Beloved Channel Seven veteran Marion Leyer passed away in late August, aged 84, after suffering a medical emergency while driving.
A beloved presence in Australian TV, Leyer’s career at Perth’s Channel Seven and Ten stretched over decades, starting in 1960 at the age of 18.
A family friend revealed on social media that Leyer experienced an aortic dissection while driving in Perth. Although she managed to stop the car and call an ambulance, she passed away the following morning.
Born in Europe in 1941, Leyer moved to Perth with her family in 1954 at the age of 12.
She began her career at TVW 7 in 1960 as a secretary, quickly rising through the ranks thanks to her exceptional work ethic.
Over decades at Perth’s Channel Seven and Ten, Leyer became a highly respected producer and director, leaving her mark on some of the network’s most iconic shows.
Her credits included the variety show Children’s Channel 7, the game shows It’s Academic and Post Office, and the national children’s variety program Stars of the Future, which ran from 1971 to 1975 and won four Logie Awards.
Leyer also played a key role in launching TVW’s first Channel Seven Christmas Pageant in 1972.
While her husband John’s company built nearly all the float bases, Leyer worked behind the scenes to ensure the event’s success.
Between 1976 and 1979, she produced major events including 24-hour Telethon programs, Christmas Pageants, the weekly teenage show Hey Jude, and numerous one-off specials.
She contributed to historic broadcasts such as the introduction of colour television, the opening of the Perth Entertainment Centre, and the 1978 American TV special Bob Hope Down Under.
A multi-talented professional, Leyer also helped the engineering department by translating German technical manuals when TVW introduced Fernseh cameras for outside broadcasts.
She later produced Celebrity Challenges and was appointed TVW Production Manager in October 1979, cementing her reputation as a formidable presence in a male-dominated industry.
Following 25 years at Seven, Leyer transitioned into consultancy with the Australian Olympic Federation, helping produce Olympathon for the 1988 Seoul Olympics, before taking on the role of Director of Production at the newly launched NEW Channel Ten in Perth.
Colleagues remember Leyer for her calm, steady presence and unwavering professionalism.
“There are people over your lifetime you never forget because they saw something in you, or took a chance,” wrote one former co-worker.
“Marion had a calm, almost Zen presence and a steadfast belief in herself that no blustery bloke could shake. She was brilliant with presenters, with a sixth sense and plenty of wisdom.”
“She was an amazing and truly wonderful mentor to me. I’m truly shocked and saddened,” another added.
Leyer leaves behind a legacy as a pioneering, committed, and widely admired presence in Australian television.
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