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Deadly Earnest was a late-night horror host active on Australian television between 1961–78. Originated as a live (pre-video machine) host of a horror film package for Perth's TVW-7 by 1961, the character was most active between 1966 and 1972 when adopted by the 0-10 Network. Broadcast weekly, Deadly Earnest's Aweful Movies featured mainly b-grade horror movies introduced by local actors with a tongue-in-cheek characterization. The program was renowned for screening low-budget B-grade (or worse) supernaturally themed cinema, even going so far as to present the Worst Movie of the Year on at least one occasion.
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History
The Deadly Earnest character was originated by TVW-7 Perth musical director Max Bostock. It is not known how long this version continued, but it was taken up by TEN Channel 10 in Sydney in 1966, with Ian Bannerman as the eponymous host. The program was evidently successful enough to spawn local versions on each of the TEN affiliate stations in Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide. These separate versions existed because, in this pre-satellite era, the capital-city TV stations of the ABC and the three commercial networks were all locally broadcast - the only TV networking at this time was accomplished via the coaxial cable that connected Sydney and Melbourne, and this was only used for selected programs, due to its cost and limited bandwidth.
Deadly Earnest was simultaneously portrayed by Bannerman in Sydney, Channel 0 floor manager Ralph Baker in Melbourne, future TV drama star Shane Porteous in Brisbane, and Hedley Cullen in Adelaide. Each of these local incarnations differed considerably from Bostock's original character, leading to some confusion amongst fans as to who was the 'real' Earnest in later years. Varying widely in appearance and personality, each version took a vaguely sardonic approach to the subject matter, frequently ridiculing whatever film he happened to be hosting. The show was popular with teenagers and university student audiences, who apparently tuned as much for the commentaries as for the actual movies (which according to at least one observer were little short of atrocious).
Character style
Ian Bannerman in particular was notable for his mordant wit, withering ad-libs and black humour parodies of contemporary advertisements. Billed as a 'Dead-Pan Ghoul', Bannerman's Earnest resembled an undead 1960s 'mod' complete with sideburns and horn-rimmed glasses. In addition to Bannerman's solo appearances, Deadly Earnest was sometimes accompanied by two 'ghoulish assistants' during commercial breaks – possibly members of Bannerman's sideline band, The Grave Situation. Although the character's occupation was never specified, the show's opening sequence suggested he was some kind of 'zombified' undertaker (as suggested by his wheeling a casket across the rooftop of the then newly constructed Channel 10 Television Centre at North Ryde and through the studio's darkened corridors).
Featured films
While the majority of films featured on Deadly Earnest's Aweful Movies were stereotypical American 'schlock', a smattering of British, European and Japanese productions were thrown in every so often for good measure. Genre was not restricted exclusively to horror, but included sci-fi, suspense, mystery and even the odd matinee serial dredged up from the 1940s. The chief unifying element was the consistently poor quality of the material – the term "Aweful Movie" could often be applied in more than one sense – which was, evidently, part of the show's appeal.