Ryan (TV series)
| Company type | Television series |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television production |
| Founded | May 27, 1973 |
| Founder | Crawford Productions |
| Headquarters | Australia |
| Products | Adventure TV series |
Ryan is an Australian adventure TV series created by Crawford Productions and broadcast on the Seven Network starting 27 May 1973, comprising 39 episodes each lasting one hour.
Synopsis
The narrative follows Michael Ryan, a private detective played by Rod Mullinar, who had previously appeared in the concluding episodes of Crawford's series Hunter. Ryan’s secretary, Julie King, portrayed by New Zealand-born Pamela Stephenson, was involved in multiple story arcs before relocating to England to pursue a successful television career. Important supporting roles included taxi driver and informant Tony Angelini (Luigi Villani) and Detective Sergeant Dan Cullen (Colin McEwan), Ryan’s liaison within the police force. McEwan received main cast billing whenever he appeared.
Production
Entirely filmed in colour to attract overseas buyers, Ryan marked a substantial financial commitment for Crawford Productions. Although all 39 episodes were sold to the Seven Network, the initial revenue only recouped about 55% of the considerable production expenses, making international distribution crucial. During a period when Australian TV was transitioning to colour and many studios lacked colour facilities, shooting entirely on colour film boosted export appeal. To enhance global marketability, Mullinar adopted a Mid-Atlantic American accent for his character.
Director David Lee worked with Melbourne CIB ballistics experts to create a unique Colt revolver featuring a 4-inch barrel specifically for Mullinar’s role.
Domestic
Ryan debuted in May 1973 and achieved strong ratings in Brisbane and Adelaide but struggled in major cities such as Melbourne and Sydney. Part of the low viewership stemmed from the Nine Network scheduling its popular police drama Division 4 directly against Ryan. Despite attempts to adjust programming slots, audience numbers remained modest. After completing the original 39 episodes, Crawford Productions retained the production team for a potential second season, assigning them instead to Homicide, which expanded its output to two weekly installments. This change resulted in a crossover episode featuring most regulars from Ryan, excluding Pamela Stephenson who had departed. Ultimately, due to unsatisfactory ratings, Seven Network chose not to renew Ryan, and Homicide reverted to a single weekly episode. Several crew members then moved on to Crawford’s new serial The Box, which required fewer outdoor shoots, leading to staff layoffs—the first such reductions in Crawford’s history.
International
Ryan was introduced internationally beginning in Canada (September 1975), followed by the United States (27 September 1975), and later the United Kingdom (6 July 1976).
Principal
- Rod Mullinar as Michael Ryan
- Pamela Stephenson as Julie King
- Luigi Villani as Tony Angelini
- Colin McEwan as Detective Sergeant Dan Cullen
Guest Appearances
| Actor | Role | Episodes |
|---|---|---|
| Alfred Sandor | Miklos / Knight | 2 |
| Alister Smart | Colin Brown | |
| Anne Scott-Pendlebury | Katrina | |
| Anthony Hawkins | Adler | 1 |
| Ben Gabriel | Vedat Avdi | 1 |
| Brian Moll | Warburton / Topley | |
| Bruce Spence | Wally Scott | 1 |
| Carmen Duncan | Anne | 1 |
| Carole Skinner | Jane Moore | 1 |
| Cecily Polson | Gail Scott / Vicki | 2 |
| Christine Amor | Jennifer | 1 |
| Danny Adcock | Harry Fisher | 1 |
| Diane Craig | Lacey Glen | 1 |
| Dina Mann | Nikki | 1 |
| Elspeth Ballantyne | Rhoda Bitov | 1 |
| Graeme Blundell | Flip Mitchell / Slade | 2 |
| Jack Thompson | John Mitchell / Brian Duncan | 2 |
| Jane Clifton | Jenny | 1 |
| Jeanie Drynan | Tricia | 1 |
| John Clayton | Hunt / Harry | 2 |
| John Stanton | Johnson | 1 |
| Jon Finlayson | Smith | 1 |
| Judy Lynne | Barbara | 1 |
| Judy Morris | Jan Taylor | 1 |
| Kate Sheil | Ellen Cornell | 1 |
| Kevin Golsby | Trevor Armstrong | 1 |
| Kevin Miles | John Hiller | 1 |
| Maurie Fields | Bob Clark | 1 |
| Michael Aitkens | Bernie Wood | 1 |
| Michael Long | Squib | 1 |
| Michele Fawdon | Susan Morrison / Mia Sinclair | 2 |
| Norman Kaye | Florist | 1 |
| Norman Yemm | Carl Hoffman / Max Miller | 2 |
| Pat Bishop | Elaine Duncan | 1 |
| Penne Hackforth-Jones | Jana / Helen | 2 |
| Peter Gwynne | Raymond Fitch | 1 |
| Peter Whitford | Billy Maxwell | 1 |
| Roger Ward | Don | 1 |
| Rowena Wallace | Kate / Sue Ogilvie / Zita / Holly Beckett | 4 |
| Serge Lazareff | Patrick | |
| Sheila Florance | Lorna Russell | 1 |
Episodes
DVD release
In June 2018, the entire series was made available on DVD. It is distributed internationally by Eaton Films (UK), while Crawfords DVD handles distribution for Australia and New Zealand, alongside other titles from Crawford Productions. This collection contains all 39 episodes as well as the Homicide crossover episode titled "As Simple As ABZ".
| Title | Format | Episodes | Discs | Region 2 (UK) | Region 4 (Australia) | Special Features | Distributors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan (Complete Collection) | DVD | 39 | 10 | June 2018 | June 2018 | Includes HOMICIDE - Episode 408 featuring Ryan | Crawford Productions |