Mike Bailey, started his career as a cadet with the ABC in 1968, which involved work for the ABC in Papua New Guinea and briefly at ABC Newcastle and ABC Kempsey.
Mike then joined Channel 7, Sydney as a news reporter and reader.
Moving back to the ABC, Mike became the face of weather on the ABC's 7pm evening bulletin in NSW and in 1984, Mike wrote his own "Almanac of Sydney Weather".

From 1964 Janice Slater was one of the leading figures in Australian pop music. She has worked with the following artists. Johnny O’Keefe, The Easybeats, Cold Chisel, Sammy Davis Jnr, Bobby Day, George Chakaris (West Side Story) Lesley Gore -"Its My Party", Billy Preston The Apple Recordings, Shirley Bassey, "Gold Finger", The Hollies - "He Aint Heavy", Lou Rawls, Trini Lopez, The Four Tops, The Three Degrees, Phil Silvers, (Austalia 1960’s).
In the UK she worked on numerous recordings. From ‘Cliff Richard to Cleo Laine’ as well as Gram Parker, Olivia Newton John, Cilla Black and Petula Clark. With Glenn Shorrock, she was one of the founding members of the acclaimed 12-piece progressive rock band ‘Esperanto Rock Orchestra’.

I can’t remember when I first watched The Captain Fortune Show but it must have been at my mate Robert Mallard’s place as they had a TV set long before ours arrived in mid-1958.

One of my ambitions from early in life, which started in October 1945, was to be a pilot and living in the Sydney suburb of Oatley we were about 1 km from the flight path to runway 07 at Mascot so planes coming in to land were clearly visible. The frequency of arrivals in those days was nothing compared to today so a big airliner coming in was a sight to behold.

I was watching The Captain Fortune show one morning when The Captain himself introduced Captain Friendlyway of TAA (Trans Australia Airlines), TAA the Friendlyway was their motto. Well Captain Friendlyway told us that they were going to start the TAA Junior Flyers Club and they would have a segment each week with stories about planes etc. and future competitions and prizes with the possibility of “Joy Flights”. Well I could not sign up quick enough.

I cannot remember how it was done but I was selected to go on a joy flight, it may have been a draw with names revealed on the Saturday morning segment anyway I could not believe my luck. I cannot remember the date, or how I got to Mascot, but the flight was on a Saturday afternoon. This was to be my first ever flight and our Fokker F27 Friendship was awaiting on the tarmac (I think it was named Dirk Hartog). When I walked into the cabin I could not get over it; it was luxurious. We flew over Botany Bay then up the Harbour and along the coast to Palm Beach and back to Kingsford-Smith Aerodrome, the weather was perfect and I still have photos that I took that day. The most memorable part of the flight was getting airborne; I can still feel the sensation.

Sometime later Captain Friendlyway announced a big competition with 1st prize being a trip for two (one chaperone) to Brisbane in a Lockheed Electra and 2nd prize a valuable watch. The competition consisted of naming as many airports of the world as you could. Today one could bring up a list on the internet and print it in 5 minutes; not so in 1960 so it was a difficult task, however I did the best I could and sent off my entry.

We, like most households in those days, did not have a telephone so urgent correspondence was delivered by Telegram. One such telegram was delivered to our home on Thursday the 8th of September 1960 and a copy is provided for the website. The telegram advised me that I had won 2nd prize in the airport naming competition and I had to telephone Captain Fortune on WL 0111. Captain Fortune was duly telephoned and instructions were issued. I had to attend the studios of ATN7 at Mobbs Lane Epping to collect my prize from Captain Friendlyway on Saturday the 17th of September (I think), all of this occurred nearly sixty years ago In 1960 Epping was at the other end of the earth according to a 14 year old from Oatley however a check on Google © Maps today reveals a distance of only 26 kilometres. Father was called upon to transport me to Epping and we set off on the Saturday morning, both wearing our “Sunday Best”. When we arrived at ATN7 we were ushered to a position at the side of the studio and behind a curtain with a view of the proceedings. The studio was jam packed with kids and very few of my age. Captain Fortune posed a question to the assembled masses with the promise of a nice prize to the one who could provide the correct answer. The question was; “What sort of meat do Elephants eat”?
Well answers came thick and fast; pork, chicken, roast beef, sausages, ham, lamb chops, frankfurts and on it went. I could not stand for any more so showed myself and raised my hand, Captain Fortune asked me for an answer and I replied that Elephants do not eat meat. I think I won an ice cream and something else but Captain Fortune told the masses that I would be returning to centre stage later on for the TAA Junior Flyers Club competition presentations.

Ian Abbott on Captain Fortune

Hi, I loved seeing this site.

Around 1958 my Mum took me to ATN7 in Epping to be part of the studio audience. I was wearing my Cub uniform (age 9) and was asked to assisted Clifford Ward (live!) with his magic tricks.

My Dad was at home watching TV, in case we were seen in a pan of the audience. He went crazy when he saw me on TV. He rushed into the street and dragged the neighbourhood kids in to see (we were one of the first to have a TV in our street).

I was a hero at school, and my Dad bragged for years. It was, and still is, one of the great highlights of my life.

I never missed watching Captain Fortune, and loved the sharing of yarns. I saw him at a fete a year or so after, and believe it or not (I’m now leaning towards not), he remembered me!

Thanks for the memories
Shipmate Ian

Robert Fearnside on Captain Fortune

Wow- what a blast from the past to google into this great site on Captain Fortune. Living in Chesterfield Rd Epping, just down the road from ATN 7, as a child my mate and I used to often explore areas around Channel 7, which was then almost totally unsecured, except for the main door.

My mate and I soon found that at the back of the studio there was a labyrinth of wonderful things to explore. We found shed that were full of props, stacks of old film reel canister which were great to throw and of course our favourite an often open door into the prop room. Into this door we seldom crept to explore the wonderful world of sets there, waving swords, looking at costumes but the best of all was another door that led to the studios. We found that if we were particularly sneaky we could enter a studio with a red light and soon found that one in particular was our favourite - Captain Fortune Hour. We must have visited Captain Fortune this was on at least a dozen of occasions. Finally my mate, who was quite an extrovert, and love to get on camera, was on his knee and Captain Fortune said to him, "Haven't I seen you before somewhere?" "Noooo!!" was his sheepish reply. We were always glad to go home with an armful of loot that he provided for his audience, well pleased with ourselves. Oh, Captain Fortune, thank you for making our childhood at ATN 7 one of our happiest memories.

Graham Parker on Captain Fortune

Hello, Loved reading the Website. I went the the Captain Fortune Show on many occasions at Channel 7. I actually lived around the corner from him in Tomah St.

I appeared on the show twice and on one appearance was asked by the Captain to pull his beard to show that it was real (this was when he did grow it). Thanks for the memories.

Regards, Graham. (Now 58 years old)

Christine Rayner on Captain Fortune

This is a very special memory for me being presented with a book from Captain Fortune when I was 4yrs old

I have always treasured this picture.
Kind regards Chris