Reg Grundy Organisation
Encyclopedia
The Reg Grundy Organisation (later the Grundy Organisation or just Grundys, then Grundy Television) was an Australia
n television
production company
founded in 1959 by businessman Reg Grundy
(born Reginald Roy Grundy). It has since branched out into Europe and the USA. The company first produced game shows, before branching into soap opera
s in 1973. In 1995, Reg Grundy sold the company to Pearson PLC
, which has since become known as FremantleMedia
and is part of the RTL Group
(in turn 90% owned by Bertelsmann
). In 2006 FremantleMedia merged Grundy Television and Crackerjack Productions
to form FremantleMedia Australia
. However, the name Grundy still exists in Germany as Grundy Light Entertainment and in Italy as Grundy Productions Italy.
, which launched on Nine Network
in 1959. Another show with this title celebrated its 25th anniversary in Australia, a week before its cancellation in July 2006.
In the late 1980’s Reg Grundy established Grundy World Wide Limited. He created and operated local, independent television production and distribution companies in Europe, Asia and North and South America.
FremantleMedia
(then Pearson Television) acquired the Grundy group of companies in 1995. On 30 August 2006, FremantleMedia announced they would merge Grundy Television with their other Australian production company, Crackerjack Productions, to form a single 'super' production company called "FremantleMedia Australia". The new company is now managed by the management team from Crackerjack, with Mark Fennessy as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and his brother Carl Fennessy as Chief Operating Officer (COO).
Simon Spalding (FremantleMedia Director of Asia Pacific Operations) said in an interview that Grundy Television's premises in Sydney are to be refurbished and that once complete, all Sydney based staff will be located there. He claims that this will help to create a 'deeper' production facility and is not a cost cutting exercise. Spalding also said that although the Grundy name would be disappearing, he was looking at how FremantleMedia could retain the Grundy name and the heritage associated with it. One compromise re-brand mooted by die-hard Grundy nostalgics is "FremantleGrundles Australia".
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
production company
Production company
A production company provides the physical basis for works in the realms of the performing arts, new media art, film, television, radio, and video.- Tasks and functions :...
founded in 1959 by businessman Reg Grundy
Reg Grundy
Reginald Roy "Reg" Grundy, AC, OBE is one of the most successful Australian entrepreneurs, and media and television moguls of his generation.He was the only child born to Roy Grundy and Lillian Lees...
(born Reginald Roy Grundy). It has since branched out into Europe and the USA. The company first produced game shows, before branching into soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
s in 1973. In 1995, Reg Grundy sold the company to Pearson PLC
Pearson PLC
Pearson plc is a global media and education company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is both the largest education company and the largest book publisher in the world, with consumer imprints including Penguin, Dorling Kindersley and Ladybird...
, which has since become known as FremantleMedia
FremantleMedia
FremantleMedia, Ltd. is the content and production division of Bertelsmann's RTL Group, Europe's second largest TV, radio, and production company...
and is part of the RTL Group
RTL Group
RTL Group is Europe's largest TV, radio and production company, and is majority-owned by German media conglomerate Bertelsmann. It has 45 television and 32 radio stations in 11 countries...
(in turn 90% owned by Bertelsmann
Bertelsmann
Bertelsmann AG is a multinational media corporation founded in 1835, based in Gütersloh, Germany. The company operates in 63 countries and employs 102,983 workers , which makes it the most international media corporation in the world. In 2008 the company reported a €16.118 billion consolidated...
). In 2006 FremantleMedia merged Grundy Television and Crackerjack Productions
Crackerjack Productions
Crackerjack Productions is an Australian independent television production company headed by brothers Mark and Carl Fennessy....
to form FremantleMedia Australia
FremantleMedia Australia
FremantleMedia Australia is the Australian arm of FremantleMedia and was formed in 2006 by the merger of two great names in Australian television industry - Crackerjack Productions and Grundy Television, who had been both acquired by FremantleMedia....
. However, the name Grundy still exists in Germany as Grundy Light Entertainment and in Italy as Grundy Productions Italy.
History
After success in radio, Grundy's first TV production was Wheel of FortuneWheel of Fortune (Australian game show)
Wheel of Fortune was an Australian television game show produced by Grundy Television. The programme aired on the Seven Network from 1981 to 2004 and November 2005 to July 2006, and is mostly based on the same general format as the original US version of the programme...
, which launched on Nine Network
Nine Network
The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
in 1959. Another show with this title celebrated its 25th anniversary in Australia, a week before its cancellation in July 2006.
In the late 1980’s Reg Grundy established Grundy World Wide Limited. He created and operated local, independent television production and distribution companies in Europe, Asia and North and South America.
FremantleMedia
FremantleMedia
FremantleMedia, Ltd. is the content and production division of Bertelsmann's RTL Group, Europe's second largest TV, radio, and production company...
(then Pearson Television) acquired the Grundy group of companies in 1995. On 30 August 2006, FremantleMedia announced they would merge Grundy Television with their other Australian production company, Crackerjack Productions, to form a single 'super' production company called "FremantleMedia Australia". The new company is now managed by the management team from Crackerjack, with Mark Fennessy as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and his brother Carl Fennessy as Chief Operating Officer (COO).
Simon Spalding (FremantleMedia Director of Asia Pacific Operations) said in an interview that Grundy Television's premises in Sydney are to be refurbished and that once complete, all Sydney based staff will be located there. He claims that this will help to create a 'deeper' production facility and is not a cost cutting exercise. Spalding also said that although the Grundy name would be disappearing, he was looking at how FremantleMedia could retain the Grundy name and the heritage associated with it. One compromise re-brand mooted by die-hard Grundy nostalgics is "FremantleGrundles Australia".
Divisions
The company had several divisions in other countries:- Reg Grundy ProductionsReg Grundy ProductionsReg Grundy Productions was the American wing of the worldwide television production company Grundy Worldwide, which was founded by Australian television producer Reg Grundy. Reg Grundy Productions was responsible for the production of two highly-successful daytime game shows on NBC during the...
was the United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
division. This is now defunct, having been folded into FremantleMedia North America, along with Mark Goodson Productions. Their U.S. office was headquartered in West Los Angeles, near Century City. - Grundy Light Entertainment - the still active GermanGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
division, which produces such shows as Familien-Duell, Ruck ZuckRuck ZuckRuck Zuck is a remix album by KMFDM, featuring remixed tracks from their previous full-length release, Hau Ruck.-Track listing:-References:*...
(best known of Grundy's German game shows), Das Quiz mit Jorg Pilawa, Hopp oder Top, Q-Boot, and owns the rights to Der Preis ist heiss. - Grundy France EURL - the now defunct FrenchFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
division which was best known for producing Questions pour un champion, along with other programs Le Juste PrixLe Juste PrixLe Juste Prix is a French adaptation of the American game show The Price Is Right that airs on TF1. It first premiered in 1988 and ran until the original version was canceled in 2001. In 2002 a brief sequel, Le Juste Euro, ran on France 2 and was hosted by Patrice Laffont, it only ran for two...
, 100%, and La Gym de Neurones. - Grundy Productions Italy - ItalianItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
division, which produced programs like FuroreFuroreFurore is a town and comune in the province of Salerno in the Campania region of south-western Italy. Furore is located in the Coast of Amalfi.-Geography:...
, Greed, and $20, based on the Australian game show The $20 ChallengeThe $20 ChallengeThe $20 Challenge was an Australian reality television series that was broadcast on the Network Ten. It featured James Mathison.- See also :* List of Australian television series* List of Network Ten programs...
. - Grundy Productions Spain- Currently rebranded as FremantleMedia España.
- Grundy also had a UK division, best known for producing Going for GoldGoing for GoldGoing for Gold is a British television game show that originally aired on BBC1 between 12 October 1987 and 9 July 1996.It has since been revived for Channel 5 from 13 October 2008 to 20 March 2009...
, a big hit on the BBC for ten years. It also owned the rights to two Bruce ForsythBruce ForsythSir Bruce Joseph Forsyth-Johnson, CBE , commonly known as Bruce Forsyth, or Brucie, is an English TV personality...
-hosted games-- Bruce's Price is RightThe Price Is RightThe Price Is Right is a television game show franchise originally produced by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman, and created by Bob Stewart, and is currently produced and owned by FremantleMedia. The franchise centers on television game shows, but also includes merchandise such as video games, printed...
and (Bruce Forsyth's) Play Your Cards RightPlay Your Cards RightPlay Your Cards Right is a British television game show based on the American show known as Card Sharks. The gameplay was basically the same as in the American version.-Broadcast History:...
. - Their Swedish operation produced a local version of Sons and DaughtersSons and Daughters (Australian TV series)Sons and Daughters was a Logie Award winning Australian soap opera created by Reg Watson and produced by the Reg Grundy Organisation between 1981 and 1987. The first episode aired in December 1981, during the Christmas/New Year non-ratings period, and the official broadcast date of the final...
- Skilda världarSkilda världarSkilda världar was a Swedish soap opera from 1996-2002 about two families in Stockholm and their friends. One rich family and one poor and about Daniel and Sandra who are from the two families and fall in love. Later in the series it is discovered that Daniel and Sandra are twins...
. It also produced the SwedishSwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
version of Card SharksCard SharksCard Sharks is an American television game show created by Chester Feldman for Mark Goodson-Bill Todman Productions. Two contestants compete for control of a row of oversized playing cards by answering questions posed by the host and then guessing if the next card is higher or lower in value than...
- Lägt kört ligger.
Programmes
Produced by Grundy Television (*)- Australia's Most WantedAustralia's Most WantedAustralia's Most Wanted was a television program based on the format made popular by America's Most Wanted. It screened on the Seven Network from 1989 until 1999....
(1989-1999) - Australian IdolAustralian IdolAustralian Idol is a Logie Award-winning Australian singing competition, which began its first season on July 2003 and ended its run in November 2009. As part of the Idol franchise, Australian Idol originated from the reality program Pop Idol, which was created by British entertainment executive...
* (2003-2009) - Australia's Funniest Home Videos* (since 2005)
- Class of '74 (1975)
- Class of '75 (1975)
- Bert's Family FeudBert's Family FeudBert's Family Feud was the third Australian version of the game show Family Feud. The series was produced by Grundy Television in conjunction with FremantleMedia. It was broadcast on the Nine Network and hosted by Bert Newton...
(2006-2007) - Burgo's Catch PhraseBurgo's Catch PhraseBurgo's Catch Phrase was an Australian game show that ran between 1997 and 2003, produced by Southern Star Group for the Nine Network. The show was based on the British and American versions of the game, and was originally known as simply Catch Phrase until renamed in honour of its host...
* (2002-2003) - Glenview HighGlenview HighGlenview High is an Australian television drama series produced by the Reg Grundy Organisation for the Seven Network between 1977 and 1978.-Story:...
(1977-1979) - It's a KnockoutIt's a KnockoutIt's a Knockout was adapted from the French show Intervilles. It ran between from 7 August 1966 to 25 December 1988 on BBC1, 28 May 1990 on ITV, 3 August 1991 to 24 December 1994 on S4C and from 3 September 1999 to 6 January 2001 on Channel 5, produced by Richard Hearsey and Ronin Entertainment...
(1985-1987) - NeighboursNeighboursNeighbours is an Australian television soap opera first broadcast on the Seven Network on 18 March 1985. It was created by TV executive Reg Watson, who proposed the idea of making a show that focused on realistic stories and portrayed adults and teenagers who talk openly and solve their problems...
* (1985-present) - Nerds FCNerds FCNerds FC is an Australian television documentary featuring soccer. The first series of the show was aired as a lead-in for the 2006 FIFA World Cup on the Special Broadcasting Service network that featured coverage of the Australian national soccer team....
(2006) - Perfect MatchPerfect Match (Australian game show)Perfect Match is an Australian dating game show based on the format of The Dating Game. Perfect Match was produced by the Reg Grundy Organisation.It originally aired on Network Ten for 30 minutes most weekdays from 5:30pm between 1984 and 1989...
(1984-1989) - PrisonerPrisoner (TV series)Prisoner is an Australian television soap opera which was set in the Wentworth Detention Centre, a fictional women's prison. The series was produced by the Reg Grundy Organisation and ran on Network Ten for 692 episodes from 27 February 1979 to 11 December 1986.The series was inspired by the 1970s...
(1979-1986) - Richmond HillRichmond Hill (TV series)Richmond Hill was an Australian television soap opera made in 1988 by the Reg Grundy Organisation for the Ten Network. It was devised by Reg Watson who also created Neighbours...
(1988) - $ale of the CenturySale of the CenturySale of the Century is a television game show format that has been screened in several countries in various incarnations since 1969. The show found its biggest success in Australia, where it aired weeknights from 1980 to 2001...
(1980-2001) - Temptation (2005-2009)
- Secret ValleySecret ValleySecret Valley was an Australian children's television adventure series from 1980 made by the Grundy Organisation and first shown on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation...
(1984) - Sons and DaughtersSons and Daughters (Australian TV series)Sons and Daughters was a Logie Award winning Australian soap opera created by Reg Watson and produced by the Reg Grundy Organisation between 1981 and 1987. The first episode aired in December 1981, during the Christmas/New Year non-ratings period, and the official broadcast date of the final...
(1982-1987) - Superquiz (1981, 1989)
- The Money Makers, and Junior Money Makers (1960s)
- The Price Is RightThe Price Is Right (Australian game show)The Price is Right was a television game show that has been produced in a number of different formats in Australia.-Original format:Two regional versions based on the original 1950s US format aired nearly concurrently - one aired on ATN-7 in Sydney, hosted by Bruce Beeby and Keith Walshe from...
(1960s-1980s, 1992-1998, 2003-2005) - The Restless YearsThe Restless YearsThe Restless Years is an Australian soap opera which followed the lives of several Sydney school-leavers and young adults. It was produced by the Reg Grundy Organisation for Network Ten. It debuted December 1977 and ran until late 1981. It was not renewed by the network due to declining ratings...
(1977-1982) - The Young DoctorsThe Young DoctorsThe Young Doctors is an Australian early evening soap opera. The series was set in the fictional Albert Memorial hospital and primarily concerned with romances between younger members of the hospital staff, screened on the Nine Network from Monday, 8 November 1976 until Wednesday, 30 March...
(1976-1983) - Three on a MatchThree on a Match (game show)Three on a Match was an American television game show created by Bob Stewart that ran on NBC from August 2, 1971 to June 28, 1974 on its daytime schedule...
(1975) - Wheel of FortuneWheel of Fortune (Australian game show)Wheel of Fortune was an Australian television game show produced by Grundy Television. The programme aired on the Seven Network from 1981 to 2004 and November 2005 to July 2006, and is mostly based on the same general format as the original US version of the programme...
* (1981-2009)
- Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (Australian game show)Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? was an Australian television game show which would offer a maximum cash prize of $1,000,000 for answering 15 successive multiple-choice questions of increasing difficulty as a team...
(1999-2007) - Hot SeatWho Wants to Be a Millionaire? (Australian game show)Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? was an Australian television game show which would offer a maximum cash prize of $1,000,000 for answering 15 successive multiple-choice questions of increasing difficulty as a team...
(2009-) - The X Factor (2010-)
- So You Think You Can Dance AustraliaSo You Think You Can Dance AustraliaSo You Think You Can Dance Australia was an Australian version of the American reality dance-off series So You Think You Can Dance. The show is hosted by Natalie Bassingthwaighte, with Jason Coleman, Matt Lee and Bonnie Lythgoe acting as the judges....
(2008-2010)