australian television information archive

The Alternative

Year: 1977
Produced by Gemini Productions
Producer: Robert Bruning
Writer: Tony Morphett
Director: Paul Eddey

A beautiful and talented editor of a highly successful women's magazine discovers that she is pregnant. She decides to have the baby and raise it as a single parent. Then she finds herself the centre of an emotional tug-of-war between her ex-lover, the executive career she loves and the colleague who wants to marry her.

Cast: Wendy Hughes, Tony Bonner, Carla Hoogeveen, Peter Adams, Alwyn Kurts, Don Reid, Faye Anderson, Ken Goodlet, Zdenka Govaers, Anne Haddy

Because He's My Friend

Year: 1977
Produced by Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Trans Atlantic Enterprises
Executive Producer: Geoff Daniel
Producers: Robert Klin, Geoffrey Daniels, James Davern, Preston Fischer
Writer: Peter Schreck
Directors: Ralph Nelson, Russell Webb

A story about love under pressure. Can a modern marriage withstand the pressures of a job and children? Especially when the job is submarine command and the child is mentally retarded.

Cast: Karen Black, Keir Dullea, Jack Thompson, Tom Oliver, Barbara Stephens, Don Reid, Warwick Poulsen, June Salter

The Geeks

Year: 1977
Produced by Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Producer: Lynn Bayonas
Writer: Colin Free
Director: Julian Pringle

Lee and Martin meet in the afternoon. Vinnie drives his new car home to show Lee. Lee, Vinnie, Martin, Tina drive to the beach in the new car, having a small accident on the way back, home. Lee decides to tell Vinnie of her affair, and of her feelings for the four of them.

Cast: John Stanton, Judy Morris, Lynette Curran, Rod Mullinar

Going Home

Year: 1977
Produced by Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Producer: Eric Taylor
Writer: Colin Free
Director: Frank Arnold

Miles goes home after work on his 40th birthday, to a surprise party, but he decides not to go in and drives to his home town. A chance meeting with a young girl hitch-hiker threatens to wreck not only his nostalgic homecoming but also his relationship with his family.

Cast: Terry Donovan, Rowena Wallace, Jennifer Cluff, Bill Hunter, Vincent Ball, Mark Clark, Tom Oliver, Jennifer West, Peter Gwynne, Kerry McGuire, Tom Farley, Moya O'Sullivan

Gone To Ground

Year: 1977
Produced by Gemini Productions
Producer: Robert Bruning
Writer: Bruce Wishart
Director: Kevin James Dobson

An action thriller where five people are put through a day and night of terror by an unknown assailant. The identity of the killer and his incredible plans for revenge are gradually revealed.

Cast: Charles Tingwell, Eric OLdfield, Elaine Lee, Marion Johns, Robyn Gibbes, Alan Penney, Judy Lynne, John Orcsik, Richard Moodie, Robert Bruning, Jeremy Higgins, Bronwyn Clarr, Nerrida Clarr, Melissa Smith, Maria Caterino

A Good Thing Going

Year: 1977
Producer: Don Harley
Writers: Judith Colquhoun, Don Harley
Director: Arch Nicholson

Set in Sydney's western suburbs, the story of a marriage breakup. Phil Harris spends more time with his mate than with his wife and children. One day, his wife walks out on him, leaving him with the traumatised children.

Cast: John Hargreaves,Veronica Lang, Chris Haywood, Miles Buchanan, Simon Buchanan, Bunney Brooke

Image of Death

Year: 1977
Produced by Gemini Productions
Producer: Robert Bruning
Writer: Bruce Wishart
Director: Kevin James Dobson

A reunion of longtime friends is just a facade for one to kill the other, take over her identity, and set into motion a scheme to destroy the Capitol.

Cast: Penne Hackforth-Jones, Cheryl Waters, Tony Bonner, Mark Pierce, Sheila Helpmann, Barry Pierce

Mama's Gone A-Hunting

Year: 1977
Produced by Gemini Productions
Producer: Robert Bruning
Writers: Robert Bruning, Bruce A. Wishart
Director: Peter Maxwell

A psychotic prison escapee and his young partner decide to kidnap a wealthy couple's baby and hold it for ransom.

Cast: Judy Morris, Gerard Kennedy, Carmen Duncan, Vince Martin, Peter Stratford, Kerry McGuire, Christine Cameron, Norton Howarth, Don Philps, Marcus Hale, Muriel Hopkins

The Newman Shame

Year: 1977
Produced by Grundy Australia Productions Pty Ltd
Producer: Irene Korol, Robert Bruning
Writer: Bruce Wishart
Directosr: Lawrence Hill, Michael Lake, Toivo Lember, Julian Pringle

John Brandy, an ex cop who turned in his badge when he inherited money, lives a hedonistic lifestyle, but his pleasures come to an end when his friend, a respectable Perth bank manager, Frank Newman, commits suicide. Brandy and his babe Ginger travel to Perth to investigate and become the hunted as they get too close to a blackmail scheme involving pornographic movies.

Cast: George Lazenby, Diane Craig, Joan Bruce, Alwyn Kurts

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Night Nurse

Year: 1977
Produced by Gemini Productions
Producer: Robert Bruning
Writer: Ron McLean
Director: Kevin James Dobson

A psychological thriller wherein an attractive young woman innocently finds herself manipulated in a mind game perpetuated by her machiavellian mistress.

Cast: Kate Fitzpatrick, Davina Whitehouse, Kay Taylor, Gary Day

No Room For The Innocent

Year: 1977
Produced by Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Producer: Oscar Whitbread
Writer: Sonia Borg
Director: Douglas Sharp

A Catholic country woman, Alice Fisher,comes to the city with her husband and children after the failure of their farm. Alice is confused and torn between Catholicism and contraception in a difficult economic situation. Another child is not welcome just now.

Cast: Julie Hamilton, John Wood

No Room To Run

Year: 1977
Produced by Trans Atlantic Enterprises, Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Producer: Charles Russell
Writer: George Kirgo
Director: Michael Lewis

Nick Loomis, Vice President in carge of Public Relations for the multi-national company INDECO, is in Australia for a concert promotion at The Opera House. What begins as an enjoyable business trip turns into a nightmare when he accidentally kills a man and is on the run from Australian authorities and his own colleagues.

Cast: Barry Sullivan, Noel Ferrier, Ray Barrett, Anne Hardy, Cul Cullen, Phillip Hinton, Stuart Finch, Matthew O'Sullivan, Ann Grey, Sandra McGregor, Colin Taylor, Brian Wright, Brian Hinselwood, Roger Ward, Joy Hruby, Max Aspin, Rick Gardiner

Plunge Into Darkness

Year: 1977
Produced by Gemini Productions
Producer: Robert Bruning
Writer: Bruce Wishart
Director: Peter Maxwell

An action thriller wherein a former Olympic runner and his young family embark upon a happy vacation and find themselves fighting for their lives at the hands of a homicidal maniac.

Cast: Olivia Hamnett, Bruce Barry, Ashley Grenville, John Jarratt, Tom Richards

Puzzle

Year: 1977
Produced by Trans Atlantic Enterprises, Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Executive Producers: Gene Levitt, Geoff Daniel, James Davern
Producer: Herbert J. Wright
Writer: Herbert J. Wright
Director: Gordon Hessler

A rich man's widow enlists the help of her first husband, an ex-tennis ace, in her fight with a gang of international Art thieves determined to collect the money owed to them for stealing for her late husband a priceless urn, believed to contain the remains of Buddha.

Cast: James Franciscus, Wendy Hughes, Robert Helpmann, Kerry McGuire, Peter Gwynne, Ivar Kants

Say You Want Me

Year: 1977
Produced by Film Australia Limited
Producer: Don Harley
Writer: Laura Jones
Director: Oliver Howes

The wife of a radio talkback star is raped by a property developer with whom her husband is about to sign a lucrative endorsement contract. The deal goes ahead and she is left to decide whether to push rape charges. Was followed by a 12 episode series called The Orcale.

Cast: Belinda Giblin, Hugh Keays-Byrne, Serge Lazareff, Tom Oliver, Henri Szeps

She'll Be Sweet

Year: 1977
Produced by Trans Atlantic Enterprises, Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Executive Producer: Robert Kline, James Davern, Preston Fischer
Producer: Geoffrey Daniels
Writer: Colin Free
Director: Gene Levitt

Magee is faced with the loss of his freighter by the actions of an Australian financier. He goes to seek the financier and instead meets up with his daughter, Veronica. The financier is away in the bush so Magee kidnaps the daughter to lead him to the bush camp site.

Cast: Anne Semler, Ken Fraser, Rod Mullinar, Kevin Leslie, Jacqueline Kott, Vincent Gill, Kenneth Laird

Shimmering Light

Year: 1977
Produced by Trans Atlantic Enterprises, Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Executive Producer: Geoff Daniel
Producer: Frank Arnold
Writer: George Kirgo, Paul Savage
Director: Don Chaffey

Kevin, a university graduate from America, has rejected the opportunity of joining his father's firm and has chosen instead to pursue his love of surfing in Australia. He ignores traditional ideas of planning for the future and settling down.

Cast: John Meillon, Victoria Shaw, Ingrid Mason

The Sound of Love

Year: 1977
Produced by South Australian Film Corporation, TCN 9 Sydney
Executive Producer: Matt Carroll
Producer: Jane Scott
Director: John Power

Born deaf, Eileen survived by her wits; she was a drifter, a small-time pickpocket, caring little about who she slept with or who she would rip off next. dave was good-looking, a hot motor mechanic with a fine career ahead in motor racing - until he had an unfortunate accident. Nobody knew whether he would survive. He lived, but with one part of him dead - his hearing. Eileen and dave were unknown to each other until their affliction drew them together. There in a world of silence, a tender love developed.

Cast: Celia De Burgh, John Jarratt, Jack Higham, Marie Darcy, John Walters, Zev Eleftheriou

Straight Enough

Year: 1977
Produced by Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Producer: Rob Stewart
Writer: Ted Roberts
Director: Rob Stewart

Set in the Rocks, Sydney. Trevor and Marie are expecting their first child and are doing up Dad's house with the hope of eventually moving in. Chris and Eddie are two amateur criminals who steal a truck, forklift, boxes of salmon and a safe. They weave Trevor into their schemes as they go, with the result that it is Trevor who is eventually caught for the crimes.

Cast: Trevor Kent, Danny Adcock, Paul Chubb, Ray Meagher

Trial of Ned Kelly

Year: 1977
Produced by Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Producer: Oscar Whitbread
Writer: Roger Simpson
Director: John Gauci

The program looks at whether Ned Kelly had a fair trial. The trial itself was taken from documents held at both the Victorian Police Dept, and at the High Court in Victoria. The Narrator within the program helps to clarify legal matters and there is more than a hint that he is on Kelly's side.

Cast: Gerard Kennedy, Peter Cummins, John Waters, Sean Scully, John Frawley