Bruce Gyngell (8 July 1929 – 7 September 2000), born in Melbourne, Victoria was a leading Australian television executive. He was the head of many television networks in Australia, including the Nine Network, the Seven Network during the 1970s and also as deputy chairman of Associated TeleVision in the United Kingdom. He was also the first Chief Executive of the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) in Australia during the 1980s. Gyngell also created the Australian Broadcasting Tribunal, the forerunner of the Australian Broadcasting Authority, and was its first Chairman in 1977. In the United Kingdom, he was Managing Director at TV-am between 1984 and 1993, and Yorkshire Television (which by then had become "Yorkshire-Tyne Tees Television" after taking over Tyne Tees Television).
Gyngell's media career began in the record industry, in the mid-1950s, when he was hired by Australian label Festival Records. He was soon poached by Sir Frank Packer, who hired him to assist in the establishment of TCN-9, Australia's first commercial television station, in 1956. Gyngell is often credited as being the first person to ever appear on Australian television on 16 September 1956 when he spoke the words, 'Good evening, and welcome to television'. However, many people had already appeared in television test broadcasts in Australia prior to Gyngell, including Alan Rowe, comedy duo "Ada & Elsie", "Happy" Hammond, and Graham Kennedy.
Gyngell would repeat his "opening night" words upon the opening of the Special Broadcasting Service in 1980, and again in 1995, when cable television with (Optus Television). He was the founder of the Nine Network's most popular music-variety program, the long-running Bandstand, which Gyngell had adapted from the American program of the same name.
Gyngell died at the age of 71, on 7 September 2000 in Chelsea, London from a cancer-related illness. Upon Gyngell's death, Australian Prime Minister John Howard paid tribute to Gyngell saying, 'It's a big loss to the Australian television industry. In a way, he probably contributed more to the industry than just about any other Australian.' sunday.ninemsn.com.au.
He is the father of designer Briony Gyngell, restaurateur Skye Gyngell and Nine Network CEO David Gyngell, who is married to Leila McKinnon
Filmography
- Name That Tune - (1956)
External links
References
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