Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
    Nostalgia Central
    • Home
    • Blog
      • Lists
    • Television
      • TV by Decade
        • TV – 1950s
        • TV – 1960s
        • TV – 1970s
        • TV – 1980s
        • TV – 1990s
      • Comedy
      • Drama
      • Kids TV
      • Variety
      • News & Sport
      • Advertisements
    • Music
      • Music by Decade
        • Music – 1950s
        • Music – 1960s
        • Music – 1970s
        • Music – 1980s
        • Music – 1990s
      • Artists – A to K
        • Artists – A
        • Artists – B
        • Artists – C
        • Artists – D
        • Artists – E
        • Artists – F
        • Artists – G
        • Artists – H
        • Artists – I
        • Artists – J
        • Artists – K
      • Artists – L to Z
        • Artists – L
        • Artists – M
        • Artists – N
        • Artists – O
        • Artists – P
        • Artists – Q
        • Artists – R
        • Artists – S
        • Artists – T
        • Artists – U
        • Artists – V
        • Artists – W
        • Artists – X
        • Artists – Y
        • Artists – Z
      • Artists – 0 to 9
      • Genres
      • Music on Film & TV
      • One-Hit Wonders
      • Playlists
      • Online Radio
    • Movies
      • Movies by Decade
        • Movies – 1950s
        • Movies – 1960s
        • Movies – 1970s
        • Movies – 1980s
        • Movies – 1990s
      • Movies – 0 to 9
      • Movies – A to K
        • Movies – A
        • Movies – B
        • Movies – C
        • Movies – D
        • Movies – E
        • Movies – F
        • Movies – G
        • Movies – H
        • Movies – I
        • Movies – J
        • Movies – K
      • Movies – L to Z
        • Movies – L
        • Movies – M
        • Movies – N
        • Movies – O
        • Movies – P
        • Movies – Q
        • Movies – R
        • Movies – S
        • Movies – T
        • Movies – U
        • Movies – V
        • Movies – W
        • Movies – X
        • Movies – Y
        • Movies – Z
    • Pop Culture
      • Fads
      • Toys & Games
      • Fashion
      • Decor
      • Food & Drink
      • People
      • Technology
      • Transport
    • Social History
      • 1950s Year by Year
      • 1960s Year by Year
      • 1970s Year by Year
      • 1980s Year by Year
      • 1990s Year by Year
      • Events
    Nostalgia Central
    Home»Television»Comedy
    Comedy TV Shows - 1970s 2 Mins Read

    Norman Gunston Show, The

    Share
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email

    1 9 7 3 – 1 9 7 6 (Australia)

    Conceived by Aunty Jack Show writer Wendy Skelcher, the Little Aussie Bleeder, Norman Gunston, trooly rooly took on a life of his own.

    Debuting in Wollongong The Brave, the hapless anaemic reporter tackled the big names in show biz, including a laughing Ray Charles and an unamused Rudolph Nureyev.

    Norm16Gunston’s hysterical interviews with the likes of Frank Zappa, Paul and Linda McCartney, Sally Struthers (from US sitcom All In The Family), Keith Moon (who responded by pouring champagne over Norman’s head) and later, KISS, are the stuff of legend.

    The character of Norman Gunston was brought to life by accomplished character actor Garry McDonald, who had played Dave Rudd in the ABC-TV comedy series Snake Gully With Dad & Dave during 1972.

    His segments as Norman in What’s On In Wollongong became one of the most popular parts of the Aunty Jack Show, and Norman appeared on the Aunty Jack Sings Wollongong album, along with McDonald’s other character, Kid Eager.

    McDonald was never afraid to make Gunston the fall guy; The sap who always managed to send himself up while doing the same to those around him. Norman’s real talent was in being able to bamboozle and confound his interview subjects – who were inevitably either dumbstruck or caught on and joined in all the fun.

    Crashing press conferences guerilla-style, he left touring stars including Burt Reynolds (“How’s your mum, Debbie?”), Warren Beatty (“Did Carly Simon write that song about you, The Impossible Dream?”’) and Kiss (“Which one of you is the construction worker?”) bewildered.

    Another of Norman’s specialities was musical satire, and he managed to carve quite a musical career for himself in the 70s pop scene in Australia.

    In the 80s McDonald “retired” the Gunston character in order to concentrate on his movie acting career, and on the superb ABC sitcom series, Mother and Son with the late great Ruth Cracknell.

    In the midst of reviving Gunston for a new series of The Norman Gunston Show in 1993, McDonald suffered a much-publicised breakdown and not much was seen of the comb-over kid for quite a while.

    It is interesting to note how much of Gunston there is in his modern-day British equivalent Ali G . . . Except that Norman would have never allowed such excesses of “funny business” on his show.

    normangunstonshow4

    Related Posts

    • No Job For A Lady
      No Job For A Lady
      1 9 9 0 - 1 9 9 2 (UK) Penelope Keith surprised fans when she played newly elected Labour MP…
    • Wollongong The Brave
      Wollongong The Brave
      1 9 7 5 (Australia) 4 x episodes So raise your head high To a burnt sienna sky Of Dapto, Port…
    • Off Show, The/The Of Show
      Off Show, The/The Of Show
      1 9 7 7 (Australia) 10 x 25 minute episodes The Off Show was made for the Australian Broadcasting Commission in…
    • End of Part One
      End of Part One
      1 9 7 9 - 1 9 8 0 (UK) 14 x 30 minute episodes Vera (Denise Coffey) and Norman (Tony…
    • Cheetah
      Cheetah
      The English-born, Melbourne-bred Hammond sisters, Chrissie (the brunette) and Lyndsay (the blonde), were the archetypal 1970s sex bombs with big…
    • Nobody Is Norman Wisdom
      Nobody Is Norman Wisdom
      1 9 7 3 (UK) 6 x 30 minute episodes Norman Wisdom played 'Nobody', a loser with no personality of his…
    • Norman Gunston
      Norman Gunston
      The "little Aussie bleeder" Norman Gunston (played by actor Garry McDonald) was one of the most famous Australian media personalities…
    • Retro Australia - Random Remembrances
      Retro Australia - Random Remembrances
      Royal Easter Show at the Showground Manzil Room nightclub School excursions to places like Warragamba Dam, Lucas Heights nuclear reactor…

    Australia
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email
    Previous ArticleGlencannon
    Next Article Don’t Forget To Write

    Comments are closed.

    Follow us
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
    • Instagram
    You May Also Like
    • Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
      An excellent cast combined with the provocative idea of […]
    • And Mother Makes Three
      1 9 7 1 – 1 9 7 3 (UK) 26 x 30 minute episodes 1 x […]
    • Broaden Your Mind
      1 9 6 8 – 1 9 6 9 (UK) 13 x 30 minute episodes […]
    • Banana Splits Adventure Hour, The
      1 9 6 8 – 1 9 7 0 (USA) 31 x 50 minute episodes Few shows […]
    • 1985
      January 02 – USA officially withdraws from UNESCO. 07 […]
    • Meet The Wife
      1 9 6 4 – 1 9 6 5 (UK) 20 x 30 minute episodes 19 x 25 […]
    Twitter Feed
    Please note


    Nostalgia Central covers the period 1950 to 1999 and contains some words and references which reflect the attitudes of those times and which may be considered culturally sensitive, offensive or inappropriate today.
    Popular Tags
    1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1975 1976 Action Figures Amicus Arcade games Australia Beach movies Beatles Blaxploitation Board games Britpop Canada Crime Disco Disney Doo-Wop Elvis Presley Girl groups Glam Goth Hammer Heavy Metal Irwin Allen Labels Merseybeat Mod revival Motown New Romantic New Wave NWOBHM Oi! One-hit wonders Power Pop Pub rock Punk Radio Scotland Ska Soul music Surf music
    Search Nostalgia Central
    Copyright © 1998, 2022 Nostalgia Central
    • About
    • Contact
    • FAQ

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.