Quick Facts
Biography
Michael Hayden "Mike" Walsh AM, OBE (born 5 March 1938 in Corowa, New South Wales), is an Australian former television presenter. His later career includes theatre production in London and Australia.
Early life
Walsh completed his education at Xavier College in Melbourne, before studying Pharmacy and Arts at Melbourne University where he was heavily involved in student theatre revues.
Television and Radio Career
Prior to starring on television Walsh was a disc jockey, a "Good Guy" on radio station 2SM.
He was the host of The Mike Walsh Show from 1973 until 1985. The program enormously popular won 24 Logie's and Walsh the Gold Logie. The program is also renowned for introducing fellow Gold Logie winning personality Jeannie Little in 1974. When the show was cancelled by the Nine Network in 1986 Walsh sued and received a payourt of $7.5 million in 1987. He returned to television for a 12 week stint chat and music show on the ABC in 1987.
He has the distinction of being the entertainer to win a Gold Logie and Sammy award in the same year. He has 24 Logies, seven Sammys in total.
He enjoyed a successful media career in television and radio,
Theatre
He was the Executive Producer of two highly successful musical Nunsense and Anything Goes in Australia..
From 2006 Walsh has spent time in Sydney and London producing theatre shows across Australia and on London's West End.This included
Nunsense (late 1987 to early 1989) toured extensively in Australia
Anything Goes in 1989
Exit the King (opened March 2009) at Ethel Barrymore Theatre, Broadway
Holding the Man (opened May 2010) at the Trafalgar Studios 1, London
Umbrellas of Cherbourg (opened March 2011) at the Gielgud Theatre, West End
A Chorus Line (opened February 2013) at the London Palladium Theatre
In 1977 he purchased Richmond's Regent Theatre, in 1982 built a twin cinema complex in Penrith then purchased two other cinemas and the Avalon. He has been the owner of Her Majesty's Theatre in Melbourne since 2000, and funded and oversaw its restoration. Walsh also owns the Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace, (purchased 1986) an art deco, six cinema complex in Cremorne, Sydney which he restored at a cost of $2.5 million.
From 1996 he has financed the Mike Walsh Fellowships for young performers to hone their skills overseas and in Australia. From 2006 onwards he has provided a $50,000 (originally $30,000) each year for the fellowships. By 2015 this has added up to over $700,000 to more than 90 Fellow.
Honours
Walsh was honoured in 1980 with an award of the Order of the British Empire and, in 2016, was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for significant service to the entertainment industry, and to the performing arts through support for young actors, theatre restoration and production.