Author Mike McColl-Jones worked alongside Graham Kennedy for almost 20 years, churning out jokes and scripts for the popular television show, In Melbourne Tonight. McColl-Jones is a veteran comedy writer for Australian television; writing not only for Kennedy, but for stars such as Don Lane and Bert Newton. Rather than simply being a biography of the man known as, ‘The King’, this is an insight into how Kennedy’s colleagues felt about him. ‘It is the private Graham Kennedy’. I enjoyed reading about Kennedy’s struggles as a child-the atypical upbringing, the uncertainty of his father going to war and his passion to be a radio presenter. The book shows what a remarkable person Graham Kennedy was in his time. Celebrities such as Noelene Brown and Bert Newton share thoughts, memories and photos throughout the book, with Newton writing the foreword. Alongside full-colour photos, there are private letters, scripts and TV stills dating back to when Kennedy was born in St Kilda in 1934, through to his death in 2003. Each illustration is meticulously labelled. A chronology completes the book and reinforces the accomplishments in Graham Kennedy’s very public life. Fans of Kennedy will love this beautifully presented book as will readers who collect entertainment memorabilia.

Sharon Athanasos is a freelance reviewer and former bookseller

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