AP - Nice Widow at Quinto (14 Aug 1966) (not shown?)

 A play by Colin Free for Australian Playhouse. I think it was never aired... unless it changed its title.

Premise

Three men from the same firm chat in a railway compartment: the cocky young Ken Bellerman, who has been appointed manager, the experienced Arthur Hogan, who is retiring, and the experienced Ken Foliot, who is drunk. Foliot is passed out, and Bellerman and Hogan have an argument.

The train stops at a cafe at the town of Quinto where the eomployees include Mr Lamington and a widow Ina. Arthur has been romancing Ina, and proposes to her. She turns out to be the mother of Ken Bellerman.

Cast

* Nigel Lovell as Arthur Hogan

*Ted Hamilton as Ken Bellerman

* Joan Winchester as  Ina

* Ron Roberts as Ken Foliot

*Vaughan Tracey as Lamington 

* Gordon Glenwright as the conductor

Production

It was listed in the ABC report for 1966/67.

I think it was made 14 Aug 1966. Ausstage says so here.

I know little about it. But it was considered important enough to be listed in the ABC Report.

Designer - Jack Montgomery. Produced and directed by James Upshaw. Credit says "we acknowledge the co operation of NSW Railways".

The Nice Widow at Quinto (recorded 14 August, 1966)

The script for this was written by Colin Free, who was one of the most prolific writers at the ABC in the late 1960s. The action mostly takes place in a train compartment and is chiefly comprised of a long chat between two work colleagues, the young tyro (Ted Hamilton) and his older colleague who is about to retire (Nigel Lovell). The twist in the tail is that the old dude is about to marry a widow in the town of Quinto (where the train stops)… and the widow turns out to be the young exec’s mother (Joan Winchester). That is a good idea but it isn’t really exploited or dramatised (i.e. if the old guy is about to retire, then what’s at stake?) and the twist probably comes too late in the story. The widow talks about this waitress who got impregnated by a miner travelling through town; we do not meet either character but their story sounds more interesting than what we see on screen. Ted Hamilton later went on to star in Division Four and The Pirate Movie. James Upshaw directed.