Melbourne radio remembers a local icon

Melbourne radio is paying tribute to a local legend, following the passing of furniture icon Franco Cozzo.

The Italian-Australian businessman gained widespread fame for his unique and colourful TV and radio ads in the 1980s.

Cozzo became a cultural icon, particularly in the suburb of Footscray.

His distinctive Italian accent and trilingual ads set him apart from everything else on Anglo-Australian TV at the time.

Cozzo was one of the most prominent ethnic TV personalities prior to the launch of the government-funded Special Broadcasting Service.

This morning, Gold 104.3’s Craig Huggins reflected on air about the time Cozzo – whilst doing a radio ad read – famously changed a line from English to Italian.

Huggy also put his own language skills to the test, seamlessly delivering a well-known line from Cozzo’s TV ad – in Italian!

Over at 3AW, Franco Cozzo is being remembered for an interview he did with Bruce Mansfield and Philip Brady back in July 2008.