Don Spencer
Encyclopedia
Donald Richard Spencer OAM
is an Australia
n children's television
presenter and musician
, best known for his long-running role as a presenter on Play School in both Australia and the United Kingdom
. He had his first song the theme tune to Fireball XL5
in 1962, reaching #32 on the UK Singles Chart
.
, New South Wales
. He had a love of hockey
as a teenager and played in the Australian championships. He left Australia at age seventeen and travelled to Africa where he trained with the Kenya
n Olympic
hockey team in his twenties. It was a chance meeting with Roger Whittaker
in Nairobi that inspired Spencer to buy a guitar and start a career as a singer/songwriter.
and became a well-known singer
, supporting such acts as The Rolling Stones
, the Four Seasons
, The Hollies
and Marianne Faithfull
. Spencer eventually had his first hit on the His Master's Voice label, "Fireball", the theme song for the TV series of the same name, written by Barry Gray
. Other singles included "Busy Doing Nothing", "Worried Mind", "Marriage Is For Old Folks", and a cover of The Beatles
' song "In My Life". Spencer presented his own teenage pop show, Gangway!, for seven years, then co-hosted Pop-In. He later appeared in such television comedies as Face it With Ronnie Barker
. Returning to Australia, he appeared on Bandstand
, and acted in Sons and Daughters
, Return to Eden
, and the 1974 film Barry McKenzie Holds His Own
.
By 1977 Spencer wrote his own song called "What's A Pommie?".
, simultaneously in Australia and England, a role he continued for seventeen years, the only presenter ever to be on both versions of the show. During this period he recorded and released albums that helped to educate children mostly about the many species of Australian animals, and they in turn had received awards for gold and platinum sales.
Spencer was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) on Australia Day
, 26 January 2007 for service to children's music and television as a songwriter and performer, and through the establishment of the Australian Children's Music Foundation. In 2008, Don was awarded for Excellence in Community Support presented by Support Act Limited.
and father-in-law of Russell Crowe
.
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
is an Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n children's television
Children's television series
Children's television series, are commercial television programs designed for, and marketed to children, normally scheduled for broadcast during the morning and afternoon when children are awake. They can sometimes run in the early evening, for the children that go to school...
presenter and musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
, best known for his long-running role as a presenter on Play School in both Australia and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. He had his first song the theme tune to Fireball XL5
Fireball XL5
Fireball XL5 is a science fiction-themed children's television show following the missions of spaceship Fireball XL5, commanded by Colonel Steve Zodiac of the World Space Patrol...
in 1962, reaching #32 on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
.
Early life
Spencer was born and raised in TamworthTamworth, New South Wales
Tamworth is a city in the New England region of New South Wales, Australia. Straddling the Peel River, Tamworth, which contains an estimated population of 47,595 people, is the major regional centre for southern New England and in the local government area of Tamworth Regional Council. The city...
, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
. He had a love of hockey
Hockey
Hockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick.-Etymology:...
as a teenager and played in the Australian championships. He left Australia at age seventeen and travelled to Africa where he trained with the Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
n Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
hockey team in his twenties. It was a chance meeting with Roger Whittaker
Roger Whittaker
Roger Whittaker is an Anglo-Kenyan singer-songwriter and musician with worldwide record sales of over 55 million. His music can be described as easy listening. He is best known for his baritone singing voice and trademark whistling ability...
in Nairobi that inspired Spencer to buy a guitar and start a career as a singer/songwriter.
Career debut
In the early 60's Spencer moved to LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and became a well-known singer
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, supporting such acts as The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
, the Four Seasons
The Four Seasons (group)
The Four Seasons are an American rock and pop band who became internationally successful in the mid-1960s. The Vocal Group Hall of Fame has stated that the group was the most popular rock band before The Beatles...
, The Hollies
The Hollies
The Hollies are an English pop and rock group, formed in Manchester in the early 1960s, though most of the band members are from throughout East Lancashire. Known for their distinctive vocal harmony style, they became one of the leading British groups of the 1960s and 1970s...
and Marianne Faithfull
Marianne Faithfull
Marianne Evelyn Faithfull is an award-winning English singer, songwriter and actress whose career has spanned five decades....
. Spencer eventually had his first hit on the His Master's Voice label, "Fireball", the theme song for the TV series of the same name, written by Barry Gray
Barry Gray
Barry Gray was a British musician and composer who is best known for his work for Gerry Anderson.-Life:...
. Other singles included "Busy Doing Nothing", "Worried Mind", "Marriage Is For Old Folks", and a cover of The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
' song "In My Life". Spencer presented his own teenage pop show, Gangway!, for seven years, then co-hosted Pop-In. He later appeared in such television comedies as Face it With Ronnie Barker
Ronnie Barker
Ronald William George "Ronnie" Barker, OBE was a British actor, comedian, writer, critic, broadcaster and businessman...
. Returning to Australia, he appeared on Bandstand
Bandstand (Australia)
Bandstand was an Australian musical/variety television show which screened from November 1958 to 1972. It was produced at the studios of TCN-9 in Sydney and eventually became a national program as Nine Network expanded into other Australian cities in the early 1960s.Bandstand was created by Nine...
, and acted in Sons and Daughters
Sons and Daughters (Australian TV series)
Sons and Daughters was a Logie Award winning Australian soap opera created by Reg Watson and produced by the Reg Grundy Organisation between 1981 and 1987. The first episode aired in December 1981, during the Christmas/New Year non-ratings period, and the official broadcast date of the final...
, Return to Eden
Return to Eden
Return to Eden is an Australian television drama series starring Rebecca Gilling, James Reyne, Wendy Hughes and James Smillie. It began as a three-part mini-series, shown on Network Ten in 1983. Gilling and Smillie would reprise their roles for a 22-part weekly series screened in 1986.-Mini-series...
, and the 1974 film Barry McKenzie Holds His Own
Barry McKenzie Holds His Own
Barry McKenzie Holds His Own is the 1974 sequel to the 1972 Australian comedy film The Adventures of Barry McKenzie.Returning from the original film is Barry Crocker in the title role, as well as Barry Humphries in the role of Barry's aunt, Dame Edna. Also returning in the director's chair is Bruce...
.
By 1977 Spencer wrote his own song called "What's A Pommie?".
Children's entertainment
By the late 70's Spencer was invited to become presenter on Play SchoolPlay School (Australian TV series)
Play School is an Australian educational television show for children produced by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. It is the longest-running children's show in Australia, and the second longest running childrens show in the world. An estimated 80% of pre-school children under six watch the...
, simultaneously in Australia and England, a role he continued for seventeen years, the only presenter ever to be on both versions of the show. During this period he recorded and released albums that helped to educate children mostly about the many species of Australian animals, and they in turn had received awards for gold and platinum sales.
Spencer was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) on Australia Day
Australia Day
Australia Day is the official national day of Australia...
, 26 January 2007 for service to children's music and television as a songwriter and performer, and through the establishment of the Australian Children's Music Foundation. In 2008, Don was awarded for Excellence in Community Support presented by Support Act Limited.
Personal life
Spencer is the father of Danielle SpencerDanielle Spencer (Australian actress)
-Personal life:Spencer is the daughter of Australian songwriter, singer and television entertainer Don Spencer and his wife Julie, an Englishwoman from Yorkshire. She has an older brother, Dean. At the age of four she started to take piano lessons. During her teens she began acting and composing...
and father-in-law of Russell Crowe
Russell Crowe
Russell Ira Crowe is a New Zealander Australian actor , film producer and musician. He came to international attention for his role as Roman General Maximus Decimus Meridius in the 2000 historical epic film Gladiator, directed by Ridley Scott, for which he won an Academy Award for Best Actor, a...
.
Singles
- "Fireball"/"I'm All Alone Again" - His Master's Voice (HMV POP 1087) (1962) (UK #32)
- "Busy Doing Nothing"/"The Joker" - His Master's Voice (HMV POP 1186) (1963)
- "Worried Mind"/"Give Give Give A Little" - His Master's Voice (HMV POP 1205) (1963)
- "Pride is Such a Little Word"/"For Love" - His Master's Voice (HMV POP 1306) (1964)
- "Why Don't They Understand"/"Marriage is for Old Folks" - Page One (POF 006) (1966)
- "Ode to War"/"My Silent Friend" - Clarion (MCK-3612) (March 1970)
- "What's a Pommie?"/"The Last Time" - Interfusion (K-6868) (1977)
Albums
- Have a Beaut Day - ABC Music (1984)
- Feathers, Fur or Fins - ABC Music (1985)
- Don Spencer's Thumbs Up Australia - ABC Music (1985)
- Australian and Animal Songs for Kids - MCA Music Australia (1989)
- Don Spencer's Songs from Feathers, Fur or Fins - ABC Music (1989)
- Don Spencer's Australia for KidsAustralia for KidsAustralia For Kids is a 1989 album by Don Spencer.-Track listing:# "Bob The Kelpie" - 2:36# "Rain" - 3:00# "Out The Back" - 2:49# "Boomerang" - 2:48# "Australia" - 2:44# "She'll Be Right" - 3:45# "ABC Of Australia" - 2:23# "Didgeridu" - 2:59...
- ABC Records (1989) - Let's Have Fun - ABC Music (1990)
- Stories and Songs - ABC Music (1991)
- Best of Don Spencer - ABC Music (1991)
- Don Spencer's Walkabout - ABC Records (1992)
- Don Spencer from Play School sings 21 Children's Favourites - ABC Music (1995)
- Don Spencer Australian Classics - ABC Music/EMI (1997)
- Its a Beautiful Colourful World - ABC Music/EMI (1999)
- Don and Blinky's Outback Adventure - the Lost Cooee - ABC Music (2002)
- The Ultimate Collection - ABC Music (2007)
Filmography
- Play School - UK television series
- BandstandBandstand (Australia)Bandstand was an Australian musical/variety television show which screened from November 1958 to 1972. It was produced at the studios of TCN-9 in Sydney and eventually became a national program as Nine Network expanded into other Australian cities in the early 1960s.Bandstand was created by Nine...
- television series - Barry McKenzie Holds His OwnBarry McKenzie Holds His OwnBarry McKenzie Holds His Own is the 1974 sequel to the 1972 Australian comedy film The Adventures of Barry McKenzie.Returning from the original film is Barry Crocker in the title role, as well as Barry Humphries in the role of Barry's aunt, Dame Edna. Also returning in the director's chair is Bruce...
(1974) - King's Men - television series (1975–80)
- Sons and DaughtersSons and Daughters (Australian TV series)Sons and Daughters was a Logie Award winning Australian soap opera created by Reg Watson and produced by the Reg Grundy Organisation between 1981 and 1987. The first episode aired in December 1981, during the Christmas/New Year non-ratings period, and the official broadcast date of the final...
- television series (1982) - Return to EdenReturn to EdenReturn to Eden is an Australian television drama series starring Rebecca Gilling, James Reyne, Wendy Hughes and James Smillie. It began as a three-part mini-series, shown on Network Ten in 1983. Gilling and Smillie would reprise their roles for a 22-part weekly series screened in 1986.-Mini-series...
- television series (1986) - A Country PracticeA Country PracticeA Country Practice is an Australian television drama series. One of the longest-running of its kind, produced by James Davern of JNP Productions, it ran on the Seven Network for 1,058 episodes from 18 November 1981 to 22 November 1993. It was produced in ATN-7's production facility at Epping,...
- television series (1991) - Play SchoolPlay School (Australian TV series)Play School is an Australian educational television show for children produced by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. It is the longest-running children's show in Australia, and the second longest running childrens show in the world. An estimated 80% of pre-school children under six watch the...
- Australian television series (1968–99)