Nicky Whitta

Clifford Nicholls "Nicky" Whitta
Born	1903-09-24
Died	1956-09-08
Occupation	Radio broadcaster
Known for	Australian radio personality, mentor to Graham Kennedy

Clifford Nicholls "Nicky" Whitta (24 September 1903 – 8 September 1956) was a distinguished Australian radio broadcaster, initially known on air as Nicky Nicholls. He played a significant role in guiding Graham Kennedy during the early stages of Kennedy's career.

Upon his passing, Whitta's widespread appeal was demonstrated by the thousands of Melburnians who lined the streets to witness his funeral procession as it traveled from the church to the crematorium.

Early life

Whitta was born in 1903 to parents John and Lydia Whitta. He attended Princes Hill State School before undertaking an apprenticeship in jewellery making. Following a period engaged in poultry farming, he transitioned into a profession as a radio announcer.

Radio career

After learning guitar at Allans Music, Whitta secured his initial radio opportunity as a musician with the Australian Broadcasting Company at 3AR. Starting in 1931, he contributed to a children's show on 3LO, and by 1932 he had joined 3AW, where he co-hosted the breakfast program alongside Fred Tupper.

In 1933, Kathleen Lindgren, who performed under the stage name Nancy Lee and had been a former child performer, joined 3AW. Together, they developed the well-received children's program Chatterbox Corner, which featured the theme song Being a Chum is Fun. Whitta and Lee married on 31 August 1935 in Richmond, Victoria. Nancy Lee retired from public broadcasting in 1944 to dedicate herself to family life.

Whitta departed from 3AW in 1946 and briefly worked at Sydney's 2CH. Returning to Melbourne in 1948, he took on the breakfast presenter role at 3KZ, where he introduced the talent segment Junior Stars of the Air. In 1950, he moved to 3UZ, marking his final tenure in radio.

While at 3UZ, Whitta reunited briefly with Nancy Lee for the Saturday evening program Party Nite. His late-morning to early afternoon show achieved remarkable success, commanding up to a 73% audience share. Popular segments included Cookery Nook, Know Your Melbourne, and Housewive's Quiz.

Work with Graham Kennedy

When Whitta commenced at 3UZ, Graham Kennedy was employed in the station’s record library, having had limited off-air roles at both 3LO and 3AW.

Initially, Whitta’s on-air partner and panel operator was Alf "Alfie Boy" Thesinger. However, Thesinger’s broadcasting career ended abruptly due to conscription under the National Service Act, which created an opening for Kennedy.

The duo of Whitta and Kennedy quickly became one of Melbourne radio’s most beloved partnerships. Their rapport and distinctive comedic style resonated strongly with listeners. Kennedy credited their success to a shared sense of humour and their mutual departure from traditional radio formats.

Although Whitta kept a collection of jokes and gags, Kennedy recalled that they soon transitioned to improvisation, which added spontaneity and freshness to their broadcasts.

They became known for their humorous parodies of advertisements during their show as a way to enliven sponsor messages. While most advertisers accepted this style, the Commonwealth Bank insisted that their commercials be delivered in a straightforward manner.

They also mocked advertisements that ran off schedule; on one occasion, they humorously read two live commercials simultaneously while overlapping several pre-recorded ads.

In another memorable prank, they transmitted a rival station (3XY) through their microphones, causing confusion among listeners. Whitta even left studio windows open intentionally to incorporate ambient noises into their routines—such as a dog barking—nicknamed "Corsets" because it was tied up during the day but free at night.

Television Aspirations

At the inception of television in Melbourne, Whitta secured a contract with GTV-9 to host a live, interactive daily show for children titled Children's Theatre. Unfortunately, he passed away before the program could commence.

Following Whitta's demise, Kennedy incorporated the comedic techniques he had acquired from him while hosting the popular In Melbourne Tonight in 1957.

Passing

Whitta succumbed to a coronary occlusion at his residence in Darebin. He had just returned from Warburton with his wife and two sons when he became unwell and died shortly after medical assistance arrived.

In the wake of his passing, 3UZ organized a continuous live broadcast from Melbourne's Anzac House to support the RSL's "Operation Gratitude" campaign, initiated by Sir Dallas Brooks to fund housing for returned servicemen.

Out of the total £204,000 raised, over £30,000 was contributed "in memory of Nicky". Sir Dallas Brooks expressed his deep sorrow at Whitta’s death and commended his beloved voice and personality.

Whitta’s funeral attracted one of the largest gatherings Melbourne had seen, with as many as 150,000 individuals lining the route from the Methodist Church in Ivanhoe to the Springvale Crematorium.

After Whitta’s death, Harry "Happy" Hammond took over his role at 3UZ.

Depiction

In the television film The King, which chronicles Graham Kennedy's life, Whitta was portrayed by Garry McDonald, while Nancy Lee was played by Roz Hammond. Their sons Michael and Gary were depicted by Chad Hamilton and Riley Hamilton respectively.