Do you remember that question mark logo? Can you believe it’s 23 years since Curiosity Show last aired on television? Many (and I mean many) of us grew up watching Rob Morrison and Deane Hutton on the brilliant show that made learning a whole lot of fun. From 1972 right through to 1990 they gave us great insight into science and how the world around us works, unlocking answers to the questions What? Why? and How? They taught us how to make gadgets with regular household items, and explained the concepts of physics and chemistry along the way. Issues of the environment and conservation were also highlighted in the long-running program. In addition to plenty of “make-and-do” segments, Curiosity Show delved into the areas of inventions, nature, space, flight, and history.
It makes me proud to be an Adelaidean, considering that Curiosity Show’s 500 episodes were produced right here. In fact, in the early days, a lot of kids’ television originated in Adelaide. Emanating from NWS-9’s Tynte Street studios in North Adelaide, Curiosity Show was a solid stablemate of other enduring programs such as Here’s Humphrey and The Super Cartoon Show (which later became The Channel Niners and then C’mon Kids when it went national around 1986).
For almost 20 years, Rob and Deane not only entertained us, they demystified the mysterious, with answers we could all understand – both kids and adults alike. The catchphrase, “I’m glad you asked,” prefaced many an explanation as to how something worked, establishing itself as part of the fun and familiar format of the show.
Rob and Deane’s down-to-earth manner and immense likeability, plus their obvious personal rapport, made Curiosity Show a pleasure to watch and become involved with. I’m sure the show was a highlight of any young person’s week – I know it was for me.
Inevitably, all good things come to an end, and after almost two decades Curiosity Show succumbed to pressures from the politics of outside committees. One example of external interference was the strong suggestion that a female co-host should be installed, but this was resisted by Rob and Deane as they were both happy with the show as it stood, and had no inclination to have an additional co-host of either gender. The show was working very well as it was, and didn’t need any extra production pressures. Overseas sales were based on the format exactly as it was, and these would have been lost with forced changes to the show. So Rob and Deane decided to call an end to a show they were very proud of.
Over its long and successful run, Curiosity Show earned itself a lot of respect and a swag of awards. The most eminent of these was the 1984 European Prix Jeunesse (the Oscar for children’s TV) for excellence in children’s television.
It’s a great pleasure to feature Curiosity Show on the podcast, and I thank Rob for his extensive email communication in preparation for the segment. To both Rob and Deane, thank you for allowing us use of the theme music – it added another dimension to the segment and, I’m sure, took listeners back to a time in their lives when Curiosity Show was providing us with answers to so many questions about the physical world around us and our place in it.
About Rob Morrison
Rob trained as a zoologist, and for more than 40 years he has combined his academic career with television and radio broadcasting and as a science writer. He has written 43 books on science and is chairman or a board member of many scientific organisations. His hobbies are silverwork and playing jazz.
About Deane Hutton
Deane Hutton has worked professionally as a teacher, lecturer, writer and television presenter and producer. He has degrees in Science and Education and a PhD in Visual Perception and Message Design. Deane speaks at schools and business conferences about science, technology and the future.
You can head over to the Curiosity Show website for links and more information, as well as connecting with the show on Facebook and Twitter. Video segments from the original broadcasts can be found and enjoyed at Youtube.com/CuriosityShow.