''The Argonauts Club'' was an Australian children's radio program, first broadcast in 1933 on

ABC Radio Melbourne ABC Radio Melbourne (official List of radio station callsigns in Victoria, callsign: 3LO) is an ABC Local Radio station in Melbourne, Australia. It began transmission on 13 October 1924 and was Melbourne's second licensed radio station after Radi ...

. Its format was devised by Nina Murdoch who had run the station's Children's Hour as "Pat". The show was discontinued in 1934 when Nina moved to Adelaide.''The Golden Age of the Argonauts" by Rob Johnson pub. Hodder & Stoughton 1997 '' The format was revived on 7 January 1941 as a segment of ABC's ''Children's Session'' and broadcast nationally except in

Western Australia Western Australia (WA) is the westernmost state of Australia. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east, and South Australia to the south-east. Western Aust ...

where the two hour time difference made a local production more attractive. From 6 September 1954 it was called the ''Children's Hour'', running from 5 to 6pm.''Sydney Morning Herald'' 2 September 1954
Nla.gov.au It became one of the ABC's most popular programs, running six days a week for 28 years until October 1969, when it was broadcast only on Sundays and was finally discontinued in 1972.

The Children's Session

Following a decision of ABC General Manager (later Sir) Charles Moses, the Children's Session was instituted as a national program by the ABC in 1939 by Frank D Clewlow who was then Controller of Productions (i.e. director of drama and light entertainment). His protegee Ida Elizabeth Osbourne was appointed as its first presenter, as "Elizabeth". When she married in 1952, and was forced to leave as was then Public Service policy, the position was taken by "Nan" ( Margaret Dalton). The Children's Session was co-hosted from 1940 by London-born Scot Atholl Fleming, as "Mac" or "Tavish McTavish". His most durable co-presenters were the painter Albert Collins ("Joe"), then after his death the actor John Ewart, called "Jimmy" or "Little Jimmy Hawkins". The fourth member of the 'on-air' team was always female, again having an 'on-air' pseudonym. Some, perhaps most, are listed below.

Theme music

The Children's Session opened with the theme song by the Jim Davidson Dance Band, written by Elizabeth Osbourne with music by Wally Portingale:

Come, Old Mother Hubbard and Jack and Jill And Tom the Piper's son
Leave your cupboard forget your spill
We're going to have some fun
The wireless says to hurry and run
To leave your games and toys;
The wireless says the time has come
For all the girls and boys.
So come with a hop, a skip and a run,
It's time for the Session, it's time for the fun."''Good Rowing'' Ida Elizabeth Jenkins, Australian Broadcasting Commission 1982

and the team would introduce themselves with some light-hearted banter in keeping with their 'on-air' personas, followed by entertainment arranged roughly in order of audience age.

The Muddle-Headed Wombat

The first segment for most of the show's history was a dramatised series by Ruth Park, originally ''The Wideawake Bunyip'', with "Joe" Albert Collins in the title role. When he died, in 1951, Ruth changed the title to ''The Muddle-Headed Wombat'', with

Leonard Teale Leonard George Thiele Officer of the Order of Australia, AO (26 September 192214 May 1994), professionally Leonard Teale, was an Australian actor of radio, television and film and radio announcer, presenter and narrator known for his resonant ...

the first to play the part. When Leonard left, John Ewart "Jimmy" made it his for the next 20 years. The part of his friend "Mouse" in both incarnations was played by the current female co-presenter. When John Appleton was made Supervisor of Children's Programs and keen to be involved, a part "Tabby Cat" was created for him. The popularity of the series led Ruth Park to write her series of ''

Muddle-Headed Wombat The Muddle-Headed Wombat is a fictional wombat featured in the radio serials and later in the children's books of the same name written by Australian author Ruth Park. The books are considered classics of Australian children's literature. Histor ...

'' books in the 1960s.

Entertainment

The remainder of the 'session' was given over to a variety of entertainments depending on the day of the week: "singos" (singalongs), stories or skits by the team in their studio personas, written by Atholl Fleming or G. K. Saunders involving perhaps a confrontation with the studio supervisor 'Stewed Soup' or discovery of a secret passage from the studio. On Tuesdays, "Orpheus" (baritone Harold Williams) would sing a segment from opera, a ballad like ''The Golden Vanity'' or ''Up from Somerset'' or fun song such as "One Fish Ball" or "The Green-eyed Dragon with Thirteen Tails" Harold had perfect diction and wide range of expression, so children clearly heard what he was singing about. The finale was a serialised book dramatisation, usually by an Australian author such as Ivan Southall. This included dramatised versions of Southall's early semi-autobiographical war novel ''Simon Black in Coastal Command'', telling the exploits and hardships of the RAAF crews of Short 'Sunderland' flying boats, patrolling the Bay of Biscay and the Western Approaches, hunting German u-boats, and Southall's sequel science fiction novel ''Simon Black in Antarctica'', in which Simon Black and his team flew a futuristic jet-rocket hybrid to a hidden valley in Antarctica, warmed by geothermal springs, where a remnant community of

Neanderthal Neanderthals ( ; ''Homo neanderthalensis'' or sometimes ''H. sapiens neanderthalensis'') are an extinction, extinct group of archaic humans who inhabited Europe and Western and Central Asia during the Middle Pleistocene, Middle to Late Plei ...

people was discovered. An early success was ''Budge'' (later and better known as ''Budge's Gang'') with actors Ron Rousel (as "Budge"), Rodney Jacobs (as "Tubby"), Peter Dunstan or David Stout (as "Snick"), Patricia Crocker (as "Dolly") and Queenie Ashton (as Budge's mother). John Meillon was a later addition to the gang, and Morris Unicomb is also known to have taken part. The show, scripted by John MacLeod, was the basis of a series of illustrated books published by the ABC. G K Saunders' ''The Moonflower'' and ''The Nomads'' and Coral Lansbury's first published play ''The Red Mountain''''Sydney Morning Herald'' 6 November 1952
Nla.gov.au were written for the Children's Session. The program ended with the closing theme (again composed by Elizabeth and Wally Portingale): :A jolly good night to you and you and you and you and you :The time has come to greet the end, the session now is through :The thought is old, is old, is old but the wish tonight is new – :A jolly good night to every one :A jolly good night to every one :A jolly good night to all especially you :And you and you and you ... and you.

Culture

On different days, experts would talk about their specialties, particularly in relation to Argonauts' contributions: :Monday: Alan Colefax ("Tom the Naturalist") on nature and wildlife :Tuesday: Albert Collins, later

Jeffrey Smart Frank Jeffrey Edson Smart (26 July 1921 – 20 June 2013) was an expatriate Australian painter known for his precisionist depictions of urban landscapes that are "full of private jokes and playful allusions". Smart was born and educated ...

, as "Phidias" on art and painting :Wednesday: A. D. Hope ("Antony Inkwell") or Leslie Luscombe ("Argus") or John Gunn ("Icarus") on writing and literature :Thursday: Lindley Evans ("Mr Melody Man"), introduced by a few bars of Anatoly Lyadov's ''The Music Box'', played and spoke on music performance and composition. ::Guests on his segment included basso Alexander Kipnis, oboist Léon Goossens, singer Joan Hammond, pianist Geoffrey Parsons, conductor Richard Bonynge, French horn virtuoso Barry Tuckwell, violinist Patricia Tuckwell (sister of Barry) and conductor-composer Malcolm Williamson.''Hello Mr Melody Man'' Lindley Evans, Angus and Robertson 1983 Several of these were Argonauts in their younger days. :Friday was ''The Argosy'', entirely devoted to members' contributions selected from the many thousands that might have arrived in the previous month, usually on a particular theme. :Saturday featured ''Argonaut Charades'' when the three-syllable word and the skits leading to its solution were outlined by club members and played by professional actors

The Argonauts

The ''Argonauts Club'' was open to Australian boys and girls aged from 7 to 17. It proved hugely popular with young Australians: by 1950 there were over 50,000 members, with 10,000 new members joining each year through the 1950s (national membership reached 43,000 in 1953). Applications for membership (and subsequent contributions) were made by post. The new member received an enamelled badge and handsome membership certificate with the Pledge (brought over from 1931): :Before the sun and night and the blue sea, I vow :To stand faithfully by all that is brave and beautiful; :To seek adventure and having discovered aught of wonder, or delight, of merriment or loveliness, :To share it freely with my comrades, the Band of Happy Rowers. and the new member's allocated pseudonym (Ship name and number) were sent out to the new member. With no indication given of age, sex or origin, the only comparisons that could be made were between contributions; the members' only competitors were themselves. A card system held the member's real name and address and Club name and number, together with a record of contributions and awards.''Out of the Bakelite Box'' Jacqueline Kent, Angus & Robertson 1983 The Club encouraged children's contributions of writing, music, poetry and art. Contributions from members were awarded Blue Certificates (worth 1 point) or Purple Certificates for particularly impressive work worth 3. Members reaching 6 points redeemed the tear-off ends for a book prize. Higher achievements won for the member a title to be attached to their Ship Name and Number: ''The Order of the Dragon's Tooth'' for 150 points and ''The Order of the Golden Fleece'' for 400 points. A further award ''Golden Fleece and Bar'' (for 600 points) was instituted later to cater for particularly talented and industrious Argonauts. The certificates were designed by "Joe". Reading of the 'Log of Progress', when these awards were announced, was an essential part of Club business. Throughout the ''Argonauts Club'' segment, the studio team strictly adhered to the policy of only using Club names. So Atholl Fleming was 'Jason', Elizabeth Osbourne was Argo 1. Some others are given below. The segment was opened and closed with a specially commissioned theme written by Elizabeth Osbourne and Cecil Fraser and sung by Harold Williams and the male members of the ABC Wireless Singers :Fifty mighty Argonauts, bending to the oars, :Today will go adventuring to yet uncharted shores. :Fifty young adventurers today set forth and so :We cry with Jason "Man the boats, and Row! Row! Row!" ::Row! Row! Merry oarsmen, Row! ::That dangers lie ahead we know, we know. ::But bend with all your might ::As you sail into the night ::And wrong will bow to right "Jason" cry, ::Adventure know, ::Argonauts Row! Row! Row! A further touch was a call to sick members: "The Ship of Limping Men", as notified by parents. Whenever possible, Atholl Fleming would visit Argonauts who were seriously ill in hospital. On Saturdays a major segment was the Argonauts Brains Trust From December 1944, the ABC Weekly carried an Argonauts' Page devoted to selected contributions from members and relevant news items. A prominent contributor was one Ithome 32, now known as Barry Humphries, creator of "Edna Everage". Annual 'live' productions of the Children's Session (and ''Argonauts Club'') were a feature of Royal Shows in each State from 1947. The showground in each Capital City had its own purpose-built ABC studio, double-glazed on three sides.

Publications

Eight annuals were published: * ''A.B.C. Children's Hour Annual #1'' 1956. The Educational Press Pty Ltd. (printed by Cumberland Newspapers, Parramatta) * ''A.B.C. Children's Hour Annual #2'' 1957 The Educational Press Pty Ltd. (printed by Cumberland Newspapers, Parramatta) * ''A.B.C. Children's Hour Annual #3'' 1958 The Educational Press Pty Ltd. (printed by Halstead Press, Sydney) * ''A.B.C. Children's Hour Annual #4'' 1960 The Educational Press Pty Ltd. (printed by Halstead Press, Sydney) * ''A.B.C. Children's Hour Annual #5'' 1961 The Educational Press Pty Ltd. (printed by Halstead Press, Sydney) Retitled: * ''The Australian Children's Annual'' # 6 – # 8 ed. T. S. Hepworth. 1963–1965. Angus and Robertson, Sydney. The Introduction to ''Annual # 6'' (1963) advises readers that it contains contributions from 'your friends from the A.B.C. Children's Hour and ''The Australian Children's Newspaper'' '. The Introduction also states that 'There are over 70,000 children ... in the Argonaut's Club ...' At least three 'collaborative' children's books were published: * ''Dangerous Secret'' (ABC, 1960) ed. John Gunn (Icarus) * ''The Gold Smugglers'' (ABC, 1962) ed. John Gunn (Icarus) * ''The Gravity Stealers'' (ABC, 1965) ed. John Gunn (Icarus) These books were works of fiction, with an Australian theme and edited by Tom Stanley Hepworth who also edited The Australian Children's Newspaper – a publication of Educational Press Pty Ltd. Argonauts contributed a chapter for each stage of the plot, and the best was selected by Icarus for the final book. The illustrations were selected by the same process, under the guidance of Phidias (

). These publications seem to break the 'anonymity' rule of the club: the names of the successful contributors are listed, instead of their ship number. In the case of ''The Gold Smugglers'', a thumbnail photo and brief biography is included as well. This book (1962) states 'There are close on 100,000 members of the Argonaut's Club.'

Staff and presenters

: John E. C. Appleton, "John" actor and producer : Bill Bearup, "Argo 12" :Barry Brown, philatelist :Alice Burgess, "Jane" co-presenter and actress 1949–51 : George Caiger, "Auceps" took over poetry from A. D. Hope 1946 : Neville Cardus gave weekly talks on music while in Australia : Alan Colefax, "Tom the Naturalist" : Albert Collins (1883–1951), "Joe" "Argo 1A" ran 'Joe's Art Gallery' for the Club :James Condon, actor (Western Australia) : Paddy Conroy, producer 1962– : Douglas Cribb became "Orpheus" from 1946 to 1953 while Harold Williams was in Britain : Gina Curtis "Gina" –1959 : Margaret Dalton "Nan" "Argo 10" record librarian and co-compere succeeded Elizabeth as OIC –1952 :

Talbot Duckmanton Sir Talbot Sydney Duckmanton (25 October 192112 June 1995) was an Australian broadcaster and radio and television administrator. As general manager of the Australian Broadcasting Commission he oversaw the advent of colour television, ABC Cla ...

"Tal", a future ABC General Manager, who hosted a weekly sports segment : Lindley Evans, "Mr Melody Man" "Argo 4", a noted pianist and accompanist : John Ewart, "Jimmy" "Argo 29" co-compere 1954–72 : John K. Ewers, "Inky Wells" "Diogenes" : Peter Finch, guest presenter : Atholl Fleming, "Mac" "Jason" compere 1939–72 : Cecil Fraser, "Argo 9" composed club song : Barbara Frawley, "Barbara" 1957– : Dame Mary Gilmore, "Argo 8" : John Gunn, "Icarus" writing 1957–69 : Wally Hanley, "Walter the sound effects man" (thereafter every

sound effect A sound effect (or audio effect) is an artificially created or enhanced sound, or sound process used to emphasize artistic or other content of films, television shows, live performance, animation, video games, music, or other media. In m ...

s man carried the same moniker) : Frank Harvey, "Nestor" (the storyteller) : Marcia Hathaway played "Judy" in ''Punch and Judy'' segment; killed in shark attack : Diana Heath : A. D. Hope, "Antony Inkwell" "Argo 3" poet : Diana Horn, "Diana" : Diane Hosking, "Robyn" 1959– :

Frank Hurley James Francis "Frank" Hurley (15 October 1885 – 16 January 1962) was an Australian photographer and adventurer. He participated in a number of expeditions to Antarctica and served as an official photographer with Australian forces durin ...

, "Argo 7" gave weekly talks on photography and Antarctica : Roy Kinghorn, "Linnaeus" naturalist: 1962–1971 :Billie Lean, office manager : Faith Linton, "Susan", "Argo 19" co-presenter 1951–57 : Dorothy Lober, "Argo 13" sound effects officer and worker behind the scenes : Patricia Lovell (then Patricia Parr), "Pat" co-compere and future "Mr Squiggle" host and film producer : Leslie Luscombe, "Argus" literature 1953– : Garry Lyle, "Archon" literature 1946–53 : Alan John "Jock" Marshall, "Jock the Backyard Naturalist" "Argo 5" : Guy Manton, "Cheiron" spoke on Greek myths and legends : Captain McCarthy, (honorary) "Argo 14" commander of British battleship HMS ''Argonaut'' :John McGrath, "Walter" sound effects officer :Frank McNeill, "Sandy the Naturalist" "Argo 11" took over from Jock Marshall during World War II :Bruce Miller "Stephen" poetry and literature :Frank Mills, art (Western Australia) : Sue Newton, "Sue" 1963– : Ida Elizabeth Osbourne, "Elizabeth" "Argo 1" 1941–49 : Richard Parry, "Richard" –1967 : Enid Partridge, piano accompanist when Lindley Evans not available : Patricia Pearson, "Anne" co-compere 1957– : Bill Salmon, "Apelles" succeeded Jeffrey Smart 1963– : Mollie Shackleton, "Argo 6" : Isobel Ann Shead, "Isobel Ann" :

, "Phidias" commented on art from 1951 :

(then Leonard Thiele), "Chris" co-compere –1954 : Wilfrid Thomas gave talks accompanied by recordings : Alex Walker, "Alex the Birdman" : Harold Williams, "Orpheus"

Some prominent members

: Marian Arnold (broadcaster) (Achilles 31)The Golden Age of the Argonauts
urania.com. Retrieved 20 January 2022. : Thea Astley (writer) :

John Bannon John Charles Bannon (7 May 1943 – 13 December 2015) was an Australian politician and academic. He was the 39th Premier of South Australia, leading the Australian Labor Party (South Australian Branch), South Australian Branch of the Australia ...

(Premier of South Australia) (Golden Fleece Charops 37) : Richard Bonynge (conductor) : Mike Carlton (broadcaster) : Gaye Chapman (contemporary visual artist, painter, children's author) (Epistolus 48) : Dennis Condon (broadcaster) (Bucephalus 8) : Robert Dessaix (writer) (Illyria 42) : Ken Done (advertising executive, designer, painter) (Polymestor 11) : Michael Dransfield (poet) (Eumolpus 24) : David Ellyard (science journalist) (Golden Fleece & Bar Erato 42) : Nick Enright (playwright) (Alastor 35) : Jon Faine (broadcaster) (Pelleus 19) : Winsome Evans (director, Renaissance Players) (Golden Fleece & Bar Taras 3) : Tim Fischer (politician) : Kate Fitzpatrick (actress, cricket commentator) : William Fraser (editor, Australian Financial Review) (Acheaus 5) : Di Gribble (deputy chair of ABC ) :

Rolf Harris Rolf Harris (30 March 1930 – 10 May 2023) was an Australian musician, television personality, painter, and actor. He used a variety of instruments in his performances, notably the didgeridoo and the Stylophone, and is credited with the inventi ...

(painter, entertainer) (Echo 32, Perth Club) : Allan Humphries (weather presenter) (Ampelus 38) : Barry Humphries (actor, writer) (Ithome 32) : Jacqueline Kent (writer) (Dragon's Tooth Cadena 3) : Christopher Koch (writer) (Gaza 16) : Coral Lansbury (writer and academic) :Sir Charles Mackerras (conductor) : Donald McDonald (ABC chairperson) : Arthur McIntyre (artist and art critic) (Atropos 30) : Hilary McPhee (chair, Australia Council ) (Leander 39) : Humphrey McQueen (critic and author) : Joanna Mendelssohn (art critic) (Roxana 38) :

Tony Morphett Anthony David Morphett (10 March 1938 – 2 June 2018) was an Australian screenwriter, who created or co-created many Australian television series, including ''Dynasty (Australian TV series), Dynasty'', ''Certain Women (television series), Cert ...

(scriptwriter) (Antiphon 39) : Margot Oliver (film maker) (Herodotus 31) : Marion Ord (writer) (Harmonia 1) : John Pickup (painter) (Maresa 37) : Clive Robertson (journalist) : Maurice Alexander Robertson (critic) (Dragon's Tooth Archimedes 25) : Peter Sculthorpe (composer) (Jason 50) : Thomas Shapcott (writer) (Psyche 28) : Wendy Simpson (transport CEO) (Erymanthus 30) : Russell Starke (Adelaide arts personality) Ornon 18ABC Radio 891 interview 9 February 2015 : Anne Summers (author, editor) (Dragon's Tooth Pytheus 41) :Dame

Joan Sutherland Dame Joan Alston Sutherland, (7 November 1926 – 10 October 2010) was an Australian dramatic coloratura soprano known for her contribution to the renaissance of the bel canto repertoire from the late 1950s to the 1980s. She possessed a voice ...

(soprano) : Geoffrey A. Taylor (former professor, safety science and OHS book author) (Tiplis 41) : Margaret Throsby (broadcaster) (Androcles 26) : Imants Tillers (artist) (Acropolis 14) : Mike Walsh (TV personality, businessman) (Pontos 7) : Malcolm Williamson (composer) (Demodocus 23) : Kate Wilson (actor, academic) (Scollis 49) : Fay Zwicky (poet, academic) (Hesperides 29)

References

{{Reflist

External links

Friends of the National Film and Sound Archive Argonauts
(archived 17 February 2011)
Friends of the National Film and Sound Archive Argonauts Ship List by ShipImage of Dragon's Tooth certificate
Australian Broadcasting Corporation radio programs Australian children's radio programs 1933 radio programme debuts 1934 radio programme endings 1941 radio programme debuts 1972 radio programme endings 1930s Australian radio programs 1940s Australian radio programs 1950s Australian radio programs 1960s Australian radio programs 1970s Australian radio programs