Australian TV Plays: Undercurrent (aborted TV series) (1965-66)

TV series for GTV-9 that started filming but was axed during filming due to an Equity dispute.

July 1965 it was announced Chris Beard returned home to work on Barley Charlie. When that show ended he worked on two comedy pilots. Here's a picture of him with his sister.

The show was created by Australian script writer Chris Beard during his three months working holiday in Melbourne. It was to have been screened in three half hour episodes per week with Bear providing storylines from Canada. Several of Australia's top actors were engaged.

Outdoor scenes would be shot on the Queensland coast.

Five episodes had been taped when the decision was made to scrap the show. a GTV-9 spokesman told TV Times that "We had planned to begin full taping of Undercurrent in November but negotiations with the union made this impossible."

Vic Arnold, Victorian Secretary of Actors Equity, said "GTV has written terminating negotiations in Undercurrent. This follows talk between Equity and the channel in which we pointed out that the pay being offered to actors in the series was not good enough."

In September 1965 it was reported that GTV-9 wanted the cast employed weekly but the union wanted them employed on a per programme rate (three times the weekly award).

Chris Beard - profile here. Obit from 2017 here. An interview is here.

Was a compere.

Studied commercial art and worked for ATN-7. See here

1959 working on Captain Fortune see here. Compered Smalltime.

He and Digby Wolfe wrote Revue 61.

1962 he went to Canada see here.

In 1964 he worked on a Canadian TV program where a lot of the writers were Australians see here.

1965 returned to Australia to work for GTV-9 see here.

1967 he was back in Canada see here. Working on show Nightcap.

1968 he and Digby Wolfe writing for Laugh In. See here

1969 said was earning $100,000 a year and returned to Australia to make a special see here. Called Ready When You Are CB see here, here, and here. Reviewed here.

1973 producing Barry Crocker specials. 1974 rewrote Dimboola for Canada.

1979 in a Qantas ad see here. 1980 producing the Gong Show.