
Graham Kennedy was the 'The King' of Australian television, with a career that spanned four decades.
He emerged as a star during the early days of live variety television. His time on In Melbourne Tonight (1957-69) and The Graham Kennedy Show (1972-73, 1975) was characterised by riotous comedy sketches and live commercials, and an enduring partnership with Bert Newton.
In the 1970s and 80s he conquered game shows, with the top-rating Blankety Blanks (1977-78), then pursued a range of television character acting roles into the 1980s. Graham then made his mark on current affairs, guest hosting 11 AM (1984) before a successful return to the Nine Network with Graham Kennedy's News Show (1988) and Graham Kennedy Coast to Coast (1989). His final regular TV hosting gig was Graham Kennedy's Funniest Home Video Show (1990).
In this collection we explore the genius of Graham Kennedy through TV clips from across his career, many rare and unseen since their initial broadcast.
Highlights include a complete Wilsons sketch from a 1968 episode of In Melbourne Tonight, film of a 1961 trip overseas, the only surviving footage of Graham's 11AM hosting stint in 1984 and advertisements promoting everything from the 1981 census to paper towels and men's shoes.
Image: Graham Kennedy with Don Lane (left) on The Don Lane Show.
The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia acknowledges Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we work and live and gives respect to their Elders both past and present.