Tanya Halesworth
Encyclopedia
Tanya Halesworth was best known as an Australia
n television personality, but was also a teacher, actor, public relations adviser and manager, and psychologist. She won the 1961 TV Week
Logie Award
for Most Popular Female in New South Wales. Tony Stephens wrote in his obituary that "during her time on television, hers was one of the most recognisable faces in Australia".
. In 1951, she was vice-captain of the school.
She worked as a clerk in a sheriff's office, before training as a teacher at Bathurst
Teacher's College. She taught in primary schools for three years, as well as acting with small theatre companies and working on TV commercials. In 1955 she married teacher Brian Halesworth, but they were divorced in 1959.
, beating 200 applicants. Christine Hogan, speaking on women in the media, described her as "a school teacher with a dramatic bent". By 1961 her work for the ABC included the show Six O'Clock Rock
. At the same time she was studying for an arts degree at Sydney University and performing in Clare Booth Luce's The Women at the Independent Theatre.
Halesworth left the ABC in 1962 to join Channel Seven
to host a tenpin bowling program. It was here that she met interviewer and announcer, John Bailey, who was later to become her husband. For the next two years she worked on shows such as Talking Point as well as continuing to perform on stage. One of her roles during this time was Juliet in Peter Ustinov
's comedy Romanoff and Juliet.
In 1964, having graduated with a first class honours bachelor of arts degree from Sydney University, she went to England where she hosted Granada Television
's program The Headliners. However, she returned to Australia in 1965 and married John Bailey in 1967, despite having once reportedly said that "it was entirely against man's instincts to be tied down to one woman". Bailey and Halesworth worked for Channel Ten in Sydney and then Melbourne.
From 1965 to 1968, she co-produced with Bill Peach a current affairs show on Channel Ten called Telescope. Peach also anchored the show with Halesworth being one of the reporters, alongside Ken Cook
and Tony Ward
.
From 1979 to 1980 she hosted ABC's Sunday Spectrum program which was compendium style show comprising a varying mix of documentaries, music, and visiting guests. She also worked on Channel Ten's Good Morning Australia (breakfast TV)
.
and completed a master's degree in philosophy, doing her thesis on Karl Marx
. She moved into public relations and management, and managed the career of Australian swimmer Tracey Wickham
. Her last career was as a psychologist.
John Bailey died in 1998, and Halesworth moved back to Queensland, living first in the Gold Coast
and then the Sunshine Coast
where she kept practising as a psychologist until becoming ill in late 2007.
She died of cancer on 8 October 2008, and was survived by her three sons, John, Michael and Kieran.
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 personality, but was also a teacher, actor, public relations adviser and manager, and psychologist. She won the 1961 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 Award
Logie Award
The TV Week Logie Awards are the Australian television industry awards, which have been presented annually since 1959. Renamed by Graham Kennedy in 1960 after he won the first 'Star Of The Year' award, the name 'Logie' awards honours John Logie Baird, a Scotsman who invented the television as a...
for Most Popular Female in New South Wales. Tony Stephens wrote in his obituary that "during her time on television, hers was one of the most recognisable faces in Australia".
Early life
Halesworth was born in Brisbane to Iris Kemp and her insurance husband salesman, Reg Kemp. Reg left the family not long after Tanya's birth; her mother remarried and had three sons. The family moved to Sydney and Tanya went to Darlinghurst Primary School and then the selective Sydney Girls High SchoolSydney Girls High School
Sydney Girls High School is an academically selective, Public high school for girls, located at Moore Park, in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
. In 1951, she was vice-captain of the school.
She worked as a clerk in a sheriff's office, before training as a teacher at Bathurst
Bathurst, New South Wales
-CBD and suburbs:Bathurst's CBD is located on William, George, Howick, Russell, and Durham Streets. The CBD is approximately 25 hectares and surrounds two city blocks. Within this block layout is banking, government services, shopping centres, retail shops, a park* and monuments...
Teacher's College. She taught in primary schools for three years, as well as acting with small theatre companies and working on TV commercials. In 1955 she married teacher Brian Halesworth, but they were divorced in 1959.
Television career
In 1958, when she was 23 years old, she won a job as a studio announcer with the ABCAustralian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
, beating 200 applicants. Christine Hogan, speaking on women in the media, described her as "a school teacher with a dramatic bent". By 1961 her work for the ABC included the show Six O'Clock Rock
Six O'Clock Rock
Six O'Clock Rock was an Australian Rock and Roll television show which showed on ABC Television from 28 February 1959 to 1962 and was broadcast at 6PM on Saturday evenings....
. At the same time she was studying for an arts degree at Sydney University and performing in Clare Booth Luce's The Women at the Independent Theatre.
Halesworth left the ABC in 1962 to join Channel Seven
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...
to host a tenpin bowling program. It was here that she met interviewer and announcer, John Bailey, who was later to become her husband. For the next two years she worked on shows such as Talking Point as well as continuing to perform on stage. One of her roles during this time was Juliet in Peter Ustinov
Peter Ustinov
Peter Alexander Ustinov CBE was an English actor, writer and dramatist. He was also renowned as a filmmaker, theatre and opera director, stage designer, author, screenwriter, comedian, humourist, newspaper and magazine columnist, radio broadcaster and television presenter...
's comedy Romanoff and Juliet.
In 1964, having graduated with a first class honours bachelor of arts degree from Sydney University, she went to England where she hosted Granada Television
Granada Television
Granada Television is the ITV contractor for North West England. Based in Manchester since its inception, it is the only surviving original ITA franchisee from 1954 and is ITV's most successful....
's program The Headliners. However, she returned to Australia in 1965 and married John Bailey in 1967, despite having once reportedly said that "it was entirely against man's instincts to be tied down to one woman". Bailey and Halesworth worked for Channel Ten in Sydney and then Melbourne.
From 1965 to 1968, she co-produced with Bill Peach a current affairs show on Channel Ten called Telescope. Peach also anchored the show with Halesworth being one of the reporters, alongside Ken Cook
Ken Cook
Ken Cook is president and co-founder of the Environmental Working Group , a public interest research and advocacy organization focused on protecting human health and the environment. Cook is the author of dozens of articles, opinion pieces and reports on environmental, public health and...
and Tony Ward
Tony Ward (Australian actor)
Tony Ward was an Australian television actor and current affairs reporter. He is regarded as Australian television's original action star, on Hunter, and was an inaugural reporter on two national current affairs programs, Seven Days and A Current Affair.-Life:Anthony John Ward was born in Sydney,...
.
From 1979 to 1980 she hosted ABC's Sunday Spectrum program which was compendium style show comprising a varying mix of documentaries, music, and visiting guests. She also worked on Channel Ten's Good Morning Australia (breakfast TV)
Good Morning Australia (breakfast TV)
Good Morning Australia from Network Ten was the name of two different programs. This article is for the breakfast TV show, not to be confused with Bert Newton's morning program....
.
Later career and life
During the 1980s, Halesworth tutored at Macquarie UniversityMacquarie University
Macquarie University is an Australian public teaching and research university located in Sydney, with its main campus situated in Macquarie Park. Founded in 1964 by the New South Wales Government, it was the third university to be established in the metropolitan area of Sydney...
and completed a master's degree in philosophy, doing her thesis on Karl Marx
Karl Marx
Karl Heinrich Marx was a German philosopher, economist, sociologist, historian, journalist, and revolutionary socialist. His ideas played a significant role in the development of social science and the socialist political movement...
. She moved into public relations and management, and managed the career of Australian swimmer Tracey Wickham
Tracey Wickham
Tracey Lee Wickham MBE OAM is an Australian former middle distance world champion swimmer. Despite her success in the pool, Wickham has battled financial hardship and personal tragedy throughout her life....
. Her last career was as a psychologist.
John Bailey died in 1998, and Halesworth moved back to Queensland, living first in the Gold Coast
Gold Coast, Queensland
Gold Coast is a coastal city of Australia located in South East Queensland, 94km south of the state capital Brisbane. With a population approximately 540,000 in 2010, it is the second most populous city in the state, the sixth most populous city in the country, and also the most populous...
and then the Sunshine Coast
Sunshine Coast, Queensland
The Sunshine Coast is an urban area in South East Queensland, north of the state capital of Brisbane on the Pacific Ocean coastline. Although it does not have a central business district, by population it ranks as the 10th largest metropolis in Australia and the third largest in...
where she kept practising as a psychologist until becoming ill in late 2007.
She died of cancer on 8 October 2008, and was survived by her three sons, John, Michael and Kieran.