Australian radio mini-series

*The Sundowners (1952) from novel by Jon Cleary. Starred Rod Taylor. 

*Come In Spinner by Dympha Cusack

 *The Fortunes of Richard Mahoney (Dec 1956). Dir Paul O'Loughlin

*One Man's Kingdom (1956-57) ABC - by Ruth Park and Darcy Niland 

*Shiny Harvest (1956-57) ABC by EV Timms

*Paradise Place (1957-58) ABC by Barbara Jefferis

*They're a Weird Mob (1958-59) from novel by Nino Culotta.

*Man Mark Two (1958-59) by George F Kerr

*LBW Smith (1958-59) by George F Kerr

*Stormy Petrel (1959) 

*Gallows on the Sand (1959-60) ABC from novel by Morris West

*The Questing Heart (1960-61) ABC 

*Of This Earth (1960-61) ABC Joy Hollyer adapted Gordon Robson novel

*A Town Like Alice (1960-61) ABC adapted Catherine Shepherd

*Mystery of the Hansom Cab (1961-62) ABC Richard Lane

*The Shiralee (1961-62)

*The Franchise Affair (1962-63) ABC from novel by Max Afford

*Wherever Birds Sing (1962-63) ABC by George Kerr

*Stormy Petrel (1962-63)

*Flynn (1963-64) ABC by Rex Rienits about flying doctor 

*The White Blackbird (1963-64) ABC by Barbara Vernon

*Sail Ho (1964-65) ABC

*Faraway Home (1964-65) ABC set in time of Bligh 

*Mystery of Hansom Cab (1965-66) ABC Richard Lane

*Robbery Under Arms (1966-67) ABC Richard Lane

*The Streets of Woolloomoolloo (1966-67) ABC Michael Wright and Max Cowell

'World's Apart' (1967) ABC by GK Saunders

*'At the Call of the Curlew (1967) ABC by Marjorie King

*'Land Hungry' (1967) ABC by Denys Burrows

 *'Muster Up' (1967) ABC by Eugene Landers

*'When Copper was King' (1967) ABC by Max Colwell

*'The Red Caverns' (1967) ABC by Elizabeth Hudson

*The Questing Heart (1967-68) ABC by Barbara Vernon

*A House is Built (1968-69) ABC by Joy Hollyer from novel by Elsdershaw

*The Miners Right (1968-69) ABC by Richard Lane based on novel by Rolf Bolderwood

A Town Like Alice 

NB There were always lots of childrens' serials too.

TV series - "Divorce Court" (6 Feb 1967) and "The Unloved" (5 Feb 1968)

 Series from NLT shown on Channel Ten ran 210 eps. 30 mins. Started 6 Feb see here.

Cast

*Ron Haddrick as bailiff

*Sue Condon as stenographer

*Nigl Lovell as judge

SMH 29 Jan 1967

The Age 1 Feb 1968

Age 29 March 1968

 

 

Later ABC Television Plays (after 1970) - also Mini Series

For 1972 line up see here and here. 

TV Plays

*Devlin by Tony Morphett (1971) - pilot see here

*What For Marianne? (21 Nov 1971 Sydney, 12 Dec 1971 Mel) w Peter Draffin st John Shiel, Kate Treneman, Betty Lucas, Shane Porteus. director Wolf Storch. ABC entry in Prix Italia here. Review here.  Other mention here and here. 

*Linehaul (1973) pilot - with Jack Thomspon

*Man Who Shot the Albatross (12 March 1972) starring Leo McKern

*The Survivor (5 March 1972) w Tom Keneally d Alan Burke

*I'm Damned if I Know (19 March 1972) by Kenneth Ross

*Lady and the Law (20 Aug 1972) with Jill Forster see here

*President Wilson in Paris (1973) - based on stage play

*Spoiled (1974)

The End Product (1974) -  by Colin Free 

*The Forward Pack (1974) - by Robert Carswell

1974 : How Could You Believe Me  When I Said I'd Be Your Valet ... ? (ABC)

1974 : The Champion (john Jarratt,Chantal Contouri)

 

*Holiday by John Marin (1974)

*Mother's Day (1974) by Peter Scott

*Essington (1974) 

*I'm here Darlings (11 Aufgust 1975) by John Croyston

*Last Rites (1975)

*Killing Kaplan (1976)

1976 : War Of Attrition (George Mallaby)

1976 : The Judging Ring (ABC)

 

*The Sentimental Bloke (1976) directed by Alan Burke

*Tichborne Affair (1977) 

1979 : Road House (Jeff Ashby,Deborah Coulls)

1982 : The Dingle And The Dip (Judi Farr)

1983 : Susannah's Dreaming (Helen Buday)

1984 : Soldiers (Nikki Coghill)

 Anthology Series 

*Comedy Game (1971 and 1973)

*A Time for Love (29 March 1972) - ten love stories set in Melbourne

*  Norman Lindsay Presents (1972) - five adaptations

*Behind The Legend (1972-75)

*Quartet (1972) - four episodes

*Things That Go Bump in the Night (1974) - 4 eps

*Seven Ages of Man (1975) - anthology series 7x30 

*Stewart Wagstaff's World Playhouse (1977-83) - 15 eps

*Australian Theatre Festival (1980)

*Players to the Gallery (1980) see here

*Spring and Fall (1980, 1982)

*Verdict (1983)

*Studio 86 (1986)

TV Movie or TV plays

Mini Series

* Dead Man Running (1971) d Eric Tayler

*The Far Country (9 Feb 1972)

*Serpent in the Rainbow (1973) w Michael Jenkins and Bill Bain

*Seven Little Australians (1973) - see here -exec p Charles Russell d Tom Jeffrey

*Three Men of the City (1973) w Ted Roberts - see here

*Castaway (1974) - mini series 

*The Company Men (1975)

*Power without Glory (1976)

*Run from the Morning (1978)

*Ride on Stranger (1979) 

*Golden Soak (1979)

*All the Green Year (1980) 

*Water Under the Bridge (1980)

*Timeless Land (1980)

*Levkas Man (1981)

*1915 (1982)

*Flight into Hell (1985)

TV Series

*Dynasty (1970-71) - let to commercial spin off Catwalk (1972-73)

*Over There (1972-73)

*A Taste for Blue Ribbons (1973)

*Rush (1974-76)

*Ben Hall (1975) - adventure

*Lucky Colour Blue (1975) - sequel to Taste

*Monyihan (1976-77) - NZ co pro 

*The Outsideers (1976-77) German co pro - adventure

*Kirby's Company (1977)

*The Oracle (1979)

*Patrol Boat (1979) - picked up by Paramount

*Menotti (1980)

Serial

*Lane End (11 March 1972)

*Certain Women (1973-77)

Classic Stage plays

*Resistible Rise of Umberto Ui (8 Feb 1972) listing here

*The Cherry Orchard (1973)

*Taming of the Shrew (1973)

*Servant of Two Masters ak Hose Could You Believe Me When I Said I'd be Your Valet When you know I've been a liar all mylife

*Hamlet (1974?)

Sitcoms

A Nice Day at the Office (15 Feb 1972)

Aunty Jack Show

The Private World of Miss Prim (3 June 1966)

 Vehicle for Dawn Lake. NLT made it for TCN=9

Early review here. Sun Herald called it "a good try" here. Age review here/ Sun Herald called it one of the "biggest letdown"s of the year see here. In 1973 Dawn called it "a bad show" see here.

Premise

A secretary has a healthy dream world. 

Episodes

1. Debut 3 June 1966 (Syd) Friday night at 7 pm. - 7 June Melb

2. The Tyrant - 10 June Syd

3. The Great Escape = 17 June Syd

4. ?

5. The Spendthrift - 1 July Syd

6. The Great Composer - 8 July Syd 12 Jul Melb

7. The First Queen Liz - 15 July Syd

8. The White Haired Lady - 22 July

9. The Spy - 29 July

10. The Little Horror - 5 Aug

11. The Movie Star - 12 Aug  

Cast

• Dawn Lake as Miss Prim
• Owen Weingott as Tony Kendall
• Benita Collings as The Typist
• Tony Bazell as Mr. Hardy
• Marion Johns as Mrs. Hardy
• Moray Powell as Managing Director Pringle

TV Times

Brett Porter (1913- 1970)

Top television producer.

1933 enters English film industry

May 1948 moved to Australia, worked Commonwealth Film Unit

1950-57 made films for the UN

1959 Two Men of Fiji

1959 Shell Presents - Johnny Belinda, Other People's Houses, They Were Big They Were Blue They Were Beautiful

Thudner of Silence

Pardon Miss Wescott 

Reflections in Dark Glasses

1962 - directed The Runner for ATN-7

1964 joined ABC

1964 did Strong Since the War - directed the doco with Gil Brearly produced see here

1965 producer of Four Corners

1966 - directed doco Three Faces of New Guinea see here

1966 produced Impact 

1966-67 - first producer of Bellbird

1968-69 - produced Pastures of the Blue Crane 

1970 died in Sydney home aged 57

Age 23 July 1970

Vincent Committee

Brereton Teulon Porter, Producer, Visatone Television Pty. Ltd., sworn and examined.
Mr. Osborne.—Will you tell the Committee your qualifications and experience in the film making industry? —I entered the film industry in the United Kingdom in January, 1933 as a cutting room assistant or assistant film editor at 25s. a week at the studios of Gaumont British in London. Subsequently, I graduated to the position of film editor, editing what are now called B pictures. We simply called them feature:,. During the war, after a period in the ordinary army, 1 joined the Army Cinematograph Service whose purpose was to make military training films. There 1 was, first, supervising editor and subsequently, one of the film directors. 

After the war, 1 became personal assistant to a film director who was  making a film in Brazil. In that capacity, Imanaged She location work in Brazil which included a survey to start oil and then the actual filming period. I also edited that film when we returned to England. That was an A picture. I edited another film, a first feature, in England before coming to Australia in May, 1948. In Australia. I joined the Commomvealth Film Unit where I directed some documentary films. I joined Ealing who were working at Pagcwood at that time as film editor.

Then, at the end of 1950, I went to New York where I was on the Staff of the United Nations Headquarters as film writer, director and editor. This position I occupied for about 7 years. During that time we also made films for television and were involved in production of television programmes.

I returned to Australia and. for the Shell Company of Australia. I wrote, directed and edited a one hour feature documentary film called “Two Men of Fiji Then I was transferred to the stalf oi ATN Channel 7 at Epping where I produced a number of live dramas which were sponsored by the Shell Company under the series title of “ Shell Presents.” I also produced and directed other things including a number of episodes of a quarter-hour dramatic scries and a one-hour documentary sponsored by the Shell Company: there was another one hour play which had no sponsor. Those were television productions with television cameras. Subsequently I have worked for Visatone, whereI have made television commercials and have been involved in the production of documentaries, and also for Crawford Productions, a Melbourne firm, where Iwas involved in the production of a series for the Department of Trade called “ Fxport Action Now. with Visatone my primary concern is the production of entertainment material, particularly dramatic scries, by this telecam method.

Ballad of Riverboat bill (26 December 1965)

 Six part children's series. 15 minute episodes.

Written by Cliff Green.

Writer: Cliff Green / Producer: Beverley Gledhill / Director: Peter Summerton

Period children’s comedy drama serial. In the 1890’s Riverboat Bill plies his trade up the Murray River helped by his assorted crew which included a Chinese cook by the name of Harry Curry and Fred Clinker his engineer.

Bill also had a bunyip aboard his boat. Bill’s base was the town of Rivergum.

cast
RON HADRICK as Riverboat Bill
MICHAEL CROSBY
FRANK TAYLOR

Started 26 Dec 1965 in Sydney see here.

Green's papers are here. He did some sequels

Cliff Green Interview with Susan Lever

Well, I was a teacher in the Bush, out in the Malay in Victoria; little tiny school - seven, or eight, or nine kids.  And I wanted to do a Christmas play with the kids, a little drama production.  And I wrote this called Christmas at Boggy Creek. And we had a writer staying with us; an old writer friend named David Martin, who was actually researching up in that area for a book he later wrote called The Hero of Two. And he read the play, and he said, “You want to send this off to the ABC”. He said, “This would play quite nicely”. And he said “television” but I thought, “Oh, that’s aiming a bit high”.

And we actually didn’t have television; I am talking about the 1950s. And so I did what I thought was a radio adaptation of it, and sent it off. And after the requisite six weeks, I got a letter back saying, “This is totally unsuitable for radio. It is all visual. Would you like to have another go and adapt it for television?”

We didn’t have television - there was no television in the country by that time, in Australia. And I had a book which was a BBC publication called How to Write for Television; a slim little volume. It was actually, How Not to Write for Television” or what you couldn’t write for; you know - one set for the window and the door, and all that.

So I did an adaptation of it and I sent that off. And they made it! So here I was - first script produced!And it went on at 5 o’clock, in Children’s Time as it was then; very like the old Argonauts that is on television.

               And then it was my turn to place nothing, of course. But I did get another gig. We shifted up to the Murray; a little school up there. And I wrote a story set on the Murray, about a paddle steamer, Riverboat Bill - a paddle steamer captain. And I had written it as a novel, a children’s book, so I sat down and I adapted that. And I did it in four ten-minute episodes - which they still ran like little ten-minute radio serial episodes. And I was invited to go to Sydney while they did it, which was a big learning curve. And it was made in a little studio; and they created the river with black plastic and plastic waterlilies and so on. And it was done almost pantomime-style.

               And then they said they wanted a sequel. Now, they didn’t commission a sequel - which they didn’t in those days.  And so I wrote a sequel. But then they shifted th children’s programs down to Melbourne, to the Magic Circle Club Adventure Island Group down here. And I was sort of appointed (again no money!) as standby writer for that show. But John-Michael Howson was the writer; he was also one of the performers. And I never got a look-in on that show, don’t worry!

               And then I got contacted - I was teaching out in the Bush, as I said - and they decided to start making educational programs; ABC and the Education Department combined. And the Education Department flushed out anybody, any teachers they had with television experience - writers, or presenters, or whatever.

               So I then wrote a lot of - I wrote a number of twenty-minute pieces; dramas, little dramas for English primary school; a lot of little docos for Social Studies. And one of the producers or directors I had worked with at the ABC went across to Crawfords. And he gave me a ring one day and he said, “They’re desperately short of writers here. I think you would stand muster here”. So he said, “We’re sending you a sort of audition kit”. 

               So you had to write an original Homicide storyline, and write a few scenes. So I sent in. And ultimately I was hired at Crawfords.  So I left teaching - which was quite a jump because I had been in the department for about ten years, and by this time I had a school of about forty or fifty kids and a couple of assistants - or an assistant, and a… and so on.

Age 13 Jan 1966

Age 28 Jan 1967

Malibu Playhouse -

 

Finger on the Pulse Copy at NSFA see here

Made 1963. 

Premise - Prisoner tries to escape from Long Bay Gaol. 27 mins.

Cast- James Elliot.

Directed by Jeff Underhill. Produced by Don Houghton. Written by James Workman. Production company Visatone Television.

If This Be Love - see here

itle No: 398616
Title: MALIBU PLAYHOUSE. IF THIS BE LOVE
Production Date: 1963
Produced as: Series
Category: Drama
Media: Television
Summary:  Theatrical drama about incestuous desire.
Duration: 00:26:00
]Cinematographer/Director of photography:     Ross Wood
Director:     Don Houghton
Producer:     Don Houghton
Production company:     Visatone Television Pty Ltd
    
The One That Got Away- see here

Bob McDarra
Janette Craig
June Salter
Deryck Barnes
Grant Taylor
Mark McManus
Gordon Glenwright (Anthony Leech)
John Heywood
Leonard Teale (Major Arthur Dawson)

Carl O'Connell
Cinematographer/Director of photography:     Ron Horner
Director:     Gerald Turney-Smith