Reg Watson
Encyclopedia
Reginald James "Reg" Watson (born c. 1935) AM
is an Australian television producer, best known for creating soap operas like Prisoner
and Neighbours
.
and in 1956, joined Ned Sherrin
and Noele Gordon
in Birmingham
to set up and launch ATV Midlands where his job was as Head Of Light Entertainment
.
In this role, he created many programmes for the station with his first big hit being the live daily chat show, Lunchbox. It ran from 1956 to 1964, creating over 3,000 editions. In 1958, Reg submitted a proposal for a new Midlands based soap opera to ATV, however it wasn't until 1964 that Lew Grade
, head of the company, granted approval for a series. Originally called The Midland Road, but changed by Watson to Crossroads just before it began to be broadcast, it was the first daily serial in the UK. Created by Hazel Adair and Peter Ling
, it achieved audiences of 18 million.
After ten years producing Crossroads, and eighteen years at ATV he decided to return to Australia in 1973. Upon his return home, he took up the post of head of drama at Reg Grundy Productions
. Thanks to his popular British soap, he was able to create many more series including The Young Doctors
, Glenview High
, The Restless Years
and Sons and Daughters
. The Young Doctors and Sons and Daughters later aired in the UK. The prominence he gained from Sons and Daughters allowed his idea for Neighbours
to be picked up by the Seven Network
in 1985. After being cancelled by Seven that year due to low ratings, it switched to the Ten Network at the start of 1986 and slowly its ratings climbed. Currently, the show still airs on channel 11 and is the longest-running drama series in Australian television history. At the 47th Annual TV Week
Logie Awards held on 1 May 2005, Neighbours became the 22nd inductee into the TV Week Hall of Fame.
Watson also dabbled in television production in America
, producing Dangerous Women
, a short-lived soap opera based on the Australian Prisoner
series.
On 26 January 2010, Watson was appointed an Member of the Order of Australia
for service to the media as a pioneer in the creation and production of serial television drama.
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
is an Australian television producer, best known for creating soap operas like Prisoner
Prisoner (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...
and Neighbours
Neighbours
Neighbours 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...
.
Career
Watson started his career as an actor at the age of sixteen on Australian radio, before moving to the UK in 1955. He soon was hired by ATVAssociated TeleVision
Associated Television, often referred to as ATV, was a British television company, holder of various licences to broadcast on the ITV network from 24 September 1955 until 00:34 on 1 January 1982...
and in 1956, joined Ned Sherrin
Ned Sherrin
Edward George "Ned" Sherrin CBE was an English broadcaster, author and stage director. He qualified as a barrister and then worked in independent television before joining the BBC...
and Noele Gordon
Noele Gordon
Noele Gordon was an English film and television actress.- Early life :Gordon's father was an engineer in the Merchant Navy and she was born in East Ham, London. After attending convent school at Forest Gate, she was taught to dance by the late Maude Wells and later spent several years living in...
in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
to set up and launch ATV Midlands where his job was as Head Of Light Entertainment
Light entertainment
Light entertainment is a term used to describe a broad range of usually televisual performances. These include comedies, variety shows, quiz/game shows, sketch shows and people/surprise shows.-Light entertainment in Britain:...
.
In this role, he created many programmes for the station with his first big hit being the live daily chat show, Lunchbox. It ran from 1956 to 1964, creating over 3,000 editions. In 1958, Reg submitted a proposal for a new Midlands based soap opera to ATV, however it wasn't until 1964 that Lew Grade
Lew Grade
Lew Grade, Baron Grade , born Lev Winogradsky, was an influential Russian-born English impresario and media mogul.-Early years:...
, head of the company, granted approval for a series. Originally called The Midland Road, but changed by Watson to Crossroads just before it began to be broadcast, it was the first daily serial in the UK. Created by Hazel Adair and Peter Ling
Peter Ling
Peter Ling was a British writer in many media, but best known for his work in television, where he was the co-creator of the soap opera Crossroads....
, it achieved audiences of 18 million.
After ten years producing Crossroads, and eighteen years at ATV he decided to return to Australia in 1973. Upon his return home, he took up the post of head of drama at Reg Grundy Productions
Reg Grundy Productions
Reg 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...
. Thanks to his popular British soap, he was able to create many more series including The Young Doctors
The Young Doctors
The 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...
, Glenview High
Glenview High
Glenview High is an Australian television drama series produced by the Reg Grundy Organisation for the Seven Network between 1977 and 1978.-Story:...
, The Restless Years
The Restless Years
The 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...
and Sons and Daughters
Sons 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...
. The Young Doctors and Sons and Daughters later aired in the UK. The prominence he gained from Sons and Daughters allowed his idea for Neighbours
Neighbours
Neighbours 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...
to be picked up by the Seven Network
Seven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
in 1985. After being cancelled by Seven that year due to low ratings, it switched to the Ten Network at the start of 1986 and slowly its ratings climbed. Currently, the show still airs on channel 11 and is the longest-running drama series in Australian television history. At the 47th Annual TV Week
TV Week
TV Week is a weekly television magazine in Australia, first published as a Melbourne-only publication in December 1957 , and bearing a strong affiliation to television station GTV.The publication is still publishing weekly...
Logie Awards held on 1 May 2005, Neighbours became the 22nd inductee into the TV Week Hall of Fame.
Watson also dabbled in television production in America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, producing Dangerous Women
Dangerous Women
Dangerous Women is a syndicated nighttime American soap opera about a group of women who served time in prison together. It was created and written by Reg Watson and produced by Reg Grundy Productions.-Synopsis:...
, a short-lived soap opera based on the Australian Prisoner
Prisoner (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...
series.
Personal life
Watson is a shy man and rarely gives interviews, he is now retired and has not produced any new television drama since 1992.On 26 January 2010, Watson was appointed an Member of the Order of Australia
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
for service to the media as a pioneer in the creation and production of serial television drama.