That’s certainly not a career path that exists anymore: from messenger boy to announcer.
Unfortunately, it’s no longer possible to start as a messenger boy, no.

So is it a glamorous business?
No, not really. It’s just a business like everything else. With hopefully the “show” sprinkled on top. But underneath it’s a working life.

But you have worked with some very interesting characters over the years, haven’t you?
Very much so. I’ve been very lucky to have worked with most of the people who hit the big time, and also been fortunate enough to remain a supporting player through those years and, luckily now, in my early 80s, still able to contribute something in a small way.

Is being a supporting player an enjoyable position to fill?
In any endeavour, it’s good to know your limitations, and I certainly knew mine, and enjoyed the supporting roles I played.

I first got to know you when you started work with The Late Show in the `90s…
Well, can you imagine – I would’ve been middle-aged – and can you imagine the joy of being asked by young people as talented as the Working Dog people were – imagine being asked to be involved with them, in what turned out to be some very high points in my career. The same with [Tony] Martin-[Mick] Molloy: to be asked to be involved with them was an absolute joy. Probably up there with the highlights of anything I’ve ever done.

And you proved to have a real knack for comedy. Did you know how funny you were?
No, not really, but they brought it out of me. Because they grew up, those guys, sort of looking out through the bedroom door at the likes of Graham Kennedy and Ernie Sigley and, in a small way, myself. They grew up on that stuff and loved it, and so they looked upon people like me and others in the business as people to admire. In the same way as I did with the radio greats like Bob Dyer and Jack Davey.

Without naming names, have you ever been involved in a showbusiness feud?
Well no, not a feud. The most difficult time was when I worked with Ernie Sigley. You mentioned glamour: it’s a lot of hard work to make things look as if they’re coming out just ordinarily. So I’d like to give you a meaty answer but not really. There was plenty of potential for conflict – 56 years I’ve been at Channel Nine, and you can say there’s plenty of room, as in all businesses but certainly in showbusiness, for conflict. But when you step back, the fact that I’m still around shows that I didn’t engage in that at all. Didn’t bother with it, didn’t mean anything to me. I think the fact I haven’t been involved in any feuds is testament to the fact that I’m sort of still around a bit. When somebody wants a “SALE of the Century” or something, the phone rings. And I’ve got to say: all the people I worked with in those wonderful years at what we lovingly called the Fun Factory at 22 Bendigo Street – there was not one person I disliked. And that’s saying something, isn’t it? They say there’s all these nasty people about, but they must’ve chosen well when they put people on, because back in those days there were over 200 people working on In Melbourne Tonight, five nights a week live. Sure it was rough around the edges, but the bottom line was, people were watching, and they really did consider you part of the family.