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Mike Walsh (TV host)

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Mike Walsh
OBE AM
Born
Michael Hayden Walsh

(1938-03-05) 5 March 1938 (age 86)
Corowa, New South Wales, Australia
Alma materMelbourne University
Occupations
  • Television presenter
  • radio presenter
  • actor
  • media personality
  • producer
  • theatre owner
Years active1960−2013
Known forHost of The Mike Walsh Show
Websitemikewalsh.com.au

Michael Hayden Walsh OBE AM (born 5 March 1938[1]) is an Australian former radio and television presenter, currently focused on owning and operating live theatres, and theatre production, both locally and in the United Kingdom. Walsh was the first "King of Australian Daytime TV", with his self-titled variety program The Mike Walsh Show, featuring both local and international guests, including Hollywood performers.

Early life

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Walsh was born in Corowa, New South Wales. He completed his education at Xavier College in Melbourne, before studying pharmacy and arts at Melbourne University where he was heavily involved in student theatre revues.

Radio career

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Prior to starring on television Walsh was a disc jockey on 1260 3SR Shepparton and 3XY Melbourne,[2] and a "Good Guy" on Sydney commercial radio station 2SM.[3]

Television career

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Walsh hosted The Mike Walsh Show from 1973 to 1985. The program screened originally on the 0-10 network, the forerunner of Network Ten, before transferring to the Nine Network. It won 24 Logies, with Walsh winning a Gold Logie.

The program was renowned for introducing fellow Gold Logie winning personality Jeanne Little in 1974.[4] The Mike Walsh Show became so popular in the midday time slot that it eventually moved to a night time format to try to reinvigorate night time variety.

The idea was to keep the midday show going but with a new host, whilst transferring the popularity of the Mike Walsh Show to the night time slot. Following speculation about who the host would be, Walsh announced on the midday show that, "there was only one choice for the new host and frankly if he had said no, we wouldn't have gone to night time. The host of the midday show for next year will be….Ray Martin". The announcement was greeted with rapturous applause and cheering, perhaps due to Martin's popularity as a 60 Minutes reporter. The Midday Show with Ray Martin ran for 13 years.

The night time show with Walsh was a failure and was cancelled after a few weeks.[5] He returned to television for a 12-week chat and music show on the ABC in 1987.[1]

He has the distinction of winning a Gold Logie and Sammy award in the same year. He has 24 Logies all up, and seven Sammys in total.[1]

Theatre entrepreneur

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Walsh was the executive producer of two highly successful musicals, Nunsense and Anything Goes.[6]

From 2006, Walsh has spent time in both Sydney and London producing theatre shows across Australia and on London's West End.[7] These include:

In 1977 he purchased Richmond's Regent Theatre, then in 1982 built a twin cinema complex in Penrith. Thereafter, he purchased two other cinemas and the Avalon.[12] He has been the owner of Her Majesty's Theatre in Melbourne since 2000, funding and overseeing its restoration. Walsh also owns the Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace (purchased 1986), a 1935 art deco six-cinema complex in Cremorne, Sydney which he restored at a cost of $2.5 million,[7] and which features a 1925 Wurlitzer orchestral pipe organ.[13]

Fellowships program

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From 1996, Walsh financed the Mike Walsh Fellowships for young performers to hone their skills overseas and in Australia. From 2006 onwards, he has provided $50,000 (originally $30,000) each year for the fellowships.[7] By 2015 this has added up to over $700,000 awarded to more than 90 Fellows.[14]

Honours

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Walsh was honoured in 1980 with an award of Officer of the Order of the British Empire. In 2016 he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for significant service to the entertainment industry, and to the performing arts through support for young actors, theatre restoration and production.[15]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "The ABC of Mike Walsh 21 August 1987". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
  2. ^ "Mike (Michael) Walsh AM O.B.E. – Official Website".
  3. ^ "A man for his time 5 October 1998". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
  4. ^ "Jeanne Little's Double Bay apartment sold 17 November 2015". Property Observer. 17 November 2015. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
  5. ^ "It's Alan v Kerry ... over Mike Walsh 17 February 1990". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
  6. ^ a b c "AusStage". AusStage. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
  7. ^ a b c "Mike Walsh, the forgotten star of daytime television, appointed an AM in Australia Day honours 28 January 2016". The Daily Telegraph. London. 28 January 2016. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
  8. ^ "Exit the King Production team". Playbill. Retrieved 18 April 2017.
  9. ^ "Holding the Man". Official London Theatre. Retrieved 9 April 2017.
  10. ^ "Photo Flash: THE UMBRELLAS OF CHERBOURG At Gielgud Theatre 3 February 2011". Broadway World. Retrieved 7 April 2017.
  11. ^ "Full cast announced for A Chorus Line at London Palladium 4 January 2014". London Theatre. Retrieved 7 April 2014.
  12. ^ "Mike Walsh buys up the Box Office 3 January 1987". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
  13. ^ "Orpheum Theatre". sydneyorgan.com. Retrieved 21 September 2018.
  14. ^ "Mike Walsh Fellowship Recipients Announced 7 December 2015". Broadway World. Retrieved 9 April 2017.
  15. ^ "Member (AM) in the General Division of the Order of Australia (M-Z)" (PDF). Australia Day 2016 Honours Lists. Office of the Governor-General of Australia. 25 January 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 February 2016. Retrieved 10 February 2016.
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