Ernie Sigley

Biography Early life and career Sigley was born in Footscray, Melbourne, one of seven children of a boilermaker.

Radio In 1981, Sigley returned to 3DB to host the breakfast program. In 1996, Sigley joined 3AW to host the afternoon program. He hosted the afternoon program for 12 years until his retirement on 7 November 2008. Denis Walter was announced as Sigley's replacement. He then took on a part-time role at the station where he partnered either Bruce Mansfield or Philip Brady to host Nightline on Friday nights.

Television Sigley was part of the original cast of variety TV program Sunnyside Up, featuring notable Australian media personalities such as Denise Drysdale, Noni Hazlehurst, Pete Smith and Joy Westmore. The program was abruptly axed after an off-air outburst by Sigley, directed at station owner Kerry Packer and producer Peter Faiman, when the network cut short his first show for 1976 to accommodate a network sports awards telecast.

Sigley was the original host of the Australian version of the popular game show Wheel of Fortune from 1981 to 1984. In 1982, he presented the regional variety program Six Tonight from BTV-6 in Ballarat and the daytime talent show Pot Luck in 1987.

Sigley was involved in an argument with fellow TV star Don Lane at a Logies after party in 1988, when Sigley allegedly made insulting remarks about Lane's partner.

Singing Sigley began singing as a choir boy at St Paul's Cathedral, Melbourne, was released.

In 1974, Sigley, with Denise Drysdale, recorded the popular duet "Hey Paula", a cover of a hit by US duo Paul & Paula released by Festival Records and produced at Armstrong Studios, Melbourne. The record was produced and arranged by Brian Rangott and engineered by Ian McKenzie and peaked at number 2 in Australia.

Sigley regularly performed around Australia on the club circuit, often with his television partner Denise Drysdale.

Awards Sigley won the TV Week Gold Logie Award for Most Popular Personality on Australian Television in 1975. He had previously won eleven local Logies for his work in Adelaide.

Personal life Three times married and twice divorced, Sigley was married to Glenys O'Brien, a former television personality, for 47 years. They lived in Atkins Ave, Glen Iris in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne and had four children.

Sigley was a supporter of the Western Bulldogs (formerly known as the Footscray Football Club) in the Australian Football League. He was also a supporter of the South Adelaide Football Club in the South Australian National Football League.

Sigley once owned the Radio Springs Hotel at Lyonville in country Victoria.

Sigley and his wife were ambassadors for CBM Australia, a charity that works with people with disabilities in developing countries, and visited projects in Vietnam and Tanzania.

Sigley's family announced in October 2016 that he had Alzheimer's disease. He died on 15 August 2021, aged 82.

Filmography Selected TV Production Year Role Network Teenage Mailbag (TV series) 1957 Host Seven Network (HSV-7) The Teenage Show (TV series) 1958–1959 Host ? Adelaide Tonight (TV series) 1959-1973 co-host, Host Nine Network (NWS-9) The Annual TV Week Logie Awards 1968–1974/1976-1979 As himself Nine Network Countdown (TV series) 1974 Guest ABC Ernie (TV series) 1976 Host Ten Network This is Your Life Mary Hardy 1978 Guest Seven Network The Don Lane Show 8.6.81 Guest Nine Network Wheel of Fortune (TV series) 1981 Host Seven Network 'Video from Hell (Video) 1985 Himself Direct In Melbourne Today (TV series) 1989 Host Nine Network Ernie and Denise (TV series) 1993 Host Nine Network The Late Show (TV series) 1993 Himself Good Morning Australia 2004 Guest Ten Network The Man from Dame Edna (TV movie documentary) 2008 Radio Presenter

Actor Production Year Role Jack and the Beanstalk (TV movie) 1964 Miffin The Story of Dick Whittington (TV movie) 1966 Robin Dead Man's Float 1980 Snarks

Studio albums + List of albums, with Australian chart positions Title Album details Peak chartpositions AUS Ernie Released: 1969 Format: LP Label: RCA Camden (CAMS-147) - Ernie Sigley Released: November 1971 Format: LP Label: RCA (SL101964) 30 ...And Here's Ernie Released: December 1974 Format: LP Label: Festival Records (L 35383) 44

Charting singles + List of singles, with Australian chart positions Year Title Peak chartpositions Certification AUS 1957 "Love is a Golden Ring "/"I Happened Again" 9 1961 "Mary's Boy Child"/"Brush Those Tears from Your Eyes" 57 1965 "Think About Me" / "Mona Lisa" 52 1966 "Hey! Girl" / "It's Almost Tomorrow" 73 1967 "True Love" / "A Boy Without a Girl" 76 "A Clown Am I" / "A Million Years or So" 86 1970 "Give Me Love"/"A Little Thing Called Love" 99 1971 "City of Angels" 69 1974 "Hey Paula" 2 AUS: Gold "Just Thank Me" 94