Arthur Murphy (broadcaster) facts for kids

Arthur Murphy (born June 4, 1928 – died February 7, 2019) was a famous Irish television and radio presenter. He was best known for hosting the popular TV show Mailbag.

Early Life and Education

Arthur Murphy was born in East Wall, a part of Dublin, Ireland. He was the older of two sons. He went to Saint Columba's National School. Later, he studied at Trinity College Dublin. There, he earned a degree in Modern History and Political Science in 1949. He also received a Higher Diploma in Education and a Master of Arts degree.

Arthur Murphy's Career Journey

Starting Out Abroad

After finishing college, Arthur Murphy moved to London. He wanted to become a singer. To support himself, he worked as a school teacher. He heard about a BBC TV show called Music for You. He got an audition and was chosen to sing solo on the show. During this time, he performed with famous singers like Benamino Gigli.

In 1957, Arthur signed a music deal with George Martin from Parlophone Records. He started singing big pop songs. He also got married to Patricia that same year. In 1960, he visited the United States. He appeared on the Arthur Godfrey show and toured North America in 1961. He also guested on Canadian TV shows.

Returning to Ireland

Arthur Murphy came back to Dublin when Ireland started its own TV channel, RTÉ. He auditioned for RTÉ television. He became the host of its very first talk show, Visitors Book. He also worked behind the scenes. He directed news programs and produced a weekly music show called Just For You.

Another record company, Oriole Records, offered him a music deal. They wanted him to use a different name: Mark Dwayne. Under this name, he had hit songs like "Remember Me Huh!" and "Little Bitty Heart". To promote his music, he appeared on Thank Your Lucky Stars in the UK. This show was similar to the BBC's Top of the Pops.

More Work in the UK

Arthur then took offers from UK TV stations like Westward Television and Southern Television. He became the main presenter for their evening news shows, Westward Diary and Day by Day. He also presented a documentary about the Tolpuddle Martyrs. Later, he moved to Manchester to host Look North, a BBC news show for northern England. Before this, he had sung on another TV show with Shirley Bassey.

In the late 1960s, a music producer asked him to create an album of Irish songs. This led to A Nation Once Again. Each song on the album told a story from Irish history. In 1967, the President of Ireland, Éamon de Valera, met with Arthur. The President thanked him for being an "unofficial ambassador" for Ireland.

After a concert with comedian Dave Allen, Arthur appeared on the BBC TV show Dee Time.

In 1974, he joined Radio City in Liverpool. He was their very first presenter on air, hosting The Breakfast Show. He also hosted other programs like Midday with Murphy. He stayed there for almost three years. He decided to return to Dublin to spend more time with his family.

The Mailbag Years in Ireland

Back in Dublin, Arthur continued to present and produce shows. He worked for companies like Coca-Cola and Johnson Wax. He also presented programs for RTÉ's new radio station, RTÉ Radio 2.

Then, in 1982, RTÉ offered him a short weekly slot called Mailbag. It was meant to be a temporary show, lasting only three weeks. The program was about viewers' letters and questions about TV shows. It became very popular and was extended to six weeks. Before the year ended, it became a half-hour show, airing on both of RTÉ's TV channels. Mailbag ran for 14 years!

Even after the TV show ended, Arthur continued the Mailbag idea. He had regular "E-mail Bag" segments on Today FM radio's The Ray D'Arcy Show into the 2010s. In 2015, Arthur moved with Ray D'Arcy's team to RTÉ. He continued to present the weekly mailbag slot on RTÉ Radio 1.

Arthur Murphy lived in Dublin with his wife Patricia until her death in 2016. He continued to be involved in broadcasting.

Death

Arthur Murphy passed away on February 7, 2019, at the age of 90. His death was announced by RTÉ News.