Australian Playhouse

Australian Playhouse was an Australian anthology TV series featuring the work of Australian writers.[1] It ran for two series. Among the featured productions were works by Tony Morphett, Pat Flower, and John Warwick.[2][3]

For the subtitle used historically for STCSA, see State Theatre Company of South Australia § History.

Australian Playhouse
GenreAnthology
Created byDavid Goddard
Country of originAustralia
Original language(s)English
No. of episodes40
Production
Producer(s)David Goddard
Running time30 mins
Release
Original networkABC
Picture formatBlack-and-white
Original releaseApril 1966 –
1967

Background

Development

In August 1965 Talbot Duckmanton of the ABC announced that the ABC would increase its production of local drama, including a show called Australian Playhouse. This wold not necessary consist of Australian plays and be "of an experimental nature".[4]

The series was the idea of producer David Goddard.[5]

Season One

In January 1966 Goddard announced that the ABC would made 39 episodes of 30 minutes each called Australian Playhouse. They would do 14 weeks "in all moods", then 12 "equally Australian dramas on a central theme", then 13 more. This would be in addition to the ABC's monthly dramas, and a comedy series.[6] (The comedy series would be Nice and Jucy and Marcellus Jones.[7]

Series one ran from April 1966[8] to early November 1966.

In April 1966 Neil Hutchinson said "most of us have heard or read claims that Australia lacks good writers but I think you will agree this series disproves the claims."[9]

According to Frank Roberts of The Bulletin, writing in May, the series "has to be viewed as a promising nursery".[10]

It is estimated eight to nine productions were written and filmed but not broadcast due to concerns about quality.[11]

In June 1966 The Sydney Morning Herald wrote the series demonstrated that there was a lack of creative talent in the country, particularly of writing.[12]

At the end of 1966 the Age TV critic felt the majority of plays did not deserve to appear on air.[13] Val Marshall of the Sydney Morning Herald, reviewing the season for the year, said "what came up didn't always justify the timeslot. Roughly 10 percent were excellent (with the biggest score of winners going to Pat Flower). Another 40 percent was fair average quality. The other half can be written off as good tries. Was the Playhouse series justified? In my view yes."[14]

It won a 1967 Logie for Contribution to the Industry.[15][16]

Season 2

The budget tripled for the second series.[17] However it ran for a shorter time.

The series started on June 12, 1967 in Melbourne and then broadcast in Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Western Australia and then New South Wales on 24 July. By June all the episodes had been filmed and work had started on the 1968 season. Over 1,000 scripts had been submitted. Only two scripts were by writers from the previous season. Fifty percent of the plays were comedies, forty percent drama, and ten percent fantasy of experimental.[18]

The Sydney Morning Herald called it "an inconsistent thing but our own".[19]

A Sunday issue of the same paper called the second series "the biggest flop" of the year.[20]

Episodes

Season 1

Season 2

Other Episodes
  • Shameless Hussies by Peter Kenna - about two teenage heiresses with pink hairdoes - announced April 1966 but not broadcast[9]
  • The Widow Thrum by Peter Finnane who wrote The Pigeon[21]
  • Shadow on the Wall - filmed in April 1967 not aired until 10 April 1968
  • The Stay at Home starred Sydney Conabere, Frank Rich, Gerda Nicholson
  • Caught Napping with Peter Collingwood, Ethel Lang, Nancye Stewart
  • The Black Infuriator by Alexander MacDonald with Terry McDermott, Elaine Plumb, John Godfrey
  • The House by David Sale starring Tom Farley, Nancye Stewart, Juliana Allan, Alistair Smart
  • Boy with Banner - announced in 1966 but seemingly not broadcast - it was directed by Christopher Muir and starred Patricia Kennedy, Norman Kaye and Julie Day[22][23]
gollark: You can actually just `potatOS.read "dat/.pkey"` for that.
gollark: ···why?
gollark: Did you really stick `print("E")` on a disk and try and execute it?
gollark: I see.
gollark: Any escaping of any sandboxes or whatever?

See also

Category:Australian Playhouse episodes

References
  1. "ABC-TV plays". The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995). ACT: National Library of Australia. 29 September 1965. p. 23. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  2. The bulletin, John Haynes and J.F. Archibald, 1880, retrieved 23 March 2019
  3. Robinson, Harry (2 April 1966). "A New Drama Series". Sydney Morning Herald. p. 13.
  4. "ABC to Step Up Local Drama". The Age. 19 August 1965. p. 25.
  5. Harrison, Agnes (10 March 1966). "Playhouse series could shift drama from doldrums". The Age. p. 14.
  6. Robinson, Harry (24 January 1966). "Big Show's Talking Point". Sydney Morning Herald. p. 17.
  7. "ABC Drops Yearly Serial Idea". The Age. 24 February 1966. p. 23.
  8. Article on first show The Age
  9. Robinson, Harry (2 April 1966). "A New Drama Series". Sydney Morning Herald. p. 13.
  10. Roberts, Frank (7 May 1966). "TELEVISION Helping hand". The Bulletin. p. 49.
  11. The bulletin, John Haynes and J.F. Archibald, 1880, retrieved 23 March 2019
  12. Robinson, Harry (27 June 1966). "Big Bad Telly". Sydney Morning Herald. p. 11.
  13. Monitor (19 November 1966). "End of a Useful Experiment". The Age. p. 22.
  14. Marshall, Valda (1 January 1967). "Here's How I See the Passing Year". Sydney Morning Herald. p. 52.
  15. 1967 Logie Award Winners
  16. https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1300&dat=19670608&id=WNRYAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Y5MDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5641,1309134&hl=en
  17. Gillison, Ann (12 June 1967). "Drama is Discipline". The Age.
  18. Marshall, Valda (11 June 1967). "Here comes Batman". Sydney Morning Herald. p. 74.
  19. Robinson, Harry (16 October 1967). "Sanders Atonement for Our Sins". p. 10.
  20. Marshall, Valda (31 December 1967). "Debits and credits of 1967". Sydney Morning Herald. p. 50.
  21. "The Pigeon Opens TV Playhouse". The Age. 14 April 1966. p. 15.
  22. "From Kelly to Kindergarten". The Age. 8 December 1966. p. 32.
  23. Boy with Banner at National Archives of Australia
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