Donald Richard SpencerOAM (born 22 March 1937)[1] is an Australian singer-songwriter, musician, and former children's television presenter. He had a long tenure as a host on Play School on both the
Australian version (1968–99) and the
United Kingdom version (1972–88), one of only two presenters to work on both versions.[3]
In March 1963, his first single, "Fireball" – the theme tune to a UK TV science fiction series Fireball XL5 – reached No.32 on the
UK Singles Chart. In 2002, Spencer established the Australian Children's Music Foundation. On
Australia Day (26 January) 2007, he was awarded a
Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) with the citation "for service to children's music and television as a songwriter and performer, and through the establishment of the Australian Children's Music Foundation". Spencer married Julie Horsfall, they have two children: Dean, a musician; and
Danielle, an actress and singer, who was married to actor
Russell Crowe between 2003 and 2018. In 2022, he celebrated his 60th year in the performing industry.
Early life
Spencer was born in
Tamworth to John Henry and Lillian May Spencer.[4] He attended
Tamworth High School.[4] He played
hockey as a teenager and competed in the Australian championships. At 17, he left Australia and travelled to Africa, where, in his 20s, he trained with the
Kenyan hockey team, trying out for the Olympics. A chance meeting with locally-born, British singer-songwriter,
Roger Whittaker, in
Nairobi inspired Spencer to buy a
guitar and start his musical career.[2]
Spencer started his successful broadcasting career in the United Kingdom. At the BBC he presented his own teenage pop show Gangway! for seven years. He co-hosted a radio program called Pop-In.[5] He later appeared in TV comedies such as Face It with
Ronnie Barker.
Spencer is best known for his long tenure. as a children's entertainer, as both a presenter and recording artist, he joined the Australia TV series Play School in 1968 and the United Kingdom version of the
same title in 1978.[4][11] He continued on both versions for 17 years,[4] the only male presenter to appear on both versions. One of his well-known phrases was "old magazines", which he used to effect when describing items used to make something.[11] During this period, he recorded and released albums, primarily through ABC Records over a 27 year period that helped to educate children, mostly about the many species of Australian animals, and they in turn have received awards for gold and platinum sales.[12][11] He continued on the Australian version until 1999.[4]
Music career
At the
APRA Music Awards of 1995, Spencer's track "Have a Beaut Day" was nominated for Most Performed Children's Work; it was co-written by Spencer with Allan Caswell.[13]
In 2002, Spencer established the Australian Children's Music Foundation (ACMF) as its inaugural CEO.[14][15] In 2007, he was awarded a
Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) on
Australia Day (26 January) for "service to children's music and television as a songwriter and performer, and through the establishment of the Australian Children's Music Foundation".[16][17][18] In 2008, Spencer was awarded for Excellence in Community Support presented by Support Act Limited.[19][20]
In December 2010, the ACMF sponsored a supergroup, Peacebeliever, which recorded a cover version of
Plastic Ono Band's 1969 single "
Give Peace a Chance" for their charity.[21] Alongside Spencer, fellow vocalists include
Katie Noonan,
Blue King Brown,
Tim Freedman,
Newton Faulkner, and
Omara Portuondo.[21] In July 2013, Spencer announced the ACMF's 11th annual National Kids Songwriting Competition, which is open to school-aged children from four to eighteen years old. Spencer said, "We want kids to unleash their creativity and engage with learning in a fun way ... Music can give kids really positive self expression and is a great tool for improving literacy levels".[15]
As of 2023, Spencer continues to record and perform with his latest release a musical adaption, based on
Rudyard Kipling poem "If".[22]
Personal life
Spencer with his daughter Danielle in 2011
Don Spencer married Julie Horsfall, a caterer from
Yorkshire.[23] They have two children: Dean and
Danielle Spencer (born 16 May 1969).[18] Dean is a musician, while Danielle is an actress and singer, who was married to actor
Russell Crowe from 2003 to 2018.[24]
The Tamworth Songwriters Association (TSA) is an annual songwriting contest for original country songs, awarded in January at the
Tamworth Country Music Festival. They commenced in 1986.[29] Don Spencer won one award in that time.[30]
Spencer, Don; Bryant, Nick (2000). 1001 Cool Jokes with Don Spencer. Illustrated by Glen Singleton.
Dingley Village: Hinkler Books.
ISBN1-86515-182-3.[36]
Spencer, Don (2011). Don Spencer's Don't Call Me a Koala Bear and Other Aussie Songs. Illustrated by Michelle Pike.
Scoresby: Five Mile Press.
ISBN978-1-74300-135-6.[38]
^
abEliezer, Christie (30 January 2007).
"Aussie Day". Christie Eliezer's Music Business News. TheMusic.com. Retrieved 11 March 2010.[permanent dead link]
^Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (Illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 22.
ISBN0-646-11917-6. N.B. The Kent Report chart was licensed by
ARIA between mid-1983 and 19 June 1988.