Melbourne University - early 80's
Okay, Let's start with the early 80's. Santo Cilauro, Nick Bufalo, Marg Downey, Tom Gleisner, John Harrison, Rob Sitch, Magda Szubanski and Michael Veitch meet at various times at Melbourne Uni. Tom was also at high school with Santo (Xavier, not Ivanhoe Technical College).
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There is some visual record of their earlier work on the 'D-Generation' DVD, most notably the 'Lawn Warrior' sketch from a 1984 Melbourne Uni law revue. Below are some screen shots from Super 8 footage early 80's Melbourne Uni revue.
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Legal AIDS: No-One Is Immune (Melbourne Uni Law Revue) 1983
The second performance presented by the Melbourne University Revue Group (MURG). The blurb at the time read the "idea was to try and take the university back to the community by showing, in accessible and amusing forms, the attitudes and opinions of students".
Mick Molloy watched on as an audience member, taken to the review by his elder sister Susan.
The Union Theatre was the venue and played from 20/3/1984 to 31/3/1984. I believe the show toured interstate but I cannot confirm this.
Mick Molloy watched on as an audience member, taken to the review by his elder sister Susan.
The Union Theatre was the venue and played from 20/3/1984 to 31/3/1984. I believe the show toured interstate but I cannot confirm this.
Cast: Jane Allen; Richard Aspel; Nick Bufalo; Robert Sitch; Santo Cilauro; Marg Downey; John Harrison; Siobhan Ryan.
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Writers: Trevor Johnson and Paul Caleo.
Other Credits: Music Director: Greg Murray. |
Too Cool For Sandals (Melbourne Uni Union Theatre) 1985
A different combination of performers for the next MURG show the following year, which played from 19/3/1985 - 4/9 1985 at the Union Theatre again.
Cast: Ray Gill, Greg Murray, Magda Szubanski and Michael Veitch. Writers: Nick Buffalo, Santo Cilauro, Brendan Luno, Trevor Johnson, Roger Jones, Peter Lakos, and Paul Katsieris. Music Director: Greg Murray. Lighting: Andrew Edwards. |
The Big Bash Benefit Concert (Melbourne Uni) 31st March 1985 This performance was presented by the MURG at the Union Theatre, and was held to raise money to assist in the refurbishment of the Melbourne University Union Theatre.
Cast: Tom Gleisner, Magda Szubanski, Michael Veitch, Jane Bayly, Ray Gill, Paul Katsieris, and Fiona Skinner. Writers: Santo Cilauro, Nick Buffalo, Brendan Luno, Trevor Johnson, Roger Jones and Peter Lakos. Designers: Paul Katsieris and Paul Monaghan. |
Putting on the Writs (Melbourne Uni) 19th June - 7th July 1985 Two 'firsts' come out of this performance, presented by the Law Students' Society at the Union Theatre. Nicholas Bufalo tries his hand at directing for the first time and this is the first known performance of Mick Molloy.
Cast: Mick Molloy, Peter Baker, Simon Bernard, Andrew Chryss, Anna Lopata, Andrew Maj, Magnus Mansie, Patrizia Mercuri, Andrej Panjkov, Barbara Sungaila, Julie Turner, Roslyn Walker, Cathy Weate. Director: Nicholas Bufalo. |
Rubbery Figures (ABC TV) 1985-1988
The Rubbery Figures programs were made in a small film and puppet studio set up in Melbourne by Peter Nicholson. They were designed to be the equivalent of a political cartoon on television; ... funny, topical, quick, biting, and informed. The programs were shot on film with an ultra-low budget.
The show initially began in 1984 as a weekly satirical segment Friday nights on the ABC and ran for a year and a half. When the show was axed Peter retained the copyrights to the puppets and relaunched the show as a stand-alone six minute program, consisting of six to eight short segments on various themes with numerous puppets in diverse settings. The first three-month series was in 1987, followed by three series in 1988. At the end of 1988 the ABC dropped Rubbery Figures. The gifted Melbourne voice mimic Paul Jennings did virtually all the voices for Rubbery Figures. Steve Vizard commissioned the Rubbery Figures studio to produce segments for his new comedy program Fast Forward during 1989 and 1990, and the John Elliott catchcry "Pigs Arse!" became synonymous with the high profile person to this day. Writers: Tony Martin, Andrew Knight, John Alsop, Paul McDonald, Brendan Luno, David Marshall, Gordon Badham, Steve Vizard, Patrick Cook, Michael Nicholson, Rod Quantok, Alan Pentland, Gary McAffery, John Glade-Wright, Kaz Cooke. Tony states in The Best Bits commentary that he worked with Mary Anne Fahey as writers, but Peter advises me she was a puppeteer. Tony also is credited for sound production. |
D-Generation Pilot (ABC TV) 1985 In Tony Martin’s own words he provides a rundown of the genesis for the D-Generation.
"The ABC filmed a one hour pilot called 'The D-Generation' starring the cast of 'Let’s Talk Backwards'; Rob Sitch, Santo Cilauro, Marg Downey, John Harrison and Nick Bufalo, along with several appearances by Tom Gleisner who had written for that revue. The pilot sat on the shelf for several months, during which time Nick Bufalo was lured away to A Country Practice where as 'Dr Ben Green' he threw that fucking stick across that lake in the opening titles every week for four years". |
While You're Down There (ABC TV) 1986Starring John Alsop, Tom Gleisner, Greg Ham, Richard Stubbs, Linda Hartley, Mark Neal, Gina Riley, and Glenn Robbins. Tom Gleisner and John Alsop were also Head Writers for the show. Six episodes were produced, each 30 minutes duration.
The Gillies Republic (ABC TV) 1986Tony Martin played the Man In Bad Suit in Episode 4 (yet to be confirmed).
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D-Generation (ABC TV) 1986-1987
"In 1986 the ABC commissioned six episodes starring Rob, Santo, Marg and John. Magda and Michael from ‘Too Cool For Sandals’ were called in to replace Nick Bufalo. The ABC were happy enough with the first six to immediately commission another six. Unfortunately they could only afford to make four, so the first series became ten episodes, each 30 minutes duration".
"Although in the opening titles ‘The D-Generation’ were Rob, Santo, Marg, Magda, John and Michael, Tom also appeared in several sketches and the other writers included John Alsop and Andrew Knight. And just to confuse people, several of Nick Bufalo's sketches from the pilot (including ‘Thunderbirds’, the sketch which had been the finale of Let’s Talk Backwards) were sprinkled throughout the ten weeks." – Tony Martin Rob Sitch, Santo Cilauro, Marg Downey, Magda Szubanski, Michael Veitch, and Tom Gleisner. Nick Bufalo and Geoff Paine were also in some sketches. Strangely enough both went into mainstream acting: Nick to A Country Practice and Geoff to Neighbours. Nick Bufalo popped up again in 1999 as a writer for O'Loghlin On Saturday Night (ABC TV). Tony Martin was also in a few sketches in the second season including one where he played the man who invented the shopping trolley, and kept banging into things. His involvement with the show started with the ‘Hijack Bloopers’ sketch, which he wrote in December 1986. After the end of the first series around the middle of 1986, Rob returned to school to complete his medical degree, however he continued to work on sketches for the EON FM Breakfast show, as well as more writing for the second series in 1987. |
Rob continued at medical school throughout the second series and the 1988 specials at Channel 7. “That’s why there’s much less of him in those shows.” – Tony.
Although he appeared in every episode and did some writing, extra hands were needed. Tom was given more to do on screen. Geoff Paine and Jane Turner were given more roles. Tony joined as a writer, “but soon managed to wangle myself choice roles like ‘Waiter 2’ and ‘Price Check Guy’.” – Tony Martin Season 1: Six episodes, 30 minutes duration. Dates unknown Season 2. Six episodes, 30 minutes duration, weekly on Wednesday evenings. 30/4/1987: 7/5/1987: 14/5/1987: 21/5/1987: 28/5/1987: 4/6/87/1987: When the second series finished, a highlights series ‘The Least Worst Of D-Generation’ ran on the ABC (11/6/87 - 2/7/87) Rob rejoined Tony properly at the beginning of 1989 to work on the EON FM Breakfast Show. |
Laminex On The Rocks (Melbourne Uni Revue) 1987
It has been written else where that this performance starred Mick Molloy and Jason Stephens, but this has not been confirmed to date. The information below is from the to the Melbourne Uni database, which also states that "this was a sketch about two daft old right-wing characters. Roslyn Walker's CV for Writer's Grant application to the Theatre Board, dated September 1988, includes a sample of a sketch that she wrote".
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Date: 3/10/1987 - 21/3/1987 (dates possibly incorrect).
Cast: Roslyn Walker and others. Writer: Roslyn Walker. Director: Jon Stephens. |
Hey Hey It's Saturday (Channel 9) 1987 Jason Stephens was a Red Faces contestant in 1987. Various cast members have also appeared on Hey Hey It's Saturday over the years. Rob, Jane and Mick have appeared as guests, usually Red Faces panelists.
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The Gerry Connolly Show
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The Comedy Company (Channel 10) 1988-1991
Starring Mary-Anne Fahey, Ian McFadyen, Kim Gyngell, Mark Mitchell, Glenn Robbins, Tim Smith, Siobhan Tuke, Peter Rowsthorne. Mick Molloy and Jason Stephens in appeared from 1989.
Mick and Jase were writers and performers. They appeared on the garbo sketch, and also in a sketch featuring The Computer Kid (Jason) and Associate Of The Computer Kid (Mick) amongst others.
Mick and Jase were writers and performers. They appeared on the garbo sketch, and also in a sketch featuring The Computer Kid (Jason) and Associate Of The Computer Kid (Mick) amongst others.
Breakfast Show (FOX-FM Melbourne) 1989
Mick was a writer on the show.
D-Generation Breakfast Show (EON-FM / Triple M FM Melbourne) 1987-1992
Here is a summary of the most entertaining five years for radio comedy in Melbourne, which was a fitting prelude to what we were to witness on The Late Show. So lets slow the clock down and step through the next couple of years slowly.
May 1986 - June 1987
Rob, Tom and Santo wrote and recorded ten sketches a week for the John Peters Breakfast Show on EON-FM Melbourne. The very first one broadcast on May 19 1986 is the debut of "Graham and The Colonel". June 1987 though until December 1987 With the second TV series out of the way, Rob, Tom and Santo are asked to join the radio show full time. Rob is unavailable so Tony Martin joins them. Ian "Danno" Rogerson is the host. Michael Veitch joins them all sometime round October. June 1988 - August 1988 Ian Rogerson replaced by announcer Peter O'Callaghan. The team is Tom, Santo, Tony and Michael, with the occasional sketch from Marg and Magda while they are also making the Channel 7 specials. Somewhere around here Jane Kennedy arrives originally from her job as a newsreader. September 1988 Peter O'Callaghan is sacked and Tom, Santo, Tony, Michael and Jane take over the show through to the end of the year. EON-FM became Triple M FM in November 1988. |
January 1989
Rob joins full-time with Tom, Santo, Tony, Michael and Jane, and still with no announcer. Around April, Michael Veitch leaves to join Marg and Magda on Fast Forward. January-December 1990 Announcer Kevin Hillier is brought in to host the show from May 14 while nearly a year is spent at Channel Nine making five rejected pilots for The Late Show. Mick Molloy and Jason Stephens are brought in full-time, to work on both the radio show and the pilots. January-December 1991 The same line-up as in 1990 but there is no television work and the cast focus on their radio show. In summary, the full team from the D-Generation Breakfast Show was Santo Cilauro, Tom Gleisner, Marg Downey (1987-88), Jane Kennedy (newsreader who joins the team 1988-92), Mick Molloy (1990-92), Rob Sitch, Tony Martin, Jason Stephens (1990-92), Magda Szubanski (1987-88) and Michael Veitch (1987-89). During the later half of 1991, Tony and Mick, along with Jason Stephens and John Harrison were presenting "Bulltwang" (see entry below). |
Comedy Spectacular (Melbourne Uni MUST) 8/5/1990
Almost nothing is known about this performance/revue at the Melbourne Uni’s Union Theatre except that it was a one-night-only show with a billing slogan stating “Australia's top comics share the same stage”. The cast known were Rod Quantock and the D-Generation.
Midnight Shenanigans (Le Joke) April 1991
It's the Fifth Melbourne International Comedy Festival and Tony, Mick, Rob, Jason, Jane, Tom and Santo along with John Harrison (by now a lawyer) put on an elaborate stage show called "The D-Generation’s Midnight Shenanigans" at Le Joke. Somewhere around here Judith Lucy starts doing a weekly spot on the radio show.
Bulltwang (Triple M FM, Melbourne) 1991
From September to December 1991, Tony and Mick, along with Jason Stephens and John Harrison host "Bulltwang" a weekly three hour show Sunday nights, which incidentally was a spin-off of the Breakfast show. " Bulltwang" later served as the model for Martin/Molloy. Pete Smith made many guest appearances.
Almost there... January 1992 - April 1992
Rob and Tony leave the radio show to start preparing for The Late Show. Tom, Jane, Santo, Mick, Jason, Judith and Kevin Hillier forge on until April. By now the formula is almost complete. With some behind-the-scenes writing occurring, The Late Show is only months away from our television screens.
Cameo Appearances
The cast have appeared in cameo roles in various television appearances throughout the 80's, leading up to The Late Show. Most of these have not been confirmed.
The Factory (ABC TV, 1987) - Jason Stephens played ‘Laminex on the Rocks’.
Boys From the Bush (1991) - Jane Kennedy played a reporter.
The Big Gig (ABC TV) - Judith Lucy appeared on the show in 1991.
Backstage (1988) - Mick Molloy (uncredited) played an extra in a concert audience.
A Date with Destiny (1990) - Tony Martin played Keith.
The Factory (ABC TV, 1987) - Jason Stephens played ‘Laminex on the Rocks’.
Boys From the Bush (1991) - Jane Kennedy played a reporter.
The Big Gig (ABC TV) - Judith Lucy appeared on the show in 1991.
Backstage (1988) - Mick Molloy (uncredited) played an extra in a concert audience.
A Date with Destiny (1990) - Tony Martin played Keith.