Mike McColl-Jones explained

Mike McColl Jones
Birth Date:12 August 1937
Birth Place:Kew, Victoria, Australia
Occupation:television comedy writer
Known For:Writing material for variety TV programs particularly those aired on Melbourne's GTV-9
Television:In Melbourne Tonight

Michael McColl-Jones OAM[1] (12 August 1937 − 11 March 2024)[2] [3] was an Australian television comedy writer.

He is best remembered for his association with television personalities such as Graham Kennedy, Don Lane and Bert Newton.[4] [5]

Early and personal life

McColl-Jones attended Xavier College in Melbourne where he excelled at tennis.[6] He attended the school at the same time as Philip Brady.

McColl-Jones left school in 1956 and joined Myer as a salesman. When television started in Melbourne, McColl-Jones began submitting jokes to In Melbourne Tonight which were regularly used by Graham Kennedy. Despite McColl-Jones' contributions, an offer of permanent work wasn't made until 1963 when GTV-9's general manager Colin Bednall offered him permanent work.

His father Hector died in 1963 at the age of 57 from a form of leukemia.

Career

Throughout his career, McColl-Jones wrote for In Melbourne Tonight, The Graham Kennedy Show, The Don Lane Show, The Bert Newton Show, The Ernie Sigley Show, The Peter Couchman Show, Blankety Blanks, Hey Hey It's Saturday and Tonight Live with Steve Vizard.[6] He also wrote for Joan Rivers and a number of Royal Command Performances.[6] [7] [8]

When In Melbourne Tonight was revived in 1996, McColl-Jones again wrote jokes for the show, this time hosted by Frankie J. Holden.[9]

However, it was his association with Kennedy that McColl-Jones is arguably best known for, having written jokes for Kennedy from 1958 to 1975.[6]

Books

McColl-Jones wrote a number of books throughout his career including My Funny Friends in 1979, And now, here's... in 1999 and Graham Kennedy Treasures: Friends remember the King in 2008.[10] [11] [4] [12]

Honours

In the 2017 Queen's Birthday Honours, McColl-Jones received a Medal of the Order of Australia in recognition of his service to the performing arts as a comedy writer for television.[13]

Notes and References

  1. News: Gliddon . Greg . 12 June 2017 . Entertainment writer Mike McColl Jones from Kew East among those recognised with Queen's Birthday honour . subscription . live . https://archive.today/20240312053108/https://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/inner-east/entertainment-writer-mike-mccoll-jones-from-kew-east-among-those-recognised-with-queens-birthday-honour/news-story/0ed866a5fb83edd181d04fbbdcd9406f . 12 March 2024 . 12 March 2024 . . . Melbourne.
  2. Comedy Writer Mike McColl Jones turns 80. 3AW Weekend Nights . . 13 August 2017 . 00:50 . en-AU . 12 March 2024.
  3. Web site: Knox . David . 12 March 2024 . Vale: Mike McColl Jones . 12 March 2024 . . en-AU.
  4. News: 7 November 2008 . Kennedy, Newton blazing row revealed . dead . https://archive.today/20121230141710/https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/tv/kennedy-newton-blazing-row-revealed/story-e6frexlr-1111117973234 . 30 December 2012 . 7 December 2011 . . . Sydney.
  5. News: 30 June 2003 . Have TV and radio gone too far? . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20030704122633/https://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/06/30/1056825323385.html . 4 July 2003 . 7 December 2011 . . Fairfax Media.
  6. News: Dickins . Barry . 1 January 1994 . Life as a one-liner . limited . 13 March 2024 . . . Melbourne . 46 . Newspapers.com.
  7. News: 9 December 1979 . The comedy wizard who sells jokes to the stars . limited . 13 March 2024 . . . Sydney . 44-45 . Newspapers.com.
  8. News: Lawrence . Mark . 7 December 1978 . Mike McColl Jones joins Couchman Show . limited . 13 March 2024 . . Green Guide . . Melbourne . 36 . Newspapers.com.
  9. News: Aiton . Doug . 21 June 1998 . The gag man . limited . 13 March 2024 . . . Melbourne . 19 . Newspapers.com.
  10. Book: McColl-Jones, Mike. And, now here's.... Aerospace Publications. 1999. 9781875671472.
  11. Book: McColl Jones, Mike . My funny friends or, How an elephant was caught with his trunks down . Richmond Books . 1979 . 978-0-908157-11-2 . Richmond . English . 27574254 . Google Books.
  12. Book: McColl-Jones, Mike. Graham Kennedy treasures: Friends remember the King. Melbourne University Publishing. 2008. 9780522855456.
  13. Web site: 12 June 2017 . Award: 1770156 . 13 March 2024 . Australian Honours Search Facility . Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

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