Kerry Francis Bullmore Packer, renowned as the ‘Prince of Whales,’ was a savvy entrepreneur, media mogul, formidable figure in the gambling industry, and a generous philanthropist. Despite a challenging and isolated childhood, Packer successfully built and commanded a powerful media empire, leading a captivating and daring life that still fascinates people today. Additionally, Packer left an indelible mark on cricket, transforming the sport from an elitist pursuit to a widely popular pastime. His most notable contribution was the establishment of World Series Cricket.
“I don’t want to be left behind. In fact, I want to be here before the action starts.”
Kerry Packer inherited Australian Consolidated Press (ACP) from his father, Sir Franck Packer. He was the former executive and chairman of Publishing and Broadcasting Limited (PBL). The Packer Empire’s business comprises TV Networks, magazines, petrochemicals, telecommunication, diamond exploration and heavy engineering. At the time of his death, he was one of Australia’s wealthiest and most influential men.
Born: December 17, 1937, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Died: December 26, 2005, Bellevue Hill, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Net Worth: AU$6.9 billion
Facts About Kerry Packer
A media magnate and a Herculean gambler had many unknown aspects of his life under his sleeve. With utmost effort, we bring some of the most interesting yet lesser-known facts about Kerry Packer:
- Kerry Packer experienced a challenging childhood, grappling with a severe bout of poliomyelitis and pneumonic fever at the tender age of 8. This unfortunate health ordeal resulted in an extended nine-month hospital stay, marking a difficult chapter in his early years.
- Packer’s father regarded him as unintelligent and labelled him a ‘Family idiot.’ However, despite this assessment, Kerry and his father shared numerous similarities in terms of physical appearance and habits. Both were avid sports enthusiasts and shared an admiration for women.
- Packer created ‘World Series Cricket’ in 1978-79, contracting the leading Players by offering them high salaries and attaining the sole rights to broadcast the matches on channel Nine.
- The inception of the World Series Cricket triggered numerous legal disputes. Eventually, Packer sold Channel Nine to Alan Bond for a staggering AU$1 billion. However, when Bond’s business faced a downturn, Packer was able to repurchase Channel Nine for a significantly reduced amount of AU$250 million.
- On one occasion, a Texan oilman attempted to intimidate Packer by declaring he was worth $US60 million. In response, Mr. Packer coolly retorted, “Toss you for it,” and the oilman chose to walk away, impressed by Packer’s confidence and wit.
- Despite being a heavy smoker, Kerry Packer, unlike his father, did not indulge in drinking. However, in 1972, he was involved in a fatal car accident while under the influence of alcohol. This incident prompted him to quit drinking altogether.
- Kerry’s extramarital affairs were not kept under wraps. One notable relationship involved a four-year affair with Carol Lopes, an African-American model.
- In his late 40s, Packer was diagnosed with cancer in one of his kidneys.
- Packer reportedly experienced significant swings in his fortunes, losing around $28 million at a casino in London while simultaneously winning $20 million at the MGM Grand Casino in Las Vegas.
- Packer owned, invested in, and actively managed numerous businesses, primarily in the travel and gambling industry. One of his most renowned ventures in this domain is the Crown Casino in Melbourne, which remains one of the most prosperous casinos in Australia to this day.
- Packer was also one of Australia’s largest landowners. In 2003, a significant deposit of rubies was discovered on one of his properties.
- Packer had a keen interest in Polo and played a pivotal role in modernizing the game through the creation of Ellerson and Ellerstina. Unfortunately, his passion for Polo took a toll on his health, as he suffered his first heart attack in 1990 while actively participating in the sport.
- Packer was known for his assertive personality and often involved himself in the programming decisions of his TV stations. In 1992, during the broadcast of “Australia’s Naughtiest Home Videos” on TCN-9, he called his Sydney station and demanded the immediate removal of the show from the air.
- As a philanthropist, Kerry Packer generously donated $30 million to cancer research, $10 million to the Children’s Hospital at Westmead in Sydney, and $2.5 million to the NSW Ambulance Service.
- On one occasion at the MGM Grand casino, Packer was impressed by the service of a waitress and generously tipped her with $150,000 to cover her mortgage. In another incident, after accidentally bumping into a cocktail waitress and causing her to spill her drinks tray, Packer asked for her name and address. He then took the initiative to pay off her $130,000 mortgage.
- At the time of his death, Kerry Packer held the title of Australia’s wealthiest individual, boasting a net worth of AU$6.9 billion. In 2005, he secured the 94th position on Forbes’ list of the world’s richest people.
- Kerry Packer received notable recognition for his contributions. In acknowledgement of his services in the media, he was awarded the A.C. (Companion of the Order of Australia) on January 26, 1983. Additionally, he was honoured with the Australian Sports Medal in the 2001 Queen’s New Year’s Honours List for his significant contributions to the world of sports.
- Following his health scare in 1990, Kerry Packer made significant lifestyle changes, including a drastic weight reduction. He also successfully quit his three-pack-a-day cigarette smoking habit with the assistance of an acupuncturist. Unfortunately, on December 26, 2005, Kerry Packer passed away due to kidney failure.
“The good news is there’s no devil. The bad news is there’s no heaven. There’s nothing” – Packer
The post is part of a B’day Series where we celebrate the birthdays of renowned personalities from the Tech Industry very frequently. The series includes entrepreneurs, C-level executives, innovators, or renewed leaders who moved the industry with their exponential skill sets and visions. The intent is to highlight the person’s achievements and touch base on the little-known but interesting part of his/her life. You can see the list of all earlier celebrated tech personalities, including Mark Zuckerberg, Marissa Mayor, Sean Parker, Andy Rubin, Julian Assange, Sir Richard Branson, and Sergey Brin, by following this link or subscribing to your daily newsletter.
