Aussie TV Stars Need a Home #2 Quiz

Answer: Paul Cronin

Paul Cronin was born in 1938 in South Australia. His father was a farmer and Paul started his working life on a farm. Moving to Melbourne in the 1960s, he worked in engineering but also found work as an extra in various TV shows. This opportunity saw him gain a regular role in 'Matlock Police' which led to a lead role in 'Solo One'. He played a motorcycle cop in both shows.

The shows referred to in the question were 'Matlock Police' and 'The Sullivans'. 'The Sullivans' was a long running drama featuring the Sullivan family living in Camberwell (a Melbourne suburb) during WWII. Paul played Dave Sullivan who was married to Grace. Their children were John, Tom, Terry and Kitty.

Errol Flynn, Stefan Dennis and Alan Dale are or were all Australian actors. If you're as old as I am, you probably have 'The Sullivans' theme tune playing in your head now. ;-)

Answer: Brian Henderson

Brian Weir Henderson was born in New Zealand in 1931. His long television career had two distinct roles. From 1957 until 2002, he read the news on Sydney's Channel 9, becoming someone the public trusted to relay the news in a trustworthy and dignified way. His other role was as the host of Australia's 'Bandstand' for fourteen years from 1958 to 1972, when the show was discontinued. Brian was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 2009, and in 2013, he was inducted into the Logies Hall of Fame.

The incorrect answers were all TV personalities in Australia. Roger Climpson was also a newsreader in Sydney, albeit on a rival station. John Doyle and Greig Pickhaver form the comedy duo Roy and HG whose commentary of sporting events became compulsory viewing for many during the Sydney Olympics.

Answer: Cornelia Frances

Cornelia Frances Zulver was born in Liverpool in the United Kingdom. After moving to Australia, her acting career began with a small role in a soap opera called 'The Box'. She played the stern Sister Scott in 'The Young Doctors' in the 1970s, and the 1980s saw Cornelia take on the role of Barbara Hamilton in 'Sons and Daughters. She is now best known as the host of 'The Weakest Link' in Australia (2001-02) or in her often seen role in 'Home and Away' as Morag Bellingham.

Kylie Minogue is an Australian actress and singer. Holly Valance is a singer who started her career on television in 'Neighbours'. Rowena Wallace is a veteran Australian actress who also appeared in 'Sons and Daughters'.

Answer: Ian Meldrum

Ian Alexander 'Molly' Meldrum has been involved in the Australian music industry since the 1960s. Born in Orbost, Victoria, in 1946, his first involvement in the music scene was as a roadie for a friend's band. He learnt record production and produced several major hits for Australian artists including 'The Real Thing' for Russell Morris.

His television career started in the 1960s on the show 'Kommotion' and in 1974 he began hosting 'Countdown'. This weekly music show featured performances by artists and music videos. 'Countdown' ran until 1987 and contributed to the success of many artists. Later he hosted a segment on 'Hey Hey, It's Saturday!' called 'Molly's Melodrama' in which he reported on developments in the music industry. 'Do yourself a favour' became a favourite saying of Molly's during his days on the ABC television network.

Answer: Don Burke

Donald William Burke was born in 1947 and has become one of Australia's best known gardeners. Trained in horticulture, his media career started on radio and moved to television with the show 'Burke's Backyard' (1987-2004). The show was primarily about all aspects of gardening but also covered other lifestyle topics such as pets. Don's career has encompassed television, radio, authoring many books, and involvement in organisations such as Landcare which is devoted to restoring and preserving Australia's land, flora and fauna.

The question is a paraphrasing of the theme song of 'Burke's Backyard'. The song 'Home Among The Gumtrees' was written by B. Brown and W. Johnson and performed by Bullamakanka. It was altered a little to become the show's theme song. The original chorus is:
'Give me a home among the gumtrees, With lots of plum trees, A sheep or two, a kangaroo, A clothesline out the back, Verandah out the front, And an old rocking chair.'
This became 'Give me a home among the gum trees, with lots of plum trees, A dog or two and a barbecue, flowers down the side, And veggies by the fence, all in Burke's Backyard' for the TV show.

Graham Ross is also a horticulturist on Aussie television. Rob Brough and John Burgess have both been hosts of game shows on television.

Answer: Rebecca Gibney

Rebecca Catherine Gibney was raised in Wellington, New Zealand. The youngest of six children, she was born in 1964. Work as a model followed her move to Australia at age 19, and her acting career started in 1985.

TV shows (series or mini-series) referred to in the question were 'The Flying Doctors', 'Kangaroo Palace', and 'Halifax F.P.'. The incorrect answers are all Australian actresses acting in the USA.

Answer: Pat McDonald

Patricia McDonald was born in 1921, the daughter of a well known Australian radio engineer. She appeared in the movie 'Seven Little Australians' in 1939. Along with other stage and small screen appearances, she is best remember for two roles on Australian television. One of those roles was as Fiona Hamilton in 'Sons and Daughters' made in the 1980s. From the title you can probably guess is was a soap opera with lots of family intrigue. The funnier role for which Pat is remembered is that of Dorothy (Dorrie) Evans in 'Number 96'. She made Dorrie Evans unforgettable with the malapropisms and other mangling of the English language she perpetrated in the show. If something was annoying Dorrie she'd say that it was "driving me beresk" rather than "beserk". The other saying she used often was "Why wasn't I told?" whenever she heard a piece of news of interest to her. Pat McDonald died in 1990 after battling cancer.

Dorothy Evans and Fiona Thompson were two characters Pat played on Aussie television. Gladys Moncrieff was an Australian soprano.

Answer: Liz Hayes

Elizabeth Hayes (nee Ryan) was born in Taree on the New South Wales mid-north coast, a few hours drive north of Sydney. Her career in the media started with a post at the local newspaper in Taree. Shortly thereafter came a move to Sydney and writing for magazines. It wasn't long before television became Liz's career path. She co-hosted the 'Today' show for ten years before moving to '60 Minutes' in 1996.

Melissa Doyle is a TV hostess and author. June Salter and Ruth Cracknell were both esteemed Australian actresses on stage and screen.

Answer: Lisa McCune

Born in 1971, Lisa McCune was raised in Perth, Western Australia, and started acting while in high school. She is a graduate of the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts. Australian TV audiences first saw Lisa as a checkout operator for Coles supermarkets in the store's commercials. It wasn't long until she signed on to play Maggie Doyle in 'Blue Heelers', the show that truly launched her career. That role saw her become incredibly popular and she stayed with the show from 1993 to 2000. Theatre, small roles in movies and TV shows, marriage and children filled in her time for the interval until she returned to a regular television role as Lieutenant Kate McGregor in 'Sea Patrol'. Lisa played an officer on the HMAS Hammersley, a patrol boat in the Royal Australian Navy, for five seasons until the show's end in 2012.

Penny Cook, Georgie Parker and Anne Tenney are all Australian actresses.

Answer: Ray Martin

Raymond George Martin was born in the town of Richmond, on the outskirts of Sydney, in 1944. Ray's media career has taken him from being a foreign correspondent covering major news events in the 1960s to hosting variety shows and spectacles such as sporting events and 'Carols by Candlelight'. 'Four Corners' and 'This Day Tonight' were both current affairs/news shows. 'Midday' was a variety/talk show on five days a week at... midday! Ray was one of the three first reporters on the Australian version of '60 Minutes'. He stayed at '60 Minutes' for seven years before diversifying into less serious roles. 2011 saw Ray return to the fold and rejoin the team at '60 Minutes'.

Laurie Oaks is political correspondent, while Roger Climpson read the news on Sydney television for many years. Peter Harvey was also a political journalist. He sadly passed away in 2013.