The Penthouse Club
Encyclopedia
The Penthouse Club was a weekly variety program produced live to air from the studios of HSV-7
Melbourne
from October 10, 1970. It was originally hosted by Michael Williamson
(also a football commentator for HSV) and comedian Mary Hardy.
The program, screening each Saturday night from around 8.30pm (the starting time varied over the years depending on HSV-7's Saturday night VFL
football commitments), was a mix of comedy, light entertainment and live coverage of harness racing
from the RAS Showgrounds and, latterly, Moonee Valley
racecourse. The weekly lottery
draw Tattslotto was incorporated as a segment in the program from around 1972. The Penthouse Club was considered a welcome alternative on Saturday nights which is often regarded as a wasteland of reruns and low-grade movies on other channels. The long-time musical director for the program was Ivan Hutchinson.
In 1978, Williamson was replaced by Ernie Sigley
and the program was re-titled Saturday Night Live (with no relation to the NBC show
) in 1979. Mary Hardy left the program during 1978. The predecessor programs were Sunnyside Up
and Club Seven.
Rival television station ATV-10
attempted to resurrect the format in 1980 with little success.
Also during the 1970s, Adelaide
television station ADS-7 produced their own version of The Penthouse Club with Bob Francis
, Anne Wills and Sandy Roberts
- with the program and presenters winning a number of TV Week Logie Awards for popularity in South Australia
.
HSV-7
HSV is a television station in Melbourne. It is part of the Seven Network, one of the three main commercial television networks in Australia, and its first and oldest station, having been launched in time for the 1956 Summer Olympic Games in Melbourne....
Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
from October 10, 1970. It was originally hosted by Michael Williamson
Mike Williamson (broadcaster)
Mike Williamson OAM is a former Australian television broadcaster.Williamson was a well-performed professional runner. Having been banned from professional foot-running for "running dead", he turned his efforts towards acting as a sports commentator of Australian rules football matches in the...
(also a football commentator for HSV) and comedian Mary Hardy.
The program, screening each Saturday night from around 8.30pm (the starting time varied over the years depending on HSV-7's Saturday night VFL
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
football commitments), was a mix of comedy, light entertainment and live coverage of harness racing
Harness racing
Harness racing is a form of horse racing in which the horses race at a specific gait . They usually pull a two-wheeled cart called a sulky, although racing under saddle is also conducted in Europe.-Breeds:...
from the RAS Showgrounds and, latterly, Moonee Valley
Moonee Valley Racecourse
Moonee Valley Racecourse is a horse-racing track in Melbourne, Australia which hosts races for Thoroughbreds. Located six kilometers from the Melbourne CBD, it is the home of the Moonee Valley Racing Club...
racecourse. The weekly lottery
Lottery
A lottery is a form of gambling which involves the drawing of lots for a prize.Lottery is outlawed by some governments, while others endorse it to the extent of organizing a national or state lottery. It is common to find some degree of regulation of lottery by governments...
draw Tattslotto was incorporated as a segment in the program from around 1972. The Penthouse Club was considered a welcome alternative on Saturday nights which is often regarded as a wasteland of reruns and low-grade movies on other channels. The long-time musical director for the program was Ivan Hutchinson.
In 1978, Williamson was replaced by Ernie Sigley
Ernie Sigley
Ernest William "Ernie" Sigley is an enduring Australian entertainment personality known for his square-rimmed spectacles, the gap between his front teeth and his slapstick approach to comedy.-Radio career:...
and the program was re-titled Saturday Night Live (with no relation to the NBC show
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
) in 1979. Mary Hardy left the program during 1978. The predecessor programs were Sunnyside Up
Sunnyside Up
Sunnyside Up was a weekly variety program produced at HSV-7 Melbourne, during the late 1950s and early 1960s.The program was hosted by Bill Collins, with comedy by Syd Heylen , Honest John Gilbert, Syd Hollister, Maurie Fields and Val Jellay...
and Club Seven.
Rival television station ATV-10
ATV-10
ATV is a television station in Melbourne, Australia, part of Network Ten - one of the three major Australian commercial television networks.-History:...
attempted to resurrect the format in 1980 with little success.
Also during the 1970s, Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
television station ADS-7 produced their own version of The Penthouse Club with Bob Francis
Bob Francis (radio)
Bob Francis is a talk back radio presenter on South Australian radio station 5AA. His program airs between 8pm and 12 midnight weekdays and is rated as Adelaide's most popular talk back program.-Career:...
, Anne Wills and Sandy Roberts
Sandy Roberts
Sandy Roberts is the weeknight sports presenter of Seven News Melbourne.Roberts grew up on a sheep farm in Lucindale, South Australia. After completing school he moved to Adelaide where he worked as a sports writer for the Adelaide Advertiser...
- with the program and presenters winning a number of TV Week Logie Awards for popularity in South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
.