1975

I'm going to start a thread devoted to working out the hosts for shows from 1975. I've found information from researching old Melbourne Age newspapers. The Melbourne Age was pretty good, in the early days, of naming the hosts/guest acts of upcoming shows for the weekend. Toward the end of the decade however, there was much less information about each show. They just had a generic comment for Countdown virtually every week.

Anyway, I was hoping that, together, we could all research what we can to help fill in the gaps. I know university libraries, state libraries and other institutes around the country have extensive collections (mainly electronic) of newspapers going back to the 70s. Perhaps there is information in newspapers other than the Melbourne Age that contain the information we need.

Worth a try, don't you think? I welcome any additions or corrections.

01/03/75 – John Farnham (Source: Rage)
09/03/75 – Shirley Strachan (Source: Melbourne Age TV Guide)
16/03/75 – Denise Drysdale (Source: Melbourne Age TV Guide)
23/03/75 – Daryl Braithwaite (Source: Melbourne Age TV Guide)
30/03/75 – John Farnham (Source: Melbourne Age TV Guide)

06/04/75 – John Farnham (Source: Melbourne Age TV Guide)
13/04/75 – Grant Goldman (Source: Melbourne Age TV Guide)
20/04/75 – Ray Burgess (Source: Melbourne Age TV Guide)
27/04/75 – Stevie Wright (Source: Melbourne Age TV Guide)

04/05/75 – Greg Evans (Source: Melbourne Age TV Guide)
11/05/75 – John English (Source: Melbourne Age TV Guide)
18/05/75 – Garth Porter (Source: Melbourne Age TV Guide)
25/05/75 – Denise Drysdale (Source: Melbourne Age TV Guide)

01/06/75 – Adam Faith (Source: Melbourne Age TV Guide)
08/06/75 – Ronnie Burns (Source: Melbourne Age TV Guide)
15/06/75 – Graham Berry (Source: Melbourne Age TV Guide)
22/06/75 – John Paul Young (Source: Melbourne Age TV Guide)
29/06/75 – Bob Hudson (Source: Melbourne Age TV Guide)

06/07/75 – Chuck McKinney (Source: Melbourne Age TV Guide)
13/07/75 –
20/07/75 – Jim Keys (Source: Melbourne Age TV Guide)
27/07/75 – Jeff Duff (Source: Melbourne Age TV Guide)

03/08/75 – Ray Burgess (Source: Melbourne Age TV Guide)
10/08/75 –
17/08/75 – Bongo Starkie (Source: Melbourne Age TV Guide)
24/08/75 - Sherbet Special (Source: Melbourne Age TV Guide)
31/08/75 - Sherbet (Source: Rage)

07/09/75 – Marty Rhone (Source: Rage)
14/09/75 – Bon Scott (Source: Melbourne Age TV Guide)
21/09/75 –
28/09/75 –

05/10/75 – John Paul Young (Source: Melbourne Age TV Guide)
12/10/75 – Ray Burgess (Source: Melbourne Age TV Guide)
19/10/75 – Glenn Shorrock (Source: Melbourne Age TV Guide)
26/10/75 – Andy Gibb (Source: Melbourne Age TV Guide)

02/11/75 – Peter Cupples (Source: Melbourne Age TV Guide)
09/11/75 –
16/11/75 – Ray Burgess (Source: Melbourne Age TV Guide)
23/11/75 – Marty Rhone (Source: Melbourne Age TV Guide)
30/11/75 – John Paul Young (Source: Melbourne Age TV Guide)

07/12/75 – S. Strachan & D. Braithwaite (Source: Melbourne Age TV Guide)
14/12/75 - Test Cricket – Third Test WACA (Source: Melbourne Age TV Guide)
21/12/75 –
28/12/75 –
30/12/75 – Molly Meldrum - Sherbet Special (Source: Rage)

Thought I'd post a TV Guide clipping ...

March 16, 1975 - hosted by Denise Drysdale

March 1st, 1975 (The Age: 28th February) - hosted by John Farnham

March 23, 1975 - host Daryl Braithwaite

6th April, 1975 - host John Farnham.

20th April, 1975 - Ray Burgess as host.

27th April, 1975 - hosted by Stevie Wright

4th May, 1975 - hosted by Greg Evans

Must have been one of his first 'on camera' appearances in in itself!

11th May, 1975 - presented by John English

18th May, 1975 - hosted by Garth Porter

Those eps would be great to add to my collection. I love all 70s countdown

Isn't it great to see what acts were on from weeks to week? How good would it be if someone had heaps of these stored away somewhere, and they emerged for us all to enjoy one day? I prefer 80s music, but the videos of the 70s music stick in my mind because I have older brothers, and they watched it religiously each week. It rubbed off onto me.

25th May, 1975 - hosted by Denise Drysdale (Source: The Age)

1st June, 1975 - hosted by Adam Faith (Source: The Age)

8th June, 1975 - hosted by Ronnie Burns



(Source: The Age)

15th June, 1975 - hosted by Graham Berry



(Source: The Age)

22nd June, 1975 - hosted by John Paul young



(Source: The Age)

29th June, 1975 - hosted by Bob Hudson



(Source: The Age)

6th July, 1975 - hosted by Chuck McKinney



(Source: The Age)

13th July, 1975 - host unknown



(Source: The Age)

20th july, 1975 - hosted by Jim Keays



(Source: The Age)

27th July, 1975 - hosted by Jeff Duff



(Source: The Age)

3rd August - Ray Burgess hosts



(Source: The Age)

10th August, 1975 - host unknown



(Source: The Age)

31st August, 1975 - hosted by Daryl Braithwaite



(Source: The Age)

7th September, 1975 - hosted by Marty Rhone



(Source: The Age)

14th September, 1975 - hosted by Bon Scott



(Source: The Age)

21st September, 1975 - host unknown



(Source: The Age)

28th September, 1975 - host unknown



(Source: The Age)

5th October, 1975 - hosted by John Paul Young


(Source: The Age)




12th October, 1975 - hosted by Ray Burgess


(Source: The Age)




19th October, 1975 - hosted by Glenn Shorrock


(Source: The Age)




26th October, 1975 - hosted by Andy Gibb


(Source: The Age)

2nd November, 1975 - host Peter Cupples


(Source: The Age)

9th November, 1975 - host unknown


(Source: The Age)

16th November, 1975 - host Ray Burgess


(Source: The Age)

23rd November, 1975 - host Marty Rhone


(Source: The Age)

7th December, 1975 - hosted by Shirley Strachan & Daryl Braithwaite


(Source: The Age)



30th December, 1977 - hosted by Molly Meldrum (repeat of Sherbet Special - Source:Rage, ABC)


(Source: The Age)

Well, that's it ... January through to December of TV listings for Countdown in 1975. I'll keep looking, and I hope you guys can help fill some gaps. The Age was obviously my main source of information for two reasons. It provides excellent detail much of the time, which other papers don't seem to do as well. Secondly, it is easily found online, as opposed to physically attending state libraries. That may be my next port of call. Anyway, I look forward to any further contributions you guys might have to help out. Cheers.