Television pioneer Dan Webb dies

Dan Webb, Photo: Channel 7


By Ashley Argoon,
Courtesy of The Herald Sun

Television pioneer and Good Friday Appeal ambassador Dan Webb has died aged 92.

Channel 7 announced the death of the stalwart late on Monday night.

Mr Webb was among the first people on Australian television in 1956, with his final appearance during Channel 7’s Good Friday Appeal coverage last year.

He had returned to the Royal Children’s Hospital, where he was one of the hosts of the network’s first ever broadcasts of the fundraiser, a three-hour telethon in 1957.

Mr Webb continued as a regular contributor to Channel 7’s annual Appeal coverage in the following decades.

“We are very sad to hear the passing of Dan Webb,” the Good Friday Appeal tweeted last night.

“A pioneer of TV and a magnificent patron of the Appeal. Our thoughts are with his family.”

Friends and colleagues paid tribute and shared fond memories of the man responsible for the first April Fool's news hoax televised in Australia about a spaghetti farm in 1967.

Veteran reporter Nick McCallum called Mr Webb a “great journo, an outstanding person”.

“When I was a cadet, Dan was my exceedingly patient, kind mentor,” he said.

Senator Derryn Hinch said Mr Webb was “a perennial gentleman and gentle man”.

Mr Webb was a host of Video Village in the 1960s then went on to report for Seven National News in the 1970s and 80s.

Apply to join the Melbourne Press Club

Membership is $100 for journalists, $150 for associate members and $40 for students.

Subscribe to our mailing list

Keep up to date with all our events, announcements and special offers.