Beauty and the Beast (talk show)
Beauty and the Beast is an Australian panel television talk show that has appeared in numerous versions since the early days of Australian television.
| Beauty and the Beast | |
|---|---|
| Genre | talk show |
| Presented by | Beasts: Seven Network series: Eric Baume Stuart Wagstaff Noel Ferrier John Laws Rex Mossop Derryn Hinch Ten Network series: John Laws Clive Robertson Ten & Foxtel series: Stan Zemanek Doug Mulray |
| Starring | Beauties: Various. |
| Country of origin | Australia |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 21 |
| No. of episodes | 2,000+ |
| Production | |
| Running time | 60 minutes |
| Release | |
| Original network | Seven Network (1964–1973, 1982) Network Ten (1982–1983, 1996–2002) FX (1996–2002) W (2005–2007) |
| Original release |
|
The concept of the series is that viewers write in asking for advice about personal problems such as family squabbles, questions of social etiquette, marriage problems, contraception, work or career problems.
The host of the program - usually an intentionally brusque and outspoken older male - the so-called "Beast" of the title presents each viewer question in turn and a panel of female celebrities AKA "the Beauties" serve as panellists who provide their advice on the problem and solutions, the panel then discuss the problem and the advice given offering opinions and views.
History
The first version of the show began on the Seven Network in 1964, hosted by Eric Baume as the "Beast". Baume was later replaced by presenters including Stuart Wagstaff (1966-1968), Noel Ferrier (1969), John Laws (1970), and Rex Mossop (1971-1973).
The format was revived in 1982, with two rival versions, both carrying the same title, appearing on different networks. Network Ten's version had John Laws back as host, later replaced by Clive Robertson, whilst the Seven Network version was hosted by Derryn Hinch.
A 1990s version of the program ran on both Network Ten and Foxtel, hosted by radio broadcaster Stan Zemanek (1996-2001) and radio broadcaster Doug Mulray (2002). Network Ten along with FX aired the final episode in 2002.
The series returned on W exclusively in 2005 after a 3-year hiatus, with Stan Zemanek returning as host. Beauty and the Beast aired its final episode on W in early July 2007, with Zemanek passing away that same month. Since then the program has not returned to air.
Notable "Beauties"
Original cast
The original "Beauties" included Maggie Tabberer, Dita Cobb, Ena Harwood (mother of Andrew Harwood), Patricia Firman, Patricia Lovell, Hazel Phillips, Noeline Brown and Freda Lesslie.[1]
Notable celebrity panellists
Other notable panelists on the latter versions included
New Zealand version
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The Beauty and the Beast format was adopted by Television New Zealand as an afternoon television series. It was filmed in the Dunedin studios from 1976 to 1985. The show was directed by Lorraine Isaacs, and featured Selwyn Toogood as the host with a four-woman panel. Notable panelists included Shona McFarlane, Catherine Tizard (later Governor-General), and Johnny Frisbie.[3] The show occasionally featured male panelists such as art-dealer Trevor Plumbly.[3]
A show with a similar concept called How's Life? aired in the early 2000s in New Zealand hosted by Charlotte Dawson.
See also
- Leave it to the Girls – 1957 series with similar format, and which also occasionally featured Eric Baume.
- Outnumbered – American series with similar format
References
- "Beauty and the Beast (1964)". IMDb. Retrieved 8 December 2008.
- Shelley Sykes, Shelley Sykes on "Beauty and the Beast" Australia, archived from the original on 21 December 2021, retrieved 3 January 2019
- "Beauty and the Beast". NZOnScreen Te Whiti Aahua. Retrieved 18 July 2021.