Australian Playhouse
| Company type | Television series |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television production |
| Founded | 1966 |
| Founder | David Goddard (producer) |
| Headquarters | Australia |
| Products | Television anthology series |
Australian Playhouse was an Australian anthology television series that featured original works by Australian playwrights. The show spanned two seasons, delivering a total of 40 episodes. Pat Flower served as the principal writer, contributing 10 episodes, alongside notable authors including Tony Morphett, John Warwick, Barbara Vernon, Richard Lane, James Davern, and David Sale.
Development
In August 1965, Talbot Duckmanton of the ABC announced an expansion in domestic drama production, highlighting Australian Playhouse as a project characterized by its experimental approach and not confined solely to Australian-written plays.
Produced by David Goddard—father of actress Liza Goddard—the series underwent nine months of preparation. Goddard openly criticized a television station for requesting scripts without genuine plans to produce them, labeling this as a "political gesture" that unfairly implied a scarcity of Australian writers. He stressed the wealth of untapped talent among Australian short story authors and reaffirmed the program’s dedication to presenting dramas exclusively created and produced within Australia that authentically reflected Australian life.
Season One
In January 1966, Goddard revealed that ABC would be producing 39 half-hour episodes under the title Australian Playhouse. The programming was structured to include 14 weeks of diverse themes, followed by 12 Australian dramas centered on a common motif, and then an additional 13 episodes. This lineup complemented ABC’s existing monthly drama presentations and comedy series like Nice and Jucy and Marcellus Jones.
The inaugural season was broadcast from April through early November 1966. In April, Neil Hutchinson observed that the series challenged assertions regarding the absence of quality Australian writers. Frank Roberts from The Bulletin regarded it as a "promising nursery" nurturing emerging talent. Nevertheless, approximately eight or nine episodes were reportedly written and filmed but ultimately withheld from airing due to concerns over their quality.
By mid-1966, The Sydney Morning Herald pointed out a shortage of creative personnel, particularly writers. Subsequently, The Age television critic expressed that most episodes were unworthy of broadcast. Val Marshall from The Sydney Morning Herald offered a mixed evaluation: about 10% were excellent (notably those penned by Pat Flower), 40% were average, and the remaining half were modest efforts. She concluded that the series’ existence was justified.
Australian Playhouse received a Logie Award in 1967 for its Industry Contribution. Goddard expressed confidence about future prospects, suggesting any adjustments would likely involve scheduling plays in later time slots to accommodate more mature themes.
In December 1966, ABC disclosed it had invested one million dollars in Australian drama since 1956, producing 358 plays—187 authored by Australians. The production cost for Australian Playhouse was roughly $55,000 for its 37 episodes. The season’s content was later summarized as consisting of approximately 50% drama, 25% comedy, and 25% fantasy.
Season Two
Although shorter in length, the second series received a budget increase to three times that of the first season. It premiered on 12 June 1967 in Melbourne and was subsequently broadcast across Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Western Australia, and New South Wales by 24 July. By June, filming for all episodes had concluded and preparations for the 1968 season were underway. Executive producer Pat Alexander reported receiving over 1,000 script submissions, which contributed to improved material quality.
Only two scripts originated from writers who had contributed to the previous season. The content distribution included about half comedies, forty percent dramas, and ten percent fantasy or experimental pieces. Another analysis indicated a breakdown of 40% drama, 33% comedy, and 27% comedy-fantasy. The Sydney Morning Herald described the show as "an inconsistent thing but our own," while a subsequent Sunday edition labeled it "the biggest flop" of the year.
Season 2
- Colin Free's The End Product was initially intended for this season but was ultimately produced later in 1974 as an independent teleplay.
Episodes produced but never aired
- Shameless Hussies by Peter Kenna – focusing on two adolescent heiresses; announced in April 1966 as part of the inaugural season but remained unaired
- The Widow Thrum written by Peter Finnane, also known for The Pigeon, publicized in April 1966
- Shadow on the Wall – under the direction of Chris Muir, filmed in April 1967 and broadcast on 10 April 1968
- The Stay at Home featuring performances by Sydney Conabere, Frank Rich, and Gerda Nicholson
- Caught Napping with cast members including Peter Collingwood, Ethel Lang, and Nancye Stewart
- The Black Infuriator authored by Alexander MacDonald, starring Terry McDermott, Elaine Plumb, and John Godfrey
- The House by David Sale, showcasing Tom Farley, Nancye Stewart, Juliana Allan, and Alistair Smart
- Boy with Banner – announced in 1966 but apparently never broadcast; directed by Christopher Muir with Patricia Kennedy, Norman Kaye, and Julie Day in leading roles
- The Captain and the Cox'n penned by Kenneth Hailes