Turpie also gained recognition as a juvenile actor working in radio. He appeared in radio programmes alongside
Robert Helpmann and
June Bronhill, and in the Crawford radio series,
D24, which was recorded at the
3DB studios in Melbourne and broadcast nationally over the
Major Broadcasting Network. During his teens, Turpie began his music career and focused on playing guitar, songwriting and singing. By the age of 16, he was a seasoned radio and stage performer, touring Australia in
Peter Pan (1957),
Auntie Mame (1959) and
Bye Bye Birdie (1961), and appearing in several
National Theatre productions including
Shakespeare's
Macbeth. He had made his TV debut in May of that year in a guest role in the episode, "Queen Versus Wilson" of the courtroom drama
Consider Your Verdict. Turpie performed on
Bandstand,
Time for Terry and
The Graham Kennedy Show during the early 1960s. He replaced
Johnny O'Keefe for a stint as national host on TV pop music show,
Sing, Sing, Sing. He was an early boyfriend of
Olivia Newton-John, with whom he appeared in a 1965 Australian musical telemovie,
Funny Things Happen Down Under, which was Newton-John's debut performance. He was chosen to host the teenage variety show
The Go!! Show from mid-1965 until the end of 1966. In the 1970s, Turpie moved to Sydney to work the club circuit, and he continued to make guest appearances on numerous television shows, including
The Mike Walsh Show,
The Bert Newton Show,
A Guy Called Athol, and the
ABC variety series
Follies. In the following decade, Turpie became a nationwide figure as host of the game show
The New Price Is Right (1981–1985, 1989). This was followed by two other game shows,
Press Your Luck (1987–1988) and
Supermarket Sweep (1992–1994). Turpie developed cult status following a four-year stint as Club President on Roy & HG's
Club Buggery (1995–1997) and its sequel,
The Channel Nine Show (1998). Known as the Giant of the G Chord, he performed renditions of Nirvana's "
Smells Like Teen Spirit", and, complete with suspenders, The Rocky Horror Picture Show's "
Time Warp". Less serious
Club Buggery appearances in sketches, "Turps About the House", "Captain Ajax" and "Sam Stain", showcased his comedic talents, as did a semi-regular role as cabaret-style singer Rolan Fields in drama series
Always Greener (2001–03). From 2000 he acted in the TV comedy series
Pizza and had a lead role in
Housos (2011) as Wazza Jones, who was also the program's narrator. He portrayed depot manager Keith Warne in
Swift & Shift Couriers seasons one (2008) and two (2011). == Personal life ==