# 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