Jimmy Hannan (25 August 1937 – 7 January 2019) was an Australian radio and television personality, variety show host, singer, entertainer and game show host of the 1960s and 1970s. One of the pioneers of television, he appeared regularly on variety show In Melbourne Tonight, and later hosted his own musical variety show Jimmy, later called Tonight with Jimmy Hannan.[1] Hannan hosted music show Saturday Date from 1963 until 1967, which featured such performers as Billy Thorpe and Olivia Newton-John. He won the 1965 Gold Logie award for most popular personality on Australian television.[2]

Jimmy Hannan
Born(1937-08-25)25 August 1937
Died7 January 2019(2019-01-07) (aged 84)
Occupations
  • Television personality
  • radio personality
  • singer
  • entertainer
  • variety and game show host
Years active1956−1984
ChildrenMark Hannan, Melissa Hannan, Vanessa Hannan, Emily Gillman
AwardsGold Logie (1965)

Early life and career

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Hannan had his start musically performing in a big-band. As a teen idol, he often performed with people such as Johnny Devlin and Little Pattie. He released the single "Beach Ball", originally recorded by the City Surfers, in 1963. The song was written by Roger McGuinn who went on to become a member of the Byrds. The single reached number No. 2 on the local charts and featured the Bee Gees as backing vocalists.[2] He worked on radio in Melbourne at 3UZ and at 2GB Sydney. He hosted game shows including Name That Tune and Celebrity Squares.[citation needed]

Personal life

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Hannan was married to Joanne Goode and had four children, including actress and model Melissa Hannan who won the Miss Australia title in 1981 and was also in the Miss World competition held in London. He left the show business industry in 1984, Hannan died on 7 January 2019, aged 84, from cancer in Bellingen, New South Wales.[3]

Filmography

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Year Title Role
1956 Name That Tune (TV series)
1962 Say When!! (TV series) Host
1966 Jimmy (TV music variety show) (also later known as Tonight with Jimmy Hannan) Host
1967 The Go!! Show (TV music series)
1967 Take a Letter (TV series)
1969 The Johnny Farnham special (TV special) Host
1970 In Melbourne Tonight (TV series) Host
1963-1970 Bandstand (TV series) Singer
1971 The 13th annual TV Week Logie Awards Himself- presenter
1971 Spending Spree (TV series) Host
1972 Matt Flinders (TV series) Host
1972 Split Second (TV series) Host
1974 Ted Hamiltons Musical World (TV series) Himself
1974 The Ernie Sigley Show (TV series) Himself
1972-1975 The Graham Kennedy Show (TV series) Himself
1975 Something Special (TV series) Himself
1975-1976 Celebrity Squares (TV series) Host
1979 The Magic of Cole Porter Special (TV special)
1981 Search for a Star (TV series) Host

Actor

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Year Title Role
1976 The Sentimental Bloke (TV movie) Ginger Mick

Soundtrack

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Year Title
1970 In Melbournre Tonight (see above) 1 episode (14 May) - Performer
-"Soon It's Gonna Rain
-The "In" Crowd"
1974 The Ernie Sigley Show (see above) 4 episodes - Performer
-"The Greatest Show on Earth"
-"Watching Scotty Grow"
-"Song Sung Blue", "Cracklin' Rose"
-"Name"
1972-1975 "The Graham Kennedy Show" (TV series) 10 episodes - Performer
-"Once in a Lifetime"
-"If You Go Away (Ne me quitte pas)"
-"Cabaret"
-"(I Don't Know Why) But I Do"
-"Personality"
-"Get Down"
-"And I Love You So"
-"Welcome Home". "Country Boy"
-"You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'"
-"Beer Barrel Polka"

Discography

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List of EPs
Title Album details
Jimmy Hannan Sings
  • Released: 1963
  • Format: LP
  • Label: Reg Grundy (RGX-10,694)
Hokey Pokey Stomp And Beach Ball
  • Released: 1964
  • Format: LP
  • Label: Reg Grundy (RGX-10,829)
It's a Cotton Candy World
  • Released: 1965
  • Format: LP
  • Label: Reg Grundy (RGX-10,992)
Jimmy Hannan
  • Released: 1973
  • Format: LP
  • Label: Fable (FBEP-167)

Singles

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List of singles, with selected chart positions
Year Title Peak chart
positions
AUS
[4]
1963 "Beach Ball"/"You Gotta Have Love" -
1964 "Little Latin Lupe Lu"/"You Guessed It" -
"Hokey Pokey Stomp"/"You Make Me Happy" 50
"It's a Cotton Candy World"/"Come Out Dancin'" -
1965 "See That Girl"/"In My Imagination" -
1966 "Gloria"/"Young" -
1968 "The Lady Came from Baltimore"/"You Can't Do That" -
1970 "Curly"/"Sheila Anne" 49
"Thanks"/"Anything Could Happen" -
1971 "Money Money"/"Little Girl" -
1972 "May Each Day"/"Together Forever" -
1975 "Chang the Magic Dragon" 49
"Sail Away"/"Wooden Heart" -
1979 "Crazy Signs"/"Bon Appetit" -

References

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  1. ^ "0, those were the days". The Age. 19 August 2004. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
  2. ^ a b "Jimmy Hannan: a winning smile". NFSA. 28 November 2016. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
  3. ^ "Gold Logie TV icon Jimmy Hannan dies at the age of 84". www.news.com.au.
  4. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 133. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
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