Television and radio star Ernie Sigley has died at the age of 82 after a battle with Alzheimer's disease.
Key points:
- Ernie Sigley won the Gold Logie in 1975
- He recorded a number of hit singles and albums in the 1950s, 60s and 70s
- He died after a battle with Alzheimer's disease
The Melbourne-born entertainer won 21 Logie Awards over his career, including the 1975 Gold Logie for Australia's most popular TV personality.
Sigley's career began in radio with Melbourne station 3DB, before he moved to Europe and later to Adelaide where he interviewed the Beatles during their 1964 Australian tour.
In the 1970s Sigley a number of television shows on commercial TV, including The Ernie Sigley Show, and Saturday Night Live.
He was the original Australian host of game show Wheel of Fortune from 1981 to 1984 and was known for his long-term on-screen partnership with Denise Drysdale.
In addition to his television and radio work, Sigley was also a successful recording artist, releasing several number one singles, including Love Is A Golden Ring, which became a gold record.
Family friend, Ron Egeberg, said Sigley would be remembered as one of Australia's most prolific entertainers.
"His career spanned not only radio and television, it was also the amount of entertainment he did, whether that be at clubs and the like, he was so well-liked as an entertainer but also he had an exceptional career," he said.
"He was just a natural and he was a great communicator and really that was probably the key to his success, particularly with his television program and the radio program."
Ernie Sigley was married for 47 years to Glenys O'Brien, with whom he had four children.
He was a lifelong member of the Western Bulldogs Football Club.