Mike McColl Jones | |
---|---|
Born | Kew, Victoria, Australia | 12 August 1937
Died | 11 March 2024 86) | (aged
Occupation | television comedy writer |
Known for | Writing material for variety TV programs particularly those aired on Melbourne's GTV-9 |
Television | In Melbourne Tonight |
Michael McColl-Jones OAM [1] (12 August 1937 − 11 March 2024) [2] [3] was an Australian television comedy writer.
He is best remembered for his association with television personalities such as Graham Kennedy, Don Lane and Bert Newton. [4] [5]
McColl-Jones attended Xavier College in Melbourne where he excelled at tennis. [6] [7] He attended the school at the same time as Philip Brady. [7]
McColl-Jones left school in 1956 and joined Myer as a salesman. When television started in Melbourne, McColl-Jones began submitting jokes to In Melbourne Tonight which were regularly used by Graham Kennedy. [7] Despite McColl-Jones' contributions, an offer of permanent work wasn't made until 1963 when GTV-9's general manager Colin Bednall offered him permanent work. [7]
His father Hector died in 1963 at the age of 57 from a form of leukemia. [7]
Throughout his career, McColl-Jones wrote for In Melbourne Tonight , The Graham Kennedy Show , The Don Lane Show , The Bert Newton Show , The Ernie Sigley Show , The Peter Couchman Show , Blankety Blanks , Hey Hey It's Saturday and Tonight Live with Steve Vizard . [6] He also wrote for Joan Rivers and a number of Royal Command Performances. [6] [8] [9]
When In Melbourne Tonight was revived in 1996, McColl-Jones again wrote jokes for the show, this time hosted by Frankie J. Holden. [7]
However, it was his association with Kennedy that McColl-Jones is arguably best known for, having written jokes for Kennedy from 1958 to 1975. [6]
McColl-Jones wrote a number of books throughout his career including My Funny Friends in 1979, And now, here's... in 1999 and Graham Kennedy Treasures: Friends remember the King in 2008. [10] [11] [4] [12]
In the 2017 Queen's Birthday Honours, McColl-Jones received a Medal of the Order of Australia in recognition of his service to the performing arts as a comedy writer for television. [13]
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