Australian TV Plays: The Outcasts (28 May 1961)

The Outcasts (28 May 1961)

A sequel to Stormy Petrel with the same writer and director and some of the same cast. It also went for 12 parts.

Colin Dean told Graham Shirley he would get this confused with The Patriots!

Plot
The story of William Redfern and his attempts to build a hospital in Sydney in 1808.

Cast
* Ron Haddrick as William Redfern

* Henry Gilbert as Governor Lachlan Macquarie

* John Gray as Reverend Samuel Marsden

* Neil Fitzpatrick as Martin O'Brien
* Amber Mae Cecil as Sarah Willis/Redfern
Episodes

Ep 1–“The New Governor” -28 May (Syd), 25 Jun (Melb) - starts in September 1808, when former convict William Redfern is admitted as a surgeon in New South Wales. He helps Governor Macquarie when the latter’s wife is pregnant and clashes with Reverend Samuel Marsden. Sarah Willis wishes to marry Redfern. Mary O'Connell gives Marsden a hard time at dinner. GS: Ron Haddrick (William Redfern), Neil Fitzpatrick (Martin O'Brien), Amber Mae Cecil (Sarah Wills), Lyndall Barbour (Mrs Wills), Frank Waters (Edward Wills), Ben Gabriel (Dr Jamieson), Edward Howell (D'arcy Wentworth), Lynne Murphy (Mrs Macquarie), Lt Col Macquarie (Henry Gilbert), John Gray (Rev Samuel Marsden), Delia Williams (Mary O'Connell), James Condon (Lt O'Connell), John Unicomb (Cap Antill), Madeleine Howell (woman shopper), Julian Flett (butler), Stan Polonski, Sophy Milo, Patricia Johnson, Joe Coco, Les Brooks, Arthur Jollow, Alan Graham.

Ep 2–“Bond and Free” - 4 June (Syd), 2 July (Melb) - Macquarie and Marsden argue over whether to invite Redfern to dinner. The invitation impresses Edward Willis, a wealthy settler who did not approve of Redfern and his daughter. GS: Ron Haddrick (William Redfern), Edward Howell (D'arcy Wentworth), Lt Col Macquarie (Henry Gilbert), Leonard Bullen (John T. Campbell), Lynne Murphy (Mrs Macquarie), John Faassen (Gregory Blaxland), Margo Lee (Mrs Macarthur), John Gray (Rev Samuel Marsden), Amber Mae Cecil (Sarah Wills), Neil Fitzpatrick (Martin O'Brien), Frank Waters (Edward Wills), Hugh Stewart (Michael Massey Robinson), Phyllis Hall.

Ep 3- “The Vision Grows” –11 June (Syd), 9 July (Melb) Redfern and Sarah get married. GS: Ron Haddrick (William Redfern), Neil Fitzpatrick (Martin O'Brien), Frank Waters (Edward Wills), Amber Mae Cecil (Sarah Wills), Lyndall Barbour (Mrs Wills), John Gray (Rev Samuel Marsden), Henry Gilbert (Macquarie), Lynne Murphy (Mrs Macquarie), Robyn Nevin (Mrs Ellis Bent), Lewis Fiander (Ellis Bent), Edward Howell (Dr D'arcy), Phillip Ross (William Wentworth), John Unicomb (Henry Antill), Deryck Barnes (Andrew Thompson), Kirk Fabian (Simeon Lord), Maurice Rogers, Julian Flett, Doris Goddard, Norma Polonsky, Pam Greenfield, Lex Mitchell, William Millett.

Ep 4 - “Re enter John MacArthur”–18 June (Syd), 16 July (Melb). Redfern works hard. GS: Ron Haddrick (William Redfern), Neil Fitzpatrick (Martin O'Brien), Frank Waters (Edward Wills), Amber Mae Cecil (Sarah Redfern), John Unicomb (Captain Antill), John Armstrong (Rev Cowper), Hugh Stewart (Michel Robinson), Lewis Fiander (Ellis Bent), Leonard Bullen (John Campbell), Edward Hepple (Lord Liverpool), Walter Sullivan (John Macarthur), Moss Duker (John Black), Lyndall barbous (Mrs Willis), Shirley Arundale (church singer), Bruck Wheeler, Roger Rogers, John Barnard, Leah Bailey, Stan Polonsky.

Ep 5- “The System”–25 June (Syd), 23 July (Melb). Convict Martin O'Brien is flogged under the orders of Marsden. Redfern arranges for him to be transferred to another farmer. Macquarie gets a letter from Lord Liverpool complaining about expenses. Macquarie considers resigning but decides not to. GS: Ron Haddrick (William Redfern), Hugh Stewart (Michel Robinson), Leonard Bullen (John Campbell),Henry Gilbert (Lachlan Macquarie), John Gray (Rev Marsden), John Fegan (flagellator), Neil Fitzpatrick (Martin O'Brien), Amber Mae Cecil (Sarah Redfern), Clive Clayton.

Ep 6 - “Barrier Breached” –2 July (Syd), 30 July (Melb)- the Blue Mountains are crossed by Blaxland, Wentworth and Lawson. Mrs Macquarie loses another child. Martin O'Brien dies off screen. GS: Ron Haddrick (William Redfern), Amber Mae Cecil (Sarah Redfern), D'arcy Wentworth (Edward Howell), William Wentworth (Phillip Ross), Captain Antill (John Unicomb), Henry Gilbert (Lachlan Macquarie), Leonard Bullen (John Campbell), John Faassen (Gregory Blaxland), Lynne Murphy (Mrs Macquarie), Robert Davey, David Walker, Vic Leonaitis.

Ep 7- “Another Lachlan”–9 July (Syd), 6 Aug (Melb) - Redfern confronts Marsden over O'Brien's death but ultimately does nothing about it. A Lt Molle arrives to cause trouble for Macquarie. Antill begins to romance Sarah's sister Eliza. Mrs Macquarie gives birth to a son. GS: Ron Haddrick (William Redfern), Amber Mae Cecil (Sarah Redfern), Captain Antill (John Unicomb), Henry Gilbert (Lachlan Macquarie). John Gray (Marsden), Alma Butterfield (Mrs Marsden),Leonard Bullen (John Campbell), Carolyn Keely (Eliza Wills), Leonard Teale (Lt Col George Molle), Katharine McGarity, Rod Vickers, Valerie Roy, Peter Guest, Maurice Rogers, Joanne West, Alan Drury, Peter Adams.

Ep 8 - “The Trouble Makers”–16 July (Syd), 13 Aug (Melb) - Redfern and Sarah move into their new hospital. Jeffrey Bent wants Macquarie to give him a nice court and house to live in. Molle and company make fun of Macquarie. Francis Greenaway talks about architecture. GS: Ron Haddrick (William Redfern), Amber Mae Cecil (Sarah Redfern), Captain Antill (John Unicomb), Henry Gilbert (Lachlan Macquarie). John Gray (Marsden), Edward Howell (d'Arcy Wentworth), Al Thomas (Francis Greenway), Leonard Bullen (John Campbell), Keith Buckley (Jefferey Bent), Lynne Murphy (Mrs Macquarie), Earle Cross (WC Wentworth), Reverend Benjamin Vale (Peter Wagner), Carolyn Keely (Eliza Wills), Leonard Teale (Lt Col George Molle), Peter Guest,Simon Cain, Tony Geappen, John Gully.

Ep 9 - “The Exile’s Return”–23 July (Syd), 20 Aug (Melb) - London begin to have concerns about Macquarie's rule. Macarthur Returns to the colony. GS: Ron Haddrick (William Redfern), Amber Mae Cecil (Sarah Redfern), Captain Antill (John Unicomb), Henry Gilbert (Lachlan Macquarie), John Gray (Marsden), Leonard Bullen (John Campbell), Atholl Fleming (Lord Bathurst), WC Wentworth (Earle Cross), Walter Sullivan (John Macarthur), Carolyn Keely (Eliza Wills), Malcolm Billings (James Bowman), Margo Lee (Mrs Macarthur), Ursula Finlay (Mary Macarthur), Hugh Stewart (Michael Massey Robinson), Edgar Hatch, Charles Hettinga, Reg Gorman, Gordon Tolman, Stuart Thompson, Roy Drury.

Ep 10 - “The Showdown” –30 July (Syd) 27 Aug (Melb) - Macquarie’s administration is investigated. GS: Ron Haddrick (William Redfern), Amber Mae Cecil (Sarah Redfern), Captain Antill (John Unicomb), Henry Gilbert (Lachlan Macquarie), John Gray (Marsden), Walter Sullivan (John Macarthur), Margo Lee (Mrs Macarthur), Al Thomas (Francis Greenaway), Atholl Fleming (Lord Bathurst), Allan Trevor (Commissioner Bigge), Tony Standen, Bruce Myles, Max Horder, Michael O'Flynn, Leonard Lee, Bruce Marquette, Cliff Schrager, Alan Stewart.

Ep 11 “The Final Challenge”– 6 August (Syd), 3 Sept (Melb) -Commissioner Bigge takes a dislike to Redfern and issues a report against Macquarie and the emancipists. GS: Ron Haddrick (William Redfern), Amber Mae Cecil (Sarah Redfern), Captain Antill (John Unicomb), Henry Gilbert (Lachlan Macquarie), Carolyn Keely (Eliza Antill), Leonard Bullen (John Campbell), Ken Fraser (COl Erskine), Lynne Murphy (Mrs Maquarie), Allan Trevor (Commissioner Bigge), Katherine McGarrity, Max Horder, Michael O'Flynn, Peter Somers.

Ep 12 - “Victory”- 13 Aug (Syd) 10 Sept (Melb). Redfern whips up the emancipists and decides to go to London to plead their case. He is successful. GS: Ron Haddrick (William Redfern), Amber Mae Cecil (Sarah Redfern), Captain Antill (John Unicomb), Henry Gilbert (Lachlan Macquarie), Lynne Murphy (Mrs Maquarie), Allan Trevor (Commissioner Bigge), Captain Antill (John Unicomb), Carolyn Keely (Eliza Antill), Max Osbiston (Edward Eagar), Alistair Roberts (informer), John Gray (Marsden), Walter Sullivan (John Macarthur), Malcolm Billings (Dr James Bowman), Al Thomas (Francis Greenway), Leonard Bullen (John T Campbell), Atholl Fleming (Lord Bathurst), Earle Cross (W.C. Wentworth), Hugh Stewart, Bill Herbert, Martin Redpath, Noel Turner, Mark Kennedy, Vic Leonaitis, David Crocker.

Crew - wardrobe supervisor - Zilla Weatherly. Make up supervision - Doreen Castle. Floor manager - Tom Jeffrey. Thanks for DJ Bluford of the archives office of NSW. Technical supervision - David Tapp. Designer - Jack Montgomery.

Production

Stormy Petrel, written by Rex Rienits and Colin Dean, had been a big success for the ABC. In November 1960 it was announced Dean and Rienits would reunite for a serial about William Redfern that would pick up where Stormy Petrel left off. They hoped to shoot more outdoor scenes.

In March 1961 Dean said “it has not quite the clear, dramatic line of Stormy Petrel. It involves more people, and although it lacks the central issue of the rebellion, much more happens in The Outcasts, which covers from 1808 to 1822. The Outcast’ illustrates the change in the colony — Macquarie’s policy of building up a settlement rather than administering it as a penal colony.”

There was a cast of 42 and 30 extras. A huge set was built at Gore St to replicate George Street.

Star Ron Haddrick was best known for his theatre work at the time.

Designer - Jack Montgomery. Producer - Colin Dean.

My thoughts on ep 1

A sort-of sequel to Stormy Petrel which picks up on what happened after Lachlan Macquarie arrived in Australia. Some characters from Petrel reprised their performances.

I watched episode one. The central character is William Redfern (Ron Haddrick), a surgeon who was a convict. He's hard working, sensible and nice, which automatically makes him less interesting than Captain Bligh, protagonist of Petrel. However we do meet Reverend Marsden, corrupt, corpulent and nasty, and he promises fun in future episodes.

This seemed to have less of an impact than Stormy Petrel. That had the advantage of a clear protagonist and antagonist and a focused central event; this feels more diffuse. Nonetheless it was made with skill and care, and some strong actors.

You know who had X factor? Delia Williams, who plays Bligh's daughter. I assume her part in the series was only small but she's in episode one. She pops off the screen - fabulous. What happened to her?

Reception

Reviewing the pilot episode the Sunday Sydney Morning Herald said “ABN 2 looks as though it's done it again... I would say that it has another winner and one that might outclass its predecessor...It hasn’t yet got as strong a central figure as Bligh... but, on the other hand , it set the pace and established the theme much more rapidly than the Bligh series which was a little slow to develop.”

The Woman’s Weekly said “Reaction from viewers has been remarkable in volume, and quite different from that of its illustrious predecessor, “Stormy Petrel”. I’m told that vocal viewers in the “Stormy Petrel” days would telephone the A.B.C. to ask what Bligh would do next, but this time they ask what happens “in the story” next time. I prefer “The Outcasts” story, the struggle for the recognition of the emancipists. It seems closer to present-day Australia in its lasting effects than the Bligh rebellion, with its high life at Government House, its turbulence, and its drama. “The Outcasts” is a quieter story, made up of more of the everyday events of life.seems closer to present-day Australia in its lasting effects than the Bligh rebellion, with its high life at Government House, its turbulence, and its drama. ... “The Outcasts” is interesting and excellent TV. I know I’ll make great efforts not to miss an episode.”

The Sydney Tribune said it was "gratifying" to see the show and said it should be used as an example for local content. Jack Munday wrote that.

The Bulletin got some historian, M Ellis, to whine about the show. He said “For those who like their historical drama presented in the Alfred Dampier manner, with shouting, weeping, oppression of the weak, all the characters pure-white or pure-black in morals and the dialogue scissored out of volumes seven to ten of the “Historical Records of Australia,” the series is good, clean fun. But viewers should not take them as historical gospel even though the A.B.C.has informed me that Mr Rienits, the author, has “made a diligent and patient search of numerous historical records and publications in order to establish a degree of authenticity and has consulted manuscript scores too numerous to mention in the Mitchell Library and in the ‘New South Wales State Archives’ also “that the author’s intent is that there be authenticity in the characterisations and settings of the period on which the story is based.”The word “authenticity” has been overworked in the publicity for the series, but in fact, it is only the kind of authenticity that one finds in the Daisy Ashford masterpiece “The Young Visiters” and in cartoons in Germancomic papers of Highlanders. The overall picture in “The Outcasts” is false in detail as far as it depicts trends, events and atmosphere."

What a whinger. This prompted some correspondence which is repeated below. Brian Wright and others defended the series and Ellis, the Bulletin historian, whinged he'd been misrepresented, as critics tended to do when called out.

Colin Dean referred to Ellis' whingeing in Dean's interview with Graham Shirley. He thought it was about Stormy Petrel though.

Ellis had another swipe at Rex Rienits in 1963 review of a historical book for which Rienits had done a foreword. It was The Burial of Dr John White. Journal of a Voyage to New South Wales.

Ellis complained about all the added text including:

a biographical introduction by Mr Rex Rienits, “journalist and author of television historical serials,” who gave us, in the “Outcasts,” that affecting “authentic” picture of Lachlan Macquarie, Governor in Chief and Captain General of New South Wales, drinking with an ex-convict in the public bar of a Windsor hostelry in view of the street and with his full dress coat hung over the back of his chair.

What a wanker.

Ratings

Mentioned by R Walker in the Cincent Report:

Are you familiar with the rating of “ The Outcasts ”, which was shown by the A.B.C.? Was that rating about 30 per cent, or 40 per cent.?

—No. At a guess I would say it was about 10 per cent, to 15 per cent. The highest rating the A.B.C. has ever achieved was reached recently in Sydney with “ The Rag Trade

What was that?—

It was about 40 per cent., which put A.B.C. for the first time in the top ten programmes. That is an English programme, a half-hour comedy.

The Bulletin 5 Aug 1961

The Bulletin 2 Sept 1961

The Bulletin 19 Aug 1961

The Bulletin 26 Aug 1961

TV Times

Forgotten Australian TV Plays: The Outcasts
by Stephen Vagg
October 18, 2021
Stephen Vagg’s series on forgotten Australian TV plays continues on his detour of Australian mini-series to discuss The Outcasts (1961).

I have previously written about Stormy Petrel (1960), the first Australian mini-series which also served as the first really unqualified success for ABC TV drama. Indeed, the Rum Rebellion saga was such a hit that even before the last episode aired, the ABC were talking to its writer Rex Rienits and director Colin Dean about doing a follow-up.

But how to make Stormy Petrel 2: Back in Action when Bligh never went back to Australia? The original had been based on a radio serial by Rienits and they might have discussed adapting another one of his works set in colonial Australia; there were certainly enough to choose from, including tales of Margaret Catchpole, Mary Reiby, George Barrington, Matthew Flinders, the Eureka Stockade, and the Flying Doctors, plus an adaptation of the novel Robbery Under Arms. (Later on, Rienits would pen radio serials about such topics as Ned Kelly and the Snowy Mountains Scheme. If you don’t know any of the names I’ve listed, they’re worth a google.) Maybe, those topics were all too inherently ‘outdoorsy’ for what the ABC were capable of filming in 1961, when the bulk of their TV drama had to be broadcast live on sets.

In the event it was decided to do a “kind-of” sequel to Stormy Petrel: it would pick up on the action following the arrival of Lachlan Macquarie, who appeared at the end of the first series, thereby enabling some characters and actors to be re-used, such as Bligh’s daughter Mary (Delia Williams, in what I think was her last ever screen appearance), John Macarthur (Walter Sullivan), Elizabeth Macarthur (Margo Lee) and Macquarie (Henry Gilbert) himself. Presumably, it would mean the ABC could also re-purpose costumes and sets.

The focus of the new series – to be called The Outcasts – would be split between Macquarie and a character not seen in Stormy Petrel, William Redfern (Ron Haddrick), the doctor-turned-convict-turned-convict-doctor who became a leader for the emancipists, i.e. ex-convicts who didn’t have full legal rights. Twelve half-hour episodes would revolve around the troubles faced by Redfern and Macquarie in getting rights for emancipists in the face of opposition from such men as Reverend Samuel “give me a Catholic to flog and I’m happy” Marsden).

Image courtesy of Chris Keating

A lot of interesting stuff happened to Redfern and Macquarie during the time that is dramatised in The Outsiders (1808 to 1822): they had wives and kids (some of whom died), colonial Sydney turned from a penal settlement into more of a just-plain-old-settlement, the Blue Mountains were crossed by Europeans, there was plenty of conflict. But the series lacks the clean narrative drive of Stormy Petrel, which built up to a big confrontation between two conflicting parties (i.e. The Rum Rebellion). This one is more sprawling and less focused, with a greater number of sub-plots and extraneous characters, and more of an overall theme. Instead of being a story about two hot-tempered alpha males slogging it out, The Outcasts has more of a solemn “we are making history here” vibe with characters talking a lot about what they envision Australia’s future to be.

Also, Redfern and Macquarie simply aren’t as interesting characters as Bligh or Macarthur. They are depicted as being decent, dogged men who speak and act rationally and love their wives, ex-convicts and each other (the bromance is laid on fairly thick)… It may be fair to history, but it is not terribly compelling. Rienits livens things up by bringing in a solid array of antagonists: the flog-happy Marsden (John Gray), the pompous judge Jeffrey Bent (Keith Buckley), the snobby Lt Molle (Leonard Teale), the bitter John Macarthur (Walter Sullivan) and the convict-hating Commissioner Bigge (Allan Trevor). These characters are all highly entertaining but apart from Marsden they never seem to stick around that long. In particular, Molle and Macarthur get all this build-up but don’t provide the fireworks they promise (we don’t get to see Macarthur go mad, for instance).

Rienits repeats the “woman’s interest device” subplot of Stormy Petrel, by having a man suffering unrequited love for the female lead – in this case it’s a convict (played by Neil Fitzpatrick) who moons over Sarah Redfern (Amber Mae Cecil)… and Lt Antill (John Unicomb) seems hot for her too, but Sarah loves Redfern, so Antill marries her sister (Carolyn Keely) and the poor old convict gets flogged and kills himself. Sarah Redfern isn’t as good a part as Mary Bligh was, though – she basically wears a bonnet, goes “you work too hard, Will” and that’s about it. As in Stormy Petrel, I wish more had been done with Elizabeth Macarthur.

History buffs will enjoy the appearance of real-life characters such as Blaxland (John Faassen) Wentworth (Philip Ross) and Lawson, early architect Francis Greenaway (Al Thomas), early doctor D’arcy Wentworth (Edward Howell), early tycoon Simeon Lord (Kirk Fabian), early poet Michael Massey Robinson (Hugh Stewart), British Prime Minister Lord Liverpool (Edward Hepple), and Macquarie’s Indian servant George Jarvis (I’m not sure who played him – the credits are unclear and the actor is in brownface). Aboriginal people get the occasional mention but are not seen.

The sets and costumes are very polished and Colin Dean’s direction feels more confident than in Petrel – the camera moves more, there are some filmed sequences of Blaxland and co. walking over the Blue Mountains. The acting is fine; I particularly liked John Gray as Mardsen and John Fegan as his “flagellator” (as the credits put it). The cast includes a young Robyn Nevin, in what must be one of her first performances, as the bitchy wife of early judge Ellis Bent (Lewis Fiander).

I just think that they selected the wrong period of history to illuminate for a 12 eps x 30 mins drama. The action really picks up in the final two episodes with the arrival of the snide Commissioner Bigge, splendidly played in George Sanders style by Allan Trevor. Maybe, they should’ve focused the whole series around Bigge’s investigation – they could have flashed back to other times if needed. Or maybe, they should have done a straight up “life of Redfern”… include events referred to but not seen in this version, like his involvement in mutiny and the death of his first wife.

Reviews and ratings were strong, on the whole, probably fairer than the series deserved. The praise wasn’t unanimous: Malcolm Ellis, who was a writer, historian and sort of 1960s neocon columnist, wrote a hit piece on The Outcasts in The Bulletin, whining about its authenticity, but allowed that “For those who like their historical drama presented in the Alfred Dampier manner, with shouting, weeping, oppression of the weak, all the characters pure-white or pure-black in morals and the dialogue scissored out of volumes seven to ten of the “Historical Records of Australia,” the series is good, clean fun.” Producer-writer Brian Wright penned a letter in response to Ellis defending Rienits, to which Ellis wrote a whiny hysterical response, as critics often do when called out. How dare the ABC publicity make a claim of authenticity to Malcolm Ellis! How dare they! Historians can get very possessive and mean whenever someone else does a work on “their” area of history (Side note: I grew up endlessly hearing about how The Bulletin made such an invaluable contribution to Australian culture back in the day. Maybe that was true in the 1900s or whenever Henry Lawson was running around, but from what I’ve read of the magazine in the 1960s, when it came to Australian culture, The Bulletin seemed to operate mostly as a platform for snide little whiners. End of side note.)

Still, The Outcasts illustrated an important but little-known piece of our history (I had to google a lot of it… no one discusses Macquarie and Redfern much these days, too hard probably). And the response was encouraging enough for the ABC do another sequel, The Patriots which I will talk about in another article. Rex Rienits left Australia in 1961, having worked at the ABC for two years. He based himself in London until his death a decade later, but he never stopped writing about Australia.