In a chaotic Sydney share-house in the Spring of 1972, a dishevelled actor was lying naked on the fraying couch of an inner-city living room. The woman who had paid Jack Thompson $400 was wondering if the actor’s left hand was really big enough to cover his modesty and get her history-making magazine past the conservative censors who’d decide if it would make it to newsagent shelves. The Editor? Ita Buttrose. The magazine? Cleo.

On the first ever episode of Extraordinary Stories: Magazine Queens, Australian icon Ita Buttrose, historian Bridgette Griffin-Foley and others who lived through it take us back to the birth of a sensation: Australia’s Cleo Magazine.

THE END BITS:

This episode was originally released to MPlus subscribers. Subscribers get unlimited access to all Mamamia content. To subscribe head to mamamia.com.au/mplus

With thanks to Ita Buttrose and Bridget Griffen-Foley

Find out more about MPlus at www.mamamia.com.au/mplus

RESOURCES WE USED:

Australian Story on Kerry Packer https://www.abc.net.au/austory/a-complicated-life-part-1/12858254

Paper Giants: The Birth Of Cleo https://www.abc.net.au/tv/papergiants/

A Passionate Life by Ita Buttrose

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CREDITS:

Host: Emma Gillespie

Writers: Melanie Sauer, Emma Gillespie and Holly Wainwright

Producers: Melanie Sauer and Emma Gillespie

Audio Production: Elissa Ratliff and Madeline Joannou

Executive Producer: Holly Wainwright and Elissa Ratliff

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