Stormy Petrel (TV series)
| Company type | Television series |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television drama |
| Founded | 1960 |
| Founder | ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) |
| Headquarters | Australia |
| Products | Historical TV drama series |
Stormy Petrel represents one of the earliest examples of Australian television drama. This 12-episode historical series, broadcast in 1960 on the ABC, portrayed the narrative of William Bligh and marked ABC's inaugural live television serial.
The script, adapted by Rex Rienits from his 1948 radio serial, garnered both critical acclaim and audience approval. Its success encouraged ABC to develop additional period dramas centered on Australian history, such as The Outcasts (1961), The Patriots (1962), and The Hungry Ones (1963). Furthermore, the series influenced commercial broadcaster ATN-7 to produce Jonah (1962). Telerecordings of Stormy Petrel are currently archived by the National Archives of Australia.
Premise
The storyline follows William Bligh’s tenure as governor of New South Wales and the events leading up to the Rum Rebellion.
Cast
- Brian James as William Bligh
- Walter Sullivan portraying John MacArthur
- Delia Williams in the role of Mary Bligh, daughter of Bligh
- Ric Hutton as John Putland
- Nigel Lovell playing Major Johnston
- Muriel Steinbeck as Mrs Bligh
- Margo Lee as Elizabeth MacArthur
- Alistair Duncan
- Richard Perry
- Charles McCallum in the role of the Minister
- Annette Andre as Ann Bligh
- Elizabeth Waterhouse portraying Elizabeth Bligh
- Moray Powell as Dr Warren
- Geoffrey King as Sir Joseph Banks
- Owen Weingott
- Nat Levison
- Charles McCallum
- Walter Pym as Lt-Gen Keppel
- Reg Lye playing George Suttor
1948 Radio play
Refer to Stormy Petrel (radio serial) for details.
Additionally, Bligh authored another play about these historical events titled Bligh Had a Daughter.
TV Production
During a period when Australian television drama predominantly featured imported scripts, Stormy Petrel was produced under ABC’s "Australiana" initiative.[1] The series was directed by Colin Dean, who characterized the Rum Rebellion as the colony’s initial uprising against gubernatorial oppression,[2] with inspiration drawn from Dean’s wife after she listened to the original radio serial.[3]
Set designs were created by ABC designer Douglas Smith beginning in December 1959. Due to limited visual documentation, Smith researched army archives in London to ensure historical accuracy.[4]
Among the cast, Annette Andre played one of Bligh’s daughters.[5] A historian specializing in radio drama remarked that Walter Sullivan delivered "the performance of his career" in this production.[6]
Critical
At a time when locally produced dramatic television was rare in Australia, The Age described it as a "successful serial," emphasizing that such vivid and historically accurate Australian productions were essential for national television. The Sunday edition of the Sydney Morning Herald lauded it as "first rate entertainment." By the conclusion of the series, The Age recognized it as "Channel 2's most consistent production," noting it stood "head and shoulders above all other Australian-produced drama series."
The Woman's Weekly praised producer Dean for effectively managing budget limitations while delivering a simplicity reminiscent of B.B.C. adaptations, stating that Stormy Petrel brought Australian history to life with remarkable clarity. The publication later referred to it as "an outstanding production."
While not considered a classic by Filmink, the series was acknowledged as a strong example of 1960s Australian television drama, featuring engaging storytelling with well-developed antagonists and an ending that was both surprising and inevitable. The focus on Mary Bligh was highlighted as a significant strength, providing a female viewpoint often absent from historical dramatizations.
Ratings
Director Colin Dean remarked that the typical viewership for Stormy Petrel was comparable to the attendance of a full year's engagement at Her Majesty's Theatre, underscoring its remarkable achievement as an ABC drama. The series was later re-aired by ABC in 1974, just prior to the rollout of colour television broadcasting.
According to Filmink, Stormy Petrel stands as a pioneering Australian mini-series, marking one of the earliest instances of local historical narratives presented on television. It represented ABC's first significant dramatic hit, sparked a wave of commercial adaptations, was transformed into a novel, and generated two follow-up series. This production laid the groundwork for subsequent celebrated Australian historical dramas such as Against the Wind and Bodyline.
Sequel
In November 1960, plans were announced for a sequel developed by Rex Rienits and Colin Dean, which would center on William Redfern and include characters from the original Stormy Petrel series.
Novel
Rienits converted the screenplay into a novel released in 1963. The London Sunday Times praised its compelling storytelling despite the legal disputes between Bligh and MacArthur.
External links
- Stormy Petrel at AustLit
- Stormy Petrel at National Film and Sound Archive
- Clip of trailer at National Archives of Australia
- Articles with short description
- 1960s Australian drama television series
- 1960 Australian television series debuts
- 1960 Australian television series endings
- Australian Broadcasting Corporation original programming
- Black-and-white Australian television shows
- Australian English-language television shows
- Television series set in the 18th century
- Television shows set in colonial Australia
- Works by Rex Rienits
- 1960s Australian mini-series
- Rum Rebellion
- Television series about rebellions
- Pages with reference errors