Take That (TV series)
| Industry | Television production |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1945 |
| Headquarters | Melbourne , Australia |
| Products | Television programs, including Take That |
Take That was an early Australian TV series broadcast exclusively on Melbourne's HSV-7 from late 1957 until March 1959.
Program overview and importance
Set within a disorderly classroom, Take That was a slapstick comedy recognized as one of the first regularly scheduled sitcoms in Australia. The show was produced by Crawford Productions, the same company responsible for notable 1950s programs such as the game show Wedding Day and the children's series Peters Club. Filmed live in front of studio audiences at Channel 7's South Melbourne facilities, the program offered a unique viewing experience.
Drawing inspiration from the well-known radio series Yes, What? and the BBC comedy Whack-O!, the production incorporated unexpected physical comedy, practical jokes, loud sound effects, and live theatrical elements including smokebombs and fireworks, setting it apart within the landscape of early Australian television comedy.
Cast
The ensemble featured British comedian Philip Stainton portraying the schoolmaster, supported by Australian performers Irene Hewitt, Frank Rich, Keith Eden, and Joff Ellen.
Although kinescope recordings were probably made due to the live nature of broadcasts, no surviving footage is known to exist according to Ian Crawford, a former employee of Crawford Productions.
Broadcast schedule
Originally, episodes were presented in a 15-minute segment at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesdays, following a brief news bulletin and preceding another 15-minute program titled Teenage Mailbag at 7:15 p.m. The evening lineup included the American series The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin at 8:00 p.m. By 1959, the time slot moved to Saturdays at 5:30 p.m., airing after These Were Hits, which showcased clips from Hit Parade, and before Cavalcade of Sport at 5:45 p.m.
See also
- Barley Charlie – Australian sitcom from 1964
- The Passionate Pianist – 1957 standalone comedy play aired on ABC
External links
- Articles with short description
- Seven Network original programming
- 1957 Australian television series debuts
- 1959 Australian television series endings
- Black-and-white Australian television shows
- Australian English-language television shows
- 1950s Australian television sitcoms
- Australian live television series
- Television series by Crawford Productions