QUIZ: Are you a seriously long term woodie?

[chambezio]

Raking over the memories far back in my brain.....Knock & Kirby had a chain of hardware stores around Sydney (not many stores, in the early days but did have more in the 70s) Joe Sando was "the gadget man" and showed all types of new fangled "toys for women" in the kitchen. He would be on for about a quarter of an hour at lunch time on Saturdays followed by Andy (I think that was his christian name) Waugh. He was a "grand fatherly" type bloke who wore a dust coat. He would demonstrate small jobs on the program and keep "returning to the job card". I would guess he was an old carpenter by his manner of working. You know, I can't remember what he demonstrated, but I do remember being a very keen viewer.
My Dad worked for Knock & Kirby in the early 60s. He said that Joe The Gadget man would wander around the kitchen department seeing what was on display with a view to include a demonstration on the TV show. He also did demos in store. He had an ability to "play up to the audience" and was very entertaining and well liked by the women folk. Dad recalled one demo where Joe had a plastic spout the you would push into an orange then squeezed it to get the juice to run down the spout and into a glass. He had a gift of the gab and was talking all the time. Anyway, he was extolling the greatness of this gadget and its portability when a woman from the audience said that she had an electric mix-master that could do the same job and quick as a wink Joe came back with "you would look pretty silly with a mix-master on Bondi beach". He was an expat pom and had a pin on mic to amplify his voice.
My brother was given a small metal lathe with the initials cast into the bed N&K. He researched a bit and found that Knock & Kirby did sell their own branded tools for a while.

[cava]

Killer Kowalaski as well from memory.

Edit: Don't you just hate it when the reply is out of sync.

[Optimark]

Jack Little, was the commentator. Tall, spindly and with coke bottle glasses if my memory is correct.

Mick.

[skot]

Jack Little......that's the bloke......Referee was "Wallaby" Bob McMaster

I forgot about Killer Karl Kowalaski

[Uncle Al]

I used to work for the local chemist shop delivering prescriptions on a Saturday morning, and would get home in time to have lunch watching World Championship Wrestling.
Larry O'Dea (O'Day?) was a wrestler competing with these guys. My memory of him is that he was beaten in just about every match he competed in. Someone like Killer Kowalski was never an even match, but Larry kept on coming back for more the next weekend.
My Dad took me to the Stadium (commonly called the 'tin shed' ) at Rushcutters Bay on one occasion to see the wrestling, gees that was an eye opener!

Getting slightly back on topic, Knock & Kirby's became BBC Hardware, then they became Hardware House in the first of the big green sheds, and shortly after they were renamed Bunnings. I have some packets of stuff with all of the above labels, plus Grace Bros. when they used to have a hardware section.

Alan...

[AlexS]

Referee was "Wallaby" Bob...

Wasn't his brother Kangaroo Ted?

[chambezio]

Jack Little came out from America with Tommy Hanlon Jnr and was the announcer/voice over for Tommy's "It Could Be You" game show in the early 60s. I can still hear Jack calling Tommy,"Tarmy" in a very American accent. I often wondered what he knew about Wrestling be cause he didn't look like a wrestler himself. Remember Haystacks Calhoun (huge guy.....like a blimp), Mario Milano. I remember a mate and I went to the Hordern Pavilion to see the WCW. What a performance!!! It seemed to be very theatrical even in person. What was the name of that bloke who was brought out in chains because he was so "dangerous"??? The current wrestling still looks staged and artificial

[Twisted Tenon]

What was the name of that bloke who was brought out in chains because he was so "dangerous"??? The current wrestling still looks staged and artificial

Was it Killer Carl Cox? Or The Skull?

TT

[BamBam53]

This is bringing back some memories.
I used to look forward to Handy Andy and Joe the Gadget man each week.

Does anyone remember the roller derby when it was on TV? It used to be in the Horden Pavillion.

[Twisted Tenon]

This is bringing back some memories.
I used to look forward to Handy Andy and Joe the Gadget man each week.

Does anyone remember the roller derby when it was on TV? It used to be in the Horden Pavillion.

Yep I do. The Los Angeles Thunder Birds. I think the male star was called Manny Stevens. Can't remember the female lead. Took me ages to realise that this was a form of wrestling and "shock horror" was rigged. The whole thing took off so well they formed a Sydney team

TT