Alexander George "Terry" Dear (4 October 1913 – 1995) was an Australian radio personality in the "Golden years of Australian AM radio", remembered as the last compere of ''

Australia's Amateur Hour ''Australia's Amateur Hour'' was an important early Australian radio and television program in the form of a talent contest, which was broadcast from 1940 to 1958, which also aired briefly on television from 1957 to 1958. The radio version was ...

''. Known for his affable personality, he made a moderately successful transition to television.

History

Dear was born in Fitzroy North, Victoria, a son of James Kidd Dear (died 1952) and Annie Dear, née Bryan. He was educated to Intermediate level. He set out as an Engineering student, but was more interested in a career in singing, taking lessons from Amelia Banks. He began his radio career with Melbourne's

3KZ Gold 104.3 (call sign: 3KKZ) is a radio station broadcasting in Melbourne, Australia. Gold 104.3 is part of the Pure Gold Network (which itself is a part of the Australian Radio Network) and broadcasts on the 104.3 MHz frequency. History 3KZ ...

, as compere of a five-hour Saturday night program of dance music, though also claimed by

3AW 3AW is a talkback radio station based in Melbourne. It broadcasts on 693 kHz AM. It began transmission on 22 February 1932 as Melbourne's fifth commercial radio station. The station is owned and operated by Nine Entertainment Co. Hist ...

. During WWII he served in

Lae Lae () is the capital of Morobe Province and is the second-largest city in Papua New Guinea. It is located near the delta of the Markham River and at the start of the Highlands Highway, which is the main land transport corridor between the Highl ...

, New Guinea, as announcer and OC with the rank of lieutenant in the Army radio station. In 1946, following his discharge, he was appointed production manager at

. He was introduced to the ''Amateur Hour'' audience by Harry Dearth on 24 August 1950, and took over as producer and compere when 2GB took over as host broadcaster from 2UW, the following week. Dear rated Angelina Arena as the show's most important "discovery", but other contestants include opera stars Donald Smith and Colin Grant, and performers Rolf Harris, Frank Ifield and Marie Tysoe. He has been named as one of the 'Five D's of Australian Radio' with

Jack Davey John Andrew Davey (8 February 190714 October 1959), known as Jack Davey, was a New Zealand-born singer and pioneering star of Australian radio as a performer, producer, writer and host from the early 1930s into the late 1950s. Later in his caree ...

, Bob Dyer,

John Dease Conly John Paget Dease (26 May 1906 – 1 February 1979) was a prominent Australian radio presenter and quiz show host at 2GB, Sydney, and through it, the Macquarie Radio Network from 1935 until at least 1969. He was born in Bhamo, Upper Burma, ...

and

Harry Dearth Harry may refer to: TV shows * ''Harry'' (American TV series), a 1987 American comedy series starring Alan Arkin * ''Harry'' (British TV series), a 1993 BBC drama that ran for two seasons * ''Harry'' (talk show), a 2016 American daytime talk show ...

. Unlike Davey and Dearth, Dear survived the transition to television. Dear was a well-known figure on Victorian television from its inception in 1957, as compere of the short-lived ''Amateur Hour'' and ''Leave It to the Girls''. He had a daytime quiz program ''Concentration'' from 1960. He left television, and in later life was a business executive with a large Sydney company.

Personal

Dear married Phyllis Mary Farnan on 23 September 1940; their family included Ian (born c. 1941), Tim (born 30 November 1944), Ian (born c. 1948), Ann (born c. 1951). In 1940 they lived at 15 Chasleton Ave.

Toorak, Victoria Toorak () is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, south-east of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Stonnington local government area, on Boonwurrung Land. Toorak recorded a population of 12,817 at the 2021 ...

; in 1962 they had a home in Pymble, New South Wales.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dear, Terry 1913 births 1995 deaths Australian radio presenters Australian radio producers Radio personalities from Melbourne Television personalities from Melbourne 2GB presenters 3AW presenters