Graham Kennedy celebrity print 1972

Summary

This concrete handprint was formerly located as a part of the iconic McEwans celebrity pavement. Between 1972 and 1994, scores of celebrities had their handprints and footprints immortalised in cement at the entrance to the McEwans hardware store on Bourke Street. The City of Melbourne Art and Heritage Collection acquired a number of these impressed concrete slabs from the original celebrity pavement in 2005.

"Having started his career in radio, Graham Kennedy (1934-2005) became one of the first and biggest stars of Australian TV. Between 1957 and 1969, he was the main host of ‘In Melbourne Tonight’, a live variety show screened five nights a week on Channel 9. Kennedy also hosted several spin-offs, broadcast nationally. On his final episode of IMT, he was crowned ‘King of Australian television’. Kennedy returned to TV with ‘The Graham Kennedy Show’ in September 1972. He would later host the comedy game show, Blankety Blanks, and played dramatic roles in Australian films including Don’s Party and The Odd Angry Shot (as well as an early uncredited role in On the Beach).
He was King of Moomba in 1979 and five times won the Gold Logie (for Most Popular Personality on Australian television). Kennedy had himself come up with the name ‘The Logies’ for Australia’s TV awards, in 1960." - Robyn Annear, 2023