# Jimmy Hannan

Jimmy Hannan (25 August 1937 – 7 January 2019) was an Australian radio and television personality, variety show host, singer, entertainer and game show host of the 1960s and 1970s. One of the pioneers of television, he appeared regularly on variety show In Melbourne Tonight, and later hosted his own musical variety show Jimmy, later called Tonight with Jimmy Hannan. Hannan hosted music show Saturday Date from 1963 until 1967, which featured such performers as Billy Thorpe and Olivia Newton-John. He won the 1965 Gold Logie award for most popular personality on Australian television.

## Early life and career

Hannan had his start musically performing in a big-band. As a teen idol, he often performed with people such as Johnny Devlin and Little Pattie. He released the single "Beach Ball", originally recorded by the City Surfers, in 1963. The song was written by Roger McGuinn who went on to become a member of the Byrds. The single reached number No. 2 on the local charts and featured the Bee Gees as backing vocalists. He worked on radio in Melbourne at 3UZ and at 2GB Sydney. He hosted game shows including Name That Tune and Celebrity Squares.

### Personal life

Hannan was married to Joanne Goode and had four children, including actress and model Melissa Hannan who won the Miss Australia title in 1981 and was also in the Miss World competition held in London. He left the show business industry in 1984, Hannan died on 7 January 2019, aged 84, from cancer in Bellingen, New South Wales.

## Filmography

| Year | Title | Role |
| 1956 | Name That Tune (TV series) |
| 1962 | Say When!! (TV series) | Host |
| 1966 | Jimmy (TV music variety show) (also later known as Tonight with Jimmy Hannan) | Host |
| 1967 | The Go!! Show (TV music series) |
| 1967 | Take a Letter (TV series) |
| 1969 | The Johnny Farnham special (TV special) | Host |
| 1970 | In Melbourne Tonight (TV series) | Host |
| 1963-1970 | Bandstand (TV series) | Singer |
| 1971 | The 13th annual TV Week Logie Awards | Himself- presenter |
| 1971 | Spending Spree (TV series) | Host |
| 1972 | Matt Flinders (TV series) | Host |
| 1972 | Split Second (TV series) | Host |
| 1974 | Ted Hamiltons Musical World (TV series) | Himself |
| 1974 | The Ernie Sigley Show (TV series) | Himself |
| 1972-1975 | The Graham Kennedy Show (TV series) | Himself |
| 1975 | Something Special (TV series) | Himself |
| 1975-1976 | Celebrity Squares (TV series) | Host |
| 1979 | The Magic of Cole Porter Special (TV special) |
| 1981 | Search for a Star (TV series) | Host |

## Actor

| Year | Title | Role |
| 1976 | The Sentimental Bloke (TV movie) | Ginger Mick |

## Soundtrack

| Year | Title |
| 1970 | In Melbournre Tonight (see above) | 1 episode (14 May) - Performer -"Soon It's Gonna Rain -The "In" Crowd" |
| 1974 | The Ernie Sigley Show (see above) | 4 episodes - Performer -"The Greatest Show on Earth" -"Watching Scotty Grow" -"Song Sung Blue", "Cracklin' Rose" -"Name" |
| 1972-1975 | "The Graham Kennedy Show" (TV series) | 10 episodes - Performer -"Once in a Lifetime" -"If You Go Away (Ne me quitte pas)" -"Cabaret" -"(I Don't Know Why) But I Do" -"Personality" -"Get Down" -"And I Love You So" -"Welcome Home". "Country Boy" -"You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" -"Beer Barrel Polka" |

## Discography
### EPs

List of EPs :
| Title | Album details |
| Jimmy Hannan Sings | Released: 1963 Format: LP Label: Reg Grundy (RGX-10,694) |
| Hokey Pokey Stomp And Beach Ball | Released: 1964 Format: LP Label: Reg Grundy (RGX-10,829) |
| It's a Cotton Candy World | Released: 1965 Format: LP Label: Reg Grundy (RGX-10,992) |
| Jimmy Hannan | Released: 1973 Format: LP Label: Fable (FBEP-167) |

### Singles

List of singles, with selected chart positions :
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions |
| Year | Title | AUS |
| 1963 | "Beach Ball"/"You Gotta Have Love" | - |
| 1964 | "Little Latin Lupe Lu"/"You Guessed It" | - |
| 1964 | "Hokey Pokey Stomp"/"You Make Me Happy" | 50 |
| 1964 | "It's a Cotton Candy World"/"Come Out Dancin'" | - |
| 1965 | "See That Girl"/"In My Imagination" | - |
| 1966 | "Gloria"/"Young" | - |
| 1968 | "The Lady Came from Baltimore"/"You Can't Do That" | - |
| 1970 | "Curly"/"Sheila Anne" | 49 |
| 1970 | "Thanks"/"Anything Could Happen" | - |
| 1971 | "Money Money"/"Little Girl" | - |
| 1972 | "May Each Day"/"Together Forever" | - |
| 1975 | "Chang the Magic Dragon" | 49 |
| 1975 | "Sail Away"/"Wooden Heart" | - |
| 1979 | "Crazy Signs"/"Bon Appetit" | - |