Many people who grew up in the 1960s in Fiji will be saddened to learn of the death at 88 of Hugh Leonard, the former FBC disc jockey and later general manager of the national broadcaster.
Does anyone else remember the Ipana Hit Parade, the weekly program sponsored by the toothpaste company of the same name, of the top ten hits of the week?
There was no TV back in those days and any young person was glued to the radio to hear the latest from the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Elvis, Roy Orbison and whoever was making the charts overseas.
And each week, the program started with “Hi there, you there, Hugh here” – the mellifluous tones of the young Kiwi who first came to Fiji in 1960 and seemed to be the epitome of cool among the mostly staid presenters on the less-than-hip English language service of the Fiji Broadcasting Commission, aka Radio Fiji.
There was Kindergarten of the Air with Mrs Lancaster in the mornings, such programs as Around the Town with Our Shopping Reporter, a local version of Desert Island Discs with June Knox-Mawer, British comedy like the Goons and Round the Horne – none of which held much appeal for young people. But then at 8 o’clock on a Thursday night (I think it was), FBC went hip with Hugh. And boy did we all look forward to it every week.
So vinaka vakalevu, Hugh, for giving us a taste of “overseas” and a window on the world of pop. In my own mind’s eye, I can still remember sitting in front of our old radio set as if television was already here gazing at the dials and illuminated frequencies and turning up the volume so loud it drove my parents mad. And yelling out at the top of my voice when Hugh announced that “A Hard Days Night” or some other song had finally reached Number One.
I went looking for a photo of Hugh Leonard as a young man in Fiji and the only one I could find was an old shot of the FBC staff in 1964. There he is in the top left hand corner standing next to the late, lamented Robert Keith-Reid – another legend and arguably the greatest journalist Fiji has ever produced.
Thanks for the memories, Hugh. Gone but not forgotten, at least by your adoring fans on the Ipana Hit Parade.
Isa. As we read with jaw-dropping shock and dismay today of the disappearance of $31-million of cocaine from the courts, how innocent it all seemed back then.
Fiji has certainly changed over the past six decades. And not always for the better.
The FBC staff in 1964. There’s Hugh Leonard next to Robert Keith-Reid in the top left-hand corner of the photo.
We would never have imagined back then in those optimistic pre-Independence days just how much the nation would go off the rails.
Certainly, a lot of those who are no longer with us would be spinning in their graves at the astonishing events unfolding today at the High Court.
RIP the Age of Innocence.
New drug importation method. Bring it in get arrested, Get it “Cleared” from the Court Storage!
The one programme under Hugh’s watch that appealed to young people was The National Quiz, Na Kila Kila Mada, A Kitna Jantehe on Sunday evenings during the school terms.
At the 1983 final inside a jam packed Phoenix Theatre in Suva, Labasa College beat Marist Brothers High School. Gary A’costa was the quiz master and Hugh was there in support of the popular event.
Highlight of the night however, was the “Question for the Audience” segment. Prince Charles and Lady Diana had just had their first baby and the question was “Who would be heir to the throne when Prince Charles becomes King of England?” Everyone was whispering “Prince William, Prince William” but the chosen young lad’s answer that brought the roof down and eventually got him the prize was “Prince Charles’ son”! Gary then asked again, insisting “What’s the heir’s name? His name, please?” The lad up on the stage remained firm with his answer, “Prince Charles’ son”! Gary gave up.