Mike Murphy's contribution to the Arts

bobbyss

Many would remember him for candid camera and light entertainment. But he used to have a programme on radio long time ago. Can't remember when. He features quite a lot on John Bowman's weekend programme nowadays where snippets from his shows are played. He used to interview many from the world of the arts. Anyone remember? I thought he was very good.

mrsdewinter

Yes, Rattlebag! Weekday afternoons for a number of years up to about 2004.
I wasn't crazy about the scheduling - I thought late night would have been a better time for it - but Murphy was an excellent presenter.

bobbyss

Ah yes. Mind you I thought it was much earlier than that. Way before Morning Ireland he had that morning slot and 'Yousa, Yousa Yousa'. (?) I thought the programme was a bit after all of that. He was very good. Very relaxed. And items very informative. Maybe about this time also Liam O'Murchu had a radio programme on evening time. Bilingual I think but actually mainly English as far as I can recall. I didn't like Trom agus Eadthrom (?) but O'Murchu had an inquisitive and engaging mind when it was unschakled from Irish language issues.
But Murphy I think was underrated as an arts presenter.

coylemj

There was a certain amount of sneering from the orts establishment when Murphy got that job on RTE radio. This was grist to the mill for Dermot Morgan and the crew of Scrap Saturday who used to portray him (in mock interviews, with Morgan playing Mike) as an airhead who was totally out of his depth in the job.

Though it was very unfair on the guy who didn't deserve to be pigeon-holed simply as a song and dance man.

tretorn

Has he died?

bobbyss

coylemj wrote:

There was a certain amount of sneering from the orts establishment when Murphy got that job on RTE radio. This was grist to the mill for Dermot Morgan and the crew of Scrap Saturday who used to portray him (in mock interviews, with Morgan playing Mike) as an airhead who was totally out of his depth in the job.

coylemj wrote:

Though it was very unfair on the guy who didn't deserve to be pigeon-holed simply as a song and dance man.

Very much so. Snide comments from I don't know where.

And no to the poster who wondered if he has died ( don't know how to add a quote to a post). Just reflecting on a great.

ford fiesta

mrsdewinter wrote: »

Yes, Rattlebag! Weekday afternoons for a number of years up to about 2004.
I wasn't crazy about the scheduling - I thought late night would have been a better time for it - but Murphy was an excellent presenter.

Arts Express was the name of his Arts show, and the final show he presented on radio, on in the afternoons RTE Radio 1

Rattlebag was Myles Dungan

jeremyj1968

Mike Murphy would be such a great late late presenter. The ten years that Tubridy had the late late show are such a lost opportunity.

bobbyss

jeremyj1968 wrote:

Mike Murphy would be such a great late late presenter. The ten years that Tubridy had the late late show are such a lost opportunity.

Surely there's a role for him if he were interested. Even his candid camera episodes were superb comedy. One in a travel agency just brilliant. But he has a wealth of experience. He really should be enticed.

Yer Da sells Avon

jeremyj1968 wrote: »

Mike Murphy would be such a great late late presenter. The ten years that Tubridy had the late late show are such a lost opportunity.

Too much of a loose cannon for RTE - he announced live on air that he was quitting The Live Mike, without having told his bosses beforehand. I've often wondered if Winning Streak was punishment for that. A great presenter - made Winning Streak more tolerable than it had any right to be - but not a 'good company man' like Tubridy.

Beechwoodspark

He was an excellent arts presenter I thought.

Sir Galahad

And he followed up his radio career with an equally successful property career.

ford fiesta

bobbyss wrote: »

Surely there's a role for him if he were interested. Even his candid camera episodes were superb comedy. One in a travel agency just brilliant. But he has a wealth of experience. He really should be enticed.

Mike returned and did a quiz show a few years ago over Christmas on RTE:

https://presspack.rte.ie/2015/12/27/play-it-by-year-new-series/

Expunge

Mike says no to RTE at the Eurovision in Tel Aviv!!

https://www.rte.ie/eile/2018/0524/965675-why-ireland-should-boycott-the-eurovision/

Not gonna happen Mike. The lads in RTE love a paid for foreign jolly like a pig loves excrement!

RINO87

Was the show in the 90's not simply called "The Arts Show"?

AwaitYourReply

RINO87 wrote: »

Was the show in the 90's not simply called "The Arts Show"?

I had similar thoughts as well regarding Mike Murphy's stint presenting a programme dedicated to the arts. Although; there was also a once weekly arts programme on RTÉ Radio One as well which was presented by Vincent Woods - I think it's usual broadcast slot was after 10:00pm news & sport on Monday nights. Seemed strange when you already had ARENA with Seán Rocks on for an hour from 7:00-8:00pm Monday-Friday evenings.

Rattlebag with Myles Dungan used come on at 2:45pm Monday-Friday straight after LiveLine with Joe Duffy. After Rattlebag finished it's run, I think LiveLine was then extended until 3:00pm and then Mooney used go out from 3:00-4:30pm with Derek Mooney.

Mike Murphy made his own mark in RTÉ Radio & Television down through the years. Programmes I recall included "Morning Call" on RTÉ Radio One which had a mixture of news & sports, music & listeners' requests at breakfast time. Gay Byrne also had his show in the weekday morning schedule in those days. I think the news & current affairs programme "Morning Ireland" replaced "Morning Call" back in 1984. Mike did television shows like The Live Mike (including his candid camera sketches, Murphy's America, Murphy's Australia, Murphy's Micro Quiz-Em, Winning Streak, The Big Interview etc;

Mike Murphy deserves much credit for ending those programmes or his direct involvement in various shows when it was time for a change. This is a unique quality as it shows he was not prepared to just go through the motions week in, week out just for the sake of it as the audience would eventually realise it and grow tired of a repeat formula.

I think some of his best work for television was on shows like "Murphy's America" and "Murphy's Australia".