Reg Grundy
Encyclopedia
Reginald Roy "Reg" Grundy, AC, OBE (born 4 August 1923) is one of the most successful Australia
n entrepreneurs, and media and television moguls of his generation.
He was the only child born to Roy Grundy and Lillian Lees. Before his career in television, he served in the Australian Army
during World War II
as a Sergeant stationed in Sydney
.
Grundy started as a boxing and general sports commentator for radio station 2SM Sydney in 1947. While at 2CH Sydney in 1957, he devised and hosted the Wheel of Fortune game show on radio, moving with that show to television, starting on Channel 9 in 1959. He then founded the Reg Grundy Organisation
in 1960. After forming his own production company he began producing game shows for the Australian and overseas market, before eventually branching out into drama in 1973. In 1977, he co-produced ABBA: The Movie
. The company has subsequently produced numerous successful television soap operas and drama series including Class of '74, Class of '75, The Restless Years
, The Young Doctors
, Prisoner
, Glenview High
, Sons and Daughters
and Neighbours
, as well as famed 1980s NBC Daytime game shows, Time Machine
, $ale of the Century
and Scrabble
. In 1986, ABC aired Bruce Forsyth's Hot Streak
. In 1993, NBC aired Scattergories
. He subsequently started the US-based company Reg Grundy Productions
. In 1995, he sold the Grundy Organisation to the media and publishing company, Pearson PLC
, now FremantleMedia
.
He is married to the actress and author, Joy Chambers
who has appeared in several of his soaps. They currently live in Bermuda
. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire
in the New Years Honours of 1983, and was made a Companion of the Order of Australia
in the Queen's Birthday Honours
of 2008.
In July 2004, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy by the University of Queensland
.
Colloquially, in Australia, "Reg Grundies", or "Grundies" is rhyming slang slang for "undies" (underpants
).
He was the owner of a yacht named Boadicea
(http://yachts.monacoeye.com/yachtsbysize/pages/boadicea01.html). This was sold in 2009 (http://www.superyachttimes.com/editorial/23/article/id/3504})
Since1995, Grundy has indulged in his life-long passion of wildlife photography. Grundy published a book of photographs in 2005, "The Wildlife of Reg Grundy". In June 2009, an exhibition of photographs of Bermuda Longtail fish by Grundy, "Longtails: The Bermuda Dream", opened in The Rick Faries Gallery at the Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art.
Grundy owns 29% of Photon, an Australian based advertising, marketing and e-commerce group.
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 entrepreneurs, and media and television moguls of his generation.
He was the only child born to Roy Grundy and Lillian Lees. Before his career in television, he served in the Australian Army
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
as a Sergeant stationed in 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...
.
Grundy started as a boxing and general sports commentator for radio station 2SM Sydney in 1947. While at 2CH Sydney in 1957, he devised and hosted the Wheel of Fortune game show on radio, moving with that show to television, starting on Channel 9 in 1959. He then founded the Reg Grundy Organisation
Reg Grundy Organisation
The Reg Grundy Organisation was an Australian television production company founded in 1959 by businessman Reg Grundy . It has since branched out into Europe and the USA. The company first produced game shows, before branching into soap operas in 1973...
in 1960. After forming his own production company he began producing game shows for the Australian and overseas market, before eventually branching out into drama in 1973. In 1977, he co-produced ABBA: The Movie
ABBA: The Movie
ABBA: The Movie is a 1977 film about the pop group ABBA's Australian tour. It was directed by Lasse Hallström, who directed most of the group's videos. The film has become a cult film among ABBA fans...
. The company has subsequently produced numerous successful television soap operas and drama series including Class of '74, Class of '75, The Restless Years
The Restless Years
The Restless Years is an Australian soap opera which followed the lives of several Sydney school-leavers and young adults. It was produced by the Reg Grundy Organisation for Network Ten. It debuted December 1977 and ran until late 1981. It was not renewed by the network due to declining ratings...
, The Young Doctors
The Young Doctors
The Young Doctors is an Australian early evening soap opera. The series was set in the fictional Albert Memorial hospital and primarily concerned with romances between younger members of the hospital staff, screened on the Nine Network from Monday, 8 November 1976 until Wednesday, 30 March...
, Prisoner
Prisoner (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...
, Glenview High
Glenview High
Glenview High is an Australian television drama series produced by the Reg Grundy Organisation for the Seven Network between 1977 and 1978.-Story:...
, 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...
and Neighbours
Neighbours
Neighbours is an Australian television soap opera first broadcast on the Seven Network on 18 March 1985. It was created by TV executive Reg Watson, who proposed the idea of making a show that focused on realistic stories and portrayed adults and teenagers who talk openly and solve their problems...
, as well as famed 1980s NBC Daytime game shows, Time Machine
Time Machine (game show)
Time Machine is an American game show where contestants competed to answer trivia questions about popular culture and recent history to win prizes. The show aired on NBC from January 7 through April 26, 1985 and was hosted by John Davidson. Charlie Tuna was the announcer, with Rich Jeffries as his...
, $ale of the Century
Sale of the Century (US game show)
Sale of the Century is an American television game show which debuted in the United States on September 29, 1969, on NBC daytime. It was one of three NBC game shows to premiere on that date, the other two being the short-lived Letters to Laugh-In and Name Droppers. The series aired until July 13,...
and Scrabble
Scrabble (game show)
Scrabble is an American television game show that was based on the Scrabble board game. The show was co-produced by Exposure Unlimited and Reg Grundy Productions. It ran from July 2, 1984 to March 23, 1990, and again from January 18 to June 11, 1993, both runs on NBC. A total of 1,335 episodes were...
. In 1986, ABC aired Bruce Forsyth's Hot Streak
Bruce Forsyth's Hot Streak
Bruce Forsyth's Hot Streak is an American television game show that aired on ABC from January 6 to April 4, 1986. British television personality Bruce Forsyth hosted the series, the only time he hosted a series outside of his native United Kingdom...
. In 1993, NBC aired Scattergories
Scattergories (game show)
Scattergories is an American game show on NBC daytime hosted by Dick Clark, with Charlie Tuna as announcer, that aired from January 18 to June 11, 1993...
. He subsequently started the US-based company Reg Grundy Productions
Reg Grundy Productions
Reg Grundy Productions was the American wing of the worldwide television production company Grundy Worldwide, which was founded by Australian television producer Reg Grundy. Reg Grundy Productions was responsible for the production of two highly-successful daytime game shows on NBC during the...
. In 1995, he sold the Grundy Organisation to the media and publishing company, Pearson PLC
Pearson PLC
Pearson plc is a global media and education company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is both the largest education company and the largest book publisher in the world, with consumer imprints including Penguin, Dorling Kindersley and Ladybird...
, now FremantleMedia
FremantleMedia
FremantleMedia, Ltd. is the content and production division of Bertelsmann's RTL Group, Europe's second largest TV, radio, and production company...
.
He is married to the actress and author, Joy Chambers
Joy Chambers
Joy Chambers is an Australian actress and author. She is best known for such television soap opera roles as Rita Merrick in The Restless Years, Dr Robyn Porter in The Young Doctors, and Rosemary Daniels in Neighbours. Chambers has played Rosemary since 1986. Rosemary is the only character who has...
who has appeared in several of his soaps. They currently live in Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in the New Years Honours of 1983, and was made a Companion of the Order of Australia
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"...
in the Queen's Birthday Honours
Queen's Birthday Honours
The Queen's Birthday Honours is a part of the British honours system, being a civic occasion on the celebration of the Queen's Official Birthday in which new members of most Commonwealth Realms honours are named. The awards are presented by the reigning monarch or head of state, currently Queen...
of 2008.
In July 2004, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy by the University of Queensland
University of Queensland
The University of Queensland, also known as UQ, is a public university located in state of Queensland, Australia. Founded in 1909, it is the oldest and largest university in Queensland and the fifth oldest in the nation...
.
Colloquially, in Australia, "Reg Grundies", or "Grundies" is rhyming slang slang for "undies" (underpants
Undergarment
Undergarments or underwear are clothes worn under other clothes, often next to the skin. They keep outer garments from being soiled by bodily secretions and discharges, shape the body, and provide support for parts of it. In cold weather, long underwear is sometimes worn to provide additional...
).
He was the owner of a yacht named Boadicea
Boudica
Boudica , also known as Boadicea and known in Welsh as "Buddug" was queen of the British Iceni tribe who led an uprising against the occupying forces of the Roman Empire....
(http://yachts.monacoeye.com/yachtsbysize/pages/boadicea01.html). This was sold in 2009 (http://www.superyachttimes.com/editorial/23/article/id/3504})
Since1995, Grundy has indulged in his life-long passion of wildlife photography. Grundy published a book of photographs in 2005, "The Wildlife of Reg Grundy". In June 2009, an exhibition of photographs of Bermuda Longtail fish by Grundy, "Longtails: The Bermuda Dream", opened in The Rick Faries Gallery at the Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art.
Grundy owns 29% of Photon, an Australian based advertising, marketing and e-commerce group.
External links
- Reg Grundy on MBC Museum of Broadcast Communications
- World War II Nominal Roll: http://www.ww2roll.gov.au/script/veteran.asp?ServiceID=A&VeteranID=335898
- Ancestry.co.uk Website: http://awt.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=search&track=OFTS&ti=5538&surname=GRUNDY&stype=Metaphone&given=Reginald&bplace=Sydney%2c+NSW%2c+Australia&byear=1923&brange=1
- The Photon Group: http://www.photongroup.com.au