The Hooley Dooleys

The Hooley Dooleys were an Australian children's music and performance act which began in 1996. Their material was aimed at children between the ages of two and seven.[1] They originally appeared on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), but then appeared on commercial television and as a live touring act. Early members of the group were David Butts, Antoine Demarest and Bruce Thorburn; director and producer was Jacqueline Cairns; and the early childhood advisor was Angela McLean.[2] By 1998 they were being directed and produced by Jane Davidson.[1] In November that year David Brearly of The Australian reported that there were hostilities between management and the entertainers regarding marketing and conflict of interests.[3]

The Hooley Dooleys
Members of the Hooley Dooleys with firefighters of Fire and Rescue NSW, 2007
Background information
Origin	Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Genres	Children's
Years active	1996–2009
Labels	ABC, ABC Music, EMI, Warner Bros. Records, Warner Bros.
Past members	David Butts Bruce Thorburn Antoine Demarest

At the ARIA Music Awards of 1999 their fourth studio album, Pop!, won the Best Children's Album trophy.[4] The group were nominated in the same category in seven other years.[5] By 2000 their producer and director was Colin Bromley,[6] and by 2004 Thorburn had left the group with Butts and Demarest set to continue.[7] In June 2006 they ended their association with the ABC, and entered into a new distribution deal with Warner Bros.[8]

For their 2006 material additional voices were provided by Kirsten Butts – wife of David Butts – and Mal Heap; they were produced by Jill Coleburn, and directed by Missy Stephens-Gaha.[9][10] In February 2007 The Australian's Michael Bodey and Jim Gaines described how The Hooley Dooleys had "broken free in contentious circumstances", the group had been restricted at the ABC to "merely bit players below the [network's] premier suite of money-spinners, The Wiggles, Bananas in Pyjamas and Play School".[8] The group planned to enhance their associated characters: Tickle the Doodat, to promote tolerance; Russell the Muscley Kangaroo, (health and fitness); Penelope Perfect (creativity); and Captain Catastrophe (safety).[8] By 2008 Butts was the only original member of the group which consisted of seven performers.[9] New characters were Lou Lou, Katie, Adam and Ginner, which joined Tickle, Russell and Captain.[11] The ensemble toured rural New South Wales in July 2009,[12] however The Hooley Dooleys disbanded later that year.