Australian Viewers Are Introduced to Color Television Early in a Surreal Skit on ‘The Aunty Jack Show’

Australian viewers were introduced to the wonders of color television in a surreal, if not slightly bawdy skit during a special episode of The Aunty Jack Show that aired at 11:57 PM on February 28, 1975.

Aunty Jack Color Television Australia

The show, which ran from 1972 through 1973, reconvened for a special that night and became the first program to announce the change from black and white to color as they decided to start three minutes earlier than any other program scheduled for that time.

The show was always in black and white, but things were shortly about to change. Color was sprouting everywhere around them. When it started leaking through the door, both Thin Arthur (Grahame Bond) and Kid Eager (Rory O’Donoghue) took on vivid hues, while Aunty Jack (Grahame Bond) remained in black and white until shortly before the end of the skit.

Aunty Jack Australian Color TV
Lori Dorn
Lori Dorn

Lori is a Laughing Squid Contributing Editor based in New York City who has been writing blog posts for over a decade. She also enjoys making jewelry, playing guitar, taking photos and mixing craft cocktails.