The Patriots (TV series)

The Patriots was an Australian television drama mini-series. A period-drama, it aired for 10 episodes on ABC in 1962. [1]

The Patriots
Genrehistory
Written byPhilip Grenville Mann
Directed byColin Dean
Country of originAustralia
Original language(s)English
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes10
Production
Running time30 mins
Release
Original networkABC
Original releaseMay 27 (Sydney)
June 10, 1962 (Mebourne) –
July 27, 1962 (Sydney)
August 12 1962 (Melbourne)

Australian TV drama was relatively rare at the time.[2] This was among a series of period dramas produced by the broadcaster, being preceded by Stormy Petrel (1960) and The Outcasts (1961), and followed by The Hungry Ones (1963). The first two had been written by Rex Rienits but this one was written by Phillip Grenville Mann.[3]

The cast included James Condon as William Charles Wentworth, who gets into trouble while running a newspaper called The Australian[4] (note: no relation to the current newspaper of the same name).

Telerecordings (also known as kinescope recordings) of the episodes are held by National Archives of Australia.[5]

Premise

William Wentworth runs a newspaper which brings him into conflict with Governor Darling.

Cast
  • James Condon as William Charles Wentworth
  • Allan Trevor as Governor Ralph Darling
  • Nigel Lovell as Dr Robert Wardell
  • Beverley Phillips as Sarah Cox
  • Beryl Marshall as Elizabeth Cox
  • Marion Johns as Mrs Cox
  • Ken Goodlet
  • Atholl Fleming
  • Alistair Duncan as Captain Robinson
  • Ellis Irving as William Dumraresq, brother of Darling's wife
  • Ruth Cracknell
  • Barry Creyton
  • Richard Davies as Attorney-General Moore.
  • Ellis Irving as Henry Dumraresq

Episodes

Ep 1 - May 27 (Syd), June 10 (Mel)

  • Ep 2 - June 3 (Syd), June 17 (Melb) - Wentworth becomes involved in a breach of promise suit
  • Ep 3 - June 10 (Syd) June 24 (Melb) "The Governor Acts" - Wentworth protests against "rubber stamp" governorship
  • Ep 4 - June 17 (Syd) July 2 (Melb)
  • Ep 5 - June 24 (Syd) July 9 (Melb) - "Full scale war"
  • Ep 6 - July 1 (Syd) July 15 (Melb) - "Pistol Duel" - a duel is fought between William Dumrareq and Robert Wardell
  • Ep 7 - July 8 (Syd), July 22 (Melb) - "A Marriage in Sydney" - Sarah marries William
  • Ep 8 - July 15 (Syd) July 29 (Melb) - "A Court Martial"
  • Ep 9 - July 22 (Syd) Aug 5 (Melb) Darling's answer to Wentworth's impeachment is to hold an official inquiry to the deatg of Private Sudds
  • Ep 10 -July 29 (Syd) Aug 21 (Melb) - final ep

Production

In January 1962 the ABC announced it would make a third historical series, an unofficial sequel to Stormy Petrel and The Outcasts.[6] The first two were written by Rex Rienits but this one was written by Phillip Grenville Mann, an Australian who had worked in London and replaced Rienits as drama editor at the ABC. "I hope that any factions in it are not dubbed 'goodies' and 'baddies'," said Mann. "When men of principle disagree it does not necessarily follow that they become either heroes or scoundrels. Tragedy - and drama - can sometimes be found in men who act which absolute integrity and in direct conflict with the needs and desires of the people."[7]

The series aired in June.[8]

Reception

The Austrralian Women's Weekly said she "thought "The Patriots" was a wonderful story that could have had added excitement if it had been played at a quicker pace. I wish it had been done in five one-hour episodes."[9]

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gollark: It should be, its training data also includes DL papers, but nooooo...
gollark: It isn't really self-aware.
gollark: What? I did ages ago.
gollark: In case of my death, control of my github account goes to a GPT finetuned on my code and Discord messages.

References
  1. "Chosen for their Likeness". The Age. 7 June 1962. p. 14.
  2. Vagg, Stephen (18 February 2019). "60 Australian TV Plays of the 1950s & '60s". Filmink.
  3. "New Serial with Emphasis on Our Fight for Freedom". The Age. 8 March 1962. p. 22.
  4. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0380938/
  5. ""The Patriots"". The Australian Women's Weekly. 6 June 1962. p. 10. Retrieved 4 June 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. "ABN plans third historical TV serial". The Australian Women's Weekly. 29, (35). Australia, Australia. 31 January 1962. p. 17. Retrieved 16 July 2020 – via National Library of Australia.CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  7. Marshall, Valda (3 September 1961). "TV Merry Go Round". Sydney Morning Herald. p. 92.
  8. ""The Patriots"". The Australian Women's Weekly. 30, ([?]). Australia, Australia. 6 June 1962. p. 10. Retrieved 16 July 2020 – via National Library of Australia.CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  9. "Double ballet triumph". The Australian Women's Weekly. 30, ([?]). Australia, Australia. 15 August 1962. p. 17. Retrieved 16 July 2020 – via National Library of Australia.CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)


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