Wikipedia

Reg Grundy

Reginald Roy GrundyAC,OBE(4 August 1923 – 6 May 2016) was an Australian entrepreneur and media mogul, best known for his numerous television productions. He was the producer of various Australian game shows, such asBlankety Blanks(based on a Mark Goodson–Bill Todman production,Match Game) andWheel of Fortune(based on the USMerv Griffinproduction ofthe same name) before later diversifying into soap operas and serials includingPrisoner,The Young Doctors,Sons and DaughtersandNeighbours,the last of which was inducted into theLogie Hall of Famein 2005.

Reg Grundy
ACOBE
Grundy onA Current Affair(2010)
Born
Reginald Roy Grundy

(1923-08-04)4 August 1923
Sydney,Australia
Died6 May 2016(2016-05-06)(aged 92)
Tucker's Town, Bermuda
Alma materUniversity of Queensland
OccupationMedia mogul
Years active1941–2016
Spouses
  • Patricia Lola C Powell
    ​
    ​
    (m.1954, divorced)​
  • ​
    (m.1971)​

Early life

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Reginald Roy Grundy was born on 4 August 1923 inSydney,New South Wales,to Roy Grundy and Lillian Lees.[1][2]Grundy served in theAustralian ArmyduringWorld War IIas a Sergeant stationed in Sydney in the 1 Motor Division Signals. He enlisted in December 1941 and was discharged in August 1946.[3]

Career

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Grundy started his media career as a boxing and general sports commentator for the Sydney radio station2SMin 1947.[4]While he was working at2CHSydney in 1957, Grundy conceived and hosted theWheel of Fortunegame show on radio, which moved toChannel Ninetwo years later.[1]He founded his own production companyReg Grundy Enterprisesin 1960, and began producing game shows for the Australian and overseas market, before eventually branching out into drama in 1973. In 1977, he co-producedABBA: The Movie.[5]

The company produced several successful television soap operas and drama series, includingClass of '74,The Restless Years,The Young Doctors,Prisoner,Glenview High,Sons and DaughtersandNeighbours.[2]Grundy was the first person to sell an Australian drama to America (Prisoner) and the first to sell an Australian quiz show to the UK (Going for Gold).[2]He subsequently started the US-based companyReg Grundy Productions,which produced the 1980sNBCdaytime game showsSale of the CenturyandScrabble,as well asTime Machinefor NBC,Bruce Forsyth's Hot StreakforABC,andScattergories(also for NBC).[2]

The Grundy Organisation was ultimately owned by Grundy Worldwide Ltd, based in thetax havenof Bermuda.[6]In 1995, he sold the Grundy Organisation to the media and publishing companyPearson PLC,nowFremantle,for $386 million.[7]Grundy owned the private media investment company RG Capital, which had shares in several FM radio stations.[7]Grundy also had shares in WAM Capital,Austereo,Argus Solutions and Photon Group.[8]

Photography

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Grundy had a lifelong passion for wildlife photography. He published a book of photographs in 2005,The Wildlife of Reg Grundy.[9]In June 2009, an exhibition of photographs of Bermuda Longtail birds by Grundy, "Longtails: The Bermuda Dream", opened in The Rick Faries Gallery at the Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art.[10][11]

Personal life

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Grundy married Patricia Lola Powell in 1954 and they had a daughter, Kim.[12]After Grundy and Powell divorced, he married the actress and authorJoy Chambersin 1971.[12]The couple met at a television audition in the 1960s. Chambers was 18 and Grundy was in his forties.[8]They renewed their vows several times.[8]Grundy and Chambers moved toBermudain 1982. They remained married until his death; Chambers died on 17 September 2023, aged 76.[13][14]

In 2015, theAustralian Financial Reviewlisted Grundy as Australia's 59th-richest individual, with an estimated wealth of $809 million.[15]Grundy published an eponymous autobiography in 2010.[16]He was the owner of a yacht namedBoadicea,which was sold in 2009.[17][18]

Death

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Grundy died on 6 May 2016 at his Bermuda home, with his family by his side. No cause was given.[14][1]After his death was announced, many tributes were paid to Grundy.[19]PresenterAndrew Dentoncommented, "I'm sure the record will show that more Australians have watched more hours of Reg Grundy television than that of any other individual."[19]While actressJackie Woodburne,who worked on Grundy productionsNeighbours,PrisonerandThe Young Doctors,stated that "Reg was a true groundbreaker in Australian television in the [']70s and [']80s, and beyond[,] in light entertainment and drama."[19]

Tracy Grimshaw,who interviewed Grundy in 2010, said: "RG was a pioneer in game shows, in drama, in soapies. He was a star-maker. But he totally rejected the limelight. He only gave one television interview in his life, and I was privileged and fascinated to be the one who spoke with him."[19]Grimshaw's interview with Grundy was rebroadcast during the 9 May edition ofA Current Affair.[1]Ian Hogg, whose company bought Grundy Organisation, announced that FremantleMedia were thinking of a permanent way to honour Grundy.[19]

Honours

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Grundy was appointed an Officer of theOrder of the British Empirein theNew Years Honoursof 1983.[20]He was appointed aCompanion of the Order of Australiain theQueen's Birthday Honoursof 2008.[21][22]He received theInternational Emmy Founders Awardin 1996 and theAFI Raymond Longford Awardin 2010.[23]In July 2004, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy by theUniversity of Queensland.[24]

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Colloquially, in Australia, "Reg Grundies", "Grundies" or "Reggies", isrhyming slangfor "undies" (underpants).[1]

Bibliography

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  • The Wildlife of Reg Grundy(2005, Grundy Foundation)ISBN9781894916363
  • Mother and Child: Wildlife Photography(2015, Glitterati Incorporated)ISBN9780990380870
  • Reg Grundy(2010, Allen & Unwin)ISBN9781742662534

References

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  1. ^abcdeByrnes, Holly (9 May 2016)."Australian TV legend Reg Grundy has died aged 92".News.com.au.Retrieved9 May2016.
  2. ^abcd"Obituary Grundy. Reg Grundy, the man who put Australian TV on the world map, dies at 92".The Sydney Morning Herald.9 May 2016.Retrieved9 May2016.
  3. ^"Australian Military Roll".World War II Nominal Roll.Department of Veterans' Affairs.Retrieved9 May2016.
  4. ^Lodderhose, Diana (9 May 2016)."Australian Media Mogul Reg Grundy Dies Age 92".Variety.Retrieved9 May2016.
  5. ^Tartaglione, Nancy (9 May 2016)."Reg Grundy Dies; Australian TV Mogul Behind 'Neighbours' Was 92".Deadline Hollywood.Retrieved9 May2016.
  6. ^Cunningham, Stuart; Jacka, Elizabeth (15 April 1996).Australian Television and International Mediascapes.Cambridge University Press. p. 84.ISBN978-0-521-46974-6.
  7. ^abNewcomb, Horace (3 February 2014).Encyclopedia of Television.Routledge. p. 1042.ISBN978-1-135-19472-7.
  8. ^abc"Grundys love being married... over and over again".news.com.au.3 December 2008.Retrieved9 May2016.
  9. ^"Life through Grundy's lens".The Age.16 August 2005.Retrieved5 September2009.
  10. ^"Longtails: The Bermuda Dream", Artist Reg Grundy AC OBE.Archived7 July 2011 at theWayback MachineMasterworks Museum of Bermuda Art. Retrieved 5 September
  11. ^"Fascination with Longtails".The Royal Gazette.19 August 2009.Retrieved5 September2009.[permanent dead link‍]
  12. ^abHayward, Anthony (9 May 2016)."Reg Grundy obituary".The Guardian.Retrieved9 May2016.
  13. ^"Reg Grundy's Wife, Joy Chambers-Grundy Dies Early Morning".
  14. ^abLagan, Sarah (9 May 2016)."TV icon Reg Grundy dies".The Royal Gazette.Retrieved9 May2016.
  15. ^"AFR Rich 200 list".Australian Financial Review.2015.Retrieved9 May2016.
  16. ^Reg Grundy (1 October 2010).Reg Grundy.Allen & Unwin.ISBN978-1-74266-253-4.
  17. ^Yachts Monaco Eye
  18. ^Super Yacht Times
  19. ^abcdeMeade, Amanda (9 May 2016)."Television greats pay tribute to Neighbours creator Reg Grundy".The Guardian.Retrieved9 May2016.
  20. ^"The Order of the British Empire – Officer (Civil) (Imperial) (OBE) entry for Mr Reginald Roy GRUNDY".Australian Honours Database.Canberra, Australia:Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.31 December 1982.Retrieved8 October2019.Television
  21. ^"Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) entry for Mr Reg GRUNDY".Australian Honours Database.Canberra, Australia:Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.9 June 2008.Retrieved8 October2019.For service to the entertainment and television industry as the creator and producer of television programs depicting national cultural identity, to the promotion of Australia internationally, and to the community through philanthropic contributions to a range of organisations.
  22. ^"Aussies honoured on Queen's Birthday".ABC News.Retrieved10 June2008.
  23. ^"Reg Grundy to receive Raymond Longford award".If Magazine.8 December 2010. Archived fromthe originalon 23 February 2015.Retrieved9 May2016.
  24. ^"Reg Grundy to address UQ Faculty of Arts grads".University of Queensland.20 July 2004.Retrieved9 May2016.
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