Vale Ian Turpie




an week and an half ago Australian entertainment lost one of it's true icons Ian Turpie on Sunday MArch 11th from an year battle with cancer. His career started at the age of 10 studying at the Hector Crawford Drama School and performed in theatre and radio which he gained reconigtion as an juvenille actor performing with Sir Robert Helpmann and June Bronhill as well as featuring in one of the most influentian programs in Australian radio history D24. he was an established performer on stage and radio by the time he was 16 and was in the musicals like bye Bye Birdie,peter PAn, Auntie Mame and others as well as several National Theatre productions like MacBeth. ian also had discovered an passion for music which he played guitar and did singing and songwriting as well. Ian then began doing TV which he did appearences on Bandstand(hosted by brian Henderson), the Graham Kennedy show and Time for Terry and he was in the very first episode of the legendary Australian police drama HOMICIDE called the Stunt which he played Lindsay Murdock an Uni Student who was shot and killed as well as appearing in Consider Your Verdict. Also in 1964 Ian did an stint hosting the Australian music show Sing SIng Sing and in from episode 26 in 1965 until August 1st 1966(episode 100) ian became the host of the popular Teenage show the Go Show on Channel 10 which there is only 2 episodes of Ian hosting survives(episode 97 July 11th 1966 and Episode 100 August 1st 1966 which was Ian's last episode as host)and also Ian did an movie called Funny things Happen Down Under with Olivia Newton John who for an time was his girlfriend. In the 70's He continue doing TV like A Guy Called Athol, the Mike Walsh show, the bert Newton show and others as well as moving to sydney to work in the club circut. In the 1980's Ian became an national star as he hosted the New Price Is Right on Channel 7 from 1981-86 which on 2 Penguin Awards for Best Light ENtertainment in 1982 and 1985 as well as doing Press Your Luck also on Channel 7 from 1987-88 and also hosted Turpie Tonight which he won an Logie. In the 1990's Ian Hosted Supermarket Sweep on Channel 9 from 1992-94 and was on Club Buggery on the ABC and in the 2000's appeared on Always Greener and Swift and Shift Couriers which he played Keith Warne as well as Housos and Pizza. Ian also did charity work including Make A Wish Foundation, Children With Cancer, Merry Makers, Life FOrce and many others and also did an One Man show called from Go to Buggery as well as doing trivia nights. One of Ian's last public appearences was at the Go Show concert last year as he was diganosed with cancer and it's an great loss to Australian entertainment which he made an great impact and may his work live on. he was survived by his wife Jan, 3 children and 3 grandchildren. I had the pleasure of meeting Ian Turpie which was at Seagulls Leagues CLub as part of the Legends of Bandstand show on Friday June 6th 2008 during the Wintersun festival down the Gold Coast and he opened the show which he did an excellent set as well as playing guitar which he did-Jailhouse ROck,Busted,You Don'T Know Me,You Can HAve Her and Johnny be Goode and later back on stage doing I Remember You the 1962 hit for Frank ifield with Little Pattie,Lucky Starr,Warren Williams and Bev Harrell as well as Frank Ifield who hosted the show. After the show met Ian which i got an autograph and an photo which was an Honour and an thrill and even now with the sad news I am very fortunat to have met one of the icons of Australian entertainemnt which it's something I will never forget

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