Ron Blaskett

Ronald William Blaskett (13 April 192214 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 (1957–1966).

Biography

Ronald William Blaskett was born on 13 April 1922 in the Melbourne suburb of Brunswick. His parents, William Edward and Ethel Maria ( Moore) Blaskett, raised him in Northcote. At the age of 13, the shy boy was teased and decided to develop a "self-confident, cheeky and a laugh-getter" persona. He was also an apprentice process engraver in 1941, when he enlisted in the Australian Army during World War 2. on 29 November 1944. Having performed for allied troops in Balikpapan, Borneo (July–October 1945), In June 1946 he performed in Jim Davidson's Clambake at Melbourne's Tivoli Theatre. 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. The thief later dumped both dolls, which were returned via the police (see photo above). For the test the ventriloquist had bought his new doll, "Gerry Gee", from Chicago-based puppeteer, Frank Marshall, which cost £A200. 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. They were the first variety act to appear on Melbourne TV. The doll's popularity resulted in Gerry Gee starring in Tarax Show short live-action segments, "The Adventures of Gerry Gee" (1960–1962). A nine-year-old boy, John Field, wore a Gerry Gee mask to portray the doll for distant shots. The pair's stint on Tarax Show ended in 1964. The ventriloquist and doll periodically appeared on GTV-9's adult variety programme, In Melbourne Tonight from 1957. Former Tarax Show programme manager, Denzil Howson organised Blaskett to relocate to Perth in June 1966 and join Howson at local television station, STW9 (allied to Melbourne's GTV-9). While there, he produced a variety show, The Channel Niners Club and appeared on it as a ventriloquist with Gerry Gee. In April and May 1968 Blaskett and Gerry were members of the first Perth-based entertainment troupe to perform for Australian and allied forces in the Vietnam War. During the 1970s they returned to Melbourne and guested on another GTV-9's Nine Network show, The Ernie Sigley Show (1974–1976) and on Network 10's Young Talent Time and All Star Sweepstakes (1977–1978). He sold Gerry Gee for A$17,000 in 2006. His wife, Merle (or Merlye) June Blaskett ( Capper) died in the following month, on 26 May, aged 92 or 93.