{{Short description|Australian journalist and presenter (1938–2010)}} {{Use Australian English|date=January 2017}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}} {{Infobox person |name = Michael Schildberger |image = |caption = |birth_name = Michael Julius Schildberger |birth_date = {{birth date|1938|4|4|df=y}} |birth_place = Berlin, Germany |death_date = {{death date and age|2010|6|2|1938|4|4|df=y}} |death_place = Prahran, Victoria, Australia |education = Melbourne Grammar School |occupation = Journalist, broadcaster |years_active= 1955–2010 |spouse = Julia (deceased) |parents = |children = 5 |known_for = Host of ''A Current Affair'' |awards = Logie: Best TV interviewer (1976) }} '''Michael Julius Schildberger''' (4 April 1938 – 2 June 2010) was an Australian journalist, radio and television presenter, and author. He is best known for hosting ''A Current Affair'' in the 1970s.
He was the son of Hermann Schildberger.<ref>a Wikipedia page for Hermann exists, but in German -</ref>{{Circular reference|date=May 2024}} Hermann had had an important musical career in Berlin prior to being brought out to Melbourne in 1939 by Rabbi Dr Herman Sanger,<ref>{{cite web | url=https://au.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?p=Herman%20Sanger&hspart=fc&hsimp=yhs-2461&type=fc_ABD7BF90295_s58_g_e_d042023_n9998_c999¶m1=7¶m2=eJwti9sOgyAQRH9lHzUxuIBQiZ9ifKBKlYBivMSmX981beblzJnM6Ie26baBI0ppVFt0C3VjTE14T1gJFJJK%2F%2FNEfiVUNeOomeCaqXseXSJrT8LTEs3p42O0pWII2eWXIV07LAdwZNgACV018NZVDnZdo7vcM%2FijVPLBpIYsTMccC4g%2BOBhdH1IO%2FbSl2ZVccIZ3YLcvu%2Fn%2F5Qsx7DtP | title=Herman%20Sanger - Yahoo Search Results }}</ref> to escape the Nazis. He was accompanied by two his wife (check name) and by Michael who was then a babe-in-arms.
Hermann became musical director of Temple Beth Israel in St. Kilda upon arrival in Melbourne in 1939, as well as taking on a number of other important musical roles including being the founding Musical Director of the Camberwell Chorale.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.camberwellchorale.org.au/history/ | title=History – Camberwell Chorale }}</ref>
==Career== Michael Schildberger began his media career in 1955 when he joined ''The Sun News-Pictorial'' as a copy boy and subsequently became a cadet reporter.<ref name="heraldsun">{{cite news|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainment/tv/michael-schildberger-one-time-host-of-a-current-affair-dies-aged-72/story-e6frf9ho-1225874494221|title=Michael Schildberger, one-time host of A Current Affair, dies aged 72|last=Muradian|first=Vanessa|date=2 June 2010|work=Herald Sun|accessdate=6 June 2010}}</ref>
In 1958 he moved to GTV 9 where he remained for the next twenty years. During the 1970s he was executive producer and national host of ''A Current Affair''.<ref name="heraldsun"/> For that role, he was awarded a 1976 Logie Award for Best TV Interviewer.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tvweek.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=62242|title=The 18th Annual TV Week Logie Awards (1976)|date=12 March 1975|work=tvweek.ninemsn.com.au|accessdate=6 June 2010|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080721050708/http://tvweek.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=62242|archivedate=21 July 2008}}</ref> While at ''A Current Affair'' he conducted the first full-length television interview with singer-songwriter Neil Diamond, who had only previously done brief group press conferences. The interview was in conjunction with Diamond's 1975-76 "Thank You Australia" tour and nationally broadcast live concert.<ref>''A Current Affair'' broadcast 29 February 1976. Also referenced at https://www.iaisnd.com/interviews/michael-schildberger/</ref>
After leaving Channel 9, Schildberger worked for several years as Director of News for ATV 10 and FOX-FM. He then moved to Melbourne radio station 3LO where he hosted the morning program,<ref name="heraldsun"/> with a short stint at 3DB.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com.au/newspapers?id=EvsQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=-pQDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3493,3539700&dq=michael-schildberger&hl=en|title=Schildberger races home|last=Wilmoth|first=Peter|date=12 January 1984|work=The Age|accessdate=6 June 2010}}</ref>
In 1984 he founded the media production company Business Essentials.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/26249/20100602/michael-schildberger-dies-prostate-cancer.htm|title=Michael Schildberger dies at age 72|last=Espino|first=Marc|date=2 June 2010|work=ibtimes.com|accessdate=6 June 2010|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100607065902/http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/26249/20100602/michael-schildberger-dies-prostate-cancer.htm|archivedate=7 June 2010}}</ref>
Schildberger was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1997.<ref name="heraldsun"/> He achieved remission, and became a strong advocate of positron emission tomography.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2007/s1998936.htm|title='Scientific fraud' hampered spread of cancer technique|last=Peacock|first=Matt|date=9 July 2007|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|accessdate=6 June 2010}}</ref> The cancer returned in early 2010. Schildberger died at the Cabrini Hospital in Prahran on 2 June 2010.<ref name="heraldsun"/>
==Publications== *{{cite book|title=The sorcerer's apprentice |url=http://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2215547?lookfor=Schildberger&offset=1&max=24|year=2000|publisher=Spectrum|isbn=0-86786-300-5 }} *{{cite book|title=Secrets of success |url=http://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/407521|year=2000|publisher=Information Australia|isbn=1-86350-319-6 }}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://www.theage.com.au/national/a-man-of-many-journalistic-coups-20100608-xtp8.html ''The Age'' obituary] *[https://news.google.com.au/newspapers?id=gKEdAAAAIBAJ&sjid=mZEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5305,154365&dq=michael-schildberger&hl=en 1989 profile of Schildberger in ''The Age'']{{Dead link|date=April 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} *{{IMDb name|2747536}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Schildberger, Michael}} Category:1938 births Category:2010 deaths Category:Australian reporters and correspondents Category:Australian television personalities Category:Deaths from prostate cancer in Victoria (state) Category:German emigrants to Australia Category:Journalists from Melbourne Category:Logie Award winners Category:Radio personalities from Melbourne Category:People educated at Melbourne Grammar School