Australian TV Plays: The Watchmen of Saul (28 Jan 1961)

ITV Play by Bruce Stewart.

Plot

In Sydney during a heatwave. Lestrange is a rising young architect who has designed a very modern building. Master builder and backer of the project is Joe Saul, a millionaire tycoon and self made man. In spit of the heat and opposition from Lestrange, Saul keeps his men at work on the building. The story involves the moral battle between Lestrange and Saul and the perils the men face high up on the buring steel girders.

Cast

* John Barrie as Joe Saul
*Charles ‘Bud’ Tingwell as Lestrange
*Margaret Christensen as Madge Saul
*Nyree Dawn Porter as Stephanie
*Anthony Flood as Buildilng Worker
*Donald MacKay as Snow
*Martin Miller as Ornstein
*David Nettheim as Union Official
*Keith Pyott as Penman
*Robert Reardon as Building Worker
*Ron Simmons as Carson
*Alister Smart as Building Worker
*Bruce Wightman as Smithy

Produced by Christopher Morahan
Production Design by Philip Hickie

Production

It was Stewart's third successful television play (after Shadow of a Pale Horse and The Devil Makes Sunday). He joined Philip Grenville Man, Peter Yeldham and Michael Noonan. Stewart told TV Times "I feel I can write about Australia. You never know a place so well as when you leave it."

Bruce Stewart soon starred for Lean Liberty see here.

Phi Hickie had designed for the ABC and just arrived in England. "I wrote home to get some photographs before starting my designs," said Hickie, who had worked with Stewart a number of times.

Tingwell took time off from Emergency Ward 10, which he had appeared in for three years, to make the play.