AustLit

Quinlan, a highly decorated and respected policeman, suffers from clinical depression. Quinlan's depression stems both from his work (primarily the extensive police corruption he sees around him) and his private life (primarily the fact that his wife wanted him to take bribes so so their lifestyle could improve).

Quinlan partners with his closest friend, the corrupt Detective Sergeant Frank Church, to work to bring down the corrupt officers from within the system. Working with a reporter and an officer from Internal Affairs, Quinlan exposes the corrupt officers to the press, even though he himself will be caught up (as a double agent) in the wave of arrests and sent to jail for corruption.

Set during a twenty-four-hour period, this harrowing psychological thriller concerns Renate Simmons, an agoraphobic woman facing the breakup of her marriage. After enduring nine years with her hard-drinking psychiatrist husband David, she decides that she has to leave. Terrified of leaving the security of her home and of being on her own, Renate is seemingly trapped. Although David initially appears to agree that their marriage should end, Renate gradually becomes aware that he has been playing psychological and sadistic games with her, and does not intend to let her leave at all. The tension escalates as Renate begins to see how he has deliberately manipulated her psyche over the years in order to hold on to her and subsequently realises that she is in danger. She eventually gains the strength she needs to break free, but not before a final terrifying confrontation with her increasingly unhinged husband.

'In the gem fields of central Queensland, knockabout young miners Mike and Johnny (Colin Friels and Harry Hopkins) borrow heavily to take on a claim-jumping newcomer (Dennis Miller) who has money and muscle. Help arrives from an unlikely source – a city doctor (Norman Kaye) and his family, passing though on holiday, and a lonely pilot (Simon Chilvers), who sells them a plane. They band together against the enemy, but Mike and Johnny argue over strategy and the doctor’s adventurous daughter (Lisa Peers).'

Source: Australian Screen.

'Real estate agent, Garth, is determined to expand his business and ruthlessly manipulates anyone and anything to achieve his aim. He meets unexpected opposition when he decides to develop an area set aside for a children's playground.'

Source: Trove. (Sighted: 21/9/2012)

A Melbourne-based doctor gives up his practice to take a practice in Redfern, sight unseen, and is drawn into the conflicts of the impoverished, inner-city suburb.

Set in 1956 on an outback sheep station, the narrative explores the life of the old-time shearers: sweat-soaked days and rum-soaked nights, bloody two-fisted punch ups ... and the scab labour brought in during the shearers' strike of 1956. Central to the main storyline is Foley, a gun shearer who has been unbeaten in the tally for ten years, but who now arrives at the station aware that his days as the fastest shearer are now numbered.

The script held in the Crawford Collection in the AFI Research Collection contains the following character notes (excluding regular characters):

'RUNNING JACK: 50's, 60's. Has an unusual gait and a big singing voice. Tolerated by the boaties because of his vast knowledge of the sea and his expertise with all kinds of boats.

'PAUL TURNER: Early 30's. Good-looking, well off, but unlucky with women.

'TRIN: Late 20's. Attractive, estranged wife of Turner.

'RICHARD CARTER: 30's. Can afford an expensive boat because he has a rich mother.

'KEVIN BOURKE: 30's. An artist, but doesn't look the arty type. The exact opposite, in fact.

'POLICEWOMAN JILL CREGAN: Mid-20's. Beautiful. A Senior Detective with the Drug Squad.

'HOPKINS: Late 30's. One of Wilson's customers. Must be able to row an inflatable rubber dinghy.

'RESIDENT (MR. WITHERS): Middle-aged. Indignant. Disturbed by Running Jack's singing.

'LICENSEE (STAN): Brisk, efficient proprietor of the of the "Mariner's Retr [sic]

'DAVE WILSON: About 30. Good seaman. Successful drug smuggler till his death.

'BETTY: Two scenes. Gum-chewing factory worker.

'TWO BOATIES:

'UNIFORM POLICEMAN'.

The script held in the Crawford Collection in the AFI Research Collection contains the following character notes (excluding regular characters):

'ATHOL HUTCHINS Lead. About 30. Shoulder length hair, and a wild beard. (Certainly not trimmed). He's a hippie.

'TOM WOOD Second lead. About 60. Has been a very powerful man (physically)

'WILLIAM WOOD Major role. Twenty one years of age. Must have short back and sides haircut.

'KENNY WOOD Major role. Nineteen. Short back and sides haircut.

'MICHAEL WOOD Major role. Sixteen. Short back and sides haircut.

'William, Kenny, Michael are Tom Wood's sons.

'JACK FLYNN Important role. About 45. Short back and sides haircut.

'DOREEN FLYNN Very important role. She's sweet sixteen and has been kissed. She's very young, a slip of a girl.

'MRS. FLYNN Jack's wife. About the same age. Preferably thin and worn.

'PUBLICAN Character Noel Buchanan, as established in earlier episode

'NORM HARRIS The mayor. But a rough, country looking type of mayor with not too much up top. About 60.

'AUCTIONEER 40-45.

'BARMAID 35-40.

'WORKER IN SALEYARDS

'PRIEST About 50. Benign.

'SAM One scene but important. He's about 50, and a dirty, lazy old pig.

'EXTRA Woman in street (teaser).

'EXTRA Woman in street (end of script)

'EXTRAS Crowded bar scene.

'(Budgeted for 12 extras but budget can take 17.' [sic]

The script held in the Crawford Collection in the AFI Research Collection contains the following character notes (excluding regular characters):

'DENIS LAWRENCE About 35, extremely presentable looking. This is a very difficult role. Actor must be brilliant. And able to drive.

'ANN LAWRENCE Perhaps a little younger than her husband. She's beautiful and not the foppish type. Also a difficult role.

'OLD ALCOHOLIC About 50. Must be a good actor. Major role.

'PAUL A man of 40 odd. Prosperous looking. Major role.

'ELDERLY COUPLE IN CAR YARD Both about 60 - 65. Difficult parts, competent actors needed. Both must drive.

'CAR YARD PROP. About 40. Car Yard Prop. type.

'BARMAN About 30.

'MECHANIC About 30.

'PLUMBER About 45.

'MAGISTRATE That type.

'COURT CLERK That type.

'MICHAEL YOUNG About 24. This is also a difficult part. Competent actor needed.

'SOLICITOR What about a young, pudgy type? This is also an important role.

'MRS. CHILDS Woman of 45-50.

'FOUR BUSINESS TYPES Age range: 35-40.

'THE MOST BEAUTIFUL GIRL IN THE WORLD. Yes that's right.

'SMALL BOY Aged over seven.

'PLUS: EXTRAS FOR COURTROOM AND BAR SCENES.'

The Matlock Police series (originally simply titled Matlock) was commissioned from Crawford Productions by ATV-0, in response to the popularity of rival-network police dramas such as Homicide and Division 4. Crawford's was initially reluctant to create another police series, but ATV-0 pressured the company for some time. Eventually, Ian Jones and Terry Stapleton devised the concept of a regional (Victorian) police series to provide viewers with something different. The more relaxed atmosphere of the country-town setting also allowed the writers to delve into the private lives of the main characters, rather than focusing heavily on big-city organised crime. In this respect, the series was situated somewhere between Homicide/Division 4 and Bellbird. The series did, however, cover typical rural policing, including such issues as break and enters, domestic issues, itinerant workers, brawls, petty crime and robberies, road accidents, the occasional homicide, and cattle rustling. On other occasions, the Matlock police also assisted Melbourne police in locating criminals on the run (among other problems). The idea behind the show was to reflect the causes of crime in a small community and show the effects on both the community and the officers themselves.

The fictional town of Matlock (loosely based on Shepparton in Victoria) is situated inland on the Central Highway, approximately 160 kilometres north of Melbourne. Although the town's population is only seventeen thousand, this increases to around seventy-five thousand when the district is included. The Matlock Police Station is typical of a Victorian country town, with a Uniform Branch and a Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB). The CIB is headed by Detective Sergeant Vic Maddern, who grew up in the Matlock district and is an accomplished bushman. Second in command is Detective Allan Curtis, aged in his mid-twenties. Previously from Melbourne, Curtis has just been sent to his first country posting (against his will) when the series begins. Head of the Uniform Branch is Sergeant Bert Kennedy, an Englishman who migrated to Australia in 1950. A thorough but also easy-going man with a good sense of humour, Kennedy is married to Nell and enjoys the country life in Matlock, so much so that he has knocked back promotion to avoid moving to Melbourne. Several constables are attached to the Uniform Branch, but the most prominent is a motorcycle cop, Constable Gary Hogan, who performs a wide variety of duties. Hogan is about thirty, a friendly, easy-going person who grew up in the country and is always willing to help in whatever work is going.

'Yarra Central detectives investigate a brutal assault after John Kelso, a convicted murderer serving a life sentence, is paroled after 25 years.'

Source: Classic Australian Television. (Sighted: 11/6/2013)

The script held in the Crawford Collection in the AFI Research Collection contains the following character notes (excluding regular characters):

'JOHN HARRIS. 40-50. A clerk, a normal man - until an incident with the police causes him to stand up against what he believes to be an injustice which almost becomes an obsession with him. (Must be able to drive).

'MRS HARRIS. A wife, naturally concerned for her husband. Slightly younger than Harris.

'ARTHUR BULL. 30's. A newspaper man; cynical. Sees in Harris a good story. Able to drive a car.

'MAGISTRATE. A kindly man in court, until Harris tests his patience to the full.

'INSPECTOR COUGHLAN. Used to command and obedience. Has 'diplomacy' - he thinks - until he meets Harris.

'MR SANDERS. A friend of Harris, of same age.

'SWIFT. 60's. An inveterate 'toper' up for his 100th conviction for drunkeness [sic].

'POLICE MECHANIC. An expert in his job.

'PRISONER. 30's. Moronic, sub-normal intelligence.

'CLERK OF THE COURT.

'POLICEMAN 1.

'POLICEMAN 2.

'BREATHALYSER MAN.

'10 EXTRAS. REPORTERS, ONLOOKERS, NEWSCAMERAMEN.'

The Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC) produced the critically acclaimed, award-winning series Dynasty between 1970 and 1971. Dynasty--which bears no relation to the 1980s' American series of the same name--was developed from Tony Morphett's novel and later television play.

The series explores the intrigues and conflicts of powerful media family the Masons who, through the Mason Corporation Board, publish The Standard newspaper and own the television station MSN Channel 6. Head of the family and chairman of the board Jack Mason is a newspaperman like his father. And, again like his father, he is an old-style autocratic owner-publisher, determined to retain control of all aspects of his empire.

The script held in the Crawford Collection in the AFI Research Collection contains the following character notes (excluding regular characters):

'BILLY GARRET A crim and Patterson's boyhood mate; strong and well built; must be able to move well. Lead role.

'GRAN Billy's grandmother. Major role.

'LEILA GARRET Billy's wife. Young. European. Major role.

'McGEORGE Runs a baccarat school; Billy's boss. 40-45. Tough looking gent. Important role.

'ALISTAIR JAMES Preferably short; a snappy dresser; puts on "front" but loses it completely when he's had a few to drink. 35-40. Important role.

'SUE Young. A good looker. Subtle. One scene, but important.

'BARMAID 35-45. Buxom and brassy; her looks have faded. Two scenes but important.

'TWO HENCHMEN Both about 30. Mainly involved in action. Both evil looking.

'JOHN ARCHER The victim. About 50; a gunman past his prime.

'CROUPIER OR DEALER About 30. Suave. Prefer. actor experienced handling money.

'MONEY HANDLER About 40. Prefer. actor experienced handling money.

'BACCARAT PLAYERS (EXTRAS) This is a big baccarat school.'

The script (which follows the escape and subsequent re-capture of two Pentridge prisoners) bears a strong resemblance to the events surrounding the escape from Pentridge Prison of Ronald Ryan and Peter Walker and the subsequent execution of Ryan.

The script held in the Crawford Collection in the AFI Research Collection contains the following character notes (excluding regular characters):

'MICHAEL XAVIER O'BYRNE Early 40's, preferably not tall, medium build, must be active. Mick O'Byrne, gaol escapee, is an egotist, becoming in his own mind, invincible. Able to drive.

'JOHN REYNOLDS Early 20's, preferably taller than O'Byrne, good-looking, well built. Reynolds is the other escapee. He's young and bewildered by the killing of the warder, bewildered by the intensity of the hunt, but most of all, bewildered by O'Byrne's manner. He comes to believe O'Byrne's self-publicity, looks up to him almost as a father. Able to drive.

'MAY CROSSWAY 25 to 30. Not beautiful, but cunning, knowing. She resigns herself to the presence of the escapees.

'BETTY KEMP About 25, more attractive than May. But dumb.

'CONST. REYNOLDS About 20, but looking younger than this. Const. Reynolds is the escapee's brother. He's painfully young, patently nervous.

'FRANK WRIGHT About 30, preferably stocky. He's a working man, good natured, dogmatic. Able to drive.

'BLACKIE About 50, disreputable-looking, cunning as a fox.

'HERBIE About 40, a small-time crim, un-prepossessing. Pretty dumb.

'THREE WARDERS

'HANGMAN Aged 40-50. Strong, calm face.

'BANK MANAGER Fussy - somewhat timid.

'CLIENT (MALE) About 35.

'BANK TELLER

'CUSTOMER (MALE) About 22.

'OLD WOMAN Refined old layd [sic] - "well-off".

'TWO YOUNG WOMEN

'(ESCAPE)

'TWO MEN AND A WOMAN, ALL MIDDLE-AGED

'NEWSCASTER

'HOUSEHOLDER Man, aged about 40.'

Division 4, which Don Storey notes in Classic Australian Television was 'the only drama series on Australian television to rival the popularity of Homicide', was created as a vehicle for Gerard Kennedy, who had risen to popularity playing the complicated enemy agent Kragg in spy-show Hunter, after Tony Ward's departure left Hunter's future in doubt.

According to Moran, in his Guide to Australian Television Series:

The series differed from Homicide in being more oriented to the situation and milieu of a suburban police station staffed by a mixture of plainclothes detectives and uniformed policemen. This kind of situation allowed Division 4 to concentrate on a range of crimes, from major ones such as murder to minor ones such as larceny.

Though set in the fictional Melbourne suburb of Yarra Central, 'Sets were constructed that were replicas of the actual St Kilda police station charge counter and CIB room, with an attention to detail that extended to having the same picture hanging on the wall', according to Storey.

Division 4 ended in 1976. Storey adds:

Division 4's axing was a dark day for Australian television, as within months the other two Crawford cop shows on rival networks, Matlock Police and Homicide, were also axed. It was widely believed, and still is, that the cancellation of the three programs was an attempt by the three commercial networks--acting in collusion--to wipe out Crawford Productions, and consequently cripple the local production industry.

'A group of pensioners in an old people's home are secretly engaged in earning extra money to supplement their pensions. When one of their number, Charlie Cook, is found dead, they dispose of the body for fear that a police investigation would expose their activities and land them in trouble with the Taxation Department.'

Source: Classic Australian Television. (Sighted: 11/6/2013)