Professor Ratbaggy Congratulates Contest Winner

In this age of endless media options, it is easy to forget how simple Australian television was in the beginning. Even in a large city like Melbourne, it was a local affair — the technology for national and global networks did not yet exist.

Hence locally produced programs, like the Tarax Show or In Melbourne Tonight on GTV9, had a renown and the personalities a popularity that would be impossible today.

The Tarax Show and its assorted cast was well known to most Melbourne children who had access to television (and circa 1960 this was still a novelty).

Professor Ratbaggy was an eccentric inventor, the part played by both Denzil Howson and Ernie Carroll at different times.

In this photo Denzil (in Prof. Ratbaggy Guise) and Susan-Gaye Anderson congratulate Judith Telfer, winner of a free flight in a Tarax Show “How it Works” programme.