This is a strange video.. well, if you can call it a video. It is a still of Bert Newton (cover from his book) and Bert Newton dialog.
“In Melbourne Tonight”, also known as “IMT”, was a highly popular nightly Logie award-winning variety television show produced at GTV-9 Melbourne from 6 May 1957 to 1970.
Graham Kennedy was the show’s main host and star attraction but other presenters were often called on to present the show on certain nights. In Melbourne Tonight had as many as 50 different presenters over its 13 years on air. The format of the show was inspired by the American Tonight Show on NBC, but Kennedy’s exuberant charisma was the key to the success of IMT.
The show originally had its own self-titled theme song, written by IMT’s first band leader Lee Gallagher, but for most of its run, it adopted the tune of Gee, But You’re Swell, written by Abel Baer and Charles Tobias in 1936.
Geoff Corke was Kennedy’s offsider until 1959 when Bert Newton joined GTV-9 from HSV-7 to become Kennedy’s straight-man. This began a professional partnership that continued for many years and a friendship that continued until Kennedy’s death in 2005.
Other In Melbourne Tonight regulars included Joff Ellen, Val Ruff, Panda Lisner, Anne Marie Fabry, Mary Hardy, Rosie Sturgess, Patti McGrath (later Patti Newton), Toni Lamond, Philip Brady, Johnny Ladd, Noel Ferrier, Elaine McKenna, Bill McCormick, Ted Hamilton, The Tune Twisters and the Channel 9 Ballet.
In Melbourne Tonight (Bert Newton 3) – Highlights
Posted by THE HEHR ARCHIVE
