Australia
/ O-10 Network-Grundy / 692x60m-e / 1979-87
Creator: Reg Watson /
Theme Music: Allan Caswell / Executive Producers: Reg Watson, Godfrey
Philip / Producers: Ian Bradley, John McRae, Philip East, Sue Masters,
Marie Trevor
Often outlandish drama
series. Prisoner is a much derided but nevertheless still very popular
show (re-runs still being seen in many countries) that told stories of
the all female inmates of Wentworth Detention Centre. The show had its
roots in the similar UK drama series Within These Walls but this was a
much tougher cookie altogether with the women dealing with lesbianism,
murder, drugs and the like. Key characters included tough inmate Bea
Smith who ruled the roost at Wentworth (Queen Bea as she was known),
prison officers Joan 'The Freak' Ferguson and Vera 'Vinegar Tits'
Bennett. Other inmates included the elderly Lizzie Birdsworth, lesbian
Franky Doyle. Towards the end of the shows run many of the original
cast had departed with new prisoners coming and going at a steady
rate. Outside of Australia the show is known as Prisoner: Cell Block H
because of the Patrick McGoohan prisoner series.
Cast
Important cast members included:- PETA
TOPPANO as Karen Travers / VAL LEHMAN as Bea Smith / KERRY ARMSTRONG
as Lynnette Warner / CAROL BURNS as Freida 'Franky' Doyle / MARGARET
LAURENCE as Marilyn Anne Mason /SHEILA FLORANCE as Lizzie Birdsworth /
COLETTE MANN as Doreen Anderson / MARY WARD as Jeannie 'Mum' Brooks /
AMANDA MUGGLETON as Chrissie Latham / KRISTY CHILD as Anne Yates /
JUDE KURING as Noelene Burke / SALLY CAHILL as Barbara Davidson /
MARGOT KNIGHT as Sharon Gilmour / JUDY McBURNEY as Pixie Mason /
GLENDA LINSCOTT as Rita Connors / PATSY KING as Erica Davidson /
ELSPETH BALLANTYNE as Meg Jackson / FIONA SPENCE as Vera Bennett /
MAGGIE KIRKPATRICK as Joan Ferguson / GERDA NICHOLSON as Anne
Reynolds / BARRY QUINN as Doctor Greg Miller / CHRISTINE AMOR as Jean
Vernon / GERARD MAGUIRE as Jim Fletcher / JIM SMILLIE as Steve Wilson
/ RICHARD MOIR as Eddie Cook
Often outlandish drama
series. Prisoner is a much derided but nevertheless still very popular
show (re-runs still being seen in many countries) that told stories of
the all female inmates of Wentworth Detention Centre. The show had its
roots in the similar UK drama series Within These Walls but this was a
much tougher cookie altogether with the women dealing with lesbianism,
murder, drugs and the like. Key characters included tough inmate Bea
Smith who ruled the roost at Wentworth (Queen Bea as she was known),
prison officers Joan 'The Freak' Ferguson and Vera 'Vinegar Tits'
Bennett. Other inmates included the elderly Lizzie Birdsworth, lesbian
Franky Doyle. Towards the end of the shows run many of the original
cast had departed with new prisoners coming and going at a steady
rate. Outside of Australia the show is known as Prisoner: Cell Block H
because of the Patrick McGoohan prisoner series.
