A legend of Australian radio and TV is being remembered by fans and colleagues, after his death from liver cancer.
Doug Mulray had a long career on Australian radio and TV, working alongside stars such as Andrew Denton and Mick Molloy.
He died, aged 71, on Thursday, with his passing confirmed on Friday.
“He was an absolute original, what a career and what a life,” Denton told Sydney radio 2GB on Friday.
“If the world is a glass of water – he is a Berocca”.
Denton described working with Mulray as “an incendiary fantastic cartwheel”.
“It was really unpredictable, hilariously funny — on and off air,” he said.
Denton worked alongside Mulray, who was better known as “Uncle Doug”, on Triple M. Molloy, another former Triple M colleague said the news had left a “gaping hole” in Sydney’s radio landscape.
“It is a terrible morning. A huge gaping hole has been left in the landscape of FM radio, particularly in Sydney where Doug Mulray ruled since 1982,” Molloy said.
“He was the man, he was a legendary radio performer. For anyone in comedy, particularly going into radio, he was considered the biggest star in the firmament. He ruled Sydney radio for a long time.”
Molloy said many in radio owed Mulray a great debt.
“He paved the way in many ways. He was like a god on the FM train, he worked at the station and just dominated it. He transformed Triple M Sydney, and his impact reverberated around Australia. This is an important passing, especially for people in our industry,” he said.
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A statement released on behalf of Mulray’s family said he died peacefully with his long-time partner Lizzie and business partner Hamish Cameron by his side.
“His passing leaves a rich and widely loved legacy,” it said.
“The family has asked that their privacy is respected at this time to deal with the fragility of their grief.”
Mulray’s career began on country radio in NSW, working in Armidale and Gosford before a stint in Melbourne. But his big break came on the ABC’s Double J in the late 1970s.
He ruled the FM airwaves on Sydney’s Triple M breakfast program in the 1980s, signing off his last show in 1992 with the words “I’ll cop you later”.
Southern Cross Australia chief executive Grant Blackley was among those to pay tribute on Friday.
“Uncle Doug … was radio royalty and an absolute legend. He was instrumental in changing the face of radio on Triple M and became a household name. He was deeply opinionated, highly intelligent and one very cheeky bugger,” he said.
“Thank you Dougie for entertaining us and ensuring we never took life too seriously. We will miss you. Vale Doug Mulray.”
Mulray also branched out into TV. One of his most famous moments came i9n 1992, when he was asked to host an episode of Australia’s Naughtiest Home Videos on Channel Nine.
He was dumped on air by the network’s boss, Kerry Packer, after just 33 minutes. The media mogul had taken offence at a clip of a boy pulling a kangaroo’s testicles.
He reportedly called the studio, demanding it “get that sh-t off the air!”
It was gone within minutes, replaced with re-runs of the sitcom Cheers.
“I am the first man in Australian history to be pulled off by Kerry Packer,” Mulray reportedly said on radio the next day.
He was ultimately banned from Nine, deflecting to rival Network Ten in 2002.
Mulray is survived by his partner and three children.
