# Tom Gleisner

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Australian comedian and producer

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Tom Gleisner AO Gleisner in 2012 Born Thomas Edmund Gleisner (1962-10-24) 24 October 1962 (age 63) Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Alma mater University of Melbourne Occupations Comedian producer writer director actor author television presenter Years active 1980s–present Television Have You Been Paying Attention? Children 2

**Thomas Edmund Gleisner** [AO](/source/Officer_of_the_Order_of_Australia) (born 24 October 1962) is an Australian comedian and producer. Gleisner co-founded production company [Working Dog Productions](/source/Working_Dog_Productions) and currently hosts [Network 10](/source/Network_10)'s *[Have You Been Paying Attention?](/source/Have_You_Been_Paying_Attention%3F)*.

## Early life and education

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Gleisner was educated at [Xavier College](/source/Xavier_College) in Melbourne, Australia. He attended the [University of Melbourne](/source/University_of_Melbourne) in the 1980s, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws in 1987. While he was a university student he began working with [Santo Cilauro](/source/Santo_Cilauro) and [Rob Sitch](/source/Rob_Sitch) in the 1983 Law Revue *Legal A.I.D.S.* Gleisner wrote and performed in the 1985 Melbourne University Revue *Too Cool for Sandals.*

## Television, radio, and film

Gleisner was credited as a writer on *[The D-Generation](/source/The_D-Generation)* (1986–1987) but not as a regular performer.[1] He did, however, appear on numerous occasions as a guest star (he featured more prominently in the second season), and on the album *[The Satanic Sketches](/source/The_Satanic_Sketches)*.

Gleisner went on to perform in the D-Gen's late-eighties [Triple M](/source/Triple_M) radio show (and its spin-off album *The Breakfast Tapes*)[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*], and then starred in, and wrote for, ABC TV's *[The Late Show](/source/The_Late_Show_(1990s_Australian_TV_series))* (1992–1993). His best-remembered performances in *The Late Show* included the newsreader of *Late Show News,* the co-host of *Countdown Classics* with [Jane Kennedy](/source/Jane_Kennedy_(actor)) and the interviewer of stuntman Rob Sitch in *Shitscared,* although he appeared in various other sketches (including a recurring role as brainless bush-traveller "Wallaby Jack").[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

After *The Late Show* finished, Gleisner co-founded [Working Dog Productions](/source/Working_Dog_Productions), along with [Santo Cilauro](/source/Santo_Cilauro), Jane Kennedy and [Rob Sitch](/source/Rob_Sitch). Their first venture was *[Frontline](/source/Frontline_(Australian_TV_series))* which ran on the ABC from 1994 until 1997. Gleisner was a writer/producer/director, and also had a minor role as photocopier repairman Colin Konica.

In 1995, Gleisner starred as mute cop Poncho on *[Funky Squad](/source/Funky_Squad)* on ABC, another Working Dog comedy which he co-created and served on as a writer/producer/directors. Gleisner co-wrote the Working Dog films *[The Castle](/source/The_Castle_(1997_Australian_film))* (1997), *[The Dish](/source/The_Dish)* (2000) and *[Any Questions for Ben?](/source/Any_Questions_for_Ben%3F)* (2012). He also hosted and co-executive produced the popular [Network Ten](/source/Network_Ten) program *[The Panel](/source/The_Panel_(Australian_TV_series))* (1998–2004). Gleisner has also appeared with Rob Sitch as a presenter of the ABC TV fly-fishing documentary *[A River Somewhere](/source/A_River_Somewhere)* (1997–1998). He wrote and directed the [Glenn Robbins](/source/Glenn_Robbins) comedy, *[All Aussie Adventures](/source/All_Aussie_Adventures)* (2001–2002, 2004, 2018), was the judge on the [improvised comedy](/source/Improvised_comedy) program *[Thank God You're Here](/source/Thank_God_You're_Here)* from 2006 to 2009, but was replaced by various judges from 2023, and co-wrote/co-produced Working Dog's *[The Hollowmen](/source/The_Hollowmen)* (2008), *[Utopia](/source/Utopia_(Australian_TV_series))* (2014–2023), and *[Pacific Heat](/source/Pacific_Heat)* (2016).

Currently he is host of the popular Australian quiz show *[Have You Been Paying Attention?](/source/Have_You_Been_Paying_Attention%3F)* (2013–present).[2] He is also a producer of *[The Cheap Seats](/source/The_Cheap_Seats_(Australian_TV_series))* (2021–present).[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

## Works

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Gleisner has written four comedic books in the persona of a fictitious [cricketer](/source/Cricket) [Warwick Todd](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Warwick_Todd&action=edit&redlink=1). He has appeared as his Warwick Todd persona in guest appearances on TV.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

- *The Warwick Todd Diaries* (1997, [ABC Books](/source/Australian_Broadcasting_Corporation))[3]

- *Warwick Todd: Back in the Baggy Green* (1998, [ABC Books](/source/Australian_Broadcasting_Corporation))[4]

- *Warwick Todd Goes The Tonk* (2001, [ABC Books](/source/Australian_Broadcasting_Corporation))[5]

- *Warwick Todd – Up in the Block Hole* (2009, Hardie Grant Books)[6]

Gleisner has also written a number of [fly fishing](/source/Fly_fishing) books along with Rob Sitch. He also wrote the *Jetlag Travel Guide* series alongside Rob Sitch and Santo Cilauro.

- *[Molvanîa](/source/Molvan%C3%AEa): A Land Untouched by Modern Dentistry* (2004, Hardie Grant Books)[7]

- *[Phaic Tăn](/source/Phaic_T%C4%83n): Sunstroke on a Shoestring* (2006, Hardie Grant Books)[8]

- *[San Sombrèro](/source/San_Sombr%C3%A8ro): A Land of Carnivals, Cocktails and Coups* (2006, Hardie Grant Books)[9]

## Theatre

With Cilauro and Sitch, Gleisner co-wrote the comic play *The Speechmaker*, which the [Melbourne Theatre Company](/source/Melbourne_Theatre_Company) premiered in 2014.[10]

In 2023, Gleisner wrote the musical comedy *[Bloom](/source/Bloom_(musical))*, inspired after witnessing his father, mother-in-law, and father-in-law enter aged care institutions.[11] He was also inspired by [Alison Bechdel](/source/Alison_Bechdel)'s [Fun Home.](/source/Fun_Home_(musical))[11] Katie Weston composed and Dean Bryant directed.[11] The musical premiered at the [Melbourne Theatre Company](/source/Melbourne_Theatre_Company) in July 2023 and centers around a music student who stays at a Melbourne aged care facility in exchange for care work.[11]

## Personal life

Gleisner is married to Mary Muirhead and they have two children, a son and a daughter.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

Gleisner is the chairman of Challenge, an Australian cancer support organisation.[12]

He is also passionate about raising autism awareness, co-founding Learning For Life, a centre that provides early intervention to autistic children, with his wife in 2004.[13] They were inspired to do so by the child of a friend of theirs.[14]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Nolan, Nic (23 April 2009). ["Tom Gleisner – Thank God You're Here"](https://web.archive.org/web/20100307032709/http://www.independentweekly.com.au/news/local/news/news-features/tom-gleisner-thank-god-youre-here/1493911.aspx). *The Independent Weekly*. Archived from [the original](http://www.independentweekly.com.au/news/local/news/news-features/tom-gleisner-thank-god-youre-here/1493911.aspx) on 7 March 2010. Retrieved 22 January 2010.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Knox, David (18 February 2014). ["Paying attention to Tom Gleisner"](https://tvtonight.com.au/2014/02/paying-attention-to-tom-gleisner.html). *TV Tonight*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Gleisner, Tom (1997). *The Warwick Todd Diaries*. Sydney: ABC Books. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-7333-0578-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-7333-0578-4).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Gleisner, Tom (1998). *Warwick Todd: Back in the Baggy Green*. ABC Books. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9780733306884](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780733306884).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Gleisner, Tom (2001). *Warwick Todd Goes the Tonk*. Sydney: ABC Books.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Gleisner, Tom (1 January 2010). *Warwick Todd: Up in the Blockhole* (1st ed.). Hardie Grant Books. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1740668613](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1740668613).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Cilauro, Santo; Gleisner, Tom; Sitch, Rob (2004). [*Molvanîa: A Land Untouched by Modern Dentistry*](https://archive.org/details/molvanialandunto00cila/page/n3/mode/2up). Jetlag Travel Guide. In conjunction with Working Dog Pty Ltd. Prahran, Victoria: Hardie Grant Books. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [1585676195](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/1585676195).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Cilauro, Santo; Gleisner, Tom; Sitch, Rob (2004). [*Phaic Tǎn: Sunstroke on a Shoestring*](https://archive.org/details/phaictansunstrok0000cila_a5w1/page/n3/mode/2up). Jetlag Travel Guide. In conjunction with Working Dog Pty Ltd. Prahran, Victoria: Hardi Grant Books. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0811853651](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0811853651).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Cilauro, Santo; Gleisner, Tom; Sitch, Rob (2006). [*San Sombrèro: A Land of Carnivals, Cocktails and Coups*](https://archive.org/details/sansombrerolando0000cila/page/n5/mode/2up). Jetlag Travel Guide. In conjunction with Working Dog Pty Ltd. Prahran, Victoria: Hardie Grant Books. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9781844003365](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9781844003365).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** Woodhead, Cameron (6 June 2014). ["The Speechmaker a slippery, clever, entertaining circus"](https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/theatre/the-speechmaker-a-slippery-clever-entertaining-circus-20140606-zrzq5.html). *The Sydney Morning Herald*. Retrieved 12 October 2023.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_11-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_11-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:0_11-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-:0_11-3) Blake, Elissa (19 July 2023). ["Tom Gleisner on why he wrote an aged care musical: 'Too often, old people are the punchline'"](https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2023/jul/20/tom-gleisner-aged-care-musical-bloom). *The Guardian*. Retrieved 22 April 2026.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** [Challenge – supporting kids with cancer](http://www.challenge.org.au/generic.asp?pageid=2&subpageid=35) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20070830131603/http://www.challenge.org.au/generic.asp?pageid=2&subpageid=35) 30 August 2007 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["Meet Tom Gleisner's wife Mary Muirhead and their family"](https://www.newidea.com.au/tom-gleisner-wife). *New Idea*. 14 July 2021. Retrieved 29 May 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["My Interview with Tom Gleisner"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQCgfyqkeJY) – via [YouTube](/source/YouTube).

## External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Tom Gleisner](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Tom_Gleisner).

- [Tom Gleisner](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0322467/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier))

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Tom Gleisner](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Gleisner) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Gleisner?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.