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Graham Kennedy’s crown put on sale by Adam Boland for Japanese tsunami fund

adam_boland_crown

Boland with Kennedy's crown. Courtesy of Good Weekend/ Fairfax Media. Pic: Tim Bauer

Former Sunrise executive producer Adam Boland is to auction off one of the major treasures in Australian TV memorabilia – Graham Kennedy’s crown – to raise funds for victims of the Japanese tsunami.

Boland bought the crown at auction four years ago for $17,250.

He said: “I never thought I’d part with it – but I never thought I’d see images like this in a country I love so much.”

Kennedy – who died in 2005 – was celebrated as the king of Australian television and had a long history with the Nine Network.

He was presented with the crown during the final episode of In Melbourne Tonight in 1969.

Boland suggested that the crown might find a natural home at Nine. He said:

“I’d particularly like to challenge Channel Nine to consider purchasing it. With the demolition of the old GTV9, purchasing the crown could be the perfect way to cling on to some of their very rich television history. And along the way, they’d be helping the people of Japan.”

kennedy_crownThe crown is being auctioned through Bonhams with funds going to the red Cross Appeal for Japan.

Interested bidders can email James.hendy@bonhams.com

Update: A Nine spokesman told Mumbrella that it would probably not take part in the auction but would look at other ways to help.

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