is going to have on their tots who watch AKTV2’s Yo Heave Ho. There’s been no public outcry so far, but the descendants of those who arrived in the First Four Ships can get pretty vocal and Crump’s Kiwi lingo could stir the purest of the purists. Time will tell ..... In any case, disturbed Dads and Mums will get their chance to air their views, for one local newspaper is actively soliciting CHTV3 Viewers’ views. (How much time do your children spend watching television? Do you control their viewing-and, if so, how? How has television affected your family life; and has this been for good or ill?) Best letter writers can expect a pound a throw.
DUNEDIN
Raewyn Lamb’s stint at Timaru radio was short-lived and she returns to DNTV2 to appear for the first time as a continuity announcer. Raewyn, of course, is well-known to Dunedin viewers as hostess and paymistress on two local quiz shows ..... Continuity announcer Judy Pate is becoming quite concerned about the publicity her’ engagement has been receiving. Judy insists the engagement is “ unofficial,” but after Noel Robson has mentioned the matter on air several times during a recent special radio Breakfast Session-over Judy’s protests-Noel countered, Well, it’s official now.
..... More engagement news-TV technician Nola Smith has announced her engagement to presentation ofiicer Bruce Morrison ..... Two DNTVZ staffers, assistant producer Chris Thomson and presentation officer Trevor Peters took direction themselves for a change when both appeared in the Globe Theatre production of St. Joan ..... Football wasn’t all the crowd was watching and applauding at Invercargill when the Lions played Southland. Marie Choie, script assistant for DNTVZ’s' sports producer Brian Ault, had her share of eyes and cheers. A sixty foot scaffolding had been erected with the sports observation booth atop and Marie was expected to be there. So to save her the effort, a rope was tied around her waist and she was hoisted up. After the game she was lowered to the ground the same way. Must have been quite a sight.
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