In 1984 — the same year the Logies Hall of Fame was created — Rebecca Gibney made her feature film debut, in New Zealand drama Among the Cinders.
Forty years later, the revered actor is now the fourth woman ever to be inducted into the Logie Awards Hall of Fame.
Sure, Gibney might have been born in New Zealand but, like most of our neighbour's best exports, we're very comfortable claiming her as our own.
Gibney has been a familiar face on Australian screens for the better part of four decades, appearing in local classics including The Flying Doctors, Halifax f.p. and Stingers.
In 2008, she began to helm her own Aussie classic, starring as everybody's mum Julie Rafter on Seven's long-running family dramedy Packed to the Rafters.
Over the years, Gibney has been nominated for numerous Logie Awards, picking up Most Outstanding Actress in 1991, as well as Most Popular Actress and the Gold Logie in 2009.
Praise from on and off-screen family
Gibney's real and television family were on hand during the Logies ceremony to honour the actor's illustrious career.
First it was Erik Thomson, who played Gibney's on-screen husband in Packed to the Rafters from 2008 to 2013. He recounted the story of their first meeting, where he royally messed up an audition in front of Gibney, only to cross paths with her 10 years later during a Rafters chemistry test.
"All those memories of our first meeting came flooding back. I'd had a few runs on the board since then, but was still a bit nervous. However, those nerves dissolved the minute I walked into the room," Thomson said.
"I received the most compassionate and warm hug from Bec. She even lied and told me she hadn't remembered we'd met before. A kind, white lie.
"I count myself enormously fortunate to have made a friend for life, shared the screen for 122 episodes with tonight's Hall-of-Famer … I love you my dear friend"
As moving as Thomson's words to his faux-wife were, the show was nearly stolen by Gibney's 16-year-old son Zac Bell.
"I feel so lucky to have been raised by someone with so much love to give, and be guided through life watching her show so much kindness to everyone that she meets," Bell said.
"I have seen her take on so many challenges, and give her all to every role that she plays.
"So many people love Rebecca Gibney, the actor. I will always love her as the kindest, most-loving mum anyone could ask for. And, tonight, all of us in this room, and industry, celebrate her. I love you, ma, to the moon and back."
From a teen with 'crippling anxiety' to a Logies Hall-of-Famer
Flush with praise from her son and TV husband, Gibney recounted her journey to the Logies Hall of Fame.
"If someone had told 16-year-old me who suffered crippling anxiety and severe body dysmorphia that one day I would be standing on the stage with this award, she wouldn't have believed it," Gibney said.
"Thank you firstly to the Australian public. Many have grown up with me and have supported me since the early days, and, like me, think 1984 was only 20 years ago."
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She shared words of wisdom given to her over the years.
"It was on the set of The Flying Doctor where I learnt one of my biggest lessons from the legendary late great actor Maurie Fields," she recalls.
"I asked him one day, 'What's the secret of success in this business?' he said, and I quote, 'It's pretty simple, love. Just show up on time, know your lines, and don't be a d**k.'"
Finally, Gibney touched on the significance of her induction into the Hall.
"I have been so fortunate to have been guided and supported by some incredible visionary women on this journey. From my mother, to my first agent, to the many female producers, directors, fellow actors and crew who have encouraged me behind the scenes."
"I am very proud to be one of four women to have ever been inducted into the Hall of Fame but I know that there are many more to come."
Who are the women in the Logies Hall of Fame?
It took 15 years of the Hall of Fame's existence before actor Ruth Cracknell was inducted into the Hall in 2001.
The screen legend had already taken home three Logies (two Most Outstanding Actress and one Most Popular Comedy Personality) for her work on the iconic Australian sitcom Mother and Son.
With a career spanning more than half a century, Cracknell's induction into the Hall of Fame was one of her last public appearances before her death in May 2002.
It would be another 15 years before the Logies welcomed another woman into the Hall of Fame, with Play School queen (186 episodes hosted!) Noni Hazlehurst inducted in 2016.
The Logies then made the unprecedented decision to have back-to-back female inductees (can't think of any huge 2016 events that might have influenced that?), welcoming presenter Kerri-Anne Kennerley into the Hall of Fame in 2017.
Gibney's induction this week takes the tally of women in the Logies Hall of Fame to four over 40 years.
How are the Logies Hall of Fame inductees chosen?
While most of the Logie Awards have some kind of public voting component, the annual Hall of Fame inductee is solely chosen by "a panel of independent industry experts".
Each broadcaster can submit four people or programs for Hall of Fame consideration.
The panel then assesses the submissions against the following criteria:
- Contribution to the enrichment of Australian television culture
- Key achievements
- Past awards and recognition
- Continued longevity and relevance
Once the panel makes their selection, it's up to the Logies' discretion if they want to announce the winner before the ceremony.
Wait, a program can be a Hall of Fame inductee?
Why yes, a person or program can be submitted and selected for Hall of Fame induction. And as it stands, there's more programs in the Hall of Fame than there are female inductees.
The ABC's investigative news program Four Corners was the first program to be inducted back in 1992 (nine years before Cracknell).
The other programs in the Hall of Fame are Neighbours (2005), Play School (2006), Home and Away (2015) and 60 Minutes (2018).
Okay, so what about the male Hall Of Famers?
Take away the female (four) and program (five) inductees, minus the two cancelled COVID Logies and you have 30 prominent Australian male television industry figures in the Logies Hall of Fame.
They are as follows:
- Hector Crawford
- Ken G. Hall
- Neil Davis
- Paul Hogan
- Bert Newton
- Bryan Brown
- Johnny Young
- James Davern
- Reg Grundy
- Bud Tingwell
- Jack Thompson
- Maurie Fields
- Garry McDonald
- Graham Kennedy
- Mike Walsh
- Bruce Gyngell
- Mike Willesee
- Don Lane
- Sam Chisholm
- Steve Irwin
- John Clarke
- Bill Collins
- Brian Naylor
- Laurie Oakes
- Molly Meldrum
- Brian Henderson
- Peter Harvey
- Kerry O'Brien
- Bruce McAvaney
- Brian Walsh
