Earle Hackett
Earle Hackett | |
|---|---|
| Born | 26 April 1921 Cork, Ireland |
| Died | 5 April 2010 (aged 88) |
| Occupation(s) | Pathologist, haematologist, broadcaster |
| Years active | 1958–1980s |
| Known for | The Body Program on ABC radio |
Dr Earle Hackett (26 April 1921 – 5 April 2010) was a pathologist and haematologist originally from Ireland who relocated to Australia and undertook significant leadership positions. He gained widespread recognition for his medical radio series The Body Program on the ABC, which he both scripted and hosted between 1971 and 1982. In addition, he authored multiple books inspired by these broadcasts and contributed biographical entries to the Australian Dictionary of Biography.
History
Hackett was born in Cork, Ireland, as the son of a prominent general practitioner who also served as the inaugural chairman of the Irish National Blood Transfusion Service.
In 1958, he emigrated to Adelaide, South Australia, taking up the role of deputy director at the Institute of Medical and Veterinary Science (IMVS) affiliated with the University of Adelaide.
Broadcasting
To complement his administrative duties, Hackett began submitting scripts to Dr. Peter Pockley, then director of science programming at the ABC. This collaboration led to a series of five radio talks on the subject of "blood" for the program Insight in 1967. His subsequent weekly series, The Body Program (1971–1982), skillfully blended medical knowledge with humor and poetry, delivered in his uniquely recognizable voice. The scripts from these shows were later adapted into several books published by ABC and other publishers. Eventually, Hackett resigned from his position at IMVS to dedicate himself fully to broadcasting and other projects, including an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to establish a private blood bank.
Other interests
Hackett held various prominent roles outside medicine, including serving as chairman of the board for the Art Gallery of South Australia, leading the Crafts Council of South Australia as its chairman, and presiding over the College of Pathologists of Australia as president.
In 1973, he was appointed to the ABC board, becoming deputy chairman in 1974. Following Professor Richard Downing’s death in November 1975, Hackett assumed the role of acting chairman. His tenure coincided with the political upheaval involving the dismissal of the Whitlam government, during which he actively opposed budget reductions imposed on ABC by the incoming Fraser administration. Hackett’s period as acting chairman lasted six months before Sir Henry Bland succeeded him.
Personal life
Hackett was married to Eileen Carroll, a nurse born in Swaziland to Irish parents. Together they had three children: Jane, Susan, and Johnjames. Upon his passing, he was survived by these three children, his second wife Karin Lemercier, and a brother named Ronald residing in County Cork.
Bibliography
- Insight on Blood; five talks broadcast in the ABC radio program about science, Insight Australian Broadcasting Commission, 1968
- More Insight on Blood Australian Broadcasting Commission, 1968
- Organ Voluntaries and Other Insights Collins/ABC 1972
- Blood or Blood the Paramount Humour Jonathan Cape, London 1973
- Farts and Fevers: prescriptions from the Body Programme of the ABC Collins/ABC 1984
- Lady Bones Collins/ABC 1984
- All Gustos Great and Small Collins/ABC 1985
- Devils, Drugs and Doctors: A Wellcome History of Medicine, Australia 1986–87 National Gallery of Australia
- The doctor's liberty (also known as Utopian medicine, based on the 1975 Stirling lecture at University of Adelaide) held by National Library of Australia Bib. ID 266029
- de Crespigny, Philip Champion (1850–1927) and de Crespigny, Sir Constantine Trent Champion (1882–1952), entries in the Australian Dictionary of Biography
- Selections from The Body Program (audio) published by National Library of Australia details and availability