Double act

In Part Two of a two-part interview with TV Tonight, Daryl Somers reflects on his early days with Nine, his creative collaborations and a future without GTV9’s Richmond site.

With Channel Nine signalling a move from its historic Bendigo Street site, this year is likely to be the last one Hey Hey it’s Saturday can call Studio 9 its home.

Daryl Somers’ connection to GTV extends back to 1971 when he was asked to audition for the channel not long after an appearance on New Faces (a show he would eventually produce).

At the time he was studying a presentation course with the great Evie Hayes (Young Talent Time).

“While I was doing a 10 week call with her, she got a call from Ernie Carroll who was Ossie Ostrich. He asked if she had anyone on her books who might be worth auditioning for Cartoon Corner, the afternoon show,” he says.

“So I and some others went to Channel Nine and we had to sit and wait in the canteen until we were called and I remember vividly walking down the corridor and into Studio One, which seemed like a mile away.

“I had to sit at a desk and there was an A4 sheet that said ‘Talk about Popeye, Bugs Bunny, bah, blah, do a Coke ad…’

“So I started taking off Mr. Magoo impressions and then when I did the Coke ad, it didn’t say how to sign off or anything, so I ended up throwing to an imaginary cartoon.

“When I walked out of the studio Ernie walked over and said, ‘Now look, that was quite good… if you were to be successful when would you be able to start?’ I said ‘Tomorrow.'”

Three weeks later he was soon having publicity photos snapped by Nine’s resident photographer Barry Bell and given a contract by Programme Manager Jim McKay.

“There was no negotiation, it was just ‘This is how much we’ll pay you,'” he says.

“I started on July 14 1971, it was very exciting. I have fond memories of that time, and who would have thought nearly 40 years on Ernie is coming back and putting on the (Ossie) arm again? He’ll be 81 next month. I just think it’s very brave for him to be doing that. But he feels rejuvenated by it.”

Ossie Ostrich may not necessarily be appearing for the full 2 hours of weekly Hey Hey shows, but nobody seems to mind.

“He’s like a kid in a candy shop, but we all are. How blessed are we to have an opportunity to do this show again?”

Carroll’s return marks a long-standing collaboration with Somers, cemented with a performer-turned-producer production company that preceded Working Dog, Zapruder’s Other Films and Roving Enterprises.

Across his career Somers has forged several creative partnerships including Gavan Disney and Graeme Trippett.

“Graeme is employed by Somers Carroll as my joint Executive Producer,” he says. “He was production manager at Nine for 25 years, and at Nine for 27 years. So he knows the system really well and got a great feel for television generally. We work really well together. Ernie was my mentor, auditioning me for the job. So I owe him a lot and I love Ernie to death.

“Ernie and Graeme Trippett have been very important to my long-term career, as has Tom Maclean who has been my CEO of Somers Carroll for a long, long time, and a great financial mentor to me. I’m happy working with good people.”

There are also new people working with Somers Caroll. Last week Somers hosted a cocktail party for staff and Nine production personnel, and he says everyone is pumped for the upcoming season.

If the show succeeds and is renewed for 2010 it will also end up at a new studio, potentially delivering the show another new, if enforced, change to its history.

“I think we’ll have to take it as it comes. We’ll just have to embrace change rather than be afraid of it. It’s the same philosophy when we did the reunion shows, there was a choice that I could either embrace the social media or not. And I chose to embrace it,” he says.

“If we can continue Hey Hey after Part 1 for 28 years, and make it into next year then I think we’ll be just so excited.”

Hey Hey it’s Saturday airs 7:30pm Wednesdays on Nine.