Ron Blaskett
Ron Blaskett | |
|---|---|
| Born | Ronald William Blaskett 13 April 1922 Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Died | 14 April 2018 (aged 96) Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1946–1997 |
| Known for | The Tarax Show, In Melbourne Tonight |
| Spouse | Merle June Clapper (m. 1944) |
Ronald William Blaskett (13 April 1922 – 14 April 2018) was an Australian entertainer and television pioneer. He is best known as the ventriloquist on GTV-9 with the doll, Gerry Gee both for children's entertainment, Tarax Show (1957–1964) and on adult variety programme, In Melbourne Tonight (1957–1970).
Biography
[edit]Ronald William Blaskett was born on 13 April 1922 in the Melbourne suburb of Brunswick.[1]: 1 His parents, William Edward and Ethel Maria (née Moore) Blaskett, raised him in Northcote.[1]: 2 His father was a major in The Salvation Army.[2] Blaskett started as a ventriloquist by 1938 and was broadcast on 3UZ in April 1941.[3][4][5] He was also an apprentice process engraver in 1941, when he enlisted in the Australian Army during World War 2.[1]: 1 Blaskett married Merle June Clapper on 29 November 1944.[1]: 1 [6] Upon discharge on 1 April 1946 he was a Sergeant in the Australian Entertainment Unit.[1]: 4–5, 10
After the war, Blaskett worked in vaudeville on the Tivoli circuit.[7] In June 1946 he performed in Jim Davidson's Clambake at Melbourne's Tivoli Theatre.[8] In January 1950 two of his dolls, "Willie Ross" and "Adolphus Twerk", were stolen from his parked car, while he was inside Scott's Hotel, Melbourne.[9][10] The thief later dumped both dolls, which were returned via the police.[9]
Blaskett, with three of his dolls, appeared on GTV-9's test transmission on 11 October 1956.[11][12] The ventriloquist bought his doll "Gerry Gee", from Chicago-based puppeteer, Frank Marshall, which cost £A200.[13][14] They were regulars on GTV-9's children's entertainment programme, Happy Show (later renamed Tarax Show) from its first broadcast on 21 January 1957.[15][16] They were the first variety act to appear on Melbourne TV.[16] His wife periodically worked as a ventriloquist operating the doll, "Sandra Simpkins".[13]
Blaskett with three dolls ("Gerry", "Adolphus", "Aunt Agatha") also compèred an adult-orientated quiz show Do You Trust Your Wife? (1957–1958).[17] Gerry Gee starred in Tarax Show segments, "The Adventures of Gerry Gee" (1960–1962).[13][18] The ventriloquist and doll regularly appeared on adult variety programme, In Melbourne Tonight from 1957.[13] Blaskett officially retired in 1997.[16] In 2001 he published his autobiography, You, Me and Gerry Gee: 60 Years of Australian Showbiz.[19] He sold Gerry Gee for A$17,000 in 2006.[13] He died on 14 April 2018, the day after his 96th birthday.[11][13]
Bibliography
[edit]- Blaskett, Ron; Newton, Bert (2001), You, Me and Gerry Gee: 60 Years of Australian Showbiz (1st ed.), [G Gee and Partners], ISBN 978-0-646-41790-5
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 5 "Item details for: B884, V501528: Digital Item Page Gallery". National Archive of Australia. 27 October 2020. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
- ↑ "Red Shield Activities". Shepparton Advertiser. No. 360. Vic. 16 March 1943. p. 1. Retrieved 6 August 2026 – via National Library of Australia.
- ↑ "Advertising". The Age. No. 26, 051. Vic. 15 October 1938. p. 29. Retrieved 6 August 2026 – via National Library of Australia.
- ↑ "Stage Trials". The Age. No. 26, 269. Vic. 28 June 1939. p. 16. Retrieved 6 August 2026 – via National Library of Australia.
- ↑ "Broadcasting". The Argus. No. 29, 534. Vic. 21 April 1941. p. 2. Retrieved 6 August 2026 – via National Library of Australia.
- ↑ "Family Notices". The Herald. No. 20, 455. Vic. 5 December 1942. p. 4. Retrieved 6 August 2026 – via National Library of Australia.
- ↑ Broun, Shirley (7 June 2013). "Ron Blaskett and Gerry Gee - Flashback to 1993". On with the Show - Showbiz News. Archived from the original on 18 March 2018. Retrieved 6 August 2026 – via National Library of Australia.
- ↑ "Event: Jim Davidson's Clambake". AusStage. 24 June 1946. Archived from the original on 27 April 2017. Retrieved 6 August 2026 – via National Library of Australia.
- 1 2 "Wouldn't Talk to the Police". The Herald. No. 22, 672. Vic. 20 January 1950. p. 7. Retrieved 6 August 2026 – via National Library of Australia.
- ↑ "Dolls made dummy of 'kidnapper'". The Argus. No. 32, 259. Vic. 21 January 1950. p. 3. Retrieved 6 August 2026 – via National Library of Australia.
- 1 2 "Obituary: Ron Blaskett". Television.AU. 19 April 2018. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
- ↑ "Ventriloquist on TV test tonight". The Argus. Vic. 11 October 1956. p. 3. Retrieved 6 August 2026 – via National Library of Australia.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Knox, David (18 April 2018). "Vale: Ron Blaskett". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 1 June 2021. Retrieved 7 August 2026 – via National Library of Australia.
- ↑ D. Hudson (ed.). "Lodge Devotion 723 - Early Television in Melbourne; Vale Bro Ron Blaskett (1922-2018) who gave life to the Gerry Gee Doll". lodgedevotion.net. Archived from the original on 2 July 2025. Retrieved 7 August 2026 – via National Library of Australia.
- ↑ "Hey, kids — this is Your page". The Argus. Vic. 18 January 1957. p. 35. Retrieved 6 August 2026 – via National Library of Australia.
- 1 2 3 Webb, Carolyn (12 November 1998). "Gee, An Old TvV Character Is Going, Going ..." The Age. Archived from the original on 12 October 2009. Retrieved 6 August 2026 – via Transmitter.com.au.
- ↑ Batten, Charles (5 October 1957). "On the Air". The Record. Vol. LXXXVIII, no. 39. Vic. p. 7. Retrieved 6 August 2026 – via National Library of Australia.
- ↑ GTV 9 Television Station; Gerry Gee; Master John Field (1960). "Mask - GTV Channel 9, Gerry Gee, Rubber, Melbourne, circa 1960". Museums Victoria. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ↑ "You, Me and Gerry Gee: 60 Years of Australian Showbiz (Limited Edition)". Angus & Robertson. 1 December 2001. Retrieved 7 August 2026.