Certain Women
Encyclopedia
Certain Women was an Australian television
soap opera
created by prominent Australian TV dramatist Tony Morphett
and produced by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
between 1973 and 1976.
The idea for series reportedly grew out of Morphett's frustration with the lack of good roles for female actors on Australian TV at the time. The series premiered as a six-part mini-series, with each episode dealing with a different member of the Stone/Lucas family: Gillian (Elisabeth Crosby), Marjorie (Judy Morris
), Helen (Jenny Lee), Jane (Joan Bruce), Freda (June Salter
) and Dolly (Queenie Ashton
). The mini-series proved to be so popular that the format was revised into an ongoing series, making the transition from black-and-white to colour episodes along the way.
Other cast members in the series included Christine Amor
, Diane Craig
, Anne Haddy
, Shane Porteous
, Ron Graham
, Peter Sumner
, Kris McQuade
, Betty Lucas
, Vincent Ball
, Brian Wenzel
, Carmen Duncan
, Jack Fegan
, Bruce Spence
, Sigrid Thornton
, John Stanton, Kate Fitzpatrick
and Charles Tingwell
.
According to a 1999 article by Bob Ellis
(whose wife Anne Brooksbank wrote for the series), almost all of the episodes of Certain Women were subsequently wiped by the ABC, although episodes were still being shown as late as 1981 on British television. This was done as part of an ongoing economy drive in the 1970s which led to the wholesale erasure of videotaped program segments, whole programs and in some cases entire series.
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
created by prominent Australian TV dramatist Tony Morphett
Tony Morphett
Tony Morphett , is a writer.Tony Morphett has written or co-written seven feature films, ten telemovies, twelve miniseries, and some hundreds of episodes of TV series drama as well as devising or co-devising seven TV series...
and produced by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
between 1973 and 1976.
The idea for series reportedly grew out of Morphett's frustration with the lack of good roles for female actors on Australian TV at the time. The series premiered as a six-part mini-series, with each episode dealing with a different member of the Stone/Lucas family: Gillian (Elisabeth Crosby), Marjorie (Judy Morris
Judy Morris
Judy Morris is an Australian actress, film director and screenwriter, well known for the variety of roles she played in 54 different television shows and films, but most recently for co-writing a musical epic about the life of penguins in Antarctica which became Happy Feet, Australia's largest...
), Helen (Jenny Lee), Jane (Joan Bruce), Freda (June Salter
June Salter
June Marie Salter AM was an Australian actress.-Biography:June Salter was born in Bexley, New South Wales, the youngest of six children. As a child she studied piano and elocution and attended Kogarah Secondary School...
) and Dolly (Queenie Ashton
Queenie Ashton
Edith "Queenie" Ashton AM was an English-born Australian soprano and character actress who had a long career primarily on radio, although she was also a renowned theatre actress, who also added television and film performances to her impressive repertoire...
). The mini-series proved to be so popular that the format was revised into an ongoing series, making the transition from black-and-white to colour episodes along the way.
Other cast members in the series included Christine Amor
Christine Amor
Christine Amor is an Australian actress mostly remembered for her television work.She has acted extensively in television guest roles and in Australian film starting in 1973. Film roles include Alvin Purple , Petersen , Snapshot...
, Diane Craig
Diane Craig
Diane Mary Craig is an actress born in County Down, Northern Ireland but who is best known for her performances on Australian television....
, Anne Haddy
Anne Haddy
Anne Haddy was an Australian film and television actress, best known for her role in the long-running soap opera, Neighbours.-Early and personal life:...
, Shane Porteous
Shane Porteous
John Shane Porteous is an Australian television character actor, TV screenplay scriptwriter, theatre actor, animation layout artist, and animation voice artist.-Biography:...
, Ron Graham
Ron Graham
Ron Graham may refer to:*Ronald Graham , American mathematician*Ronald Graham , RAF Air Vice-Marshal*Ron Graham , Australian actor*Ronny Graham , American actor-See also:...
, Peter Sumner
Peter Sumner
Peter Sumner is an Australian actor, director, and writer. He was born Peter Sumner-Potts in Sydney, Australia.His credits include parts in such films as Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope and Ned Kelly, as well as a starring role in television series Spyforce...
, Kris McQuade
Kris McQuade
Kris McQuade is an Australian actress who has had many film, television and theatre roles.Her film credits include: The Love Letters from Teralba Road, Kostas, Fighting Back, Lonely Hearts, Goodbye Paradise, The Coca-Cola Kid, Strictly Ballroom, Billy's Holiday and December Boys.Television credits...
, Betty Lucas
Betty Lucas
Betty Lucas is an Australian actress, best known for her roles on television. She played prominent roles in Prisoner as Clara Goddard in 1979, Taurus Rising as Faith Drysdale in 1982, and Richmond Hill as Mavis Roberts in 1988....
, Vincent Ball
Vincent Ball
Vincent Ball is an Australian actor who has worked both in Australia and in the United Kingdom....
, Brian Wenzel
Brian Wenzel
Brian Wenzel is an Australian character actor, most famous for his long run as Police Sergeant Frank Gilroy on television program A Country Practice. He was an original cast member and remained along with Shane Porteous through the entire series, winning a Silver Logie for the role...
, Carmen Duncan
Carmen Duncan
Carmen Joan Duncan is an Australian actress.-Biography:Carmen Duncan is known to Australian audiences as a character actress in films and on television...
, Jack Fegan
John Fegan (actor)
John 'Jack' Fegan was an Australian film and television actor. He appeared in many Australian films and television shows in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, including the long running series Homicide as Inspector Jack Connolly. He was born in Belfast, Ireland.Fegan grew up in the Falls Road area of...
, Bruce Spence
Bruce Spence
Bruce Spence, born September 17, 1945 is an actor, having spent most of his career performing in Australia. Bruce attended Henderson High School in West Auckland....
, Sigrid Thornton
Sigrid Thornton
Sigrid Thornton is an Australian multi-award winning actress.-Early years:Thornton was born in Canberra, the daughter of Merle, a teacher of women's studies and writer, and Neil Thornton, an academic. She spent most of her formative years growing up and attending school at St. Peter's Lutheran...
, John Stanton, Kate Fitzpatrick
Kate Fitzpatrick
Kate Fitzpatrick is an Australian-based television, film and theatre actress.-Career:...
and Charles Tingwell
Charles Tingwell
In 1941, aged 18, he volunteered for war service overseas with the Royal Australian Air Force. Under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, personnel from Commonwealth air forces were part of a joint training and assignment system. Consequently, Tingwell trained as a pilot in Canada during 1942...
.
According to a 1999 article by Bob Ellis
Bob Ellis
Bob Ellis is an Australian writer, journalist, film-maker and political commentator. He was a student at the University of Sydney at the same time as other notable Australians including Clive James, Germaine Greer, Les Murray, John Bell, Ken Horler, and Mungo McCallum...
(whose wife Anne Brooksbank wrote for the series), almost all of the episodes of Certain Women were subsequently wiped by the ABC, although episodes were still being shown as late as 1981 on British television. This was done as part of an ongoing economy drive in the 1970s which led to the wholesale erasure of videotaped program segments, whole programs and in some cases entire series.