RIP Bert Newton

Bert and Patti Newton at 3UZ

Well known radio and tv personality Bert Newton has passed away aged 83. He died in a Palliative Care clinic on Saturday.

Bert began his media career as a child star on radio and later moved to television.

His first paid radio appearance was as a schoolboy on Melbourne radio station 3XY on 10 June 1952, doing advertisements dressed as a clown with Doug McKenzie. This led to regular appearances on a Saturday morning children’s show, in which he worked with disc jockey Stan Rofe and McKenzie.

In May 1954, 3XY employed him as a junior announcer (aged 15); by 1955 he was presenting Melbourne Speaks, a vox pop program recorded on the streets of Melbourne’s CBD.

After GTV-9 purchased 3AK in April 1961, all GTV-9 personalities were expected to present programs on 3AK. Graham Kennedy and Newton hosted a two-hour morning program.

He began a morning program on 3UZ in 1976. The Herald and Weekly Times Ltd appointed Newton as general manager of 3DB in 1986, which he combined with on-air appearances until 1988.

Hear Bert and Graham Kennedy in this NSFA recording from 1962.

On television he came to fame on Graham Kennedy’s variety show and later teamed with Don Lane in the Don Lane Show.