| Mo Awards | |
|---|---|
| Awarded for | Achievement in Live Entertainment |
| Location | Australia |
| First awarded | 1975 |
| Last awarded | 2016 |
The Australian Entertainment Mo Awards (commonly known as the Mo Awards) were an annual Australian entertainment industry award, established in 1975, to recognise achievements in live entertainment in Australia. They were last awarded in 2016.
Lucky Grills, actor and comedian came up with the idea to create an awards show to celebrate Australian Variety, during a meeting in 1975.
The Mo Awards, initially the Star Awards, were a state honour in New South Wales only, established by local entertainers to promote the live entertainment industry.[1]
Johnny O'Keefe became chairman in 1976, and decided the awards should become an Australia-wide national awards program. Entertainer Don Lane then proposed the awards be renamed the Mo Awards in honour of Australian comedian and vaudevillian Roy Rene, who was famous for the character "Mo McCackie."[1]