Whiplash (TV series)
| Company type | Television series |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television production |
| Founded | 1959 |
| Headquarters | Sydney , Australia |
| Products | Television series |
| Parent | ITC Entertainment, Seven Network, ATV |
Whiplash is a television series from Britain and Australia, categorized within the Australian Western genre. It was a joint production involving the Seven Network, ATV, and ITC Entertainment, featuring Peter Graves in the lead role. Filming took place between 1959 and 1960, with the series debuting in the United Kingdom in September 1960, followed by its Australian premiere in February 1961.
Overview
The narrative is set against the backdrop of the Australian gold rushes during the 1850s and draws inspiration from Freeman Cobb, who established the stagecoach enterprise Cobb and Co. Nevertheless, neither the characters nor the plotlines are accurate portrayals of Freeman Cobb or his company’s operations.
The series was conceived by writers Michael Noonan and Michael Plant, with production led by Maurice Geraghty and Ben Fox at Sydney’s Artransa Studios, a facility owned by ATV. The post-production phase was conducted in the United Kingdom. Story editing responsibilities were handled by Michael Plant alongside Ralph Peterson.
Cast and characters
Associate producer and director John Meredyth Lucas highlighted the difficulties encountered in casting, primarily due to concerns about strong Australian accents. Consequently, many actors selected had backgrounds in radio. Upon returning to the United States in 1960, lead actor Graves also commented on the scarcity of suitable performers.
Main cast
- Peter Graves portraying Christopher Cobb
- Anthony Wickert as Dan Ledward
At that time, Peter Graves was chiefly recognized for his role in the television Western Fury.
Episode list
The listed original broadcast dates correspond to ATV London; scheduling varied across different ITV regions in both timing and sequence.
Production numbers align with the order presented in the Network DVD booklet.
Development
Michael Noonan, known for creating the British-Australian series The Flying Doctor, developed Whiplash as another international collaboration. The project was largely funded by Lew Grade’s ITC Productions to appeal to worldwide audiences, which led to key creative positions being occupied by American personnel. Post-production took place in the UK. Co-production partners included Australia's Artransa Park Studios and Britain's ATV.
Filming
Principal photography commenced in October 1959 at Artransa Park Studios located in Frenchs Forest, Sydney, supplemented by location shoots around Scone and other sites. Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald, Graves contrasted Whiplash with typical American Westerns filmed near Hollywood, emphasizing its novel Australian landscapes that would attract international viewers, describing it more as a romantic adventure than a traditional Western.
Lucas later reflected on difficulties arising from an inexperienced Australian crew combined with differing expectations among international collaborators. After completing six episodes, there was a reshuffle of the production team: Ben Fox assumed the role of producer while Leslie Harris became executive producer. Filming recommenced on 4 March 1960 with an estimated budget of £650,000.
In May 1960, a group of 22 cast and crew members traveled to Alice Springs for ten days of on-location filming at iconic sites such as Ayers Rock, the MacDonnell Ranges, and Ormiston Gorge. By this stage, ten episodes had been finalized and sold to ATN Channel 7. Producer Fox noted significant interest from television networks in both America and Britain for acquiring the series.
Music
The series' theme was composed by Edwin Astley and performed by Frank Ifield.
Incidental music
Additional score contributions were made by Edwin Astley alongside Albert Elms.
Broadcast
In 1961, it debuted as one of the inaugural twelve shows on Canada's newly launched CTV, standing out as the sole program produced in Australia.
Home media
On 7 December 2009, Network issued a five-DVD box set for Region 2.
Timeless Media Group followed with a four-disc Region 1 collection featuring all 34 episodes, released on 18 September 2012.
| DVD title | Format | Episodes | Discs | Region 1 (USA) | Region 2 (UK) | Region 4 (Australia) | Special Features | Distributor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whiplash: The Complete Series | DVD | 34 | 5 | 7 December 2009 | Extensive Image Galleries, PDF materials | |||
| Whiplash - The Complete Series | DVD | 34 | 4 | 18 September 2012 | None | Timeless Media Group | ||
| Whiplash - The Complete Series | DVD | 34 | 4 | 19 June 2024 | Image Gallery | Via Vision Entertainment |