Bill Bain (1929-82)

He attended uni then worked as a school teacher for five years. He then joined the ABC in Youth Education. 

He did Six O'Clock Rock.

He left for Britain in the early 60s and had a lot of success doing TV there, winning an Emmy for Upstairs Downstairs. Here is a 1975 article on that show.

Here is a 1963 article about Bain in England having just done Emerald Soup and The Avengers. See here.

He directed a feature, Whatever Happened to Jack and Jill and died very young age 52.

His credits are here.

Corinth House Feb 1961

The Little Woman Oct 1961

Harlequinde Dec 1961

Funnel Web April 1962

Fly by Night June 1962 

In England

The Titled Screen 1966

All Out for Kangaroo Valley 1969

Bill Bain Oral History with Scott Murray.

Went to England. On leave from the ABC.

Royston Morley got him his first job. On Harpers West One.

Then he did an episode of a show.

Got an extension for leave from the ABC.

He did the Avengers.

When his extention was over, Bain asked for a guarantee could get a better job when he came back. They said no so he decided to stay in England.

He talks about making Whatever Happened to Jack and Jill? His appendix burst on the last day of filming and he wound up in hospital. He says the "good fairy" of the two producers went to America and the "bad fairy" recut the film and Bain says wrecked it. Bain liked making the film but said the lead guy was "on pot". He said the American backers went with the producer cut. He said there were further cuts so the film could get a U certificate.

Bain says he was offered other films, including a remake of The Lady Vanishes, but he turned them down, in part because he had such a horrible experience making his first feature.  (Scott Murray has to bring up the bad reviews. Like a Melbournian.)

This interview was adapted by Murray for his 1978 Cinema Papers article. A link is here. It makes no mention of his Australian work. It doesn't even list it in Bain's credits at the back, but does refer to him making the "occasional light drama" for early Australian TV. Murray's 1982 obit doesn't mention his Australian work in detail either see here.

ABC Weekly 26 Feb 1958

SMH 19 March 1973

SMH 23 Feb 1982

The Age 16 Aug 1979

AWW 26 nov 1975