OBSERVER: Vale Arthur Higgins
Former Melbourne television newsman Arthur Higgins died on Saturday, November 29 at age 85.
His daughter Gemma Dewar made the sad announcement. Arthur have battled a number of health conditions with cheer and courage for some years.
In recent times he had lived at Kilmore, near family, but it was a long way from his first days of a media career that started 57 years ago.
Arthur was working as a teenage messenger boy at McWhirters department store in Brisbane, when he was given the assignment to deliver a bill to local radio station 4BH.
He asked if there were any vacancies for panel operators, but they offered him an office boy job which paid more than McWhirters. He took it. And the journey began.
Arthur had the customary behind-the-scenes radio apprenticeship, then took an on-air role, in radio, then also in television.
He did a country radio assignment, returned to 4BC Brisbane, went to 2GB Sydney, worked in Canberra, and then came to Mel-bourne.
He was described as a ‘sporting encyclopedia’, and his custom baritone voice soon became familiar to the Victorian public.
One of his major career steps was being recruited by Channel 9 news director John Sorell to be part of the Melbourne team of National Nine News.
In those mid-1970s, he worked alongside legendary news-reader Sir Eric Pearce and a young Peter Hitchener (with whom Arthur was a flatmate in the early Brisbane years).
Arthur became a popular presenter in the nightly Mel-bourne broadcasts, and some of his assignments included Olympic Games presentations.
Ms Dewar said: “The sporting encyclopedia with ‘a great voice for television’, affectionally known as Artie, R4, Higg, Dad, big Brother and Papi.
“His career in television and radio spanned 57 years, and he was also known for his love of curry, sharing company and a bottle of red wine (or prosecco in later life).
Very loved and missed.”
The career of Arthur Higgins also took in stints at the ABC, Eyewitness News, 3AW, 3UZ, 3AK, 3DB and Vision Australia.
For part of his retirement he lived on the Mornington Peninsula. He was father of three, and grandfather of six.
Arthur Higgins was extremly kind to me early in my career in them mid-1970s, making some introductions to news industry colleagues in Canberra.
Professional colleagues were thrilled when he was able to attend the Survivors luncheon of showbiz veterans in June last year.
He had had a number of health challenges, but continued to be quite the racounteur.
Vale Arthur Higgins.
Ash Long