Australian TV Plays: mini-series

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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.

The Exiles (25 Jan 1959)

Mini series from BBC about Australians! Written by Lynn Foster.

A cycle of four plays about a family in NSW from 1873 to 1958 - the Selways, who live on a sheep station in New South Wales.

Ep 1 - 25 Jan 1959 The Bird Laughed - see here - from 1873-76. The arrival of the Selways.

Ep 2 - 1 Feb - The Long Summer - see here - from 1899-1903. The great drought.

Ep 3 - 8 Feb - The Lost Years - see here - 1930s

Ep 4 - 15 Feb 1959 - The Full Circle - see here. Set in the present day.

Cast - see below

Production

Foster was an Australian radio writer who worked for Grace Gibson. She moved to London in 1948. See an NFSA piece here. Encyclopedia of women here. She adapted Quiet Night for the BBC see here. Her Austlit entry is here. Austlit for the series is here.

Cast

Bird Laughed

Writer - Lynn Foster
Producer- Gerard Glaister
Designer - John Cooper

Brian Peck as Jack Selway
Llewellyn Rees as George Russell
John Maxim as Dock labourer
James Hayter as Matthew Cayley
George Roderick as Tom Barnes
Richard Carpenter as Dick Handwell:
    John Forbes-Robertson as Manservant:
Iris Baker as Etty Cayley
    Wendy Hutchinson as Polly Durant:
Jerold Wells as Snowy:
Laurence Hardy as    David Spencer:
James Copeland as Andy Cameron:
Aithna Gover as Mrs. Dooley:

The Long Summer

Writer: Lynn Foster
Producer: Gerard Glaister
Designer: John Cooper
Polly Selway: Peggy Marshall
Nell Selway: Susanna Carroll
Vicky Selway: Moira Redmond
Jack Selway: Richard Warner
David Spencer: Laurence Hardy
Jonathan Selway: Reginald Gillam
Luke Selway: Rodney Diak
Harry Selway: Peter Soule
Ted Selway: Leon Peers
Andy Cameron: James Copeland
Mrs. Cameron: Betty Henderson
Alison Cameron: Ellen McIntosh
Mick Dooley: Donal Donnelly

The Lost Years

Writer: Lynn Foster
Producer: Gerard Glaister
Designer: John Cooper
Luke Selway: John Scott
Swagman: Bob Reardon
Polly Selway: Peggy Marshall
Nessie: Winifred Hindle
David Selway: Barry Foster
Paddy Dooley: P.G. Stephens
Jonathan Selway: Russell Napier
Jack Selway: Oliver Johnston
John Selway: Barrie Cookson
Harry Brandon: Trader Faulkner
First man: Lisle Jones
First woman: Laurelle Streeter
Second woman: Vicky Climas
Third woman: Darlene Johnson
Second man: Loyd Officer
Nell Brandon: Lyndall Barbour
Bill: David Nettheim
Ken: Len David
Sandy: Graham Diamond
Betty: Deirdre Nicholson
Janet Wright: Betty McDowall
Nurse: Gina Sheil
Mick Dooley: Desmond Perry
Alison Selway: Mona Bruce

The Full Circle

Writer: Lynn Foster
Producer: Gerard Glaister
Designer: John Cooper
Jack Selway: Oliver Johnston
Young Jack: Karl Lanchbury
Nessie: Winfried Hindle
Tom Harvey: Peter Lewiston
Nell Brandon: Lyndall Barbour
John Selway: Peter Bathurst
Frank Selway: John Warwick
Joe Binns: Alister Williamson
Matt Byrne: Howard Charlton
Hilda Binns: Madge Ryan
Ann Crichton: Georgina Anderson
Stanislav Brovnic: Endre Muller
Jonathon Selway: Russell Napier
Luke Selway: John Scott
Mark Selway: George Roubicek
Christine Selway: Susanah York
Janet Selway: Betty McDowall
Andrew Selway: Lloyd Lamble
Paddy Dooley: P.G. Stephens
Harry Brandon: Trader Faulkner
George Crichton: Denis Holmes
Mrs. Mullins: Katherine Parr
Paul Krolski: Warren Mitchell

Radio Times

Liverpool Echo 15 Jan 1959

Nottingham Post 22 Jan 1959

Birminhham Post 23 Jan 1959

Leicester Chronical 24 Jan 1959

Coventry 24 Jan 1959

SMH 27 Jun 1964

Western Mail 26 Jan 1959

Evening Standard 26 Jan 1959

Birmingham Post 26 Jan 1959

Nottingham Post 31 Jan 1959

Daily Tele 2 Feb 1959

Birmingham Post 2 Feb 1959

Birmingham Post 9 Feb 1959

Coventry 14 Feb 1959

Daily Tele 16 Feb 1959

Bulletin 23 Nov 1960

Canberra Times 19 Nov 1960

AWW 25 Jan 1961

The Stage 29 Jan 1959

The Stage 5 Feb 1959

The Battlers (26 June 1968)

Mini series from ATN-7. 26 eps x 30 mins. Written by John Abbott, Edward Hepple, Jonh Kiddell, Michael Wright. Directed by Jacques d Vigne.

Premise

Tolly McCall is the lightweight boxing champion of Australia whose career is threatened with injury. His wife Janet is relieved that he will no longer box. Tolly becomes obsessed with a young aboriginal boxer, Wayne.

Cast

Mark McManus as Tolly McCall
Carmen Duncan as his wife Janet
Vincent Gil as Wayne Small, an aboriginal boxer
Jannice Dinnen
Gordon Glenwright as Tolly's manager, Bongo Byrne
Janice Dinnen as Donna McCall
John Armstrong as Tolly's trainer, Monk
Les Foxcroft
Lucky Grills
Bill Hunter

Production

It followed the production of You Can't See Round Corners. It was originally known as The Doongara Kid.

The story was inspired by Lionel Rose.

Vincent Gil was trained in boxing for the serial by Bill McConnell.

It was shot at ATN's studio in Epping, Sydney and on location at Le Perouse, the stadium, and travelling tent shows

Episode Guide

Ep 1–26 June (Sydney), 9 July (Melbourne) - Tolly is told he cannot fight again. He goes to the country to think things over. While there he discovers his Aboriginal partner on a log cutting job is an excellent fighter. Tolly decides to train him.
Ep 2–3 July (Sydney), 16 July (Melbourne) - written by John Kiddle and Edward Hepple - Tolly and his wife disagree on their future plans and all depends on Wayne's first fight.
Ep 3–10 July (Sydney), 23 July (Melbourne) - in an effort to get Tolly back to Sydney, Janet offers to help two of his friends set up a gym.
Ep 4–17 July (Sydney), 30 July (Melbourne) - Bondo and Monk have found a gym and start negotiations. When Tolly and Wayne arrive in a small bush town to fight the local championship they land in trouble due to the attitude of local citizens toward Aboriginals.
Ep 5–24 July (Sydney), 5 August (Melbourne) - Wayne and Tolly are tried in the magistrate's court for assault and fined accordingly. Tolly's younger sister sets out to make an issue of Wayne's imprisonment.
Ep 6–31 July (Sydney), 12 August (Melbourne) - Janet heads for the country town where Tolly is imprisoned in an attempt to heal the breach between them. Tolley's wife Janet arrives but she will not pay the fine.
Ep 7–7 August (Sydney), 19 August (Melbourne) - things get better between Janet and Tolly until he discovers she is working for her old lover, Halliday. Wayne starts training but disappears after overhearing a fight between Janet and Tolly.
Ep 8–14 August (Sydney), 26 August (Melbourne) - the day of Wayne's first fight arrives and he is missing, distraught over the trouble he thinks he has caused between Janey and Tolly
Ep 9–21 August (Sydney), 2 September (Melbourne) - Janet is still missing and Tolly is convinced she has left with Halliday
Wayne hopes Tollly will change his mind about managing him and rejects Bongo's offer.
Ep 10–28 August (Sydney), 9 September (Melbourne) - Tolly visits the doctor and finds out the fractures in his head will never heal
Ep 11–4 September (Sydney) 16 September (Melbourne) - Tolly gets a job as a chauffeur, meets an attractive woman who recognises him and they become involved. Tolly goes to Paula Bradley's flat for dinner.
Ep 12–11 September (Sydney), 23 September (Melbourne) - Wayne hopes that Tolly will change his mind about managing him and refuses Bongo's offer of management.
Ep 13–18 September (Sydney) 30 September (Melbourne) - Wayne gets his first bout at the South Sydney Leagues Club. Tolly and Janet discuss matrimonial problems. Janet starts divorce proceedings.
Ep 14–25 September (Sydney), 7 October (Melbourne) - Wayne hits the big time and starts earning a lot of money. Donna goes to work for the Herald and has to do a story on an English racing driver.
Ep 15–1 October (Sydney), 14 October (Melbourne)
Ep 16–8 October (Sydney), 21 October (Melbourne)
Ep 17–15 October (Sydney), 28 October (Melbourne)
Ep 18–23 October (Sydney), 4 November (Melbourne)
Ep 19–5 November (Sydney), 11 November (Melbourne) - Monk's involvement with shady characters leads to unexpected developments.
Ep 20–12 November (Sydney), 18 November (Melbourne)
Ep 21–19 November (Sydney), 25 November (Melbourne) - Bongo and Tolly sign up a new lightweight from Melbourne.
Ep 22–26 November (Sydney), 2 December (Melbourne) - Wayne starts going back into boxing by doing easy fights
Ep 23–3 December (Sydney), 9 December (Melbourne) - written by John Abbott - Tolley is conned into a fashion parade and Wayne is conned back into gym work.
Ep 24–10 December (Sydney), 16 December (Melbourne)
Ep 25–17 December (Sydney), 23 December (Melbourne)
Ep 26–24 December (Sydney), 30 December January (Melbourne) - final episode - Wayne vanishes after winning the Australian title

Reception

Reviewing the pilot episode The Age praised it as "exciting, sustaining, action viewing".

The Sydney Morning Herald felt the second episode "felt tired" and that the writers "were not at home with women".

In July the Sydney Morning Herald called it "television drama less derivative than any Australian series so far" but said Gill "is given little to articulate about being aboriginal. To begin with, he looks white and in the hands of white writers his characterisation is robbed of perception."

In December the Sydney Morning Herald said "the show has not delivered a knock out" blaming poor writing

You Can't See Round Corners (12 July 1967)

Mini series. 26 eps x 30 mins.

Premise

Frankie McCoy, a bookie from Paddington, Sydney, is drafted into the Australian Army during the Vietnam War.

He ends up deserting and going on the run. His girlfriend Margie breaks up with him so he seeks solace in the arms of a more sexually experienced woman, Myra. He incurs gambling debts and robs a store, accidentally killing Myra. As the military police close in he is killed by a car.

Cast

Ken Shorter as Frankie McCoy
Lyndall Barbour as Mrs. McCoy
Rowena Wallace as Margie Harris
Judith Fisher as Peg Clancy
Carmen Duncan as Myra Neilson
Slim DeGrey as Mick Patterson

Original novel

The novel was published in 1947. It ws well-received critically, winning second prize in The Sydney Morning Herald's novel contest, losing to Ruth Park's The Harp in the South. There's some articles from the time here and here.

Production

Richard Lane did an oral history with Graham Shirley. He said J Oswin of ATN-7 wanted to do a serial based on a well known book. Lane suggested You Can't See Round Corners. It was decided to update the action from World War Two to Vietnam to make it more relevant. This meant relocating the story from Paddington, which had become gentrified, to Newtown, then still working class.

Lane says he knew Cleary who approved the changes. Lane researched the Newtown area. He says the first 12 episodes were based on the novel then the story departed.

Lane says they looked hard to find the lead, auditioning many men. Then they found Ken Shorter. Lane said they liked how Shorter seemed working class and Australian, not too polished.

This was Rowena Wallace's first professional dramatic TV series. She was recommended by Barry Creyton who was originally going to play the role of Frankie McCoy, the role that went to Ken Shorter^.

The series garnered controversy on release because of a scene where Frankie, an army deserter, runs his hand up Margie's skirt. Wallace says she had no idea Shorter was going to do this, which is why her reaction was so authentic. Many stations around Australia cut the scene.

The majority of episodes were written by Richard Lane. Eventually he left the show to work on other projects and Michael Boddy took over.

It was shot in Sydney.

Peter Weir worked on the show as a production assistant.

Reception

The series rated well. The following year ATN-7 decided to make another mini-series, The Battlers.

Lane won an Awgie for his script at the first Awgies - see here.

Harry Robinson did hit pieces on Michael Boddy's scripts - see one here.

Feature Film

Oswin decided to authorise a film version. The story was reshot in colour using a new camera. The film did quite well at the box office. Lane says Channel Seven executives were surprised how well it was done. It was shot in colour.