▁ ▁Whit ta ▁was ▁expected ▁to ▁host ▁a ▁live ▁and ▁interactive ▁daily ▁children ' s ▁program ▁called ▁Children ' s ▁Theatre . ▁ ▁Whit ta ▁died ▁before ▁he ▁could ▁begin ▁the ▁program . ▁ ▁Following ▁his ▁death , ▁Kennedy ▁would ▁use ▁the ▁many ▁com edic ▁skills ▁Whit ta ▁had ▁taught ▁him ▁when ▁be ▁began ▁hosting ▁the ▁popular ▁In ▁Melbourne ▁Ton ight ▁program ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 7 . ▁ ▁Death ▁ ▁Whit ta ▁died ▁at ▁his ▁home ▁in ▁D are bin ▁from ▁a ▁coron ary ▁occ l usion . ▁ ▁It ▁was ▁reported ▁that ▁he ▁had ▁just ▁driven ▁his ▁wife ▁and ▁two ▁sons ▁back ▁from ▁War bur ton ▁before ▁compla ining ▁of ▁feeling ▁ill . ▁ ▁He ▁died ▁shortly ▁after ▁his ▁wife ▁ph oned ▁for ▁a ▁doctor . ▁ ▁Following ▁Whit ta ' s ▁death , ▁ 3 U Z ▁hosted ▁a ▁scheduled ▁live ▁all - day ▁broadcast ▁from ▁Melbourne ' s ▁An z ac ▁House , ▁encourag ing ▁people ▁to ▁don ate ▁to ▁the ▁R SL ' s ▁" Operation ▁Gr at itude " ▁appeal . ▁ ▁The ▁appeal ▁had ▁been ▁officially ▁launched ▁by ▁Sir ▁Dallas ▁Bro oks ▁the ▁previous ▁July ▁in ▁a ▁bid ▁to ▁raise ▁money ▁to ▁build ▁homes ▁for ▁returned ▁military ▁personnel . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁ 3 U Z ▁appeal , ▁more ▁than ▁£ 3 0 , 0 0 0 ▁of ▁the ▁£ 2 0 4 , 0 0 0 ▁raised ▁was ▁don ated ▁" in ▁memory ▁of ▁Nick y ". ▁ ▁Sir ▁Dallas ▁Bro oks ▁also ▁paid