1977

I'm going to start a thread devoted to working out the hosts for shows from 1977. 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.

02/01/77 -
09/01/77 – John Paul Young & Molly Meldrum Top 100: 50-33 (Source: Rage)
16/01/77 – John Paul Young & Molly Meldrum Top 100: 32-17 (Source: Rage)
23/01/77 – John Paul Young & Molly Meldrum Top 100: 16-1 (Source: Rage)
30/01/77 -

06/02/77 – Shirley Strachan (Source: Melbourne Age TV Guide)
13/02/77 –
20/02/77 - Pu$$yfoot (Source: Melbourne Age TV Guide)
27/02/77 – Jon English (Source: Melbourne Age TV Guide)

06/03/77 – Gary Twinn (Source: Melbourne Age TV Guide)
13/03/77 – Marcia Hines (Source: Melbourne Age TV Guide)
20/03/77 – Alice Cooper/Glenn Shorrock (Source: Melbourne Age TV Guide)
27/03/77 – Frankie J Holden (Source: Melbourne Age TV Guide)

03/04/77 – Leo Sayer (UK) JPY & Daryl Braithwaite (Source: Rage)
10/04/77 – Gary Twinn (Source: Melbourne Age TV Guide)
17/04/77 – Shaun Cassidy (Source: Melbourne Age TV Guide)
24/04/77 –

01/05/77 – Norman Gunston (Source: Melbourne Age TV Guide)
08/05/77 – Shirley Strachan (Source: Melbourne Age TV Guide)
15/05/77 – Daryl Braithwaite (Source: Melbourne Age TV Guide)
22/05/77 – John Paul Young (Source: Melbourne Age TV Guide)
29/05/77 – Ted Mulry (Source: Melbourne Age TV Guide)

05/06/77 -
12/06/77 -
19/06/77 - Marcia Hines (Source: Melbourne Age TV Guide)
26/06/77 – Marc Hunter (Source: Melbourne Age TV Guide)

03/07/77 – Jon English (Source: Rage)
10/07/77 – Shirley Strachan (Source: Melbourne Age TV Guide)
17/07/77 -
24/07/77 -
31/07/77 -

07/08/77 -
14/08/77 – Albie Donnelly (Source: Melbourne Age TV Guide)
21/08/77 – Daryl Braithwaite (Source: Melbourne Age TV Guide)
28/08/77 -

04/09/77 – Stuart Kerrison (Source: Melbourne Age TV Guide)
11/09/77 – Peter Allen (Source: Melbourne Age TV Guide)
18/09/77 –
25/09/77 –

02/10/77 –
09/10/77 –
16/10/77 –
23/10/77 –
30/10/77 – Red Symons (Source: Melbourne Age TV Guide)

06/11/77 – Graham Bonnet (Source: Melbourne Age TV Guide)
13/11/77 – Marc Holden (Source: Rage)
20/11/77 –
27/11/77 –

04/12/77 – Marc Hunter (Source: Melbourne Age TV Guide)
11/12/77 –
17/12/77 –
24/12/77 – Molly Meldrum – Christmas Special (Source: Rage)

20 February, 1977 - hosted by Pu$$yfoot

One more to fill the spaces ...

January 30, 1977 - Sherbet Special: Around Australia in 80 Days (repeat)

First show for 1977 - 6th February, 1977 - hosted by Shirley Strachan

13th February, 1977 - host unknown.

27th February, 1977 - hosted by Jon English

March 6, 1977 - hosted by Gary Twinn (Supernaut)

13th March, 1977 - hosted by Marcia Hines

20th March, 1977 - Alice Cooper & Glenn Shorrock host the show.

27th March, 1977 - hosted by Frankie J Holden.

10th April, 1977 - hosted by Gary Twinn of Supernaut

17th April, 1977 - Shaun Cassidy as host.

1st May, 1977 - Host Norman Gunston.

8th May, 1977 - hosted by Shirley Strachan

15th May, 1977 - hosted by Daryl Braithwaite

22nd May, 1977 - hosted by John Paul Young

29th May, 1977 - hosted by Ted Mulry

5th June - host unknown. I don't have a clipping from The Age. This one's from The Sydney Morning Herald.



The Sydney Morning Herald isn't much good for details I'm afraid.

26th June, 1977 - hosted by Marc Hunter



(Source: The Age)

3rd July, 1977 - hosted by John English (Source: Rage)

10th July, 1977 - hosted by Shirley Strachan



(Source: The Age)

21st August, 1977 - hosted by Daryl Braithwaite



(Source; The Age)

28th August, 1977 - host unknown



(Source: The Age)

11th September, 1977 - hosted by Peter Allen



(Source: The Age)

25th September, 1977 - host unknown



(Source: The Age)

2nd October, 1977 - host unknown


(Source: The Age)




30th October, 1977 - hosted by Red Symons


(Source: The Age)

6th November, 1977 - Host Graham Bonnet


(Source: The Age)

4th December, 1977 - host Marc Hunter


(Source: The Age)



11th December, 1977 - host unknown


(Source: The Age)

Well, that's it ... January through to December of TV listings for Countdown in 1977. 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.