Ernie Sigley
Born
Ernest William Sigley

(1938-09-02)2 September 1938
Footscray, Victoria, Australia
Died15 August 2021(2021-08-15) (aged 82)
Other namesErnie Williams[1]
Occupations
  • Radio personality
  • television host
  • singer
Years active1957–1993 (television)
1952–2009 (radio)
Known for

Ernest William Sigley (2 September 1938 – 15 August 2021)[1] was an Australian Gold Logie award winning television host, comedian, variety performer, radio presenter and singer. Known as a pioneer of radio and television in Australian, he was often styled as a "little Aussie battler" with a larrikin sense of humour.[2]

Sigley started his career in radio, before becoming a presenter of TV programs and was best known for his self-titled program The Ernie Sigley Show and Saturday Night Live as well as original host of game show Wheel of Fortune, after presenting talk shows with his frequent co-presenter Denise Drysdale in the late 80s and early 90s, he returned to presenting radio broadcasts, until retiring in 2009.

Biography

Early life and career

Sigley was born in Footscray, Melbourne, one of seven children of a boilermaker.[1] After completing his education at Williamstown High School, his career began in 1952 as a turntable operator on Danny Webb's breakfast program at radio station 3DB.

Television started in Australia in 1956 and Sigley made his TV debut in 1957 as host of Teenage Mailbag, later known as The Teenage Show, on Seven Network's HSV-7. Shortly after this, he travelled to London, gaining some work experience at the BBC. But a bigger break was to come with a three-year stint at Radio Luxembourg, where he performed under the name "Ernie Williams".[1]

Sigley is remembered for his 1964 association with the Adelaide leg of the Beatles' tour of Australia. In one press conference, his questioning of the Beatles brought about an enthusiastic response from John Lennon, which led to one of the more notable interviews of the tour.[3][4]

Radio

In 1981, Sigley returned to 3DB to host the breakfast program.[2] In 1982, he switched to the breakfast shift at the personality-driven News Talk 3UZ.[5] In 1996, Sigley joined 3AW to host the afternoon program. He hosted the afternoon program for 12 years until his retirement on 7 November 2008.[1] Denis Walter was announced as Sigley's replacement. He then took on a part-time role at the station where he partnered either Bruce Mansfield or Philip Brady to host Nightline on Friday nights.[6]

Television

Sigley was part of the original cast of variety TV program Sunnyside Up,[7] In the 1960s and early 1970s, he hosted the prime time Adelaide variety show Adelaide Tonight on NWS-9.

Beginning in 1974, he was the host of the national Nine Network variety show The Ernie Sigley Show,[8] featuring notable Australian media personalities such as Denise Drysdale, Noni Hazlehurst, Pete Smith and Joy Westmore. The program was abruptly axed after an off-air outburst by Sigley, directed at station owner Kerry Packer and producer Peter Faiman,[9] when the network cut short his first show for 1976 to accommodate a network sports awards telecast.[2] Packer flew to Melbourne the next day and dismissed Sigley in person, effective immediately, and replaced him with Don Lane.[1]

After his dismissal in 1976, Sigley moved to ATV-0 and hosted the early evening variety show Ernie and then, in 1978, The Penthouse which became Saturday Night Live on HSV-7 co-hosting with Mary Hardy.[10]

Sigley was the original host of the Australian version of the popular game show Wheel of Fortune from 1981 to 1984.[11] In 1982, he presented the regional variety program Six Tonight from BTV-6 in Ballarat and the daytime talent show Pot Luck in 1987.[2]

After a break from television, Sigley returned in 1989 with Denise Drysdale, hosting GTV-9's morning program In Melbourne Today.[12]

Sigley was involved in an argument with fellow TV star Don Lane at a Logies after party in 1988,[1][13] when Sigley allegedly made insulting remarks about Lane's partner.[14]

Singing

Sigley began singing as a choir boy at St Paul's Cathedral, Melbourne,[1] and went on to be a regular on the local town hall circuit in the 1950s. In 1957, his first record, "Love Is A Golden Ring",[15] was released.

In 1974, Sigley, with Denise Drysdale, recorded the popular duet "Hey Paula", a cover of a hit by US duo Paul & Paula released by Festival Records and produced at Armstrong Studios, Melbourne. The record was produced and arranged by Brian Rangott and engineered by Ian McKenzie and peaked at number 2 in Australia.[16][17]

Sigley regularly performed around Australia on the club circuit, often with his television partner Denise Drysdale.[18]

Awards

Sigley won the TV Week Gold Logie Award for Most Popular Personality on Australian Television in 1975.[19] He had previously won eleven local Logies for his work in Adelaide.[20]

Personal life

Three times married and twice divorced,[7] Sigley was married to Glenys O'Brien, a former television personality, for 47 years.[21] They lived in Atkins Ave, Glen Iris in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne and had four children.[22] His son Matthew was a keyboardist for the Australian bands the Earthmen, the Fauves and Drop City.[23]

Sigley was a supporter of the Western Bulldogs (formerly known as the Footscray Football Club) in the Australian Football League.[24] He was also a supporter of the South Adelaide Football Club in the South Australian National Football League.[25]

Sigley once owned the Radio Springs Hotel at Lyonville in country Victoria.[26]

Sigley's family announced in October 2016 that he had Alzheimer's disease.[27] He died on 15 August 2021, aged 82.[22]

Filmography

Selected TV

Production Year Role Network
Teenage Mailbag (TV series)1957HostSeven Network (HSV-7)
The Teenage Show (TV series)1958–1959Host ?
Adelaide Tonight (TV series)1959HostNine Network (NWS-9)
The Annual TV Week Logie Awards1968–1974/1976-1979As himselfNine Network
Countdown (TV series)1974GuestABC
Ernie (TV series)1976HostTen Network
This is Your Life Mary Hardy1978GuestSeven Network
The Don Lane ShowGuestNine Network
Wheel of Fortune (TV series)1981HostSeven Network
'Video from Hell (Video)1985HimselfDirect
In Melbourne Today (TV series)1989HostNine Network
Ernie and Denise (TV series)1993HostNine Network
The Late Show (TV series)1993Himself
Good Morning Australia2004GuestTen Network
The Man from Dame Edna (TV movie documentary)2008Radio Presenter

Actor

Production Year Role
Jack and the Beanstalk (TV movie)1964Miffin
The Story of Dick Whittington (TV movie)1966Robin
Dead Man's Float1980Snarks

Studio albums

List of albums, with Australian chart positions
Title Album details Peak chart
positions
AUS
[28]
Ernie
  • Released: 1969
  • Format: LP
  • Label: RCA Camden (CAMS-147)
 -
Ernie Sigley
  • Released: November 1971
  • Format: LP
  • Label: RCA (SL101964)
 30
...And Here's Ernie 44

Charting singles

List of singles, with Australian chart positions
Year Title Peak chart
positions		 Certification
AUS
[28][29]
1957 "Love is a Golden Ring "/"I Happened Again" 9
1961 "Mary's Boy Child"/"Brush Those Tears from Your Eyes" 57
1965 "Think About Me" / "Mona Lisa" 52
1966 "Hey! Girl" / "It's Almost Tomorrow" 73
1967 "True Love" / "A Boy Without a Girl" 76
"A Clown Am I" / "A Million Years or So" 86
1970 "Give Me Love"/"A Little Thing Called Love" 99
1971 "City of Angels" 69
1974 "Hey Paula" (with Denise Drysdale) 2
"Just Thank Me" 94

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Murphy, Jim (20 November 2008). "The retiring type? Not our Ern". The Age. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Searle, Malcolm (17 September 2008). "Ernie Sigley preparing to sign-off". television.au. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  3. ↑ Pedler, Chris (19 February 2009). "Ernie most earnestly misses 'his' Beatle". The Courier. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  4. ↑ Brine, Dominic (20 February 2009). "Imagine never-before-seen Lennon photographs in Ballarat". abc.net.au. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  5. ↑ "Ernie Sigley dead at 82: Australian TV pioneer and Gold Logie winner dies after battle with Alzheimer's disease".
  6. ↑ "Ernie Sigley goes part time". 3AW. 19 September 2008. Archived from the original on 1 February 2014. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  7. 1 2 "The Ernie Sigley story". The Age. 6 December 1973. p. 21. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
  8. ↑ Fitzgerald, Edmund (1 July 1974). ""Ernie Sigley" Typical Abysmal Melbounia". Canberra Times (ACT : 1926–1995). p. 1. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  9. ↑ Tippet, Garry; Ziffer, Daniel (31 December 2005). "Channel Nine's fame factory". The Age. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  10. ↑ "Legal move planned". Canberra Times (ACT : 1926–1995). 26 July 1978. p. 26. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  11. ↑ Hooks, Barbara (25 August 1981). "Ernie Sigley, A "wheel" once more". The Age. p. 29. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  12. ↑ Ernie Sigley: Career and achievements | 3AW 7 November 2008. Retrieved 3 May 2013 Archived 7 October 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  13. ↑ Wilmoth, Peter (2 March 1997). "The show goes on and on but the gloves come off". Sunday Age. ProQuest 367107913. Retrieved 28 March 2019 – via Proquest.
  14. ↑ "The Legacy of Lanky Yank Don Lane". SBS. 22 October 2009. Archived from the original on 15 June 2013. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  15. ↑ "Aussie Battler faces his toughest hour". Adelaide Now. 7 October 2016. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  16. ↑ "Ernie Sigley & Denise Drysdale – Hey Paula". discogs.com. Discogs. 1974.
  17. ↑ "Ernie Sigley dies aged 82 after battling Alzheimer's disease". heraldsun.com.au. Herald Sun. 17 August 2021.
  18. ↑ Matheson, Melissa (23 September 2011). "Full circle". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  19. ↑ "The Circle reunites Ernie and Denise". Television.AU. 10 November 2010. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  20. ↑ "Logies for Ernie and Ding Dong". Canberra Times (ACT : 1926–1995). 8 March 1975. p. 1. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  21. ↑ Logie Timeline | TV Week Logie Awards. Retrieved 4 May 2013 Archived 3 May 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  22. 1 2 "Television and radio star Ernie Sigley dies after Alzheimer's battle". ABC News. 15 August 2021. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  23. ↑ "PETER MITCHELL | OFFICIAL WEBSITE | Tee for Two – Ernie Sigley".
  24. ↑ "Old Dogs thirsty for next success". Couriermail. 21 June 2011. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  25. ↑ Williams, Randall. "The South Adelaide Football Club – An Historical Perspective" (PDF). Newsletter. Marion Historical Society. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  26. ↑ "Radio Springs Hotel," traveller.com.au
  27. ↑ "Ernie Sigley diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease". The Sydney Morning Herald. 3 October 2016. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  28. 1 2 Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 273. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  29. ↑ Kent, David (2005). Australian Chart Book 1940–1969. Turramurra, New South Wales: Australian Chart Book Pty Ltd. ISBN 0-646-44439-5. Note: Australia had no contemporaneous national charts until Go-Set published their Australian National Charts from 5 October 1966. Chart positions for 1940–1969 were back calculated by David Kent in 2005.
  30. ↑ "Cash Box Magazine" (PDF). Cash Box. 19 October 1974. p. 36. Retrieved 15 November 2021 – via World Radio History.
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