Found this on Crikey which, if true about Packer not looking after the man who made Channel Nine the best in the land, is pretty disappointing. Channel Nine made some mileage out of him while he worked for them and will make some more after his death. Doesn't paint a nice picture of Packer IMO. Graham Kennedy's stellar career
By Glenn Dyer
Graham Kennedy was Austalia's greatest TV talent, writes Glenn Dyer, and he helpd to make the Packer family rich. But did they abandon him in his hour of need?
Kennedy started hosting In Melbourne Tonight from the age of 23. Those interested in his career should read the Graeme Blundell biography, King: The Life and Comedy of Graham Kennedy.
It's a brilliant read and it makes it clear that Kennedy was a giant in this rapidly changing area: TV's inroads into the Australian consciousness, especially the living room, was a major factor in many of the social and political changes this country underwent from the late 1950s onwards.
The Blundell book puts that in a very nice context, and also shows how important Kennedy was to the fortunes of the Packer family. Without the money and fame and publicity Kennedy and his In Melbourne Tonight brought to the Nine Network the Packers may not have been so successful in welding together a powerful TV media business.
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There are a dozen or so references to the Packers and their dealings in the Blundell Book, but perhaps the most miserable and heart rending come towards the end (pp 421-422) when Kennedy is living in Bowral in the Southern Highlands and needs money for constant care after injuring himself in a fall.
Tony Sattler said Kennedy told him "Tone, whatever happens to me Kerry Packer will look after me." Blundell writes that Sattler then spent "several days ringing Kerry Packer's office" to ask for financial help for Kennedy's care. "Sattler said he was not broke but no millionaire. Nursing was going to cost $3000 a week – "We could cope for several years but no more."
Sattler had explained this to Packer's office. "After three days, Di Stone, Mr Packer's personal assistant, called Sattler back: Mr Packer has considered his plight. Unfortunately he is unable to assist."
The incident spark an internet chat room joke, quoted in the book: a spokesman for Kerry Packer is asked why he didn't pay for the nursing care for Kennedy and replies: "Graham Kennedy doesn't have any viable kidneys left." An article was published in The Australian newspaper about Kennedy's plight and Sattler continued talking to friends and other people. He was receiving feedback from Nine and Blundell said it amounted to this summary of Packer's attitude "Why is this c—t trying to blacken my name."
Then a call came from David Leckie, then Nine CEO, asking how much Kennedy needed. Then a call came from another executive, again asking how much. Sattler was told the matter had to go to the board. Blundell says that in October of 2001 he received a call from a man (an "unnamed businessman," and according to Sattler it wasn't Kerry Packer) who inquired after Kennedy's health and asked how much money he needed. "Ten minutes later there was a call from Graham's bank to say $150,000 had been deposited in the ailing comedian's account."
Blundell reports newspaper speculation that the mystery businessman was Sam Chisholm. Chisholm at that time was not close to the Packer interests, certainly not as close as he is now as he oversees the TV business of PBL.
The Nine Network is believed to have some sort of Kennedy movie or biopic in development. The truthfulness of any TV or movie production will be judged by how it treats this small, but significant episode in the late comedian's life. The Nine Network should run a long tribute to Kennedy tonight. They have all the vision. To do anything less would be churlish in the extreme.
http://www.crikey.com.au/articles/2005/05/25-1156-6837.html
