Game faces
The hair, the teeth, the excessive enthusiasm... these are the faces of Australian game shows
"Turps" and the "Baby"
Tony Barber
Seven Network honcho Bruce Gyngell handpicked Barber to host the popular game show, Temptation in 1970, but he is best remembered for his role as host of Reg Grundy’s revamp of Temptation, Sale Of The Century. Between 1980 and 1991, he was the hyperactive face of the top rating quiz show accompanied by the game show hostesses Victoria Nicholls, Delvene Delaney and Alyce Platt. Barber and Platt now host a mini-quiz on Foxtel.
“Baby” John Burgess
A mainstay on radio in Sydney and Melbourne since 1965, ‘Burgo’ (as his is widely known), made it big on the small screen as the time host of Wheel Of Fortune. He fronted his very own game show, Burgo’s Catch Phrase, which was cancelled in 2001. Now working in radio Burgess notably returned to the public eye when he served as a character reference for his friend and former Wheel... co-host, Adriana Xenides who was facing dangerous driving charges.
Ian “Turps” Turpie
Ian Turpie made regular appearances on Bandstand during the 1960s and played a bank robber in the first episode of the iconic Aussie television series Homicide. However, it wasn’t until he was made host of the highly successful and frenzied game show, The Price Is Right during the 1980s that he truly became a household name. Turpie developed cult status appearing on Roy & HG’s Club Buggery in the 1990s but has most recently been seen acting in inpotence informercials. The origin of his nickname, “Turps” remains a mystery.
Larry Emdur
Emdur began his career as a copyboy at The Sydney Morning Herald before moving into television where he became Australia’s youngest newsreader at only 17 years of age. He came into his own as the host of
The Price Is Right, taking over from Ian Turpie in 1993. Emdur went on to host Wheel Of Fortune, Double Dare and Celebrity Dog School. Currently holds court as co-host of Seven’s The Morning Show alongside Kylie Gillies.