Mick Molloy

{{for multi|the rugby union player|Mick Molloy (rugby union)|the Irish long-distance runner|Mick Molloy (athlete)}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Mick Molloy

| image =

| caption = Molloy in 2018

| birth_name = Michael Molloy

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1966|07|11}}

| birth_place = Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia

| occupation = {{hlist|Comedian|writer|producer|actor|television and radio presenter}}

| years active = 1987−present

| television = The Front Bar

| nationality = Australian

| spouse =

| children =

}}

Michael Molloy (born 11 July 1966) is an Australian comedian, writer, producer, actor and television and radio presenter who has been active in radio, television, stand-up and film. He currently hosts The Front Bar on the Seven Network.

Life and career

=Early years=

Molloy grew up in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) before moving to Melbourne in the 1980s. He attended The Peninsula School during his high school period and then studied performing arts at the University of Melbourne, where he wrote and performed in his first live act in 1987.{{cite news|title=Stagefright|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/entertainment/arts/stagefright/2009/03/27/1237657122259.html|access-date=13 October 2012|newspaper=The Age|date=27 March 2009|author=Kate Nancarrow|location=Melbourne}} It was there he met the Australian comedy troupe The D-Generation (the future cast of The Late Show) who later formed Working Dog Productions, and with whom Molloy would collaborate on several projects.

=Television=

Molloy worked with the D-Generation as a writer-performer on their 1988 Seven Network specials (he had auditioned for the D-Gen in 1986 but it was not until the troupe saw him in the 1987 Melbourne University revue, Laminex on the Rocks, that they signed him). He also worked as a writer on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's (ABC) The Gerry Connolly Show (1988), the Network Ten series The Comedy Company in its 1989 season and, while working on the (unscreened) pilots for The Late Show, for the Nine Network (1990). Molloy was a cast member of ABC TV's The Late Show (1992–1993) as a writer and performer. As well as pairing up with Tony Martin for each episode's introduction and the "Street Interviews" segment, Molloy co-hosted the segments "Muckrakers" with Jason Stephens and "Commercial Crimestoppers" with Santo Cilauro. He played the thick-witted assistant of stuntman Rob Sitch in "Shitscared" and performed in many other sketches (providing the voices of Sergeant Olden in The Olden Days and Chief Chromedome in Bargearse). He also delivered a series of volatile rants in the "Mick's Serve" segment of Late Show News.

Molloy landed his own late-night TV show, The Mick Molloy Show, which premiered on the Nine Network in 1999. Planned to run for twenty episodes, it was slated by the critics and cancelled after eight. His next involvement with television was the show Any Given Sunday, with Nicole Livingstone, on the Nine Network in 2006. He was involved in the 2006 Commonwealth Games coverage on the Nine Network as a commentator for the lawn bowls events.{{cite web |url=http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/entertainment/mick-molloy-takes-on-the-nation/2007/05/25/1179601617296.html |title=Mick Molloy takes on The Nation |author= |date=25 May 2007 |website=Brisbane Times|publisher=Fairfax Media |access-date=26 February 2014}}

In 2007, Molloy filmed a pilot of The Nation, a weekly late-night news-based comedy hour on the Nine Network. The show debuted on 5 June[http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,21708810-28957,00.html Molloy hopes for nine lives], Herald Sun 11 May 2007 but struggled for ratings, attracting 575,000 viewers nationally for its fourth show.{{cite web|url=http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=24&ContentID=32597|title=National & World News|work=The West Australian|access-date=13 April 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090630071406/http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=24&ContentID=32597|archive-date=30 June 2009|df=dmy-all}} Originally it was on Tuesdays at 9:30 pm, but was moved to Wednesdays at 10:30 pm and ended in August 2007.

In 2008, it was announced that Molloy would replace Peter Helliar on the panel of Channel 10's Before the Game, an AFL themed show, after Helliar had discontinued his position post-2007. On the show, his views as a keen supporter of the Richmond Football Club (Tigers) were often made clear. Molloy is one of the club's more prominent supporters and as well as appearing on Before the Game he has appeared in club membership advertising campaigns. In June 2008, Molloy made comments on the show regarding Nicole Cornes, the wife of former Adelaide coach Graham Cornes, in which he suggested she had slept with footballer Stuart Dew. Nicole Cornes sued the Ten Network for defamation and was awarded A$85,000 in July 2011.[http://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainment/confidential/mick-molloy-sorry-for-defamation-loss/story-e6frf96x-1226089209308 "Mick Molloy sorry for defamation loss"], Herald Sun, 7 July 2011. Molloy remained with Before the Game until it was axed at the end of the 2013 AFL season.{{cite news |url=http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/channel-10-axes-afl-comedy-show-before-the-game/story-e6frfmyi-1226782412689 |title=Channel 10 axes AFL comedy show Before the Game |last1=Devlyn |first1=Darren |date=13 December 2013 |website=News.com.au|publisher=News Ltd |access-date=26 February 2014}}

In 2009, Molloy starred in the sitcom The Jesters which aired on Movie Extra on Foxtel. He played a veteran comic Dave Davies who has become the manager of a group of young, rookie comedians and who has to cope with the behind-the-scenes antics of producing a comedy sketch show.{{cite web|url=http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2009/08/the-jesters.html|title=The Jesters|work=TV Tonight|date=12 August 2009 |access-date=13 April 2015}} A second series aired in 2011.[http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/entertainment/jesters-is-the-right-fot-for-molloy/story-e6fredpu-1226015393368 The Jesters]

In February 2010, it was announced that Molloy and Eddie McGuire would be investigated by the NSW Anti-Discrimination Board following complaints that their on-air coverage of the 2010 Winter Olympics men's figure skating contained homophobic remarks.{{cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/entertainment/tv/2010/02/26/1266687148431.html |title=Anti-discrimination board to investigate Eddie McGuire and Mick Molloy |work=Sydney Morning Herald|date=26 February 2010 |access-date=13 April 2015}} The complaint was later withdrawn after the complainant met with McGuire.{{cite news |url=https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/opinion/its-no-joke-when-gays-are-made-to-live-a-lie/news-story/25b216ad139c2f93f6b3abd377e554af |title=It's no joke when gays are made to live a lie |first=Eddie |last=McGuire |newspaper=Sunday Herald Sun|date=27 March 2010 |access-date=31 March 2019}}

In February 2014, it was announced by the Seven Network that Molloy would be joining its one-hour AFL match preview show on Saturday nights during the football season.{{cite web |url=http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2014/02/mick-molloy-joins-seven-footy.html |title=Mick Molloy joins Seven footy |last1=Knox |first1=David |date=26 February 2014 |website=TV Tonight |access-date=26 February 2014}} In 2015, Molloy was announced as a host of an online show called Friday Front Bar (subsequently renamed to The Front Bar). In 2016, Channel 7 picked up the show.

=Radio=

After writing and performing on The D-Generation Breakfast Show on Triple M Melbourne, from 1990 to 1992, Molloy teamed up with Tony Martin for Triple M's Bulltwang (1990)

After The Late Show finished, Molloy developed, again with Martin, the successful Austereo radio programme, Martin/Molloy (1995–98), which produced three ARIA award-winning compilation albums, The Brown Album (1995), Poop Chute (1996) and Eat Your Peas (1998). Molloy occasionally appeared with his former D-Generation cohorts on Network Ten's The Panel (1998–2004).

Molloy hosted another radio show, Tough Love with Mick Molloy (2004–06) on Triple M alongside Robyn Butler and Richard Molloy.http://www.mrock.com.au/shows/mick/{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

In 2011, Molloy returned to radio and to Triple M Melbourne, as a permanent member of The Hot Breakfast.{{cite web|url=http://www.triplem.com.au/melbourne/shows/hot-breakfast-eddie-mcguire/blog/mick-molloy-joins-the-hot-breakfast/20101224-azrc.html|title=Mick Molloy Joins The Hot Breakfast!|website=triplem.com.au|access-date=14 August 2017}}

He is also appearing daily at 6:50am on Triple M Brisbane's The Grill Team.{{cite web|url=http://www.champagnecomedy.com/?p=319|title=Mick Molloy joins Triple M Brisbane|work=Champagne Comedy: The Late Show fan site|date=25 October 2011|access-date=13 April 2015}}

In July 2017, Triple M announced that Molloy would host a new national drive show with Jane Kennedy across the Triple M network in 2018. As a result, he transitioned away from The Hot Breakfast and was replaced by Wil Anderson. Molloy finished on The Hot Breakfast on 6 October 2017 and debuted on the new show, Kennedy Molloy, the following week.

=Film=

Following the cancellation of The Mick Molloy Show, Molloy returned with a video release, entitled Shonky Golf with Mick Molloy, and he directed the feature-length documentary Tackle Happy (2000). He played Kim's dad Gary Poole on Kath & Kim (2003–04) and co-starred, with David Wenham, in two Murray Whelan telemovies, Stiff and The Brush-Off (both 2004).

He has starred in three movies, Crackerjack (2002){{cite news| url=http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/11/06/1036308361175.html | work=The Sydney Morning Herald | title=Crackerjack}} (which he also co-wrote, receiving an AFI nomination), Tony Martin's Bad Eggs (2003), and BoyTown (2006), which, like Crackerjack, he co-wrote with his brother Richard Molloy. During production of the DVD-release for Boytown in 2007, Molloy and his long-time collaborator Tony Martin had a dispute over the proposed extra content for the DVD and the two have not worked together since.{{cite web|url=http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/movies/martin-molloy-in-movie-fallout/story-e6frfmvr-1111113931491|title=Martin, Molloy in movie fallout|work=NewsComAu|access-date=13 April 2015}} In the 2006 Australian feature film Macbeth, Molloy played Brown; it was the second time he has appeared in a production of Macbeth.{{cite magazine|first=Stephen|last=Vagg|magazine=Filmink|url=https://www.filmink.com.au/australian-movie-stars/|title=Australian Movie Stars|date=August 18, 2019}}

He also had a role in the 2019 biographical film based on Michelle Payne's life, Ride Like a Girl.{{cite web |url=https://7news.com.au/sunday-night/michelle-paynes-historic-melbourne-cup-win-immortalised-in-new-movie-c-427365 |title=Michelle Payne's historic Melbourne Cup win immortalised in new movie |date=1 September 2019|website=7news.com.au|access-date=28 July 2020}}

Personal life

Molloy was the long-term partner of Australian actress Sophie Lee in the 1990s. (Lee regularly appeared on Molloy's nationally syndicated radio show, as well as playing Tracey Kerrigan in the film The Castle, which was made by Molloy's former D-Gen colleague Rob Sitch).

Molloy is also a famous supporter of the Richmond Football Club. His affinity for the Tigers has been a topic on The Front Bar, and he has also turned on the yellow lights at the Richmond Town Hall to celebrate Richmond's 2017 preliminary final victory over Greater Western Sydney and had a street mural outside of Hector's Deli in Richmond depicting him wearing a Richmond guernsey.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWPRei3sDB0 The Front Bar 2017 Grand Final Edition] YouTube (originally broadcast by Seven Network)

In April 2012, at the 54th Logie Awards, Molloy delivered an onstage tribute to friend and colleague Bill Hunter, who died in 2011.{{cite web|author1=The Learned One|title=Mick Molloy Delivers Heart-Warming Eulogy For Late Australian Legend Bill Hunter|url=http://www.triplem.com.au/melbourne/shows/hot-breakfast-eddie-mcguire/blog/2011/5/mick-molloy-delivers-heartwarming-eulogy-for-late-australian-legend-bill-hunter/|website=Triple M|publisher=Southern Cross Austereo|access-date=26 November 2014|date=27 May 2011}}

On The Hot Breakfast on 8 June 2012, Molloy announced that his partner was pregnant with twin boys. On 11 July he announced that they had been born the previous day, a month ahead of schedule.{{cite web|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainment/mick-molloys-twin-boys-arrive-a-month-early/story-e6frf96o-1226423265898|title=Mick Molloy's twin boys arrive a month early|website=www.heraldsun.com.au|access-date=14 August 2017}}

Molloy has used his resemblance to Saddam Hussein to create jokes.{{Cite web|url=http://www.urbancinefile.com.au/home/view.asp?a=6728&s=Reviews|title=Urban Cinefile CRACKERJACK|website=www.urbancinefile.com.au|access-date=2019-05-07}}

Television

The D-Generation Goes Commercial (1988) – Various – (also writer)
The Gerry Connolly Show (1988) – (writer only)
The Comedy Company (1989) – Various – (also writer)
The Late Show (1992–1993) – Himself/Various – (also writer)
Frontline (1997) – Himself (One episode)
The Mick Molloy Show (1999) – Himself – (also writer/producer)
Kath & Kim (2003) – Gary Poole (Two episodes)
Stiff (2004) – Angelo Agnelli
The Brush-Off (1996) – Angelo Agnelli
Any Given Sunday (2006) – Himself
The Nation (2007) – Himself – (also writer/producer)
Before The Game (2008–2013) – Himself
The Jesters (2009, 2011) – Dave Davies
Have You Been Paying Attention? (2013–2019) – Himself – (31 episodes)
Saturday Night Football (pre-game show) (2014–present) – Himself
The Front Bar (2015–present) – Himself
Bluey (2022) – Sparky (One Episode - Guest Voice)

Film

Tackle Happy (2000) – Himself – (also director/producer)
Crackerjack (2002) – Jack Simpson – (also writer/producer)
Bad Eggs (2003) – Ben Kinnear
Stiff (2005) – Angelo Agnelli
Macbeth (2006) – Brown
BoyTown (2006) – Tommy – (also writer/producer)
BoyTown Confidential (2007) – Tommy Boy – (also writer/producer){{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0887722/|title=BoyTown Confidential (Video 2007)|date=20 February 2007|work=IMDb|access-date=13 April 2015}}
Ride Like a Girl (2019) - Bairdy

Radio

The D-Generation Breakfast Show (Triple M Melbourne 1990–1992)
Bulltwang (Triple M Melbourne 1990)
Martin/Molloy (Austereo network 1995–1998)
Tough Love with Mick Molloy (Triple M network 2004–2006)
The Hot Breakfast (Triple M Melbourne 2011–2017)
Kennedy Molloy (Triple M 2017–2021)
Molloy (Triple M 2021–November 2021)
Triple M Cricket (2016–2018)
Mick and MG in the Morning (2023-present) {{cite web | url=https://www.southerncrossaustereo.com.au/media/media-releases/molloy-returns-to-his-spiritual-home-of-triple-m/ | title=Molloy returns to his spiritual home of Triple M to shake up Sydney breakfast in a brand new show with Mark 'MG' Geyer | Southern Cross Austereo }}

Discography

=Albums=

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
rowspan="2"\| Name ! rowspan="2"\| Album details ! \| Peak chart positions ! rowspan="2"\| Certification
style="font-size:smaller;" ! style="width:40px;"\| AUS {{cite book\|last=Ryan\|first=Gavin\|title=Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010\|year=2011\|publisher=Moonlight Publishing\|location=Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia\|edition=pdf}}
scope="row" \| The Brown Album \| Released: December 1995 Label: Mushroom Records (D98019) Format: 2xCD \| 17 \| ARIA: Gold
scope="row" \| Poop Chute \| Released: November 1996 Label: Mushroom (D98023) Format: 2xCD \| 10 \| ARIA: Gold
scope="row" \| Eat Your Peas \| Released: November 1998 Label: Mushroom (MUSH33184.2) Format: 2xCD \| 27 \| ARIA: Platinum

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

rowspan="2"| Name

! rowspan="2"| Album details

! | Peak chart positions

! rowspan="2"| Certification

style="font-size:smaller;"

! style="width:40px;"| AUS
{{cite book|last=Ryan|first=Gavin|title=Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010|year=2011|publisher=Moonlight Publishing|location=Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia|edition=pdf}}

scope="row" | The Brown Album

Released: December 1995
Label: Mushroom Records (D98019)
Format: 2xCD

| 17

ARIA: Gold

scope="row" | Poop Chute

Released: November 1996
Label: Mushroom (D98023)
Format: 2xCD

| 10

ARIA: Gold

scope="row" | Eat Your Peas

Released: November 1998
Label: Mushroom (MUSH33184.2)
Format: 2xCD

| 27

ARIA: Platinum

Awards

=ARIA Music Awards=

The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music. Martin/Molloy won three awards, all in the category of ARIA Award for Best Comedy Release.{{cite web|url=http://www.ariaawards.com.au/history/award/Best-Comedy-Release|title=ARIA Awards Best Comedy Release|publisher=Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA)|access-date=4 August 2020}}

| 1996

| The Brown Album

| rowspan="3"| ARIA Award for Best Comedy Release

| {{won}}

| 1997

| Poop Chute

| {{won}}

| 1999

| Eat Your Peas

| {{won}}

Video/DVD only release

Shonky Golf (1999) – Himself (also writer, director, producer)

References

External links

{{IMDb name|0597124}}
[http://www.webwombat.com.au/entertainment/movies/boytown-int.htm Interview : Web Wombat Movie Channel]
[http://www.smh.com.au/news/tv--radio/the-many-faces-of-mick/2005/10/31/1130720460120.html The many faces of Mick] Sydney Morning Herald

Category:1966 births

Category:Australian male film actors

Category:Australian male television actors

Category:Australian television presenters

Category:Living people

Category:ARIA Award winners

Category:Triple M presenters

Category:Australian male comedians

Category:Comedians from Melbourne

Category:Male actors from Canberra

Category:People from Mornington Peninsula

Category:Comedians from Canberra

Category:People educated at Peninsula Grammar