In Melbourne Tonight
In Melbourne Tonight, also known as "IMT", was a highly popular nightly Logie award winning variety television show produced at GTV-9 Melbourne from 6 May 1957 to 1970.
Programming Synopsis
Graham Kennedy was the show's main host and star attraction but other presenters were often called on to present the show on certain nights. IMT had as many as 50 different presenters over its 13 years on air. The format of the show was inspired by the American Tonight Show on NBC, but Graham's charisma was the key to the success of IMT.
IMT originally had its own self-titled theme song, but for most of the run of the show it adopted the tune of Gee, But You're Swell, written by Abel Baer and Charles Tobias in 1936.
Geoff Corke was Kennedy's offsider until 1959 when Bert Newton joined GTV-9 from HSV-7 to become Kennedy's straight-man. This began a professional partnership that continued for many years and a friendship that continued until Kennedy's death in 2005.
Other IMT identities included Joff Ellen, Val Ruff, Panda Lisner, Mary Hardy, Rosie Sturgess, Patti McGrath (later Patti Newton), Toni Lamond, Philip Brady, Johnny Ladd, Noel Ferrier, Elaine McKenna, Bill McCormick, Ted Hamilton, The Tune Twisters and the Channel 9 Ballet.