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Toni Lamond’s ‘curtain call’ on ABC

Showbiz royalty steps in front of the cameras one last time, for The Recording Studio.

Australian showbiz royalty, Toni Lamond, will step out of retirement to make an appearance on ABC’s The Recording Studio.

86 year old Lamond, who is also Helen Reddy’s sister, has starred in Australian productions of Annie Get Your Gun, Oliver!, The Pyjama Game and Gypsy: A Musical Fable.

Noel Ferrier once nicknamed her “Lolly-Legs” Lamond during In Melbourne Tonight, for having the ‘second-best pair of legs in television.’ She later compered her own IMT becoming the first woman in the world to compere a variety television show.

Tragically, in 1966 her husband took his own life while she was performing Oliver! Producers made her perform the night after his funeral.  Toni then raised her son and performer Tony Sheldon on her own.

But never had the chance to record. ‘As Long As He Needs Me’.

On The Recording Studio next week music producer Mark Opitz oversees a 35-piece orchestra at the Eugene Goossens Hall, which ABC notes is “this stage and screen legend’s curtain call.”

The episode also features 15-year-old singer Sam Sargood, who lives on a remote 21,000-acre cattle property 860km north-west of Brisbane.

8pm Tuesday May 7 on ABC.

Lifeline 13 11 14
Beyond Blue 1300 22 46 36

9 Responses

  1. Absolutely Brilliant program!
    I admit I watched for Toni Lamond (who was Brilliant, as always), but Sam is certain to be a Star.
    I loved the whole idea of this show! Wonderful!

  2. Since The Dinah Shore Show ran on NBC in the US from 1951 to 1957 – which means it started six years before the first television broadcast in Australia – I think we can be reasonably certain that Toni Lamond was not the first woman in the world to compere a TV variety show!

      1. I think Toni herself used to make the claim about being the first female host of a “tonight” show format, which is not strictly the same (I guess) to a broader variety show format. It’s a claim that’s probably never been thoroughly tested.

        1. Toni claimed to be the first woman to host – in Australia – a TV show of the “tonight” show format. She certainly didn’t claim to be the first female variety show host in the world…

          1. Hi all,

            My grandmother worked with and was best friends with Toni’s mother Stella at JC Williamson’s and seeing her tonight made me feel that I would love to contact her. Does anyone know how? Sue

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