The Seekers’ Earliest Known TV Appearance Has Been Unearthed: Watch
The eight-minute video was captured in 1964 and shows The Seekers performing “A Closer Walk with Thee” and “Myra.”
The earliest surviving television appearance of Australian music export The Seekers has been rediscovered and shared online. The eight-minute video features Judith Durham, Keith Potger, Bruce Woodley, and Athol Guy lip-syncing to their songs "A Closer Walk with Thee" and "Myra" on the Graham Kennedy-hosted show In Melbourne Tonight.
Kennedy, the late Australian TV legend, noted the authenticity of their performance, saying, "There's no gimmicks there, and it's a great, strong voice, isn't it?" This clip, broadcasted on March 23, 1964, hasn't been aired for six decades, according to the National Film and Sound Archive. The Seekers' performance is believed to have been a significant catalyst for their international success.
The group sent the black and white 16mm film to U.K. talent agency The Grade Organisation for promotional purposes. Following their 1965 song "I'll Never Find Another You," The Seekers achieved numerous U.K. top 10 hits, including "Georgy Girl," which was nominated for an Academy Award and reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.
In 1967, they performed to an audience of 200,000, a crowd size still considered the biggest in the southern hemisphere. Durham pursued a solo career post-1967 but reunited with the band several times, including for the Seekers' 50th anniversary tour in 2013. Durham passed away in 2022 after a long battle with lung complications, leaving behind a legacy that included being named an Officer of the Order of Australia.
The NFSA digitized the footage to mark Australia's 70th anniversary of television, coinciding with the 1956 Melbourne Olympics.
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