Frank Packer | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Packer in 1968 | |
| Born | Douglas Frank Hewson Packer (1906-12-03)3 December 1906 |
| Died | 1 May 1974(1974-05-01) (aged 67) Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Resting place | South Head Cemetery,Vaucluse, Sydney |
| Education | Sydney Church of England Grammar School |
| Occupation | Media proprietor |
| Years active | 1923–1972 |
| Known for | Australian Consolidated Press Nine Network |
| Spouses | |
| Children | Clyde Packer (eldest son) Kerry Packer (youngest son) |
| Parent(s) | R. C. Packer (father) Ethel Maude, née Hewson (mother) |
| Relatives | Packer family |
Sir Douglas Frank Hewson PackerKBE, OStJ (3 December 1906 – 1 May 1974), was an Australianmedia proprietor who controlledAustralian Consolidated Press and theNine Network. He was a patriarch of thePacker family.
Frank Packer was born inKings Cross, in theeastern suburbs of Sydney,New South Wales. His parents were Ethel Maude Packer (née Hewison; 1878–1947) andRobert Clyde Packer (1879–1934), who started the family's association with the media as a journalist in New South Wales. His father, R. C. Packer, became editor ofThe Sunday Times and was a founder ofSmith's Weekly and theDaily Guardian, which was published by Smith's Newspapers Ltd.[1]
"A mischievous youngster and a poor student", Packer frequently switched schools, attending Turramurra College,Abbotsholme College, Wahroonga Grammar School, andSydney Church of England Grammar School at various times. He did not sit for theIntermediate Certificate.[2]
In 1923, Packer became a cadet journalist on his father's paper, theDaily Guardian.[1] Four years later, he was a director of the company. In 1933, Packer started theAustralian Women's Weekly and then transformedThe Daily Telegraph into one of Australia's leading newspapers.
Packer inherited his media interests on his father's death in 1934. In 1936, he joined withTed Theodore's Sydney Newspapers and Associated Newspapers to formAustralian Consolidated Press.[3] He was chairman of ACP from 1936 until 1974.
When television was introduced to Australia in 1956, Packer, along with the other major newspaper publishers (Fairfax, theHerald & Weekly Times andDavid Syme), became a significant television network shareholder under the federal government's "dual formula", which allowed each capital city to have two commercial networks and oneABC.[3] He launched the first Australian station to broadcast a regular schedule,TCN in Sydney, which became the nucleus of theNine Network.
The Packer media empire was known for its conservative leanings, and was a strong backer of long-servingPrime MinisterRobert Menzies.[citation needed]
Packer was a keen yachtsman, boxer, golfer and polo player. He was on theAustralian Jockey Club's committee for 12 years and won theCaulfield Cup with his horse Columnist. He was also chairman of a syndicate that built the yachtsGretel andGretel II to challenge for theAmerica's Cup in1962 and1970.[4][5]
In 1972, Sir Frank Packer sold his newspaper flagship,The Daily Telegraph, toRupert Murdoch.
In 1992, journalistMax Walsh told the House of Representatives Select Committee on the Print Media that Frank Packer had exerted undue newsroom influence. "Sir Frank was knee-deep in [the] editorial policy of theTelegraph", Walsh said.[6]
Frank Packer was married to Gretel Joyce Bullmore (1907–1960) on 24 July 1934 at All Saints Anglican Church,Woollahra. He had two sons,Clyde andKerry, with his first wife, Gretel. Gretel Packer died in 1960.
Packer married for the second time in June 1964 to Florence Adeline Vincent (née Porges) in London. She died in 2012.[7]
On 1 May 1974, Packer died of heart failure atThe Royal Prince Alfred Hospital,Camperdown of "Pneumonia and reticulum cellsarcoma". He was cremated atNorthern Suburbs Crematorium and his ashes were interred within the Packer family mausoleum atSouth Head Cemetery.
His estate was valued for probate in 1975 at $2,393,703.11 which, adjusted for inflation, would account to $23,232,745.54 in 2023. Notable items declared in his estate, were paintings and sketches from some of Australia's most renowned artists, located at the family home, 'Cairnton' atBellevue Hill was:
SirWilliam Dobell:
SirRussell Drysdale:
Frank Packer was appointed a Commander of theOrder of the British Empire (CBE) in theKing's Birthday Honours of 1951.[8]
He wasknighted in theQueen's Birthday Honours of 1959, for services to journalism and the newspaper industry.[9]
In theNew Year's Honours of 1971 Sir Frank Packer was promoted within theOrder of the British Empire to Knight Commander (KBE), for services to Australian and international yachting.[10]
Since 1980 theFrank Packer Plate has been conducted atRandwick Racecourse.
He was inducted into theAmerica's Cup Hall of Fame in 1999.
In the 1984 television miniseriesBodyline, Packer, as employer ofDonald Bradman, released him from a writing contract so he could play in the1932–1933 Ashes; he was portrayed by Brian McDermott.
In the 1988 television miniseriesThe True Believers, Packer was portrayed by Australian actorMax Phipps.
In the 2007 television biopicThe King about comedianGraham Kennedy, Packer was portrayed by Australian actor Leo Taylor.
In the 2011 television miniseriesPaper Giants: The Birth of Cleo, Packer was portrayed by Australian actorTony Barry.
In the 2013 television miniseriesPower Games: The Packer-Murdoch War, Packer was played by Australian actorLachy Hulme, who had previously portrayed Kerry Packer inHowzat! Kerry Packer's War the previous year.
