KING : The Life and Comedy of Graham Kennedy

by Graeme Blundell

Graham Kennedy, Australia's King of Comedy, reigned over local television for 40 years as talk-show host, game-show presenter, satirist, commentator, and iconoclastic jester.

This biography is an engaging portrait - written with an incisive insider's eye - of the little man Sydney critics called "the platinum blond rabbit".

Blundell elegantly traces the career of the star from working-class Melbourne, who tilted Australia's television to an alarming, unforgettable angle with his style of disrespectful buffoonery, then mysteriously disappeared somewhere in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales, where he lives with Clydesdale horses and an ever present pack of cigarettes.

'King' is also the story of the comedy that Kennedy borrowed from vaudeville, burlesque, stand-up humour, satire and revue. It looks at the way he examined humour's traditions and invented new comic genres for television.

While this is an unauthorised biography, Graham Kennedy requested his agent "to pass on to Graeme his best wishes for the book". Mr Kennedy declined to be involved "for no particular reason, other than he believes he has a limited memory of many of the facts of his life".

485 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

Reviews

[D.A. Cairns · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a bit of a love/hate affair with this biography of one of Australia's best known television and radio stars. At times I was enthralled while at other times, I was searching for the exit of this ultimately fascinating yet tragic tale.

I loved all the inside information o the early days of television in Australia. As social and technological history, King was on fire here. Insights into Graham's childhood and his life behind the scenes was terrific, providing a clear picture of the man. I loved reading about how he worked, the different jobs he had, how he was in and out of the business, but never out for long until he finally retired. King was very well researched and written with a lot of wonderful direct input from people who knew Graham Kennedy well.

I would have liked it more if there was less biographical information about other people. Although important people in Graham's life, I felt the detail given about some of them was excessive. I also would have liked simpler language. I'm usually a big fan of big words but when you hit sentences like 'his voice was orotund and catarrhal...' it's a bit off putting.

Oddly, for a book about a comedian, King only made me laugh once. His life story reads like an epic triumph and tragedy. Certainly the end was very sad. This is an excellent biography.

[Andrew Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was incredibly enjoyable, written from the standpoint of someone who actually knew Graham Kennedy. Detailing Graham‘s life from when he was a young boy through his early days in Radio, Graham Blundell seems to capture the essence of Kennedy.

But the book really comes to life after Kennedy. It is the world of TV. His foray into nightly television through the vehicle of in Melbourne tonight, revealed his true talent as an ad Lib wit and superb salesman. His shows never failed to entertain.

This book reveals Kennedy, warts and all and leaves you feeling like you know the man at the end.

[Daryl Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A detailed look at the life of Graham Kennedy including some of the darker times as well as the amazing successes

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

not as good as what I thought it would be. What is reveled is a very intresting man, away from the spotlight.

[Maree · Rating 3 out of 5]

An insight into the life of a comedian, some good bits some boring bits, some bad bits. He certainly led an interesting life at times.