Simon Townsend's Wonder World

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Simon Townsend's Wonder World
Format Children's
Presented by Simon Townsend
Country of origin Australia
No. of episodes 2,000+
Production
Running time 30 minutes
(including commercials)
Broadcast
Original channel Ten Network
Original run September 3, 1979 – 1986

Simon Townsend's Wonder World was a multi-award winning Australian children's television show that aired on the Ten Network from 1979 until 1986. It was hosted by journalist Simon Townsend.

Contents

[edit] Format

Each episode of Simon Townsend's Wonder World featured an introduction by Simon Townsend as the studio host, accompanied by his pet and companion bloodhound Woodrow (Woodrow died in 1985 and was replaced at first with a sulphur-crested cockatoo and then with another baby bloodhound). Simon would then present four individual magazine-style stories, each presented by a different reporter.

The stories covered any and every subject imaginable, from the most amazing pets, to the meaning of one hand clapping. Every show also contained a viewer segment, and a music segment - often produced by the program itself. For instance Simon Townsend's Wonder World made the first ever music video featuring famous Australian band INXS. During the course of the series, Townsend and his reporters traveled all over Australia and to many and varied locations in America, the UK, Europe, India, Asia and the Pacific region.

Simon Townsend would always end every show with the same signature farewell - "And remember, the world really is wonderful!"

[edit] History

The program was conceived by Townsend in the early 1970s and was designed to be a fast-moving daily dose of informed entertainment for children, and be suitable for and attractive to older teens and adults.

Both the Nine and the Seven Networks helped Townsend make pilots for his concept, but neither network bought the series. However in 1979 when the Australian Broadcasting Tribunal introduced a compulsory 'C' classification (making it a requirement for networks to broadcast only 'C' classified shows between 4pm and 5pm weekdays), Townsend saw the potential and offered the Ten Network, which were searching for a suitable children's program at the time, the opportunity to produce his show.

The first episode of Simon Townsend's Wonder World went to air on 3 September 1979. At first the show was telecast only in the East Coast capital cities of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. But after Harvey Shore joined the program as producer in early 1980, his publicity expertise resulted in rapidly expanding public awareness and interest in the program throughout Australia.

Shore had previously met Townsend when they both worked on Mike Willesee's top-rating TV show Willesee At Seven. It was an odd partnership - Shore being a graduate of the Royal Military College Duntroon and Townsend being a well known conscientious objector who refused to be drafted into the army. But together they formed a successful partnership that delivered a reliable flow of television supported by regular publicity that created enormous public awareness amongst the total television audience Australia-wide. Before long other capital city and regional stations began signing up for the show.

By the end of 1980 the show was screening in every TV broadcast region throughout Australia. Soon it became the top-rating program on the Ten Network outside prime time - and sometimes its ratings were better than programs in prime time. For many years the Ten Network ran two episodes of Simon Townsend's Wonder World every weekday because of its ratings power - an old repeat show at 4pm followed by a new show at 4.30pm. The show also became a media phenomenon, with one press story in 1985 claiming, "I read a newspaper today and there was not a single mention of Simon Townsend. Is this a record?"

After more than 2,000 episodes, the show finished in 1986. The extraordinary success of Simon Townsend's Wonder World has never been repeated by any other show, though many sought to copy its style.

[edit] Awards and accolades

Simon Townsend's Wonder World also won an number of awards including five Logie Awards and many other trophies and prizes. On the occasion of its 1,000th episode, Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke presented a special trophy commemorating the milestone (as recorded in TV Week, issue of June 9, 1983).

In September 1994, a special 32mm bronze medallion was struck by Sydney medallists Amor Sanders to commemorate the 15th Anniversary of the start of Simon Townsend's Wonder World as a special tribute to Simon Townsend for creating one of television's most iconic TV shows. The medallion is the first and only medallion struck to commemorate a television show in Australian history.[citation needed]

Simon Townsend was a great supporter of new Australian talent, and many people who got their first break in television through Simon Townsend's Wonder World went on to achieve fame in the industry. For instance Jonathan Coleman became a huge star in both Australia and England. Angela Catterns became a radio star. Edith Bliss became an advertising and music star. Philip Tanner and Maurace Parker became top producers. Cinematographer Andrew Lesnie went on to win an Academy Award for his film work. Fiona Baker went on to create many hit TV shows for other networks.

[edit] Reporters

During its seven years on air, these were its main on-camera personalities:

[edit] Wonder World!

In 1990, two of Simon Townsend's former reporters Phillip Tanner and Brett Clements bought the rights to Simon Townsend's Wonder World and sold the concept to the Nine Network which re-launched the show. The successor's new name was shortened to Wonder World!.

Howard Shore was hired to train new reporters and produce the show once again. The hosts and reporters of this series included Liesl Macdonald, Jody Young, Pascall Fox, Nick Penn, Tony Johnston and Catriona Rowntree. This updated version of Simon Townsend's show began production in 1992, and rated well in its three-year run.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links