‘Reviewing the Situation - Comedy’ - Television Writer, Comedy Creator and Producer; Tony Sattler
Tony Sattler possesses a comic brain that has served audiences a vast helping of laughter, via a healthy diet of sketch and situation comedy on Australian television. Through classic programs such as The Naked Vicar Show and Kingswood Country he has created a legacy of television that has not only caused mirth but has left an indelible cultural mark. It is this impact that lead the Sound & Film Archive to label him, ‘socially significant’.
It is a description he laughs off, but these highly popular programs gave us permission to laugh at ourselves, and influenced a colloquial language as folk borrowed the iconic catchphrases invented by the writers for the characters. Who hasn’t uttered, ‘Leave the money on the fridge’, ‘You’re not wrong Narelle’ or ‘Pickle me Grandmother’?
Tony Sattler was working as a creative director for the advertising agency George Patterson Y&R in Brisbane in 1972, when he met fellow copywriter Gary Reilly. They worked on the production of commercials and jingles in Sydney.
Reilly and Sattler began to collaborate on writing longer scripts for radio and television. They contributed satirical “anti-ads” to Sydney radio station 2JJ, and followed this by creating the successful parody radio serial for 2JJ entitled Chuck Chunder and the Space Patrol; which attracted a cult following on both 2JJ and Radio One. They wrote other parody radio serials including The Novels of Fiona Wintergreen and Doctors and Nurses.
Based on the success of their work the ABC commissioned Sattler and Reilly to write two hour-long scripts for Grahame Bond's Flash Nick from Jindivick in 1974. They were subsequently asked to write a half-hour sketch comedy series for Radio One (now Radio National) which would become The Naked Vicar Show.
The success of this program on radio encouraged them to develop a television concept for it in 1976, featuring the same performers - Noeline Brown, Ross Higgins and Kevin Golsby. When the ABC turned it down, the Seven Network in Sydney took up the option. The Naked Vicar Show ran on radio, television and in theatre between 1975 and 1978.
Reilly and Sattler met Graham Kennedy in 1977 and they were asked to write a tonight show for him. He subsequently asked to feature in one of their radio serials. They created seven radio plays for him entitled Graham Kennedy's R.S. Playhouse, with him as the lead performer. The series won a number of awards and led to Reilly and Sattler continuing to contribute writing for Kennedy in his hosting and variety show appearances.
Exhausted by the pace of sketch writing, Reilly and Sattler moved into the situation comedy format. They submitted four scripts to the Seven Network and their work on Kingswood Country was ultimately selected for a full series. Kingswood Country featured the character Ted Bullpitt, who had been introduced in The Naked Vicar Show, and starred the same actor, Ross Higgins.
In 1981, Sattler and Reilly created a sitcom set in a newspaper office, Daily at Dawn and also developed a sitcom set in Antarctica, Brass Monkeys. They worked together again in 1997 to write a sequel to Kingswood Country: Bullpitt!
It was an absolute treat for STAGES to access Sattler’s brilliant comic mind; to analyse the craft of comedy and evaluate what is funny. A fascinating conversation which also reflects on Tony’s Sattler’s enormous comedy output, alongside writing and creative partner Gary Reilly. For fans of The Naked Vicar Show and Kingswood Country it is great nostalgia, and to students of comedy, you shall be rewarded with much amusement.
The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages).
www.stagespodcast.com.au
It is a description he laughs off, but these highly popular programs gave us permission to laugh at ourselves, and influenced a colloquial language as folk borrowed the iconic catchphrases invented by the writers for the characters. Who hasn’t uttered, ‘Leave the money on the fridge’, ‘You’re not wrong Narelle’ or ‘Pickle me Grandmother’?
Tony Sattler was working as a creative director for the advertising agency George Patterson Y&R in Brisbane in 1972, when he met fellow copywriter Gary Reilly. They worked on the production of commercials and jingles in Sydney.
Reilly and Sattler began to collaborate on writing longer scripts for radio and television. They contributed satirical “anti-ads” to Sydney radio station 2JJ, and followed this by creating the successful parody radio serial for 2JJ entitled Chuck Chunder and the Space Patrol; which attracted a cult following on both 2JJ and Radio One. They wrote other parody radio serials including The Novels of Fiona Wintergreen and Doctors and Nurses.
Based on the success of their work the ABC commissioned Sattler and Reilly to write two hour-long scripts for Grahame Bond's Flash Nick from Jindivick in 1974. They were subsequently asked to write a half-hour sketch comedy series for Radio One (now Radio National) which would become The Naked Vicar Show.
The success of this program on radio encouraged them to develop a television concept for it in 1976, featuring the same performers - Noeline Brown, Ross Higgins and Kevin Golsby. When the ABC turned it down, the Seven Network in Sydney took up the option. The Naked Vicar Show ran on radio, television and in theatre between 1975 and 1978.
Reilly and Sattler met Graham Kennedy in 1977 and they were asked to write a tonight show for him. He subsequently asked to feature in one of their radio serials. They created seven radio plays for him entitled Graham Kennedy's R.S. Playhouse, with him as the lead performer. The series won a number of awards and led to Reilly and Sattler continuing to contribute writing for Kennedy in his hosting and variety show appearances.
Exhausted by the pace of sketch writing, Reilly and Sattler moved into the situation comedy format. They submitted four scripts to the Seven Network and their work on Kingswood Country was ultimately selected for a full series. Kingswood Country featured the character Ted Bullpitt, who had been introduced in The Naked Vicar Show, and starred the same actor, Ross Higgins.
In 1981, Sattler and Reilly created a sitcom set in a newspaper office, Daily at Dawn and also developed a sitcom set in Antarctica, Brass Monkeys. They worked together again in 1997 to write a sequel to Kingswood Country: Bullpitt!
It was an absolute treat for STAGES to access Sattler’s brilliant comic mind; to analyse the craft of comedy and evaluate what is funny. A fascinating conversation which also reflects on Tony’s Sattler’s enormous comedy output, alongside writing and creative partner Gary Reilly. For fans of The Naked Vicar Show and Kingswood Country it is great nostalgia, and to students of comedy, you shall be rewarded with much amusement.
The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages).
www.stagespodcast.com.au
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