Ernie Sigley
{{for|New Zealand cricketeer|John Sigley}}
{{Short description|Australian television personality (1938–2021)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Ernie Sigley
| image =
| caption =
| birth_name = Ernest William Sigley
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1938|9|2}}
| birth_place = Footscray, Victoria, Australia
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2021|8|15|1938|9|2}}
| occupation = {{hlist|Radio personality|television host|singer}}
| years_active = 1957–1993 (television)
1952–2009 (radio)
| known_for = {{bulleted|"The Ernie Sigley Show"|"Saturday Night Live"|"Wheel of Fortune"|"In Melbourne Today"}}
| spouse =
| domesticpartner =
| website =
}}
Ernest William Sigley (2 September 1938 – 15 August 2021) was an Australian Gold Logie award winning television host, comedian, variety performer, radio presenter and singer. Known as a pioneer of radio and television in Australian, he was often styled as a "little Aussie battler" with a larrikin sense of humour.{{Cite web|url=https://televisionau.com/2008/09/ernie-sigley-preparing-to-sign-off.html|title=Ernie Sigley preparing to sign-off|last=Searle|first=Malcolm|date=17 September 2008|website=television.au|access-date=28 March 2019}}
Sigley started his career in radio, before becoming a presenter of TV programs and was best known for his self-titled program The Ernie Sigley Show and Saturday Night Live as well as original host of game show Wheel of Fortune, after presenting talk shows with his frequent co-presenter Denise Drysdale in the late 80s and early 90s, he returned to presenting radio broadcasts, until retiring in 2009.
Biography
= Early life and career =
Sigley was born in Footscray, Melbourne, one of seven children of a boilermaker. After completing his education at Williamstown High School, his career began in 1952 as a turntable operator on Danny Webb's breakfast program at radio station 3DB.
Television started in Australia in 1956 and Sigley made his TV debut in 1957 as host of Teenage Mailbag, later known as The Teenage Show, on Seven Network's HSV-7. Shortly after this, he travelled to London, gaining some work experience at the BBC. But a bigger break was to come with a three-year stint at Radio Luxembourg, where he performed under the name "Ernie Williams".
Sigley is remembered for his 1964 association with the Adelaide leg of the Beatles' tour of Australia. In one press conference, his questioning of the Beatles brought about an enthusiastic response from John Lennon, which led to one of the more notable interviews of the tour.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thecourier.com.au/story/532029/ernie-most-earnestly-misses-his-beatle/|title=Ernie most earnestly misses 'his' Beatle|last=Pedler|first=Chris|date=19 February 2009|website=The Courier|language=en|access-date=28 March 2019}}{{Cite web|url=http://abc.net.au/local/stories/2009/02/20/2496791.htm|title=Imagine never-before-seen Lennon photographs in Ballarat|last=Brine|first=Dominic|date=20 February 2009|website=abc.net.au|language=en-AU|access-date=28 March 2019}}
= Radio =
In 1981, Sigley returned to 3DB to host the breakfast program. In 1982, he switched to the breakfast shift at the personality-driven News Talk 3UZ.{{Cite web|url=https://www.gizmohnews.com/news/ernie-sigley-dead-at-82-australian-tv-pioneer-and-gold-logie-winner-dies-after-battle-with-alzheimers-disease-83824|title=Ernie Sigley dead at 82: Australian TV pioneer and Gold Logie winner dies after battle with Alzheimer's disease}}
In 1996, Sigley joined 3AW to host the afternoon program. He hosted the afternoon program for 12 years until his retirement on 7 November 2008.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/the-retiring-type-not-our-ern-20081120-ge7j0l.html|title=The retiring type? Not our Ern|last=Murphy|first=Jim|date=20 November 2008|website=The Age|language=en|access-date=28 March 2019}} Denis Walter was announced as Sigley's replacement. He then took on a part-time role at the station where he partnered either Bruce Mansfield or Philip Brady to host Nightline on Friday nights.{{Cite web|url=http://www.3aw.com.au/ernie-sigley-goes-parttime/20080917-4i6w.html|title=Ernie Sigley goes part time|date=19 September 2008|website=3AW|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201214840/http://www.3aw.com.au/ernie-sigley-goes-parttime/20080917-4i6w.html|archive-date=1 February 2014|access-date=28 March 2019}}
= Television =
Sigley was part of the original cast of variety TV program Sunnyside Up, In the 1960s and early 1970s, he hosted the prime time Adelaide variety show Adelaide Tonight on NWS-9.
Beginning in 1974, he was the host of the national Nine Network variety show The Ernie Sigley Show,{{Cite news|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article110717261|title="Ernie Sigley" Typical Abysmal Melbounia|last=Fitzgerald|first=Edmund|date=1 July 1974|work=Canberra Times (ACT : 1926–1995)|access-date=28 March 2019|pages=1}} featuring notable Australian media personalities such as Denise Drysdale, Noni Hazlehurst, Pete Smith and Joy Westmore. The program was abruptly axed after an off-air outburst by Sigley, directed at station owner Kerry Packer and producer Peter Faiman,{{Cite web|url=https://www.theage.com.au/national/channel-nines-fame-factory-20051231-ge1i7c.html|title=Channel Nine's fame factory|last1=Tippet|first1=Garry|last2=Ziffer|first2=Daniel|date=31 December 2005|website=The Age|language=en|access-date=28 March 2019}} when the network cut short his first show for 1976 to accommodate a network sports awards telecast. Packer flew to Melbourne the next day and dismissed Sigley in person, effective immediately, and replaced him with Don Lane.
After his dismissal in 1976, Sigley moved to ATV-0 and hosted the early evening variety show Ernie and then, in 1978, The Penthouse which became Saturday Night Live on HSV-7 co-hosting with Mary Hardy.{{Cite news|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article110899334|title=Legal move planned|date=26 July 1978|work=Canberra Times (ACT : 1926–1995)|access-date=28 March 2019|pages=26}}
Sigley was the original host of the Australian version of the popular game show Wheel of Fortune from 1981 to 1984.{{Cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=MDQ-9Oe3GGUC&dat=19810625&printsec=frontpage&hl=en|title=Ernie Sigley, A "wheel" once more|last=Hooks|first=Barbara|date=25 August 1981|work=The Age|access-date=28 March 2019|page=29}} In 1982, he presented the regional variety program Six Tonight from BTV-6 in Ballarat and the daytime talent show Pot Luck in 1987.
After a break from television, Sigley returned in 1989 with Denise Drysdale, hosting GTV-9's morning program In Melbourne Today.[http://www.3aw.com.au/ernie-sigley-career-and-achievements/20081107-5jp5.html?page=single Ernie Sigley: Career and achievements | 3AW 7 November 2008. Retrieved 3 May 2013] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091007234058/http://www.3aw.com.au/ernie-sigley-career-and-achievements/20081107-5jp5.html?page=single|date=7 October 2009}}
Sigley was involved in an argument with fellow TV star Don Lane at a Logies after party in 1988,{{Cite news|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/367107913|title=The show goes on and on but the gloves come off|last=Wilmoth|first=Peter|date=2 March 1997|work=Sunday Age|access-date=28 March 2019|id={{ProQuest|367107913}} |url-access=subscription |via=Proquest}} when Sigley allegedly made insulting remarks about Lane's partner.{{Cite web|url=http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/1116231/The-legacy-of-Lanky-Yank-Don-Lane|title=The Legacy of Lanky Yank Don Lane|date=22 October 2009|website=SBS|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130615092956/http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/1116231/The-legacy-of-Lanky-Yank-Don-Lane|archive-date=15 June 2013|url-status=live|access-date=28 March 2019}}
= Singing =
Sigley began singing as a choir boy at St Paul's Cathedral, Melbourne, and went on to be a regular on the local town hall circuit in the 1950s. In 1957, his first record, "Love Is A Golden Ring",{{Cite web|url=https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/lifestyle/sa-weekend/ernie-sigley-still-a-little-aussie-battler/news-story/a7e01dfc6e977f0a447d7a850936b55f|title=Aussie Battler faces his toughest hour|date=7 October 2016|website=Adelaide Now|language=en|access-date=28 March 2019}} was released.
In 1974, Sigley, with Denise Drysdale, recorded the popular duet "Hey Paula", a cover of a hit by US duo Paul & Paula released by Festival Records and produced at Armstrong Studios, Melbourne. The record was produced and arranged by Brian Rangott and engineered by Ian McKenzie and peaked at number 2 in Australia.{{cite web|url=https://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainment/broadcaster-ernie-sigley-dies-aged-82-after-battling-alzheimers-disease/news-story/0f2aa7f6864d4400465c29dccd58c658|title=Ernie Sigley dies aged 82 after battling Alzheimer's disease|date=17 August 2021|publisher=Herald Sun|website=heraldsun.com.au}}
Sigley regularly performed around Australia on the club circuit, often with his television partner Denise Drysdale.{{Cite web|url=https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/full-circle/news-story/89c574343e2e3630a9d30b08102e1456|title=Full circle|last=Matheson|first=Melissa|date=23 September 2011|website=The Daily Telegraph|language=en|access-date=28 March 2019}}
Awards
Sigley won the TV Week Gold Logie Award for Most Popular Personality on Australian Television in 1975.{{Cite web|url=https://televisionau.com/2010/11/the-circle-reunites-ernie-and-denise.html|title=The Circle reunites Ernie and Denise|date=10 November 2010|website=Television.AU|language=en-AU|access-date=28 March 2019}} He had previously won eleven local Logies for his work in Adelaide.{{Cite news|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article116337117|title=Logies for Ernie and Ding Dong|date=8 March 1975|work=Canberra Times (ACT : 1926–1995)|access-date=28 March 2019|pages=1}}
Personal life
Three times married and twice divorced,{{Cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1300&dat=19731206&id=GJ0QAAAAIBAJ&pg=5226,1643989|title=The Ernie Sigley story|date=6 December 1973|work=The Age|access-date=23 March 2019|page=21}} Sigley was married to Glenys O'Brien, a former television personality, for 47 years.[http://www.tvweeklogieawards.com.au/logie-history/1960s/1964/ Logie Timeline | TV Week Logie Awards. Retrieved 4 May 2013] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130503082349/http://www.tvweeklogieawards.com.au/logie-history/1960s/1964/ |date=3 May 2013 }} They lived in Atkins Ave, Glen Iris in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne and had four children. His son Matthew was a keyboardist for the Australian bands the Earthmen, the Fauves and Drop City.{{Cite web|url=https://petermitchellmedia.com.au/2018/10/11/tee-for-two-ernie-sigley/|title = PETER MITCHELL | OFFICIAL WEBSITE | Tee for Two – Ernie Sigley}}
Sigley was a supporter of the Western Bulldogs (formerly known as the Footscray Football Club) in the Australian Football League.{{Cite web|url=https://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/afl/old-bulldogs-thirsty-for-next-success/news-story/6a03c44260521bc366b027ddaf25d0c0|title=Old Dogs thirsty for next success|date=21 June 2011|website=Couriermail|language=en|access-date=28 March 2019}} He was also a supporter of the South Adelaide Football Club in the South Australian National Football League.{{cite web |last1=Williams |first1=Randall |title=The South Adelaide Football Club – An Historical Perspective |url=https://cdn.marion.sa.gov.au/sp/Marion-Historical-Society-Newsletter-April-2019.pdf?mtime=20190627161154&focal=none |website=Newsletter |publisher=Marion Historical Society |access-date=15 August 2021}}
Sigley once owned the Radio Springs Hotel at Lyonville in country Victoria.[https://www.traveller.com.au/radio-springs-hotel-lyonville-review-homely-country-pub-189v6 "Radio Springs Hotel," traveller.com.au]
Sigley's family announced in October 2016 that he had Alzheimer's disease.{{Cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/ernie-sigley-diagnosed-with-alzheimers-disease-20161003-grty1s.html|title=Ernie Sigley diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease|date=3 October 2016|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|language=en|access-date=28 March 2019}} He died on 15 August 2021, aged 82.{{cite news |title=Television and radio star Ernie Sigley dies after Alzheimer's battle |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-08-16/television-entertainer-ernie-sigley-dies-aged-82/100379248 |access-date=15 August 2021 |work=ABC News |date=15 August 2021 |language=en-AU}}
Filmography
= Selected TV =
| class="wikitable"
| Production | Year | Role | Network | |||
| Teenage Mailbag (TV series) | 1957 | Host | Seven Network (HSV-7) |
| The Teenage Show (TV series) | 1958–1959 | Host | ? |
| Adelaide Tonight (TV series) | 1959-1973 | co-host, Host | Nine Network (NWS-9) |
| The Annual TV Week Logie Awards | 1968–1974/1976-1979 | As himself | Nine Network |
| Countdown (TV series) | 1974 | Guest | ABC |
| Ernie (TV series) | 1976 | Host | Ten Network |
| This is Your Life Mary Hardy | 1978 | Guest | Seven Network |
| The Don Lane Show | 1981 | Guest | Nine Network | |
| Wheel of Fortune (TV series) | 1981 | Host | Seven Network |
| 'Video from Hell (Video) | 1985 | Himself | Direct |
| In Melbourne Today (TV series) | 1989 | Host | Nine Network |
| Ernie and Denise (TV series) | 1993 | Host | Nine Network |
| The Late Show (TV series) | 1993 | Himself | |
| Good Morning Australia | 2004 | Guest | Ten Network |
| The Man from Dame Edna (TV movie documentary) | 2008 | Radio Presenter |
Actor
| class="wikitable"
| Production | Year | Role | ||
| Jack and the Beanstalk (TV movie) | 1964 | Miffin |
| The Story of Dick Whittington (TV movie) | 1966 | Robin |
| Dead Man's Float | 1980 | Snarks |
= Studio albums =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1"
|+ List of albums, with Australian chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:20em;" | Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:20em;" | Album details ! scope="col" colspan="1" | Peak chart |
| scope="col" style="text-align:center;" | AUS {{cite book|last=Kent|first=David|author-link=David Kent (historian)|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|edition=illustrated|publisher=Australian Chart Book|location=St Ives, N.S.W.|year=1993|isbn=0-646-11917-6|page=273}} |
|---|
| scope="row" | Ernie
|
| align="center" | - |
| scope="row" | Ernie Sigley
|
| align="center" | 30 |
| scope="row" | ...And Here's Ernie
|
| align="center" | 44 |
= Charting singles =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1"
|+ List of singles, with Australian chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Year ! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Title ! scope="col" colspan="1" | Peak chart ! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Certification |
| scope="col" style="text-align:center;" | AUS {{cite book|title=Australian Chart Book 1940–1969|last=Kent|first=David|author-link=David Kent (historian)|isbn=0-646-44439-5|year=2005|publisher=Australian Chart Book Pty Ltd|location=Turramurra, New South Wales|title-link=Kent Music Report}} Note: Australia had no contemporaneous national charts until Go-Set published their Australian National Charts from 5 October 1966. Chart positions for 1940–1969 were back calculated by David Kent in 2005. |
|---|
| 1957
! scope="row" | "Love is a Golden Ring "/"I Happened Again" | style="text-align:center;" | 9 | |
| 1961
! scope="row" | "Mary's Boy Child"/"Brush Those Tears from Your Eyes" | style="text-align:center;" | 57 | |
| 1965
! scope="row" | "Think About Me" / "Mona Lisa" | style="text-align:center;" | 52 | |
| 1966
! scope="row" | "Hey! Girl" / "It's Almost Tomorrow" | style="text-align:center;" | 73 | |
| rowspan="2" | 1967
! scope="row" | "True Love" / "A Boy Without a Girl" | style="text-align:center;" | 76 | |
| scope="row" | "A Clown Am I" / "A Million Years or So"
| style="text-align:center;" | 86 | |
| 1970
! scope="row" | "Give Me Love"/"A Little Thing Called Love" | style="text-align:center;" | 99 | |
| 1971
! scope="row" | "City of Angels" | style="text-align:center;" | 69 | |
| rowspan="2" | 1974
! scope="row" | "Hey Paula" {{small|(with Denise Drysdale)}} | style="text-align:center;" | 2 | |
| scope="row" | "Just Thank Me"
| style="text-align:center;" | 94 | |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Discogs artist|Ernie Sigley}}
- {{IMDb name|id=0797471}}
{{Gold Logie Award for Most Popular Personality on Australian Television}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sigley, Ernie}}
Category:Australian game show hosts
Category:Comedians from Melbourne
Category:Television personalities from Adelaide
Category:Television personalities from Melbourne
Category:Deaths from Alzheimer's disease in Australia