AustLit

''Personally, he is a fine man. Professionally, he is one of the best television performers I've ever seen.' Bob Hope on Bert Newton. The millions of Australians who have watched Bert over the years would whole-heartedly agree. TV and radio host, compere, interviewer, all round media personality, Bert Newton is one of Australia's favourite performers. But who is this moon-faced man we've loved to watch for decades? Whose jokes we have laughed at while he compered the Logies once again? Who we've delighted in seeing on stage in productions ranging from THE WIZARD OF OZ to WICKED and GREASE? We know he's married to the wonderful Pattie - theirs was the first wedding to be broadcast on TV here, and programs such as IN MELBOURNE TONIGHT, THE DON LANE SHOW and GOOD MORNING AUSTRALIA, have all showcased Bert's signature style. They've shown his witty eloquence and, at times, acerbic interview techniques, and, like television itself, his ability to offer something new to each generation of viewers. But what about his life behind the camera? In the hands of Graeme Blundell, journalist and bestselling author of KING: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF GRAHAM KENNEDY, this is a meticulously researched and compelling account of Bert Newton's off and on screen world. It's also the fascinating story of Australian television itself as it moved into our homes and our lives.' (Publication summary)