The Sullivans

The Sullivans
Company type	Television series
Industry	Television production
Founded	15 November 1976
Defunct	10 March 1983
Fate	Ended
Headquarters	Melbourne, Australia
Parent	Crawford Productions

The Sullivans is a period drama television series from Australia, produced by Crawford Productions, which was broadcast on the Nine Network between 15 November 1976 and 10 March 1983. The narrative centers on a fictional middle-class family residing in Melbourne, illustrating the effects of the Second World War and the immediate aftermath from 1 September 1939 until 22 August 1948. The show enjoyed significant viewership success domestically and garnered international acclaim in countries including the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Netherlands, Gibraltar, Greece, and New Zealand.

Pre-production

The series was commissioned by Channel Nine without a pilot episode, initially ordering 34 hours of content with intentions to extend further. A team of fourteen writers developed thirteen story arcs. Casting was still underway when scriptwriting commenced; after three months, only Vikki Hammond and Noni Hazlehurst had been officially cast.

Set designer Nick Rossendale highlighted the importance of thorough research due to the recent historical timeframe depicted. In 1976, the production stood out for its scale and ambition, with an estimated budget of one million dollars—making it the most expensive commercial network series at that time.

Story and setting

The plot begins in 1939 with the UK’s declaration of war on Germany. It focuses on the Sullivan family living at 7 Gordon Street, Camberwell, Victoria, alongside their community. The majority of storylines revolve around World War II, portraying conflicts in regions such as North Africa, Greece, Crete, Britain, New Guinea, and Malaya. While most scenes were filmed in Melbourne, some Dutch sequences were shot on location in Amsterdam.

Renowned for its commitment to authenticity, the series employed researchers to ensure historical and cultural accuracy. Scripts incorporated actual military operations, weather conditions, sports outcomes, and cinematic releases from the era. Sets featured genuine 1930s furnishings and period-appropriate packaged products.

Nick Rossendale acquired original artifacts from company storerooms, discovering forgotten items like unused pub mirror labels. This approach avoided expensive reproductions by using authentic labels on props.

Characters

Grace Sullivan (née Grace Katherine Donovan; portrayed by Lorraine Bayly) – The family matriarch born on 24 October 1900. She married David Sullivan in 1919. Intelligent and respected, she initially resisted her sons’ enlistment but ultimately accepted it. A devout Catholic, her faith caused friction with her Anglican husband. Grace died in London in 1944 when a German V-1 flying bomb struck her son John's apartment.
Dave Sullivan (played by Paul Cronin) – The family patriarch born on 19 February 1898; a World War I veteran and engineering foreman by profession. He became a freemason, served as a councillor, and pursued political ambitions. Dave encouraged his sons to enlist and later joined the military himself, attaining the rank of Major. His death in 1948 following an accident concluded the series.
John Sullivan (Andrew McFarlane) – The eldest son born in 1919; initially an anti-war medical student. His relationship with Anna Kaufman, who was German-born, created tension. After Anna’s death, John enlisted in the medical corps but was missing at sea for two years before recuperating in England.
Tom Sullivan (Steven Tandy) – The second son born in 1921; an engineering student eager to serve. He fought across multiple war fronts and achieved officer status. After returning to civilian life post-war, he married American lawyer Patti Spencer; their marriage experienced difficulties.
Terry Sullivan (Richard Morgan) – The youngest son born in 1924. Although he wished to join the Air Force, health issues led him to enlist in the Army instead. He married Caroline O'Brien but faced challenges including war-related trauma, imprisonment for theft and assault, and eventual escape from jail. His actions indirectly contributed to his father’s demise.
Kitty Sullivan (Susan Hannaford) – The youngest child and only daughter born in 1926. Initially emotional about wartime events, she matured into a nurse by 1943. Kitty married war correspondent Robbie McGovern; they had a daughter before Robbie took his own life due to trauma related to his experiences.
Harry Sullivan (Michael Caton) – Dave’s younger brother; known as a larrikin involved in questionable trades. His wife Rose drowned in 1941, profoundly impacting him. After serving time for handling stolen goods, he established a business and relocated to Queensland to work with Army disposals.
Maggie Hayward (Vikki Hammond) – Divorced proprietor of the local pub 'Great Southern'. Previously acquainted with Dave through past relationships; her establishment served as an important social hub. Jack Fletcher (Reg Gorman), her barman and former military colleague of Dave’s, later divorced his wife.
Norm Baker (Norman Yemm) – Dave’s World War I comrade and close family friend; enlisted alongside Tom and Bert Duggan during World War II and rose to captain rank. He married Melina Tsangarakis who was executed by Nazis; later wed Maggie Hayward. Participated in an SOE mission that resulted in killing Nazi officer Heinrich Krull.
Ida Jessup (Vivean Gray) – English-born neighbor known for gossiping but later revealed strength and empathy. Married Arthur Pike near the series’ conclusion.
Bert Duggan (Peter Hehir) – Early lodger with Mrs Jessup; a womanizer who enlisted to avoid arrest over illegal bookmaking activities. He matured throughout the war but succumbed to injuries from a mine explosion in North Africa.
The Kaufmans – German-born shopkeepers Hans Kaufman (Leon Lissek), Lottie Kaufman (Marcella Burgoyne), and their daughter Anna Kaufman (Ingrid Mason). Despite opposing Nazism, Hans voluntarily interned as an enemy alien along with Lottie. Anna married John Sullivan but died from polio; Hans passed away shortly after while interned.
Alice Sullivan/Watkins/Morgan (Megan Williams) – Maggie Hayward’s long-lost daughter who was given up for adoption. She eventually took over management of the local shop becoming central to the narrative. Alice married Michael Watkins (who later died) before marrying Jim Sullivan.

Critical and popular reception

The Sullivans garnered widespread critical praise and stood out as one of Australia's leading drama series, broadcasting half-hour episodes at 7:00 p.m. In 1978, it achieved the position of the third highest-rated Australian television program, following Are You Being Served? and Against the Wind.

The show's popularity experienced a noticeable dip after 1979, coinciding with Lorraine Bayly's exit. When Bayly expressed her desire to depart, the producers offered her a six-month hiatus; her character Grace was temporarily relocated to London. To maintain storyline consistency, pre-recorded footage and New Zealand actors were utilized. Upon Bayly’s decision not to return, Grace’s character was ultimately written off by having her die in a London air raid.

Nonetheless, audience ratings remained sufficiently robust to justify ongoing production. By 1981, with the wartime narrative concluded, there were intentions to delve into Australia's post-war developments, such as the Snowy River hydro-electric project. However, Paul Cronin’s choice to leave the cast led to the series being discontinued before these storylines could be explored. Filming wrapped up on 19 July 1982.

Logie Awards

During its first full year of production in 1978, The Sullivans secured five Logie Awards: Paul Cronin received Most Popular Australian Actor, Lorraine Bayly was honored as Most Popular Australian Actress, Michael Caton earned Best Sustained Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role, Vivean Gray won Best Sustained Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role, and the series took home Most Popular Australian Drama. The show maintained its hold on the drama category for two more consecutive years.

The John Sullivan Story

The John Sullivan Story, a 1979 television film spin-off from the original series, revealed what happened to John Sullivan during his unexplained absence on the show. It premiered simultaneously on GTV9 Melbourne and TCN9 Sydney on 5 August 1979. Although planned as the first installment in a series of character-focused films, only moderate viewership ratings led to cancellation of further projects, making it the only official TV movie spin-off linked to the series.

Premise

Following the sinking of his troopship in 1941, John Sullivan is rescued by Yugoslav Chetniks, whose leader Marko forces him to journey through Greek Macedonia to a village where he must serve as a doctor. There, he saves a Jewish girl named Nadia, with whom he falls in love.

Subsequently captured by the Gestapo, John manages to escape and encounters British Special Operations Executive (SOE) operatives Major Barrington and Captain Meg Fulton before joining the Partisans. Eventually, he departs from Yugoslavia.

Production

Alan Hardy, an executive at Crawfords, stated that this storyline was developed primarily to provide a rationale for Grace Sullivan’s exit following actress Lorraine Bayly’s wish to leave. Screenwriter Brian Wright crafted the plot depicting John surviving a shipwreck and recuperating with assistance from his mother. The narrative was adapted into a standalone TV movie that aired as part of the series’ programming. Director David Stevens cast Ronald Lewis in the lead role; Lewis arrived in poor health and delivered a lackluster performance before retiring from acting altogether.

Reception

The Logie Award for Best New Talent was bestowed upon Vera Plevnik in recognition of her performance.

International success

The show secured distribution deals across the United Kingdom, Ireland, and various parts of continental Europe, frequently airing during daytime slots. Its reach extended to more than 45 countries globally.

Actors

DVD releases

Initially, the first 26 episodes were made available on DVD in the Netherlands, featuring English audio paired with Dutch subtitles. By October 2016, the entire collection of 1,114 episodes had been released in Australia by Crawfords DVD (Region 0) spread over 23 volumes. Volume six includes an additional DVD containing the television film "The John Sullivan Story." In the United Kingdom (Region 2), volumes one through eight were issued between 2012 and 2014; since November 2015, all volumes have been distributed by Eaton Films Ltd, Crawfords' UK partner.

External links