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Zig and Zag (Australian performers)
Encyclopedia
Zig and Zag – in real life Jack Perry (born 1917) and Doug McKenzie (c. 1917 – 4 August 2004) – were a clown duo who appeared on Australian television
from 1956 to 1969 in Melbourne, beginning with Peters Fun Fair. They featured on the annual Moomba
parade and were regulars at the Good Friday Appeal
for the Royal Children's Hospital
.
In March 1999, the duo split after it was revealed that Perry had been convicted of indecent assault
of his granddaughter.
McKenzie, a former prisoner of war at Changi
, died in August 2004.
. This led to Zig and Zag regularly appearing on a Saturday morning children's show with Frank Thring Snr. They worked alongside disc jockey Stan Rofe
and Newton. In March 1956, they drove a toy car at their first Moomba
parade and were crowd favourites at the annual festival. On 10 November, local TV station HSV7 broadcast the first episode of Peters Fun Fair, with the duo as its stars, it was the first children's session televised in Australia. They dressed in costumes advertising Peters Ice Cream
, with the slogan, "the health food of a nation", and used the catchphrase "No-o-o trouble". Zig and Zag added their theme song, "You and Me", to their act in the late 1950s. Written by Tommy Steele
, it was originally performed by Steele and Jimmy Edwards
in the 1958 London pantomime
production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella. Peters Fun Fair also featured Roy Lyons as Cousin Roy and continued for 13 years.
To the TV generation of impressionable children, they are remembered as the slightly naughty duo who broke the King Street Bridge
: after a structural failure in July 1962 they filmed a segment for their show where they dropped a coconut and pretended to crack the bridge accidentally.
Zig and Zag appeared on the annual HSV7 Good Friday Appeal
, a telethon for Royal Children's Hospital
, for more than forty years.
In February 1999, Zig and Zag were named as Moomba Monarchs, a festival that they had been associated with for 44 years, but they were stood down before being crowned in March. Revelations of Perry's indecent assaults on his granddaughter, from his 1994 trial, were broadcast on current affairs show Today Tonight
. Since the duo's act was always aimed at children, it was irreparably ruined, and after the scandal, the pair never spoke to each other.
at Changi
in World War II
. Whilst appearing on-air as Zag, he also produced many programs for HSV7, including Club 7, Hold Everything and Junior Jamboree. In 2002, McKenzie was the inaugural recipient of Variety's Heart of Show Business Award. Doug Christie, chairman of Variety, the children's charity, said Mr McKenzie was awarded for his long service to Melbourne's entertainment industry and his commitment to children's charity. McKenzie died in August 2004, aged 87.
Jack Perry, born in 1917, made many TV appearances outside his Zig character, including as an actor in drama series such as Homicide, Division 4
(1970), Matlock Police
(1971) and Prisoner
(in nine episodes from 1979 to 1985). He had a supporting role in the feature film, Dimboola
(1979). Perry appeared in 1997 TV series, State Coroner
. In November 2006, it was reported that Perry had died in April, with furniture marked "Heritage" and "Once belonged to Zig the Clown" being sold by the Salvation Army
's South Melbourne store.
and Molly Meldrum were announced as Queen and King of Moomba.
In 2011, paedophile allegations against Roy Lyons dating back to the 1960s were revealed by Derryn Hinch.
Australian television
Television in Australia began experimentally as early as 1929 in Melbourne with stations 3DB and 3UZ using the Radiovision system by Gilbert Miles and Donal McDonald, and later from other locations, such as Brisbane in 1934....
from 1956 to 1969 in Melbourne, beginning with Peters Fun Fair. They featured on the annual Moomba
Moomba
Moomba is Australia's largest free community festival and one of the longest running festivals in Australia. Held annually in the city of Melbourne, Australia, Moomba is celebrated during the Labour Day long weekend , and has been celebrated since 1955...
parade and were regulars at the Good Friday Appeal
Good Friday Appeal
The Good Friday Appeal is a fundraising activity on behalf of the Royal Children's Hospital, in Melbourne, Australia. In 2010, the appeal raised A$14,462,000....
for the Royal Children's Hospital
Royal Children's Hospital
The Royal Children's Hospital is a major children's hospital in Melbourne, Australia.As the major paediatric hospital in Victoria, the Royal Children's Hospital and offers a full range of clinical services, tertiary care and health promotion and prevention programs for children and adolescents...
.
In March 1999, the duo split after it was revealed that Perry had been convicted of indecent assault
Indecent assault
Indecent assault is an offence of aggravated assault in many jurisdictions. It is characterised as a sex crime.Indecent assault was an offence in England and Wales under sections 14 and 15 the Sexual Offences Act 1956...
of his granddaughter.
McKenzie, a former prisoner of war at Changi
Changi
Changi is an area at the eastern end of Singapore. It is now the site of Singapore Changi Airport/Changi Air Base, Changi Naval Base and is also home to Changi Prison, site of the former Japanese Prisoner of War Camp during World War II which held Allied prisoners captured in Singapore and Malaysia...
, died in August 2004.
History
Zig and Zag were the clown duo of Jack Perry and Doug McKenzie and began performing together in the 1950s in Melbourne. Before 1939, McKenzie was a junior announcer on radio station 3XY. By 1952, he was voicing advertisements dressed as a clown with a young Bert NewtonBert Newton
Albert Watson "Bert" Newton, AM, MBE is an Australian television personality, known for hosting television series such as In Melbourne Tonight, Good Morning Australia and 20 to 1. Newton has also hosted the Logie Awards on numerous occasions through his career.-Early life:Newton was born in...
. This led to Zig and Zag regularly appearing on a Saturday morning children's show with Frank Thring Snr. They worked alongside disc jockey Stan Rofe
Stan Rofe
Stan 'The Man' Rofe was Melbourne's first and most influential rock'n'roll disc jockey. He is remembered as playing the first rock and roll music on Melbourne radio 3KZ in 1956 and as a champion of Australian music, a pioneer who played songs other DJs were too scared to play.-Career:Stan Rofe...
and Newton. In March 1956, they drove a toy car at their first Moomba
Moomba
Moomba is Australia's largest free community festival and one of the longest running festivals in Australia. Held annually in the city of Melbourne, Australia, Moomba is celebrated during the Labour Day long weekend , and has been celebrated since 1955...
parade and were crowd favourites at the annual festival. On 10 November, local TV station HSV7 broadcast the first episode of Peters Fun Fair, with the duo as its stars, it was the first children's session televised in Australia. They dressed in costumes advertising Peters Ice Cream
Peters Ice Cream
Peters Ice Cream is an Australian ice cream brand developed by American expatriate Fred Peters in 1907, using his mother's recipe. The company was established in Redfern, Sydney as the Peters' American Delicacy Company...
, with the slogan, "the health food of a nation", and used the catchphrase "No-o-o trouble". Zig and Zag added their theme song, "You and Me", to their act in the late 1950s. Written by Tommy Steele
Tommy Steele
Tommy Steele OBE , is an English entertainer. Steele is widely regarded as Britain's first teen idol and rock and roll star.-Singer:...
, it was originally performed by Steele and Jimmy Edwards
Jimmy Edwards
Jimmy Edwards DFC was an English comedic script writer and comedy actor on both radio and television, best known as Pa Glum in Take It From Here and as the headmaster 'Professor' James Edwards in Whack-O!-Biography:...
in the 1958 London pantomime
Pantomime
Pantomime — not to be confused with a mime artist, a theatrical performer of mime—is a musical-comedy theatrical production traditionally found in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Jamaica, South Africa, India, Ireland, Gibraltar and Malta, and is mostly performed during the...
production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella. Peters Fun Fair also featured Roy Lyons as Cousin Roy and continued for 13 years.
To the TV generation of impressionable children, they are remembered as the slightly naughty duo who broke the King Street Bridge
King Street Bridge (Melbourne)
The King Street Bridge takes King Street over the Yarra River in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The bridge continues south as an elevated viaduct, with the Crown Casino and Entertainment Complex built around it in later years.-History:...
: after a structural failure in July 1962 they filmed a segment for their show where they dropped a coconut and pretended to crack the bridge accidentally.
Zig and Zag appeared on the annual HSV7 Good Friday Appeal
Good Friday Appeal
The Good Friday Appeal is a fundraising activity on behalf of the Royal Children's Hospital, in Melbourne, Australia. In 2010, the appeal raised A$14,462,000....
, a telethon for Royal Children's Hospital
Royal Children's Hospital
The Royal Children's Hospital is a major children's hospital in Melbourne, Australia.As the major paediatric hospital in Victoria, the Royal Children's Hospital and offers a full range of clinical services, tertiary care and health promotion and prevention programs for children and adolescents...
, for more than forty years.
In February 1999, Zig and Zag were named as Moomba Monarchs, a festival that they had been associated with for 44 years, but they were stood down before being crowned in March. Revelations of Perry's indecent assaults on his granddaughter, from his 1994 trial, were broadcast on current affairs show Today Tonight
Today Tonight
Today Tonight is a controversial Australian News and Current Affairs program, produced by the Seven Network and shown weeknightly at in direct competition with rival Nine Network program A Current Affair....
. Since the duo's act was always aimed at children, it was irreparably ruined, and after the scandal, the pair never spoke to each other.
Members
Doug McKenzie (Zag) (c. 1917 – 4 August 2004) had been a prisoner of warPrisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
at Changi
Changi
Changi is an area at the eastern end of Singapore. It is now the site of Singapore Changi Airport/Changi Air Base, Changi Naval Base and is also home to Changi Prison, site of the former Japanese Prisoner of War Camp during World War II which held Allied prisoners captured in Singapore and Malaysia...
in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Whilst appearing on-air as Zag, he also produced many programs for HSV7, including Club 7, Hold Everything and Junior Jamboree. In 2002, McKenzie was the inaugural recipient of Variety's Heart of Show Business Award. Doug Christie, chairman of Variety, the children's charity, said Mr McKenzie was awarded for his long service to Melbourne's entertainment industry and his commitment to children's charity. McKenzie died in August 2004, aged 87.
Jack Perry, born in 1917, made many TV appearances outside his Zig character, including as an actor in drama series such as Homicide, Division 4
Division 4
Division 4 was an Australian television police drama series made by Crawford Productions for the Nine Network between 1969 and 1975 for 300 episodes....
(1970), Matlock Police
Matlock Police
Matlock Police was an Australian television police drama series made by Crawford Productions for the 0-10 Network between 1971 and 1975....
(1971) and Prisoner
Prisoner (TV series)
Prisoner is an Australian television soap opera which was set in the Wentworth Detention Centre, a fictional women's prison. The series was produced by the Reg Grundy Organisation and ran on Network Ten for 692 episodes from 27 February 1979 to 11 December 1986.The series was inspired by the 1970s...
(in nine episodes from 1979 to 1985). He had a supporting role in the feature film, Dimboola
Dimboola (film)
Dimboola is a 1979 Australian independent film about a country wedding reception. It is based on the 1969 play of the same name by Jack Hibberd and was principally filmed on location in Dimboola, Victoria.-Cast:* Max Gillies* Natalie Bate* Bill Garner...
(1979). Perry appeared in 1997 TV series, State Coroner
State Coroner (TV series)
State Coroner was an Australian television series screened on Network Ten in 1997 and 1998. There were two series produced with a total of 29 episodes. The series was set in the State Coroner's office complex and featured investigations into deaths, murders, suicides, accidents and natural causes...
. In November 2006, it was reported that Perry had died in April, with furniture marked "Heritage" and "Once belonged to Zig the Clown" being sold by the Salvation Army
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
's South Melbourne store.
Child sex abuse scandal
In March 1999, Zig and Zag stood down from the Moomba festival after they had been announced as Moomba Monarchs. It was disclosed that, in 1994, at Heidelberg Magistrates' Court, Perry had "pleaded guilty to seven counts of unlawful indecent assault against his granddaughter", Debra Clark, which had occurred "from the age of 12, between 1979 and 1981, while she lived with her grandparents". In 1999, other allegations of indecent assault of children also surfaced. Clark revealed that she had been indecently assaulted, by Perry, during an interview on television current affairs show, Today Tonight just before Perry (as Zig) with McKenzie (as Zag), were due to be crowned. The Moomba committee was devastated, and announced that there would be no replacement for the duo. Subsequent festivals had no monarch until 2010 when Kate CeberanoKate Ceberano
Kate Ceberano is an Australian singer. She achieved success in the soul, jazz and pop genres as well as in her brief forays into musicals with Jesus Christ Superstar and film...
and Molly Meldrum were announced as Queen and King of Moomba.
In 2011, paedophile allegations against Roy Lyons dating back to the 1960s were revealed by Derryn Hinch.