John Blackman
Encyclopedia
John Blackman is an Australian radio and television presenter. He is best known for his voice-over work for the comedy show Hey Hey It's Saturday
from 1971 to 2010.
suburb
of Mount Waverley, where he attended Syndal Primary School until 1959 and Syndal Technical School through year 10 in 1963. He was an avid supporter of the Fitzroy Football Club
, which has since merged to become the Brisbane Lions
. On leaving school (and home) at 16, he worked in a succession of occupations: customs clerk, cash van salesman for a cigarette distributor, sales representative for a perfume company, and spruiker in Myer's Bargain Basement. At the age of 22, he decided upon a career in radio.
He has worked in radio since 1969 but is probably best known for his 28-year stint as announcer and character voice-over for the Nine Network
's Hey Hey It's Saturday
, Australia's longest running variety show. One of his best known characters was a head on a stick known as "Dickie Knee".
In 1969, he joined 2GN
Goulburn as an announcer, newsreader, copy writer, salesman, and record librarian.
In 1970, he joined 2CA
Canberra
where he worked in a variety of on-air shifts for 18 months until mid-1971, when he joined 3AW
in Melbourne
.
As evening announcer, Blackman worked with the Reverend Alex Kenworthy for a number of years on "Nightline".
In 1974, he joined 3AK
where he hosted the morning show until 1975, when he moved to Sydney
to join 2UE
as a "floating" announcer for just three months. At TCN-9
in Sydney, he was a staff continuity announcer and daytime newsreader for National Nine News
alongside his work on Hey Hey It's Saturday, which he would do "down the line" to GTV-9
in Melbourne every Saturday from an announcing booth at TCN-9.
He returned to 3AK Melbourne in 1979 to host the breakfast show until 1981. Later that year, he joined 3AW
to host their breakfast show with Paul Barber. After Barber parted company with 3AW not long afterwards, Blackman was joined by former ATV-0 newsreader and staff announcer, Bruce Mansfield
. This collaboration became one of the most successful combinations in Australian radio history, with 3AW breakfast topping the ratings for 5 consecutive years until 1986.
After leaving 3AW in controversial circumstances in July 1986, Blackman became part of the short-lived, ill-fated CBC Network (2UE/3AK) experiment and, in December of that year, his contract was not renewed.
From 1987 to 1990, he co-hosted a breakfast show on 3UZ
(now Sport 927
with Coodabeen Champions
member Ian Cover and later, Wilbur Wilde
.
After a 7-year hiatus from radio, in 1997 he was persuaded back to the medium as host of the 3AK breakfast show with Anna "Pinky" Pinkus and Dennis Donoghue (Lawyers, Guns & Money) as co-hosts until 2000.
In 2004, he joined Triple M
Adelaide
and was co-host of The John Blackman & Jane Reilly Breakfast Show until December 2007.
On Christmas Eve 2007, Blackman suffered a seizure brought on by a golf ball size (benign) meningioma brain tumour.
After six hours of surgery, it was successfully removed at the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne - he has fully recovered and is now enjoying good health.
Other television shows Blackman has appeared on and announced for include Blankety Blanks
, Personality Squares, The Paul Hogan Show
, The Daryl Somers Tonight Show, Holiday Island
, Family Feud
and many others. Blackman was interviewed on ABC's Talking Heads in 2006.
He has authored five books including Aussie Slang, Aussie Gags and More Aussie Gags. http://www.mytriplem.com.au/shows/jsc/index.php
He can now be heard each weekday morning between 10am-11am on 531 3GG. John told the JJ website ((http://jocksjournal.com/)) that the program consists of "light hearted banter between me and co-host Jenni Burchell along with - Gippsland and the Valley’s Widest Variety of Music”.
He is married to Cecile and they are the parents of a totally blind 37 year old daughter, Tiffany.
Tiffany was born three months premature in 1974 and, due to the over use of oxygen to keep her alive, her retinas were destroyed. John is a member of the Patrons Council of the Epilepsy Foundation of Victoria
.
In 2009 Blackman returned as part of the Hey Hey It's Saturday reunion specials.
In 2010 he returned to Hey Hey it's Saturday to revive his role of voiceovers - despite respectable ratings, the show's contract was not re-newed for 2011.
Hey Hey It's Saturday
Hey Hey It's Saturday was a long-running variety television program on Australian television. It initially ran for 27 years , debuting on the Nine Network on 9 October 1971 and broadcasting its last episode on 20 November 1999. Its host throughout its entire run was Daryl Somers, who would later...
from 1971 to 2010.
Biography
Blackman grew up in the VictorianVictoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
of Mount Waverley, where he attended Syndal Primary School until 1959 and Syndal Technical School through year 10 in 1963. He was an avid supporter of the Fitzroy Football Club
Fitzroy Football Club
The Fitzroy Football Club, formerly nicknamed The Lions, is an Australian rules football club formed in 1883 to represent the inner Melbourne suburb of Fitzroy, Victoria and was a foundation member club of the Victorian Football League on its inception in 1897...
, which has since merged to become the Brisbane Lions
Brisbane Lions
The Brisbane Lions is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Brisbane, Queensland. The club was formed from the merger of the Brisbane Bears and the Fitzroy Lions in 1996...
. On leaving school (and home) at 16, he worked in a succession of occupations: customs clerk, cash van salesman for a cigarette distributor, sales representative for a perfume company, and spruiker in Myer's Bargain Basement. At the age of 22, he decided upon a career in radio.
He has worked in radio since 1969 but is probably best known for his 28-year stint as announcer and character voice-over for the Nine Network
Nine Network
The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
's Hey Hey It's Saturday
Hey Hey It's Saturday
Hey Hey It's Saturday was a long-running variety television program on Australian television. It initially ran for 27 years , debuting on the Nine Network on 9 October 1971 and broadcasting its last episode on 20 November 1999. Its host throughout its entire run was Daryl Somers, who would later...
, Australia's longest running variety show. One of his best known characters was a head on a stick known as "Dickie Knee".
In 1969, he joined 2GN
2GN
2GN is an Australian radio station serving the Goulburn region, co-owned by the Capital Radio Network and Grant Broadcasters. Broadcasting on 1368 KHz, it was opened in January 1933. The station carries a Classic Hits format and Forever Classic branding similar to its Canberra sister station,...
Goulburn as an announcer, newsreader, copy writer, salesman, and record librarian.
In 1970, he joined 2CA
2CA
2CA is a commercial radio station on the AM band in Canberra, Australia, which originally began broadcasting on 1050 kHz changing to 1053 kHz in 1978. 2CA has had many owners since its inception and is currently jointly owned by regional radio operators the Capital Radio Network and Grant...
Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
where he worked in a variety of on-air shifts for 18 months until mid-1971, when he joined 3AW
3AW
3AW is a talkback radio station in Melbourne, Australia on 693 kHz AM. It began transmission on 22 February 1932 as Melbourne's fifth commercial radio station.-History:...
in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
.
As evening announcer, Blackman worked with the Reverend Alex Kenworthy for a number of years on "Nightline".
In 1974, he joined 3AK
3AK
3AK is the call sign of SEN 1116 and earlier the on-air name of a former Melbourne talk-back radio and music station, which, in 2003, leased its licence to sports network SEN 1116...
where he hosted the morning show until 1975, when he moved to Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
to join 2UE
2UE
2UE is a commercial radio station in Sydney, Australia owned by Fairfax Media. It is Sydney's and Australia's oldest commercial radio station, first broadcasting on 26 January 1925 on 1025 kHz AM before moving to 950 kHz in 1935 when virtually all Australian radio stations were assigned new...
as a "floating" announcer for just three months. At TCN-9
TCN-9
TCN is the Sydney flagship television station of the Nine Network in Australia and is located at Willoughby. The licence, issued to a company named Television Corporation Ltd headed by Frank Packer, was one of the first four licences to be issued for commercial television stations in...
in Sydney, he was a staff continuity announcer and daytime newsreader for National Nine News
National Nine News
Nine News is the news service of the Australian Nine Network.Nine News's flagship bulletin is the nightly 6:00pm localised bulletin, produced by networked owned-and-operated stations in Sydney , Melbourne , Brisbane and Darwin alongside localised bulletins produced by the WIN-owned Nine Network...
alongside his work on Hey Hey It's Saturday, which he would do "down the line" to GTV-9
GTV-9
GTV is a commercial television station in Melbourne, Australia owned by the Nine Network. The station is currently based at a new high-tech, purpose-built studios at 717 Bourke Street, Docklands.-History:...
in Melbourne every Saturday from an announcing booth at TCN-9.
He returned to 3AK Melbourne in 1979 to host the breakfast show until 1981. Later that year, he joined 3AW
3AW
3AW is a talkback radio station in Melbourne, Australia on 693 kHz AM. It began transmission on 22 February 1932 as Melbourne's fifth commercial radio station.-History:...
to host their breakfast show with Paul Barber. After Barber parted company with 3AW not long afterwards, Blackman was joined by former ATV-0 newsreader and staff announcer, Bruce Mansfield
Bruce Mansfield
-Early career:Mansfield began in radio with stints on stations including 3UZ, 3KZ, 3AW and 3XY in the 1960s. He later moved to television appearing on The Graham Kennedy Show on GTV-9 in the early 1970s...
. This collaboration became one of the most successful combinations in Australian radio history, with 3AW breakfast topping the ratings for 5 consecutive years until 1986.
After leaving 3AW in controversial circumstances in July 1986, Blackman became part of the short-lived, ill-fated CBC Network (2UE/3AK) experiment and, in December of that year, his contract was not renewed.
From 1987 to 1990, he co-hosted a breakfast show on 3UZ
3UZ
3UZ is the official callsign of a medium-wave radio station in Melbourne, Australia which broadcasts under the name Radio Sport National.-History:...
(now Sport 927
Sport 927
Radio Sport National is a Melbourne based radio network dedicated to covering horse and greyhound racing. While much of the station is dedicated to Gallops, Harness and greyhound racing, it does also cover other sports....
with Coodabeen Champions
Coodabeen Champions
The Coodabeen Champions are an Australian comedy team with several programs currently broadcast on ABC Radio...
member Ian Cover and later, Wilbur Wilde
Wilbur Wilde
Wilbur Wilde is an Australian saxophonist. He rose to prominence with the bands Ol' 55, Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons...
.
After a 7-year hiatus from radio, in 1997 he was persuaded back to the medium as host of the 3AK breakfast show with Anna "Pinky" Pinkus and Dennis Donoghue (Lawyers, Guns & Money) as co-hosts until 2000.
In 2004, he joined Triple M
Triple M
The Triple M Network is an active rock radio network in Australia owned by media company Austereo, who also own the Today Network.- History :...
Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
and was co-host of The John Blackman & Jane Reilly Breakfast Show until December 2007.
On Christmas Eve 2007, Blackman suffered a seizure brought on by a golf ball size (benign) meningioma brain tumour.
After six hours of surgery, it was successfully removed at the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne - he has fully recovered and is now enjoying good health.
Other television shows Blackman has appeared on and announced for include Blankety Blanks
Blankety Blanks
Blankety Blanks was a popular Australian game show based on the American game show Match Game. It was hosted by Graham Kennedy on Network Ten. It ran from 1977-1978.Regular panelists were Ugly Dave Gray, Noeline Brown, Carol Raye and Stuart Wagstaff...
, Personality Squares, The Paul Hogan Show
The Paul Hogan Show
The Paul Hogan Show was a popular Australian comedy show which aired on Australian television from 1973 until 1984. It made a star of Paul Hogan who later appeared in Crocodile Dundee. Hogan's friend also appeared in the show, playing Hogan's dim flatmate Strop...
, The Daryl Somers Tonight Show, Holiday Island
Holiday Island (TV series)
Holiday Island is an Australian television series made by Crawford Productions for Network Ten. The show aired twice weekly from 1981 to 1982, with the first episode going to air on 17 June 1981....
, Family Feud
Bert's Family Feud
Bert's Family Feud was the third Australian version of the game show Family Feud. The series was produced by Grundy Television in conjunction with FremantleMedia. It was broadcast on the Nine Network and hosted by Bert Newton...
and many others. Blackman was interviewed on ABC's Talking Heads in 2006.
He has authored five books including Aussie Slang, Aussie Gags and More Aussie Gags. http://www.mytriplem.com.au/shows/jsc/index.php
He can now be heard each weekday morning between 10am-11am on 531 3GG. John told the JJ website ((http://jocksjournal.com/)) that the program consists of "light hearted banter between me and co-host Jenni Burchell along with - Gippsland and the Valley’s Widest Variety of Music”.
He is married to Cecile and they are the parents of a totally blind 37 year old daughter, Tiffany.
Tiffany was born three months premature in 1974 and, due to the over use of oxygen to keep her alive, her retinas were destroyed. John is a member of the Patrons Council of the Epilepsy Foundation of Victoria
Epilepsy Foundation of Victoria
The Epilepsy Foundation of Victoria is an Australian charity that was formed by a group of concerned parents in May 1964 to provide support and information to all Victorians affected by epilepsy...
.
In 2009 Blackman returned as part of the Hey Hey It's Saturday reunion specials.
In 2010 he returned to Hey Hey it's Saturday to revive his role of voiceovers - despite respectable ratings, the show's contract was not re-newed for 2011.
Famous characters
- Dickie Knee - a polystyrene head with black hair and a blue cap on a stick
- Alfred Desk Mike
- The Angel - a small angelic creature made from an old Barbie doll and super-imposed on the screen
- Doctor Ben Dover
- Charlie Who - a ChineseHan ChineseHan Chinese are an ethnic group native to China and are the largest single ethnic group in the world.Han Chinese constitute about 92% of the population of the People's Republic of China , 98% of the population of the Republic of China , 78% of the population of Singapore, and about 20% of the...
character - The Giant
- The Man from Jupiter
- Mrs Macgillicuddy - a hideous old hag with a raspy voice
- Norman Neumann - a boom microphone with a moustache, which is in fact a Sennheiser MKH-816-P48
- Sammy Sanhiser - replacement for Norman
- Baby Kangaroos - sounds a bit like the Angel
Radio career
- 2GN2GN2GN is an Australian radio station serving the Goulburn region, co-owned by the Capital Radio Network and Grant Broadcasters. Broadcasting on 1368 KHz, it was opened in January 1933. The station carries a Classic Hits format and Forever Classic branding similar to its Canberra sister station,...
Morning Show (1969) - 2CA2CA2CA is a commercial radio station on the AM band in Canberra, Australia, which originally began broadcasting on 1050 kHz changing to 1053 kHz in 1978. 2CA has had many owners since its inception and is currently jointly owned by regional radio operators the Capital Radio Network and Grant...
Morning Show (1970) - 3AW3AW3AW is a talkback radio station in Melbourne, Australia on 693 kHz AM. It began transmission on 22 February 1932 as Melbourne's fifth commercial radio station.-History:...
Evening Show (1972) - 3AK3AK3AK is the call sign of SEN 1116 and earlier the on-air name of a former Melbourne talk-back radio and music station, which, in 2003, leased its licence to sports network SEN 1116...
Breakfast Show (1975) - 2UE2UE2UE is a commercial radio station in Sydney, Australia owned by Fairfax Media. It is Sydney's and Australia's oldest commercial radio station, first broadcasting on 26 January 1925 on 1025 kHz AM before moving to 950 kHz in 1935 when virtually all Australian radio stations were assigned new...
Night Show (1977) - 2GB2GB2GB is a commercial radio station in Sydney, Australia broadcasting on 873 kHz, AM. It is one of Australia's most popular talk-back radio stations, and is the number one station in Sydney.-History:The station commenced broadcasting in August 1926...
Breakfast (1977 - 1 week) - 3AK3AK3AK is the call sign of SEN 1116 and earlier the on-air name of a former Melbourne talk-back radio and music station, which, in 2003, leased its licence to sports network SEN 1116...
Breakfast Show (1979) - 3AW3AW3AW is a talkback radio station in Melbourne, Australia on 693 kHz AM. It began transmission on 22 February 1932 as Melbourne's fifth commercial radio station.-History:...
Breakfast Show (1981-1986) - 3AK/2UE CBC Network Breakfast Show (1986-1987)
- 3UZ3UZ3UZ is the official callsign of a medium-wave radio station in Melbourne, Australia which broadcasts under the name Radio Sport National.-History:...
Breakfast Show (1987-1990) - 3AK Breakfast Show (1997-2000)
- Triple M AdelaideTriple MThe Triple M Network is an active rock radio network in Australia owned by media company Austereo, who also own the Today Network.- History :...
Breakfast Show (2005-2007) - 3GG3GG3GG is a regional adult contemporary radio station that operates in Gippsland, Victoria, Australia. It was owned and operated by RG Capital before being acquired by the then newly formed Macquarie Regional RadioWorks before their sale to Resonate Broadcasters in March 2008.The station broadcasts on...
Mornings (2009 - )
Television career
- Hey Hey It's SaturdayHey Hey It's SaturdayHey Hey It's Saturday was a long-running variety television program on Australian television. It initially ran for 27 years , debuting on the Nine Network on 9 October 1971 and broadcasting its last episode on 20 November 1999. Its host throughout its entire run was Daryl Somers, who would later...
(1971-2010) (Nine NetworkNine NetworkThe Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
) - Family FeudFamily FeudFamily Feud is an American television game show created by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman. Two families compete against each other in a contest to name the most popular responses to a survey question posed to 100 people...
- announcer for over 1500 shows (Nine NetworkNine NetworkThe Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
) - Daytime newsreader (TCN 9)
- Penthouse Club (HSV 7)
- Paul Hogan Show (GTV 9)
- Daryl & Ossie Show (ATV 10)
- Personality Squares (ATV 10)
- Daryl Somers Tonight Show (GTV 9)
- Blankety BlanksBlankety BlanksBlankety Blanks was a popular Australian game show based on the American game show Match Game. It was hosted by Graham Kennedy on Network Ten. It ran from 1977-1978.Regular panelists were Ugly Dave Gray, Noeline Brown, Carol Raye and Stuart Wagstaff...
(GTV 9) - Holiday Island (ATV 10)
- PrisonerPrisoner (TV series)Prisoner is an Australian television soap opera which was set in the Wentworth Detention Centre, a fictional women's prison. The series was produced by the Reg Grundy Organisation and ran on Network Ten for 692 episodes from 27 February 1979 to 11 December 1986.The series was inspired by the 1970s...
(ATV 10) - Safeway New FacesNew Faces (Australian)New Faces was an Australian talent show that preceded the British show of the same name, produced at GTV-9 Melbourne. The program began in 1963 under the name Kevin Dennis Auditions, sponsored by Kevin Dennis Motors, running on Saturday mornings...
judge (GTV 9) - World's Craziest Inventions (GTV 9)