Tarax Show
| Company type | Television program |
|---|---|
| Industry | Children's television |
| Founded | January 21, 1957 |
| Founder | Denzil Howson |
| Headquarters | Melbourne , Australia |
Area served | Australia |
| Products | Children's television programming |
The Tarax Show was one of Australia's pioneering children's television programs, broadcast on Melbourne's GTV-9 from 1957 until 1969.
Synopsis
The concept for this daily children's series was created by Denzil Howson, who was then serving as Assistant Program Manager at GTV9, following a request from Norman Spencer. The inaugural episode aired on 21 January 1957, originating from a window display at the Myer Emporium on Lonsdale Street, as the GTV9 studios were still being completed. Although the majority of production occurred at GTV-9, select episodes were recorded at ATN-7 in Sydney to reach a wider audience.
Originally titled The Happy Show, the program featured host Happy Hammond, who transitioned from radio to television. After securing sponsorship from Tarax Drinks in April 1957, the show was retitled The Tarax Happy Show. Princess Panda (Panda Lisner) joined as co-host until both Hammond and Lisner moved to HSV-7. Subsequently, the series was renamed The Tarax Show, with hosting duties taken over by Geoff Corke, known as "King Corky, King of the Kids," followed by Norman Swain ("Uncle Norman"), both bringing experience from radio broadcasting.
Melbourne-based ventriloquist Ron Blaskett appeared regularly with his puppet Gerry Gee, whose name was inspired by GTV-9. The character's popularity resulted in merchandise such as "Gerry Gee Junior" dolls. Blaskett’s performances represented the channel’s initial variety acts. He also led spin-off shows including The Adventures of Gerry Gee and Do You Trust Your Wife. In 2009, a DVD titled You, Me and Gerry Gee was released as a retrospective, complementing a previously published book of the same name.
A memorable feature was the "Girl Next Door" segment, where Gerry engaged in conversations with a female schoolmate—first Elaine McKenna and later Patti McGrath (Patti Newton). Other regular segments encompassed "Banjo Club," "Pura Prize Time," "Speaking of Animals," "TV Stars of Tomorrow," "TV Gym," "Stan Stafford's Bunkhouse," "Friends in Blue," "How It Works," "Dog Shop," and "Tiny's Story."
Musical support came from Margot Sheridan on piano and Laurie Wilson on organ.
Cast
The ensemble included Susan-Gaye Anderson, Bernard The Magician (Alf Gertler), Joffa Boy (Joff Ellen), Professor Nitwitty (Denzil Howson), Professor Ratbaggy (Ernie Carroll), Gael Dixon, Prince Philip (Philip Brady), Daisy the Cow, and Freddo Frog. Instruction in Australian Rules Football was provided by Ron Barassi.
Ernie Carroll’s puppet character Ossie Ostrich later gained fame on Hey Hey It's Saturday, appearing alongside Daryl Somers for 24 years. Carroll also created the animated series Joy-belle and worked as a producer.
After a lengthy career in radio at 3KZ, Uncle Norman joined the cast but sustained a leg injury during his initial television appearance; he returned after a two-month recovery period.
The segment featuring The TV Dentist (Renn Newberry) sparked controversy by suggesting toothpaste brand choice was irrelevant and cautioning viewers that soft drinks contribute to dental decay, despite the show's sponsorship by a soft drink company.
The character Freddo Frog was portrayed both as a costume figure and featured in one of Australia's earliest locally produced animated TV shows.
Several young performers who appeared on the program went on to achieve notable careers, including Denise Drysdale, Roma Egan, Wendy Stapleton, and Marty Rhone.
Following reductions in funding, the format shifted to focus on Uncle Norman and Joffa Boy presenting cartoons along with occasional comedy sketches. This approach was maintained in its successor show, Cartoon Corner.
National Film & Sound Archive
- Australian variety television shows
- Australian children's television series
- Nine Network original programming
- Australian television shows featuring puppetry
- Television shows set in Victoria (state)
- Black-and-white Australian television shows
- 1957 Australian television series debuts
- 1969 Australian television series endings