Kerry Francis Bullmore Packer or simply Kerry Packer was born on December 17, 1937 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. He was regarded as an Australian Media tycoon or a media proprietor who remained an active media person from the year 1960 till his death in the year 2005. Kerry Packer was also known to be the most powerful media proprietor of Australia.
After leading a successful professional life, Kerry Packer died in Sydney and was buried at Ellerston, New South Wales, Australia. In this detailed blog, we will focus on the life of Kerry Packer, his professional media life as a proprietor, his personal life and his achievements and finally we will throw light on his death due to kidney failure in the year 2005.
Kerry’s Biography
Kerry Packer full name, Kerry Francis Bullmore Packer, was born on December 17, 1937, in Sydney, Australia. He was the son of Frank Packer who was also a famous Australian media proprietor and the owner of Consolidated Press and the Nine Network. Kerry Packer’s mother, Gretel Bullmore, was the daughter of Herbert Bullmore who was a Scottish rugby union player.
Kerry Packer used to participate in various types of sports such as cricket, boxing, and rugby but simultaneously he was also facing some challenges as he was diagnosed with dyslexia. After his father died, his family business was directly transferred to Kerry Packer in 1974.
Kerry Packer had spent his early childhood, moving from one place to another because his family tried its best to escape from World War II. Furthermore, he was afflicted with polio which led him to be bedridden for more than nine months. His father also used to call him a “family idiot” because of his poor education skills at school.
Though Kerry Packer was a polio victim, nothing stood in his path of becoming an Australian media tycoon. He is also known across the globe for bringing about the great cricket revolution in the year 1977. Alongside being a proprietor, Kerry Packer was a gambler and a philanthropist. He got his education from Geelong Grammar School, Cranbrook School and Canberra Grammar School. He did not complete his secondary education to take on the family business after the death of his father in the year 1974.
Kerry Packer’s Professional Life
Kerry Packer took over the Australian Consolidated Press in which his family had 37% business shares in Publishing and Broadcasting Limited (PBL). The Australian Consolidated Press has published many top-selling magazines in Australia. Till his death, he remained to be the owner of the Nine Network. As stated above, he was a gambler, so Kerry Packer was involved in gambling ventures; the Crowne Casino in Melbourne, Australia.
Kerry Packer was a highly respected and honoured businessman of that era who had also earned the support of politicians as he had made several good business investments. He took over the business worth $100 million and with his wisdom, passion and determination, he was regarded as the most powerful and richest businessman in Australia at the time of his death.
Kerry Packer owned the Nine Network and Nine’s Wide World of Sports in the 1980s. He sold the Nine Network (worth $1.2 billion) to Alan Bond and after three years, he had bought the Nine Network back for only $250 million. Moreover, he had invested his business money in the television media and casinos and remained to be the most powerful and successful businessman in Australia.
Kerry Packer was known to be Australia’s greatest landlord as precious gemstones and rubies were found in one of his properties. Kerry Packer’s businesses included Australian Consolidated Press, the Nine Network, his various telecommunication companies, petrochemical companies, 75% shares in Perisher Blue Ski Resort, heavy engineering, a share in Foxtel Cable television network and various casino businesses in Australia.
In the year 1977, the Australian Cricket Board rejected Kerry Packer’s very generous offer of showing the matches on his TV channels. In response, Packer had begun his own competition in the cricket world known as World Series Cricket. As he was a gambler and a very good deal maker, Kerry Packer bought the greatest names in the sports world.
Kerry Packer brought about a notable cricket revolution in the year 1977. He introduced day and night cricket matches and various colourful and vibrant uniform kits for cricket players. But, simultaneously, alongside the top-notch businesses in Australia and overseas, he had also faced many losses. For instance, he lost $28 million during the ’90s and almost $55 million in the year 1951 which shook him brutally.
Kerry Packer’s Personal Life
Kerry Packer’s primary schooling was severely affected by poliomyelitis disease which led him to be bedridden for more than the time period of nine months. His father used to call him “family idiot” as he was weak in his studies at school but this nickname encouraged him to study harder and thus he got many A grades in his later studies at school. His interest in sports had come from his grandfather who was a rugby player and represented the Scotland National Rugby team in the year 1902.
Kerry Packer got married at the age of 26 to Rosylin Packer. The couple had two children; his daughter Gretel and his son James Packer. When Kerry Packer died, he was the grandfather of two children; Francesca and Ben.
Kerry Packer was involved in various extra-marital affairs with many women. For instance, according to the media, he was involved in Carol Lopes who had committed suicide when Packer had cheated on her. Moreover, there is a list of scandals of his extra-marital affairs with many women; Ita Buttrose and Julie Trethowan.
Kerry Packer’s Mini-Series
Kerry Packer’s mini-series is regarded as the mini biopic of Kerry Packer’s life and his strong impact on Australian television media. In this series, which is known as “Howzat! Kerry Packer’s War”, Kerry Packer was a central character. This series was telecasted in the year 2012. It beautifully portrayed how Kerry’s passion brought about the great cricket revolution in the year 1977.
Kerry Packer’s mini-series had focused on his unique strategies to become the most successful media proprietor of Australia. Furthermore, this series has highlighted his significant role in television broadcasting. It is based on real life events though it contains some fictitious parts as well.
Kerry Packer’s Cause Of Death
Kerry Packer succumbed to death due to kidney failure on December 26, 2005 at home in Sydney, Australia. Packer, though, received a kidney from his loyal helicopter pilot Nicholas Ross.
So, Kerry Packer went through kidney transplant but after three years, he died due to kidney failure. He already knew about his weak condition, so he had instructed the doctors not to make his life prolong via dialysis or through other artificial means. He had also told his cardiologist that now it is time to die.
He said: “I am running out of petrol and want to die with dignity”. His funeral service was held on December 30, 2005 at Ellerston in the Hunter Valley.
Conclusion
Kerry Packer was regarded as an Australian Media tycoon or a media proprietor who remained to be an active media person from the year 1960 till his death in the year 2005. Kerry Packer was also known to be the most powerful media proprietor of Australia. Alongside being a proprietor, he was a great gambler and philanthropist as well.
After leading a successful professional life, Kerry Packer died in Sydney and was buried at Ellerston, New South Wales, Australia. In this detailed blog, we have focused on the life of Kerry Packer, his professional media life as a proprietor,his personal life, his achievements and finally we have thrown light on his death due to kidney failure in the year 2005.
