Sydney radio legend Gary O’Callaghan has died at the age of 83.
O’Callaghan had incredible success on Sydney radio, hosting 2UE’s breakfast show for 30 years, winning all but three surveys in that time. At one point he commanded 46% of Sydney’s breakfast audience.
O’Callaghan created the character Sammy Sparrow, a little bird who used to live on the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The character became for inspiration for the Fallon family of Sydney to nickname their son Samuel Fallon ‘Sammy Sparro’. Samuel Fallon went onto fame and fortune as pop star Sam Sparro who had the UK and Australian 2008 hit ‘Black and Gold’.
Gary O’Callaghan worked for Sydney’s 2UE from 1956 to 2003, minus an 18 month period at 2KY. Prior to 2UE, he worked at 2SM Sydney, starting at age 17 in 1951.
Gary O’Callaghan was inducted into the Commercial Radio Hall of Fame in 2003.
