John Laws, the legendary talkback radio announcer whose career spanned seven decades, has died at the age of 90.
Laws started at 3BO in Bendigo. David Rogerson said in an article for Radioinfo marking Lawsie’s 70th anniversary on air, that in chats with Eric Pattison who hired him it was actually John’s mother who contacted the station to see if her son could be considered for a job. Eric spoke of his amazing deep voice even while still a teen and polite attitude toward management, staff and the clients. John was born and had been living in Papua New Guinea, twice contracting polio.
As a young man Laws moved around stations in Parkes, Townsville, Orange and Newcastle in NSW and then to Sydney’s 2SM and 2UE. He changed stations between 2UE, 2GB and 2UW several times, notably bringing his audience with him each time.
The Laws family has issued this statement:
“Today marks a very difficult day for our family, with the news that our beloved father/grandfather/uncle John Laws has died peacefully at home.
“While fame and prominence had become a mainstay of his life, for us, he was always the person who meant so much, away from the microphone, the cameras, and the headlines.
“It is comforting to know that John’s was a life lived well – he had remained in good health and even better spirits right up until the last few weeks.”
You can listen to John at the opening of the 2SM building in 1958 here, thanks to the National Film and Sound Archive.
This morning 2GB’s Ben Fordham paid tribute to Laws, beginning the 7 o’clock hour of his show with the famous El Presidente Laws show opener.
Tom Malone, the Managing Director of Nine Radio who own 2GB said:
‘John Laws was a giant of Australian radio who leaves an indelible mark on this country’s media, social, music and political landscapes. He mastered the craft of radio like no other, encapsulating the “theatre of the mind”. He combined intellect, humour and the common touch to entertain millions of Australians right across the country, through decades of live radio.
He was the original influencer, and the first radio broadcaster to move stations and take his listeners with him, from 2UE to 2GB and back again. Other broadcasters benefited from his magnetism and many a sales rep and proprietor from his commercial success.
Politicians wanted to win his favour, musicians wanted to win his endorsement, and the listeners just wanted to talk to him.
If ever there was an example of Rudyard Kipling’s description of a man in If – it was John Laws. Indeed – he did walk with Kings, without losing the common touch.
We extend our sincere condolences and gratitude to his children, grandchildren and many long serving loyal employees.’
At 2UE, Laws was one of the first Australian broadcasters to play rock ‘n’ roll music, alongside Bob Rogers who he is pictured with above. John developed contacts within the airline industry who would supply him with the latest international music releases, playing them sometimes months before their release in the country.
John Laws and the singing group The Delltones [National Library of Australia image]
Then it was a shift to the new concept of talkback, something that John Laws took to like a duck to water. Laws had moved to 2GB, then back to 2UE in 1964 hosting a show called Party Line where his famous introduction ‘Hello world, this is John Laws‘ was first uttered.
Roger Summerill said:
“That program was a must listen at 2UE, and then when he went to 2UW he blossomed even more to become the premier talkback personality of a generation.
Who will ever forget some of John’s great broadcasts at 2UW including the Razorback Stockade, the dozens of lives he saved when suicide seemed their only answer, the influence he had that caused a run on the St. George Bank and the interview he had with Keith McGowan after the Granville Train disaster?
His interviews were legendary with many of the biggest talents and the leading politicians of the day and yet he had the touch that only a great communicator can have of being able to mix it with the ordinary folk who listened to him. John was a great inspiration to me.
When I was at 2UE he would often phone and suggest I might have done something differently, or probably more importantly, not have done it all.
John was one of, if not the best on air salesman.
His famous program for Lawrence Bros. Hurstville where the entire stock of the stores lawn mowers and gardening gear was sold out during the program, has to be one of the greatest Radio sales results ever.”
Above: Gripping audio from 1974 where John Laws stays on the line and forgoes the news with caller Cheryl. Cheryl was located and taken to hospital. Audio provided with thanks to Frank Iuston.
In 1969 John joined 2UW and was there nearly a decade, then it was back to 2UE, then 2GB who paid prettily for his services, then back to 2UE with the station without him dropping to 8th in the ratings. It returned to No 1 and the John Laws Morning program was syndicated nationwide with David Rogerson compiling this tribute to John from the many, many people who have paneled his show over the years.
John Laws’ 70 years in radio: Greatest Memories from The Desk Jockeys
The early 2000s were the challenging years. In 2002 Alan Jones jumped from 2UE, alongside John, to 2GB, in competition, and took the latter to No 1 in Sydney. Then came Cash for Comments and a listener and legal backlash for taking payment to make favourable comments on products. Laws would introduce his cowbell in response to product mention in the future. He decided to retire in 2007, but returned to morning radio at 2SM at the start of 2011, telling Radioinfo’s Peter Saxon:
“Because I got bored. And because I missed the people. See, I love the people – I love the John Laws listeners.”
Peter Saxon‘s full 2012 interview with John is below:
There he remained until one year ago almost to the day, November 8, 2024. 2SM owners Bill and Pam Caralis both died within weeks of each other earlier that year, and this time he told Radioinfo:
“Do you ever just get that feeling that enough is enough? I’ve had a hell of a lot of fun though.”
John popped in to see 2GB’s Ben Fordham in June this year, even then hinting at a radio return.
But today the news that it is farewell world from the man who perhaps more than anyone defined radio in Australia. Laws’ beloved wife ‘The Princess’ Caroline Laws died in 2020.
Compiled by Jen Seyderhelm for Radioinfo.