VALE TONY HEALEY
The RPP team was saddened to hear of the passing of long-time presenter and friend Tony Healey after a short illness. Tony had a long and adventurous career in entertainment, starting with the pop music show Kommotion from 1964-67. Tony was chosen, along with a number of Melbourne teenagers including Ian ‘Molly’ Meldrum, Chantal Contouri and Denise Drysdale, to mime to popular songs of the time. Tony was one of the most popular cast mates and even had his own fan club.
After that show, Tony appeared on Uptight with fellow RPP alumni Bob Phillips and Ross D Wyllie, and was a journalist with Go-Set, Australia’s first music newspaper. Tony continued to work in media and journalism for over 50 years, gaining the respect and admiration of many in the industry, with Countdown’s Gavin Woods this week calling him “one of the best blokes in the business”.
Tony Healy was a true pioneer in Australian pop and rock television – his visionary work transformed TV and brought the vibrant energy of live music into our homes, shaping the way we experienced and appreciated the Australian music scene.
And at RPP we were able to enjoy that first hand – Tony loved the Peninsula, and he made a real commitment to help build RPP, his local radio station. Out of his own pocket he replaced our rust bucket fridge and delivered the all-important coffee machine.
He co-hosted the much-loved Friday on My Mind show alongside Ross D. Wyllie. Together, they shared laughter, stories, and the timeless tracks of Australia’s music legends, creating moments that many of us still cherish.
Brendon Telfer said, “Tony was the self-effacing but brilliant professional. He and Ross were terrific, and Tony’s knowledge, skill and ease with people in and out of the studio was a joy to be see.
The contacts, the charm, the cheeky banter and the guest list he had for the show was amazing and the one thing that rang out – everyone loved Tony.”
Vale Tony, a remarkable music personality and a great man.
