[3] His father, Conrad, was a baritone opera singer, who worked with the prominent theatre company of J.C. Williamson's, who became a radio broadcaster and station manager of the ABC, who had served in World War I and was wounded during the Battle of the Somme.
[1] There he joined veteran presenter Norman Banks for the stations first Australian rules football broadcast, a night match between Essendon and Richmond at the Melbourne Showgrounds in 1952.
[6][8] He later joined John Clemenger Advertising to host the London Stores Football Show and The Kia-Ora Sports Parade, broadcast on 3UZ and 3KZ respectively.
[11][16][17] The program, Interview with Tony Charlton, was broadcast nationally on Sunday nights with the subjects including British Prime Minister Harold Wilson, United States Senator Robert F. Kennedy, and actor Gregory Peck.
His commentary was described by sports journalist Martin Flanagan as "slightly ornate" but with "sincerity [that] compelled attention", and delivered with "elegant diction".
[4][11] His many years of tennis broadcasts included numerous Davis Cup tournaments and Rod Laver's attainment of his second Grand Slam in the 1969 U.S. Open final.
[21] He actively supported a number of charities, including the Alfred Hospital Foundation (chairman and life governor), the Royal Flying Doctor Service, Melbourne Legacy, the Australian Olympic Team fund, the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital, Cancer Council Victoria, the Australian War Memorial appeal, the Shrine of Remembrance restoration appeal and Odyssey House.