memorable tv           

Drama series. A pair of families find themselves caught up in a long running feud. This was a big budget early evening would be super soap that didn't take (cancelled within three months). Original title was A Family Matter.

With:- ABIGAIL / ANNE PHELAN / DIANE CRAIG / RENATO BARTOLOMEI / ROXANNE WILSON /ADRIAN LEE / JUSTINE CLARKE / SIMON WESTAWAY / DINAH SHEARING / DOMINIC McDONALD / RACHAEL BECK / JONATHAN HARDY 

FAMILY BOWL QUIZ

ABC / 9x30m-e / 1969 black and white

A quiz show which saw parents involved in general knowledge rounds whilst their children played 10 pin bowl, with their scores being combined to decide the winner.  

THE FAMILY BUSINESS

10 Network / 13x30m-e / 1989

Creator/Producer: Gary Reilly / Music: Mike Perjanik

Sitcom. A pair of married sisters live next door to each other.

With:- SHANE WITHINGTON / GILLIAN HYDE / MORNA SERES / BETTY LUCAS / COLIN CROFT / TONY SHELDON

FAMILY DOUBLE DARE

10 / x30m-e / 1989

An evening version of the kids challenge game show featuring children and their parents - generally getting pretty messy. Host was Larry Emdur.

FAMILY FEUD

9 (then 7)-Grundy / x30m-e / 1977-84 then 1989-?

Long running quiz based on an equally long running US original in which two teams of five family members did battle against each other in a series of rounds, the questions were of the sort "we asked 100 people...." and the teams had to guess which answers made up the 100%. Celeb specials were seen between 1990-91. Hosts were Tony Barber (1977-80), Daryl Somers (1980-83), Sandy Scott (1984) and Rob Brough (1989-)

THE FAMILY GAME

10 Network-Grundy / x30m-e / 1967 black and white

A weekday quiz show which saw parents being pitted against their children. Hosted by Howard Craven.

THE FAR COUNTRY

ABC / 6x60m-e / 1972

Writer: David Whitaker / Novel: Nevil Shute / Producer/Director: Eric Taylor

Period drama serial. Czech immigrant doctor Carl Zlinter at first faces hard times in Post world war II Australia but later finds love with Englishwoman Jennifer Morton. See also below for the 1987 version.

With:- PETER GWYNNE as Carl Zlinter / BERNADETTE HUGHSON as Jennifer Morton/ BETTY DYSON / GEORGINA WEST / GRAHAM CORRY / PETER CORBETT / JOHN MEILLON / AL THOMAS / SYD JACKSON / EWEN SOLON

THE FAR COUNTRY

Network 7-Crawford /  2x120m-e / 1987 1 - 8 March

Writer: Peter Yeldham / Novel: Nevil Shute / Camera: Ron Hagen / Design: Otello Stolfo / Music: Garry McDonald, Laurie Stone / Producer: John Barnigham / Executive Producers: Hector Crawford, Ian Crawford, Terry Stpleton / Director: George Miller

Period drama serial. After the end of world war II Czech Doctor Carl Zlinter emigrates to Australia's Victorian High Country where he meets and falls in love with Jennifer Morton. See also above for the 1972 version.

With:- MICHAEL YORK as Carl Zlinter / SIGRID THORNTON as Jennifer Morton / PAUL CRONIN as Tom Armitage / ILONA RODGERS as Jane Armitage / NOEL TREVARTHEN as Dr Steven Edwards / SWAWOMIR WABIK as Stanilaus Shulkin / SYDNEY JACKSON as Jim Forrest / RICHARD MOSS as Sgt Russell / MARK FERGUSON as Harry Peters / GREG CARROLL as Joe Brady / OLGA DICKIE as Ethel Morton / ROSIE STURGESS as Mary Nolan / CHARLES 'BUD' TINGWELL  as Dr Morton / BRIAN JAMES as The Coroner

THE FARM

ABC /2x90m-e / 2001 (First Episode: Sunday 18 March / 8.30pm)

Writers: Judith Colquhoun, David Phillips /Director: Kate Woods / Producer: Bill Hughes / Executive Producer: Ewan Burnett

Drama serial. Farmer Tom Cooper and his wife Liz struggle to keep their head above water following battles with the bank who financed Tom's farm through a foreign currency loan, the bank try to evict the Coopers who can't pay their debts when the Aussie dollar falls around their ears and a drought hits the country.

With:- COLIN FRIELS as Tom Cooper / GRETA SCACCHI as Liz Cooper / MARTON CSOKAS / MELISSA JAFFER / JAMIE CROFT

THE FARMING GAME

ABC / 6x30m-e / 1974 black and white

Producer: Barry Pitman

A rural quiz show using monopoly as its basis but with the real aim of teaching farmers about property management.

FARNHAM AND BYRNE

ABC / 8x50m-e / 1980

Musical themed variety show co-starring Debbie Byrne and Johnny Farnham

FAREWELL, FAREWELL EUGENE

ABC / 1x75m-e / 1960 black and white

Writer: John Vari

Period comedy drama. In London at the beginning of the twentieth century a pair of sisters decide to move to Africa to be with their nephew (the Eugene of the title). Broadcast live.

With:- Nancye Stewart / Letty Craydon / Moya O'Sullivan / Phillip Ross / Ron Shand / Dora Norris 

FARSCAPE

Nine Network-Hallmark-Scifi Channel-Henson Prod. / 44x60m-e / 1999-continuing

Creator:Rockne S.O' Bannon / Executive Producers: David Hemper, Rockne S. O' Bannon, Brian Henson, Kirk Noble, Robert Halmi Jr

Scifi drama series. During an experiment into space flight commander John Crichton and his ship are dragged into a wormhole that sees him 5,000 light years away from home and in a world of aliens and wars. He teams up with a bunch of renegade outlaws in his quest to get home. Another series of 22 episodes is currently in production for 2001. 

With:- BEN BROWDER as Cmdr John Crichton / CLAUDIA BLACK as Officer Aeryn Sun / VIRGINIA HEY as Pa'u Zotoh Zhaan / ANTHONY SIMCOE as Ka D'Argo / SEAN MASTERSON as Pilot

FARSON IN AUSTRALIA

ABC-Associated Rediffusion / 12x15m-e / 1962 black and white

Producer/Director: Rollo Gamble

Brit Daniel Farson explores the real Australia and talks to some of it's varied inhabitants.

FAST FORWARD

7 Network-Artist Services / 74x60m-e / 1989-94

Executive Producers: Ted Emery, Steve Vizard, Andrew Knight / Producer: Mark Ruse

Comedy. Very fast moving sketch show mainly lampooning film and Australian TV. The cast included Magda Szubanski, Marg Downey, Michael Veitch, Steve Blackburn, Geoff Brooks, Steve Vizard, Alan Pentland, Peter Moon, Gina Riley and Jane Turner.

THE FAST LANE

ABC / 19x50m-e / 1985-87

Creators: Andrew Knight, John Clarke / Music: Greg Sneddon, Andrew Baylor / Producer: Noel Price

Comedy crime drama series. A pair of private eyes start their own agency in Melbourne, grandly called The Excelsior Research Foundation.

With:- TERRY BADER / RICHARD HEALY / DEBRA LAWRENCE / PETER HOSKING

THE FAT

ABC/2000

Late night sports debate show that doesn't take itself too seriously.

FAT CAT AND FRIENDS

7 Network / x30m-e / 1975-92

A children's entertainment show featuring people in costumes as characters like Fat Cat and Patsy Briscoe. Fat Cat was played by Ralf Hadzic. 7 took the show off the air after intervention from the Australian Broadcasting Tribunal who felt it was "not clearly defined and might confuse the young".

FATHER, DEAR FATHER IN AUSTRALIA

7 Network-Lyle McCabe / 14x30m-e / 1978-80 25 June 1978 - 28 June 1980 2 Seasons

Creator: Johnnie Mortimer, Brian Cooke / Producer/Director: William G. Stewart

Sitcom. A continuation of the English show Father, Dear Father with Patrick (and ever faithfuly Nanny) in Australia to research a book and staying with his brothers two daughters whilst said brother visited London.

With:- PATRICK CARGILL as Patrick Glover / NOEL DYSON as Matilda 'Nanny' Harris / SALLY CONABERE as Liz / SIGRID THORNTON as Sue / RON FRASER as Jeffrey

FATTY AND GEORGE

ABC-Tasmanian Film Corp / 10x30m-e / 1981

Writers: John Honey, John Patterson, Louise Sanders / Music: Peter McKinley / Producer/Director: John Honey

Children's comedy drama series. A pair of kids try to discover the whereabouts of their time machine inventing father. Filmed in Tasmania

With:- SCOTT FINLOCH / LISA DOUGLAS / MATTHEW EXCELL / PAMELA ARCHER

FEAR FACTOR

9 Network / x60m-e / 2002

Very short lived ( a matter of a couple of weeks) gameshow hosted by Macr Yellin and involving people attempting to win $50,000 by confronting their worst fears. Each episode featured six contestants having to go through four extreme challenges. Based on US original.

FEDERAL FILE

9 Network / x30m-e / 1973-75

Well mounted current affairs show hosted by Michael Shildberg and then Geoff Stone and finally Alan Reid.

THE FEDS

9 Network-Crawfords-Australian Film Finance Corp / 15x90m-e / 1993-95

Producer: Jan Marnell / Music: Bruce Rowland / Executive Producers: Bruce Gordon, John Kearney

Crime drama series. The cases of a group of cops working for the Australian Federal Police.

With:- ROBERT TAYLOR as Dave Griffin / ANGIE MILLIKEN as Jo Moody / JOHN BACH as Rainer Bass /BRIAN VRENDS as Michael Skinner / NELL FEENEY-CONNOR as Rose Dell'oro / MARCUS EYRE as Blocker / AMANDA JANE BOWDEN as Tina McLean

THE FERALS

ABC / 55x30m-e / 1994

FERRY BOAT FRED

ABC-Polka Dot Production / 25x5m-e / 199?

FIELDS OF FIRE

9 Network-Zenith-Palm Beach / 2x120m-e / 1987 14-15 June

Writers: Miranda Downes( part 1), Robert Marchand (part 2) / Novel: Cane by Robert Donaldson / Camera: Ross Berryman/ Design: David Copping / Costume: Anna Benjamin / Music: Mark Moffatt, Wayne Goodwin / Producer: David Elfick, Steve Knapman / Director: Robert Marchand

Period drama serial. In the 1930's Englishman Bluey emigrates to Australia where he falls in with a gang of cane cutters until world war II threatens to change everybody's life for ever. See below for details of the two sequels.

With:-  TODD BOYCE as Bluey / MELISSA DOCKER as Dusty / ANNA HRUBY as Kate / OLLIE HALL as Tiny / JOHN JARRATT as Jacko / JACK MAYERS as Red / KRIS MCQUADE as Mum / PHILIP QUAST as Albie / KEN RADLEY as Dave / BILL YOUNG as Lofty / PATRICK WARD as Chook / LUIGI CENGARLE as Luigi

FIELDS OF FIRE II

9 Network-Zenith-Palm Beach / 2x120m-e / 1988 22-23 May

Writer: Patricia Johnson / Story: David Elfick, Robert Marchand / Music: Wayne T. Goodwin, Mark Moffatt / Camera: Frank Hammond / Design: Ron Highfield / Costume: Helen Hooper / Director: David Elfick, Robert Marchand

Period drama serial. Sequel to the above but with some cast changes. Its now 1946 and world war II is over. Bluey and Dusty get married and Gina marries black marketeer Franco.

With:- TODD BOYCE as Bluey / MELISSA DOCKER as Dusty / KRIS McQUADE as Elsie / PETA TOPPANO as Gina / ANNE LOUISE LAMBERT as Kate / JOSEPH SPANO as Franco / OLLIE HALL as Tiny / JOHN JARRATT as Jacko / HAROLD HOPKINS as Whacker / PATRICK WARD as Chook / PAUL BERTRAM as Acreman

FIELDS OF FIRE III

9 Network-Zenith-Palm Beach / 2x120m-e / 1989 16-17 July

Writer: Patricia Johnson / Music: Wayne T. Goodwin, Mark Moffatt / Design: Ron Highfield / Costume: Bruce Finlayson / Camera: Geoffrey Simpson / Producers: David Elfick, Irene Korol / Director: David Elfick

Period drama serial. The third and final part of the Fields of Fire trilogy. See above for previous two entries. Its now 1951, Gina is now a widow and running a cane cutting company with her brother Paolo later a terrible flood threatens to destroy the community.

With:- PETA TOPPANO as Gina / TODD BOYCE as Bluey / MELISSA DOCKER as Dusty / NONI HAZLEHURST as Dawn / MARTIN SACKS as Rinaldo / OLLIE HALL as Tiny / GOSIA DOBROWOLSKA as Basia / JOHN JARRATT as Jacko / HAROLD HOPKINS as Whacker / KRIS McQUADE as Elsie / MICHELE FAWDON as Iris / DANNY RUGGIERO as Shorty / ROSELBA PARIS as Rosina Agostino / PATRICK WARD as Chook / BRIAN McDERMOTT as Jack Kelly

FIESTA

ABC / x30m-e / 1958 black and white

Latin themed live musical variety show hosted by Gino Hernandez and his Cuban sextet.

$50,000 LETTERBOX 

TVW7 / x30m-e / 1980-81

Quiz show hosted by Paul Makin in which contestants had to put letters in a 4x4 grid to make words. Taped at Perth Channel 7's Perth studios. Thanks to Ralph Sunley for his contribution to this entry.

FILMSTRUCK

ABC-Mediacast / 10x30m-e / 1986

Producer: Jim Dale / Director: Ivor Bowen

Indepth look at the history of cinema in Australia featuring both numerous clips as well as interviews with key personnel.

THE FINDER

ABC / 10x20m-e / 1992

Executive Producer: Margot Phillipson / Producer: Ian Bone / Director: Scott Heysen-Hicks

Children's scifi drama series. A young boy, Patrick, finds himself in a computerised world and across time and agreeing to take part in a strange new game show for a TV channel that doesn't exist.

With:- JERMEY SCHWERDT as Patrick / JOEY KENNEDY / PENNY MACGRAITH / PATRICK FROST 

FINDING HOPE

10 Network-Beyond International-Liberty and Beyond / 1x90m-e / 2001 (Broadcast 6 May / 8.30pm)

Writer: Tony Cavanaugh /  Producer: Simone North / Director: Geoffrey Nottage / Executive Producers: Mikael Borglund, Phillip Bowman

Drama. An ex-pat Aussie vet who has moved with her husband and family to Glasgow in Scotland, returns to her home town in outback Australia with her family in tow to help battle a mysterious virus which is killing the local horses.

With:- Rebecca Gibney / Gilbert Martin / Jane Hall / Steve Vidler / Grant Bowler

FIND THE LINK

ABC / x30m-e / 1957-58 black and white

Producer: Margaret Delves

Game show with a celeb panel attempting to "Find the Link" between various guests. ABC's first live game show and hosted first by Douglas Channell and then Bruce Beeby.

FIRE

Beyond-Extra Dimensions / 26x60m-e / 1994-95

Creator/Producers: Michael Caulfield, Tony Cavanagh, Simone North

Drama series. Stories of the firefighters based at a station in Brisbane, especially new female recruit Morgan.

With:- ANDY ANDERSON as Repo / GEORGIE PARKER as Morgan / LIDDY CLARK as Jean / SHANE FEENEY-CONNOR as Giraffe / DEBORRA-LEE FURNESS as Dolores / AARON JEFFREY as Banjo / TAYLER KANE as Grevious / PETER PHELPS as The Boss / MAX PHIPPS as Dinosaur / WAYNE PYGRAM as Spit

FIRST APPEARANCES

ABC / 4x30m-e / 1962 black and white

Producer: James Upshaw

Variety series featuring talent new to television. Hosted by Peter Colville with music supplied by Jimmy Gussey and the ABC Dance Band. Original host was to have been Jimmy Hannan but contractual problems got in the way.

THE FIRST AUSTRALIANS

ABC / x30m-e / 1987-90

Documentary. A look at the role played by Aboriginals in the shaping of modern Australia.

FIRST IN LINE

SBS / x30m-e / 1989

Magazine show aimed at Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders. Hosted by Rhoda Roberts and Michael Johnson.

THE FIRST JOANNA

ABC / 1x75m-e / 1961 black and white

Writer: Wal Cherry / Story: Dorothy Blewett / Producer: Christopher Muir

Drama. A bored South Australian wife (Joanna) of a vineyard owner begins delving into the hard life of her great grandmother who gave Joanna her name.

With:- PATRICIA CONNOLLY / NORMAN KAYE / LEE NORTON / MADELINE HOWELL / KEVIN MILES / BARBARA BRANDON

FIRST KANGAROOS

10 Network-C4-Profile / 1x90m-e / 1987

FIVE MILE CREEK

7 Network-Valstar Prod-Disney / 39x60m-e / 1984-85

Creator: Peter Kinloch / Music: Bruce Smeaton / Producers: Henry Crawford, Doug Netter

Period drama series. Adventures of a family living on a coach station in the outback in the 1860's. Episodes 1-26 filmed in Sydney the rest in  Melbourne.

With:- LIZ BURCH / LOUISE CLAIRE CLARK / JAY KERR / PRISCILLA WEEMS / GUS MERCURIO / MICHAEL CATON / ROD MULLINAR / PETER CAROLL / NICOLE KIDMAN (Episodes 27-39)

FIVE TIMES DIZZY

SBS-Sampson-AFC / 12x30m-e / 1986

Writers: Nadia Wheatley, Terry Larsen / Books: Five Times Dizzy and Dancing in the Anzac Deli by Nadia Wheatley / Producer: Tom Jeffrey / Director: John Eastway

Children's comedy drama series. A Greek family begin running a deli in Smith Street, Newtown Sydney but newly arrived from Greece grandmother YaYa has trouble adjusting to her new life until her 11 year old grandmother Marika saves the day by buying her a goat.

With:- REBEKAH ELMALOGLOU / HELEN KAMBOS / STAVROS ECONOMIDIS / MARY KOSTAKIDIS / DOMINIC ELMALOGLOU / JANE CLIFTON / JIM HOLT / JOANNE SMAUEL / JOHN DOYLE / RAY MEAGHER

FLAIR

Network 7-Flair TV Prod-Film Victoria-Australian Film Finance / 2x120m-e / 1990 1-8 August

Writer: Alan Hopgood / Idea: Paul Davies, Gaye Hopgood / Music: Frank Strangio / Camera: Nino G. Martinetti / Design: David Copping / Costume: Anna Senior / Producer: Paul Davies / Director: Henri Safran

Drama serial. Tessa Clarke, a fashion designer, returns home to Australia from America intent on becoming a major player in the Australian fashion industry. Her success leads to bitter jealousy amongst her rivals and she also has problems when a one time employee, Pamela Winter-Smith manages to win a court case claiming back her designs. This was a serial very much in the Dynasty-Return to Eden mould, there was a big USA presence in the cast with both James Healey and Heather Thomas, the show was a ratings hit but the critics hated it.

With:- HEATHER THOMAS as Tessa Clarke / ANDREW CLARKE as Philip Harmon / JAMES HEALEY as Chris Drake / ROWENA WALLACE as Pamela Winter-Smith / JOSEPH BOTTOMS as Matthew 'Matt' Lee / IMOGEN ANNESLEY as Sally Clarke / CHARLES TINGWELL as Bert Clarke / DAVID REYNE as Mark Tupper / ELAINE SMITH as Megan / BRIONY BEHETS as Samantha Harmon / JOANNE CANNING as Trudy / MARIE-THERESE BYRNE as Addie / NEELA DEY as Chistine / JAMES PATRICK as Jack Brody

FLASHBACK

ABC / x30m-e / 2000 Mondays - Thursdays 6.00pm

Quiz based on events from the past. Previously mounted in 1983 (for 6 episodes) with Keith Smith as host and a guest panel of Jacki Weaver, Buzz Kennedy and Richard Walsh.