Italian
Bert Newton è stato un personaggio popolare e durevole nell’industria dell’intrattenimento australiana, con una carriera che si è svolta per più di 60 anni.
Iniziò tutto in una radio di Melbourne nel 1952, prima di passare decine di anni in televisione in tutte e quattro le reti più importanti.
Mentre è probabilmente più conosciuto per le sue collaborazioni in onda con altri intrattenitori come Graham Kennedy e Don Lane, la stella di Newton è brillata anche da sola nella televisione australiana, che lo ha visto vincere il Gold Logie come intrattenitore più popolare per quattro volte.
"Oh, I'm so pleased, it's Bert Newton." "Bert Newton!" "The winner is, Bert Newton!"
Newton vinse 15 premi Logie, tra i quali i quattro Gold Logies, e fu il conduttore dell’evento per un totale di 20 volte.
"Probably thinking to yourself, well, he's now doing morning television, surely death is next." "Molly Meldrum is actually kissing my wife Patti over there. A first for both of them, well there you go."
Quando Bert Newton era in uno studio televisivo, il suo stile era leggero e divertente, anche quando si trovava ad intervistare politici, come l’ex primo ministro Paul Keating.
Bert Newton interviewing former Prime Minister Paul Keating: "Do you sometimes see Bob Hawke as a silly old bugger?" Paul Keating: "No, I think he's a, I think he's an awfully decent chap."
Non solo la sua carriera è stata lunga, lo è stato anche il suo matrimonio con la ex cantante e ballerina Patti McGrath.
Si sposarono nel 1974 e 10.000 fan si assieparono fuori dalla chiesa di Melbourne.
All’inizio degli anni ’90, Newton ebbe seri problemi finanziari a causa della sua dipendenza dal gioco d’azzardo, ma un’incursione nella televisione mattutina l’aiutò a resuscitare la sua carriera e attrarre una pletora di nuovi fan più giovani.
Ha partecipato a programmi TV come In Melbourne Tonight, The Graham Kennedy Show, The Don Lane Show, Good Morning Australia, New Faces, Bert's Family Feud e 20 to 1.
Dopo aver prima conquistato radio e poi televisione, Newton si dedicò per due decenni al teatro.
Il giornalista di spettacolo Peter Ford ha dichiarato che Bert Newton amava i musical.
"He had like a 20 year run of doing these big musical shows, like Beauty and the Beast, or Wicked or the Rocky Horror Show, the Sound of Music and a few others as well and he was a great drawcard to get people into the theatre, people who would not necessarily have been going to the theatre. They wanted to go and see Bert on stage so that was a great sort of side career for him.”
Nel 2006, Newton venne nominato membro dell’Ordine d’Australia per il suo servizio nell’industria dell’intrattenimento e venne nominato Victorian of the Year nel 2008.
Newton negli ultimi dieci anni ha sofferto diversi seri problemi di salute, che lo hanno costretto a farsi amputare una gamba lo scorso maggio a causa di complicazioni per un’infezione ad un dito del piede.
Gli sopravvivono la moglie Patti, i loro due figli e nipoti.
Bert Newton aveva 83 anni.
English
Bert Newton was a popular and enduring figure in Australian showbusiness with a career that spanned more the 60 years.
It all started on Melbourne radio in 1952 before he spent decades on television at all four of the major networks.
While he's perhaps best known for his on-air partnerships with other entertainers such as Graham Kennedy and Don Lane, Newton's own star shone brightly on Australian television which saw him win the Gold Logie for the most popular performer on four occasions.
"Oh, I'm so pleased, it's Bert Newton." "Bert Newton!" "The winner is, Bert Newton!"
Newton won 15 Logie awards, including the four Gold Logies and he hosted the awards a total of 20 times.
"Probably thinking to yourself, well, he's now doing morning television, surely death is next." "Molly Meldrum is actually kissing my wife Patti over there. A first for both of them, well there you go."
When Bert Newton was in a television studio, fun and frivolity was his speciality, even when interviewing politicians, such as former prime minister Paul Keating.
Bert Newton interviewing former Prime Minister Paul Keating: "Do you sometimes see Bob Hawke as a silly old bugger?" Paul Keating: "No, I think he's a, I think he's an awfully decent chap."
While his career was enduring so too was his marriage to former singer and dancer Patti McGrath.
They wed in 1974 and 10,000 fans gathered outside the church in Melbourne.
In the early 1990s, Newton had serious financial problems because of a gambling addiction but a foray into morning television helped to revitalise his career and attract a legion of younger fans.
His TV credits include In Melbourne Tonight, The Graham Kennedy Show, The Don Lane Show, Good Morning Australia, New Faces, Bert's Family Feud and 20 to 1.
Having first conquered radio and then television, Newton had a two decade run in live theatre.
Entertainment reporter Peter Ford says Bert Newton loved musical theatre.
"He had like a 20 year run of doing these big musical shows, like Beauty and the Beast, or Wicked or the Rocky Horror Show, the Sound of Music and a few others as well and he was a great drawcard to get people into the theatre, people who would not necessarily have been going to the theatre. They wanted to go and see Bert on stage so that was a great sort of side career for him."
In 2006, Newton was appointed a member of the Order of Australia for service to the entertainment industry and he was named Victorian of the Year in 2008.
Newton had suffered serious health problems over the past decade, including having one of his legs amputated in May after suffering complications from an infected toe.
He is survived by his wife Patti, their two children and grandchildren.
Bert Newton was 83.
Report by Greg Dyett
