Harry Montague Hammond, professionally known as Happy Hammond, was an Australian comedian, radio host, children's television show host, and television producer.
13 Facts About Happy Hammond
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Happy Hammond was born in the Sydney suburb of Summer Hill, the youngest of three children.
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Happy Hammond was famous for his bright personality and wearing a tartan suit and hat, sometimes referred to as his "test pattern" outfit, with colors that clashed in real life but worked well on black-and-white TV.
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Happy Hammond served in the South West Pacific Area and, following a few concerts, was transferred to the Australian Army Entertainment Unit, the "Boomerangs", entertaining Australian troops in combat areas.
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Happy Hammond performed in concerts with Keith Glover, who later went on to join the ABC.
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Happy Hammond's broadcasting career began in his home town of Geelong when he became the breakfast announcer at 3GL.
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Happy Hammond then moved to Adelaide's 5KA, before returning to Victoria to work first at 3AW and then 3UZ, both in Melbourne.
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At 3UZ, he hosted The Happy Hammond Show, a children's program, as well as partnering Graham Kennedy, following the death of Nicky Whitta in September 1956.
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Happy Hammond joined television station GTV-9, and shortly after, he invited the young Kennedy to appear on a telethon, where he was noticed by Norman Spencer, leading eventually to Kennedy joining the channel as well.
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On TV, the Tarax Happy Hammond Show started on Melbourne's GTV-9 in January 1957, debuting from the Myer Emporium's Lonsdale Street store window.
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Hammond switched to HSV-7 in 1960, where The Happy Show, no longer sponsored by Tarax, featured Princess Panda, Lovely Anne, Parer the Magician, Funny Face, Big John, Robbie Rob, Cousin Roy and Sylvester the Talking Sock.
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Happy Hammond was a keen supporter of the Geelong Football Club in the Victorian Football League.
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Happy Hammond's program won a Logie Award in 1959 for Most Popular Children's Show, and Happy Hammond himself won a Logie in 1962 for Outstanding Contributions to Children's Entertainment.