Happy Hammond

Harry Hammond (7 May 1917 – 1 April 1998) professionally known as Happy Hammond, was an Australian comedian and children's show host.

Biography and Broadcasting Career

Happy Hammond was born in Geelong, Victoria.[1] He was famous for his bright personality and wearing a tartan suit and hat, sometimes referred to as his "test pattern" outfit, that clashed awfully in real life but worked well on black-and-white TV. His catchphrase was:

" Is everybody happy ? "

The nickname 'Happy' came from his time serving in the military during World War II, where he performed in concerts with Keith Glover, who later went on to join the ABC. After the war, the pair took the act to the Tivoli circuit.[2]

Happy's broadcasting career began in his home town of Geelong when he became the breakfast announcer at 3GL. While there, he made his first TV appearance in 1948, as part of an exhibition using closed-circuit TV equipment for trial purposes.[3]

Hammond then moved to Adelaide's 5KA, before returning to Victoria to work first at 3AW and then 3UZ, both in Melbourne.[2]

At 3UZ he hosted The Happy Show, a children's program, as well as partnering Graham Kennedy, following the death of Nicky Whitta in September 1956. Hammond joined television station GTV-9, and shortly after, he invited the young Kennedy to appear on a telethon, where he was noticed by Norman Spencer, leading eventually to Kennedy joining the channel as well.[4]

On TV, the Happy Show (later the Tarax Show) started on Melbourne's GTV-9 in January 1957, debuting from the Myer Emporium Lonsdale Street store window. During Hammond's time at GTV-9, the program was only seen in Victoria, where it competed with Peters Fun Fair on HSV-7.

Hammond switched to HSV-7 in 1960, where The Happy Show, no longer sponsored by Tarax, featured Princess Panda (Panda Lisner), Lovely Anne (Anne Watt), Parer the Magician (Tommy Parer), Funny Face (Vic Gordon), Big John (John D'Arcy), Robbie Rob (Bob Horsfall), Cousin Roy (Roy Lyons) and Sylvester the Talking Sock (Ian Wiliams). The program was also relayed to ATN-7 in Sydney. During Watt's honeymoon absence in early 1965, her place was taken by a young Olivia Newton-John.

Hammond was a keen supporter of the Geelong Football Club in the Victorian Football League (subsequently the Australian Football League). He was accorded the honour of running through the banner with the Geelong players on Grand Final day in 1963. It must have been a good omen - Geelong won the game.

Logie Award

Hammond's program won a Logie Award in 1959 for Most Popular Children's Show, and Hammond himself won a Logie in 1963 for Outstanding Contributions to Children's Entertainment.

After the Happy Show's cancellation in 1965, Hammond moved to an off-camera role in HSV-7's videotape department, although he continued to appear regularly for the station's Good Friday Appeal. He was occasionally seen in Shirl's Neighbourhood.

Limited footage remains from Happy Hammond's career. The most commonly seen clip is a musical finger clicking routine.

References

  1. ↑ Groves, Derham. "The Day I Met Happy". Derham Groves. Retrieved 2015-01-26.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 3RPP interview 1997.05.07
  3. ↑ King, by Graeme Blundell, p.79, ISBN 1-4050-3566-8
  4. ↑ King, by Graeme Blundell, p.82

External links