australian broadcasting corporation reunion club...
TRANSCRIPT
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UR first event for 2017 was the Annual General
Meeting on February, held for the first time at the
Elsternwick Club. (Our previous venue at Caulfield race
course has been modernised and can no longer cater for
our numbers.) Total attendance was 88 members. (Four
others had dropped out at the last minute.)
As usual, we were greeted on arrival at 11.00 am with
champers and other drinks whilst copious platters of hot
and cold savouries were distributed. Much socialising
took place until the meeting was called at 12 noon.
Secretary Carol read out the apologies and our
Chairman Johnnie Walker welcomed everyone. Barbie
Mathiesen then read the financial report indicating that
the club’s funds were in a healthy state, the loss over the
year being only $183. She thanked David Rolfe for his
assistance. Warren Edwards was stepping down as
Auditor and was replaced by Tiffany Bryant.
Johnnie’s annual address was next and basically “off
the cuff”, but here is a résumé of the main content: While
some of our functions are subsidised he thought that we
should charge a little more for the cheaper ones (e.g. the tour
of the National Gallery at $8) in order to balance the books.
He announced that the date for the “Ripponlea
Closure Event” would be Friday 28 July and that former
Ripponlea staff would be invited to attend on that night.
He said it is hoped that the display will be open
sometime over the weekend to all others.
The main display in Studio 31 would be a fantastic
holographic presentation. It would be like being inside a
brain with special effects, and screens displaying clips
of various programs from over the decades.
Johnnie said we were lucky that, through fortuitous
contacts, we were able to obtain fully professional
services at a reasonable cost, but even so, we would have
to charge $20 a head for the event. Studio 32 would be
available for socialising, and food and drink would be
obtainable at reasonable prices. (See also Page 2.)
He then thanked the Reunion Club Committee for
their commitment, singling out some individuals for
special mention. Rick Hunter was thanked for providing
space on his web site for Club information and access to
the Newsletter. Carol then gave the Secretary’s report,
stating that there were now 337 members. Seventeen new
members had joined in 2016 while 11 had passed away.
Carol went on to list all of the functions that had been held
during 2016 and previewed proposed events for 2017.
In regards to the luncheon, the main course was Chicken
Breast and vegetables served alternatively with Fillet Steak.
Desserts were a choice of Apple Crumble or Pavlova with
berries.
Our raffle is always very popular and helps us subsidise
certain events. The prizes included cinema tickets courtesy
of Village and Palace Cinemas (thanks to Frank Westaway),
CDs courtesy of Bill Armstrong, dining vouchers from the
Elsternwick Club and from the Boundary Hotel, a bottle of
fine vintage port (courtesy of David Rolfe), and a hand
painted china plate from Barbie Mathiesen.
Winners of some of the major prizes included Peter
Wakeley who won a wine hamper from Johnnie Walker,
and concert tickets valued at $260 a double won by Carol
Wilson, Robin Wischusen and Dick Wood.
A special prize of a high tea with champagne for eight
people donated by Danny O’Connor was won by Jenny
Hobbs, and the first prize of One Night’s Accommodation
at the RACV plus a buffet breakfast was won by Dick and
Pat Rowlands.
The day finished with self-serve tea and coffee with
mints. We heard of no complaints and the venue suited us
admirably.
* * * *
TWENTY-SIX members attended lunch at the China Bar
restaurant on Thursday 16th March. There seemed to be
every sort of Asian dish that one could imagine, and plenty
of it, all nicely prepared and presented.
We arrived around 11.30 and we were able to eat, drink
and be merry until well after 2.00. Being buffet style,
everyone was able to choose each dish to suit one’s own taste
and there was a counter where one could have their own
blend of food personally cooked for them.
We had our own long table in a select position with a
picturesque outlook towards the Dandenongs. Wine and
other drinks were available via an efficient waiter service,
and the prices were not too expensive.
The vast assortment, and we do mean vast, of varied and
interesting (not to mention mouth-watering) dishes were laid
out in a huge area. Although we may have wished to, no-one
tried every dish (probably an impossibility).
Those who attended our previous trip to this venue were
able to sample many of the dishes that they just couldn’t
manage the first time. Altogether a great day of eating and
socialising.
O
Australian Broadcasting Corporation Reunion Club – Victoria – Inc.
APR / MAY / JUN 2017 Volume 40 No 2
PATRON: Stephen Murray Manager TV Operations
June Williams, Rick Hunter and Chris Lipari at the AGM
“… former Ripponlea staff to be invited …”
COMING EVENTS
TOUR OF THE NATIONAL GALLERY and LUNCH (NGV)
Thursday 18th May (If you’re coming to lunch add “L” to your booking info.)
WE have arranged for a special guided tour of selected sections of the National Gallery of Victoria. The tour will be most informative and will last approximately one hour. Afterwards we recommend that we all lunch at the nearby Le Camera Restaurant in Southbank. (Those who lunched there recently were all impressed. Relatively inexpensive meals are available.)
WE meet in the foyer of the NGV (Near the “fish and chips” water windows at the Art Centre in St Kilda Road) at 10.45 am.
COST: Members $8 Guests $10 HOW TO BOOK: See page 4.
TOUR OF THE TELSTRA MUSEUM and LUNCH (TML)
Thursday 17th August
WE have organised a tour of the Telstra Museum inside the Hawthorn Telephone exchange at 375 Burwood Road, Hawthorn (opposite the Hawthorn Town hall, Melways 45 - D10) where we meet at 10.15 am.
There is a huge variety of equipment and systems from Morse Code to new and old Telephones plus a fascinating display of glass insulators. We will see the original “Talking Clock” still working.
Lunch will be at the Glenferrie Hotel, just a three-minute walk away at 324 Burwood Road. You can travel by train to nearby Glenferrie station or by tram No.16 along Glenferrie Rd.
Parking is scarce and limited so check the signs and allow plenty of extra time.
COST: Members $7 Guests $10 HOW TO BOOK: See page 4.
LUNCH AT THE ALBERT PARK YACHTING & ANGLING CLUB
Thursday 12th October
Details of this 12.00 noon event, including parking availability and public transport information, will be in the next Newsletter but put the date in your diary.
Cost and booking info to be advised.
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The “Dream Factory” Re-visited
THE ABC Reunion Club is honoured to
host, on behalf of the ABC, a very special
function on Friday, 28 July, 2017 to mark
the Closure of the ABV2 Studios at
Ripponlea.
For the past 60 years the “Dream
Factory” as it is affectionately known has
fostered some of the most incredible
talent across the full spectrum of the
creative Arts in Melbourne. Singers,
dancers, wonderful comedians, fine dram-
atic actors, superb children’s’ programs, the
list goes on and on. It is to those people
and their far-sighted management to
whom we owe a great debt of gratitude.
They were the true trail blazers.
The function will feature an elec-
tronic installation and light show in 31 to
centrepiece highlights from those
amazing years of television and will offer
the opportunity to meet and talk with old
friends from the various departments. It
will commence at 6.30 pm and wind up
around 11.00 pm.
Excess numbers are always going to
be a problem so an initial invitation will
be extended to those members who have
actually worked at Ripponlea in the past.
Partners who have not worked at ABV2
will regrettably not be eligible for a “first
pass” invitation but we will endeavour to
accommodate them.
A range of food from some of Mel-
bourne’s best food trucks will be on sale
in the scenic runway as well as wines,
beer and soft drinks in 32.
… Johnnie Walker
Details of the function will be sent by
email, SMS or telephone the first week in
May. There will be an entry fee of $20
(plus booking fee) to partly cover the cost
of the event for which the ABC is
contributing a considerable amount.
Bookings must be made on-line by credit
card to our special bank account site
which will be advised only to addressees.
The invitation Committee consists of
Rick Hunter, June Williams, Carol
Simpson-Bull and the Treasurer, Barbie
Mathiesen.
New Members
We’re always glad to welcome new members. Newly joined are: Ian
Anderson (formerly TV Operations) and wife Jeanette; John Parker
(and Helen Tully); Georgina Dridan (from Selwyn St.), and David
Battle (formerly T.V. Tech. Ops.).
Cyclone House and The ABC Dance Band
MANY will remember Alan Saunders who, apart from many
other talents, was the longest serving (33years) member of the
ABC Dance Band before Kevin Hocking took over as leader in
1969 and changed the name to the ABC Show Band. Alan, who
played saxophone and violin, had also ran a jazz program “The
Swing Show” on ABC radio for five or six years in the 1940s.
When he retired from the ABC in 1975 he was working as
music librarian in the Light Entertainment Department. His
wife Grace was editor of the Reunion Club Newsletter for
several years.
I recently happened to come across Alan’s hand-typed
autobiography in the archives of the Australian Jazz Museum
at Wantirna which documented some rather interesting
historical facts about the origins of the ABC Dance Band and
about studio 312 in Hardware Street, better known as Cyclone House.
Most surviving radio staff will remember Cyclone House
as the home of ABC Drama which Henry Cuthbertson ran for
many years, but Alan has brought to light some interesting facts
about this studio. First of all, its name. The building was
formerly occupied by the Cyclone Wire Fence company when
the ABC took occupancy way back in 1936.
But to return to the ABC Dance Band. In 1936 Alan was
playing at Melbourne’s Elite Dance venue “The Embassy”
along with performers such as Dick Bentley (of Take It from
Here), Art Chapman and Benny Featherstone when they had a visit
by Hal Hammett who wanted to form a new band for the ABC after
Jim Davidson had moved to Sydney. Suddenly Alan, along with
some of his Embassy colleagues, were under contract to the ABC.
To tutor the new band, prominent musicians Howard
Jacobs and Cecil Norman came from London who quickly
decided that the hall in Elizabeth Street which the band had
been given to practice in was hopelessly echoey, so they were
moved to Cyclone House which was being used (and
continued to be) by the Drama Department. The band had three
microphones (RCA 44s), one for the band, one for a soloist
and a spare for spotting. For public performances, the band
played on the top floor of the then ABC premises (actually
3LO) in Melbourne Place off Russel Street. “The [PMG]
technician was downstairs,” Alan said, “gazing at his VU meter
so it would not deviate from centre zero.” One day the main
microphone’s plug was dislodged from the wall in the studio
and it took the technician five minutes to walk upstairs to see
what the trouble might be. Soon the control room was sensibly
moved upstairs.
At Cyclone House the band played downstairs. The
upstairs offices were managed by Miss Wilga Armstrong and
Miss Amy Jones. Wilga, an original women’s Libber, saw the band
as a horde of invaders. “Tell that mob of hooligans,” Wilga said,
“there is to be no smoking!” By leaving the control room door
open the band managed to further annoy the two ladies with a
goodly amount of decibels permeating up the stairs and through the
ceiling.
During the late thirties and early forties the band travelled
on many country and interstate tours with personalities like
Gladys Moncrieff and Father Sidney McEwan. Eventually,
after Broadcast House was built in 1943, the band moved to
their permanent home in studio 320 which was actually the old
church hall, refurbished, on the land on which Broadcast House
was constructed. … Ken Simpson-Bull
JOHN BACKMAN has sent us an article which
should raise a laugh. Apparently, the following items
actually appeared in various Church bulletins:
Ladies, don’t forget our rummage sale. It's a chance to get rid of
those things not worth keeping around the house. Bring your
husbands.
The church will host an evening of fine dining, great entertainment
and gracious hostility.
Potluck supper Sunday at 5 pm; prayer and medication to follow.
This evening at 7 pm there will be a hymn singing in the park across
from the Church. Bring a blanket and come prepared to sin.
Scouts are saving aluminium cans, bottles and other items to be
recycled. Proceeds will be used to cripple children.
Don't let worry kill you off — let the Church help.
Miss Charlene Mason sang “I will not pass this way again” giving
obvious pleasure to the congregation.
The ladies of the Church have cast off clothing of every kind. They
may be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon.
Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24 in the
church. So ends a friendship that began in their school days.
At tonight’s evening service the sermon topic will be “What Is
Hell?” Come early and listen to our choir practice.
The Associate Minister unveiled the church’s new campaign
slogan last Sunday: “I Upped My Pledge - Up Yours”.
ALTHOUGH ABV2 officially opened on 19th November, 1956,
it wasn’t until 21st May, 1958 that the new studios at Ripponlea
were officially opened (as advertised above). Initially only studios
31 and 33, studio 32 opened three months later. The initial ABV2
opening in 1956 was from studio 320 at Broadcast House as an
Outside Broadcast.
OUR
YESTERDAYS
3
.
THE COMMITTEE Chairman: Johnnie Walker
mobile 0418 323 051
Vice Chairman: John Backman Secretary: Carol Simpson-Bull 9561 4124
or mobile 0403 393 746
Treasurer: Barbara Mathiesen mobile 0413 892 877
Newsletter Editor: Ken Simpson-Bull Auditor: Tiffany Bryant
General Committee: Syah Goldrich, Allan and Helen Hiscock, Lyn Innes-Irons, David Rolfe, Jo Maxian
Committee Meetings
THE Committee meets on the first
Friday of each month at Ripponlea.
Members are invited to join them for
lunch at 12.30 at the Caulfield Race
course Glass House Restaurant.
HOW TO BOOK FOR AN EVENT
For those members sending cheques or Money Orders by post, the procedure is this:
1. Make cheques payable to the ABC Reunion Club
2. On the back of your cheque (or on a slip of paper attached to your cheque) please write the following:
Your member number (or your name), the event code, and the number of people attending.
E.g. 153AGM2 means Member No 153, Annual General Meeting, 2 people attending.
If you are paying for two or more events, repeat the coded information for each event.
If you propose to bring a guest, please let us know their name for insurance purposes.
3. Post the cheque to PO Box 272, Glen Waverley, Vic. 3150 (Put your return address on the envelope)
Members making bank transfers must initially contact the Secretary for procedure details.
Reminder: In the Transaction Description: 999AGM2 means your Member Number, Event Code, 2 people attending.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Write, telephone the appropriate Committee Member, or email: [email protected]
Postal Address: ABC Reunion Club, PO Box 272, Glen Waverley, Vic. 3150 (Please put your return address on the back of any mail)
For Telephone numbers refer to “The Committee” listing.
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IMPORTANT! Annual Subscription Overdue (Code SUB)
Have you paid your subs for 2017? There are still some members
who haven’t! We would appreciate payment ASAP. Fees are
$20 (single) or $25 (double). See below for method of payment. If you joined after 1st August 2016 you do not have to pay again for 2017.
Bereavement
WE sadly report the following deaths of former ABC staff:
In January: Former Head of Radio Australia Peter Homfray. Also
Lyn Fisher (wife of Ron). Lyn was regularly seen at Reunion Club
functions. And also TV Designer Kevin Bartlett.
In February: Peter MacArthur, former announcer/newsreader.
Peter was MLA for Ringwood 1976-82 and Mayor of Croydon in
1974-5. Also, former announcer June Barton.
Our sincere condolences to all family and friends.
Back to School
LATE last year, Reunion Club Member, Julie Peters, was
awarded a PhD in Health Promotion/Anthropology after seven
year’s part-time study. Julie hopes her dissertation will help
demythologise the trans-sexual experience and shed some light
on the normative operation of gender in society.
Deakin University makes its research available to the public,
so if you'd like to have a look at Julie's thesis, click on this link
http://dro.deakin.edu.au/view/DU:30086469 . If you'd like to
give Julie feedback on her work you can email her at
P&O Cruise 24–30 Jan. 2018
You will have been informed about our
6-day Cruise from Melbourne to
Kangaroo Island, Port Lincoln,
Adelaide and return to Melbourne.
24 members now have confirmed
bookings. There is a possibility that
additional Cabins may be available.
Please contact the Secretary, Carol
Simpson-Bull for further details.