Sammy Awards

The Sammy Awards were Australian television and film awards held annually between 1976 and 1981, initially supported by the TV Times and the Seven Network.

1976

Held at the Sydney Opera House on Friday 8 October 1976.

• Gold Sammy: Helen Morse, Gary McDonald
• Best drama series: Power Without Glory
• Best lead actor in a television series: John Waters for Rush
• Best lead actress in a television series: Penny Hackforth-Jones for Tandarra
• Best actor in a single television performance: Hugh Keays-Byrne for Rush (ep: 'A shilling A Day')
• Best actress in a single television performance: Maggie Millar for Homicide (ep: 'The Life and Time of Tina Kennedy')
• Best new talent: Mark Holden
• Best comedy series: The Norman Gunston Show
• Best comedy television series writer: Bull Harding
• Best variety performer: Don Lane
• Best current affairs series: Four Corners
• Best daytime series: The Mike Walsh Show
• Best documentary series: A Big Country
• Best light entertainment series: This Is Your Life
• Best musical series: Countdown
• Best film: Picnic At Hanging Rock
• Best film actor: Peter Cummins for The Removalists
• Best film actress: Helen Morse
• Best film supporting actor: Reg Lye for Sunday Too Far Away
• Best film supporting actress: Jacki Weaver for Caddie
• Best juvenile film performance: Robert Bettles

1977

• Gold Sammy: Harry Butler, Caroline Jones
• Best actor in a television series: Martin Vaughan for Power Without Glory
• Best actress in a television series: Lorraine Bayly for The Sullivans
• Best supporting actor in a television series: Andrew McFarlane for The Sullivans
• Best documentary series: In the Wild
• Best current affairs series: Four Corners
• Best film: The Devil's Playground
• Best film actor: Nick Tate for The Devil's Playground
• Best film actress: Ruth Cracknell for The Singer and the Dancer

1978

• Gold: Mike Walsh, June Salter
• Chips Rafferty Memorial Award: Ken G Hall
• Best Actor in a Single TV Performance: Tony Bonner for End of Summer
• Best Actress in a Single TV Performance: Davina Whitehouse for The Night Nurse
• Best Actor in a TV Series: George Mallaby for Cop Shop
• Best Actress in a TV Series: Lorraine Bayly for The Sullivans
• Best Variety Performer: Julie Anthony
• Best Variety Program: Julie Anthony's First Special
• Best Comedy Program: The Norman Gunston Show
• Best Drama Series: The Sullivans
• Best TV Play: End of Summer
• Best News Coverage: Brisbane shoot-out (QTQ9)
• Best Documentary: A Big Country
• Best Current Affairs Program: Four Corners 'Utah' report
• Best Children's Series: Wombat (BTQ7)
• Best Sports Coverage: Australian Open Golf 1977
• Best Light Entertainment Program: The Mike Walsh Show
• Best Writer TV Series: Tony Morphett for The Sullivans
• Best Writer TV Play: Cliff Green for End of Summer

1979

Held in Sydney at the Seymour Centre on 17 October 1979.

• Gold Sammy: Marcia Hines, Mike Walsh
• Chips Rafferty Memorial Award: Stanley Hawes
• Best drama series: Against the Wind
• Best TV play: The Plumber
• Best actor in a single TV performance: John Hargreaves for A Good Thing Going
• Best actress in a single TV performance: Belinda Giblin for Say You Want Me
• Best actor in a TV series: Gerard Kennedy for Against the Wind
• Best actress in a TV series: Kerry McGuire for Against the Wind
• Best television variety performer: Marcia Hines
• Best new talent: Mel Gibson
• Best film: Cathy's Child
• Best film actress: Michele Fawdon for Cathy's Child
• Best film actor: Alan Cassell for Cathy's Child
• Best light entertainment program: Parkinson in Australia
• Best comedy program: Tickled Pink (episode: 'Neutral Ground')
• Best variety program: TV Follies (episode: 'Hollywood')
• Best documentary: The Last Tasmanian
• Best news coverage: Pentridge Riot (GTV9 Melbourne)
• Best current affairs program: 60 Minutes
• Best sports coverage: Australian Open Golf (Nine Network)
• Best children's series: Top Mates
• Best costume design: Claire Griffin for Against the Wind
• Best art direction: Quentin Hole for Ride On Stranger
• Best writer (TV series): Peter Yeldham for Run From the Morning
• Best writer (TV play): Peter Weir for The Plumber
• Best television editing: Michael Balson for Mutiny on the Western Front
• Best film direction: George Miller for Mad Max
• Best sound: Mad Max
• Best special effects: Mad Max
• Best film editing: Mad Max
• Best theme music: Mad Max

1980

Held in Sydney on 17 October 1980.

• Gold Sammy: Bert Newton, Caroline Jones
• Chips Rafferty Memorial Award: Hector Crawford
• Best Actor in a Single TV Performance: Richard Moir for Players to the Gallery
• Best Actress in a Single TV Performance: Robyn Nevin for A Toast to Melba.
• Best Actor in a TV Series: Peter Adams for Cop Shop
• Best Actress in TV Series: Sheila Florance for Prisoner
• Best Film Actor: Jack Thompson for Breaker Morant
• Best Film Actress: Judy Davis for My Brilliant Career
• Best Supporting Film Actor: Robert Grubb for My Brilliant Career
• Best Supporting Film Actress: Wendy Hughes for My Brilliant Career
• Best Variety Performer: Garry McDonald
• Best New Talent: Tracy Mann
• Best Drama Series: Cop Shop
• Best Short Drama Series: Players to the Gallery
• Best Comedy Program: Kingswood Country
• Best TV Play: Burn the Butterflies
• Best Variety Program: The Royal Charity Concert
• Best Film: Breaker Morant
• Best Short-Length Film (factual): Now You're Talking
• Best Short-Length Film (fiction): Gary's Story
• Best Animated Film: no award but a judges' commendation for The Little Convict
• Best Documentary Program: Song for Melbourne
• Best News Coverage: Moreton Bay Rescue BTQ7 Brisbane
• Best Current Affairs Program: 60 Minutes
• Best Sports Coverage: Seven's Big League (ATN 7 Sydney)
• Best Children's Series: Young Ramsay
• Best Light Entertainment Series: Parkinson in Australia
• Best Cinematographer (film): Vincent Monton for Thirst
• Best Cinematographer (TV): Ross Berryman for The John Sullivan Story
• Best Art Direction (TV): Guhar Jurjans, Paul Cleveland, Alwyn Harbott for Lucinda Brayford
• Best Art Direction (film): John Dowding for Thirst
• Best Writer Feature Film: Eleanor Witcombe for My Brilliant Career
• Best Writer TV Series: Denise Morgan for Prisoner
• Best Writer TV Play: Keith Thompson for Gail
• Best Theme Music: Peter Sculthorpe for Manganinnie
• Best Editing (film): Bill Anderson for Breaker Morant
• Best Editing (TV): Colin Grieve for Time for a Commercial
• Best Special Effects (film): Conrad Rothman for Harlequin
• Best Direction (film): Bruce Beresford for Breaker Morant
• Best Direction (TV): Alan Burke for A Toast to Melba
• Best Sound (film): Adrian Carr, Garry Wilkins for Harlequin
• Best Costume Design: Anna Senior for My Brilliant Career

1981

Held in Sydney on 21 August 1981.

• Gold: Michael Parkinson, Judy Davis
• Chips Rafferty Memorial Award: Enid Lorimer
• Best actor in a single television performance: Rade Serbedzija for The Liberation of Skopje
• Best actress in a single television performance: Michelle Fawdon for Spring and fall
• Best film actor: John Hargreaves for Hoodwink
• Best film actress: Judy Davis for Winter of Our Dreams
• Best actor in a television series: David Cameron for Water Under the Bridge
• Best actress in a television series: Robyn Nevin for Water Under the Bridge
• Best supporting film actor: Bill Kerr for Gallipoli
• Best supporting film actress: Cathy Downes for Winter of Our Dreams
• Best variety performer: John Farnham
• Best new talent: Mark Lee for Gallipoli
• Best drama series: The Sullivans
• Best short drama series: I Can Jump Puddles
• Best comedy program: Kingswood Country
• Best television play: No award
• Best variety program: Poo Over Brisbane
• Best film: Gallipoli
• Best short-length film (factual): Life Begins at Forty
• Best short-length film (fiction): The Uninvited
• Best animated film: No award
• Best documentary program: Please Don't Leave Me
• Best news coverage: The Belfast riots (HSV 7)
• Best current affairs program: Scoop (0-28)
• Best sports coverage: Hardie Ferodo 1000 (ATN 7)
• Best children's series: The Patchwork Hero
• Best light entertainment series: The Mike Walsh Show
• Best cinematographer (film): Russell Boyd for Gallipoli
• Best cinematographer (TV): Dan Burstall for Water Under the Bridge
• Best art direction (TV): Logan Brewer for Water Under the Bridge
• Best art direction (film): Herbert Pinter and Wendy Weir for Gallipoli
• Best Writer Feature Film: David Williamson for Gallipoli
• Best writer TV series: Ian Jones and Bronwyn Binns for The Last Outlaw
• Best writer TV play: No award
• Best theme music: Bruce Smeaton for The Timeless Land
• Best editing film: Edward McQueen Mason for Roadgames
• Best editing (TV): Gary Albery for 60 Minutes
• Best special effects (film): Monty Fieguth, Chris Murray and Vic Wilson for The Survivor
• Best direction (film): Peter Weir for Gallipoli
• Best direction (TV): George Miller for The Last Outlaw
• Best sound (film): Greg Bell, Don Connolly and Peter Fenton for Gallipoli
• Best costume design: Roger Kirk for Farnham and Byrne

References