13 March 1972 (1972-03-13) – 11 August 1977 (1977-08-11)
Number 96 is an Australian primetimesoap opera that aired on 0-10 Network (the forerunner of what is now Network Ten) from 13 March 1972 to 11 August 1977, broadcast in the primetime slot of 8:30 pm every weeknight.
The series was notable for breaking new ground introducing controversial subject matter. The premiere of the series was promoted heavily in media with newspaper advertisements that described it as "Tonight, Australian television loses its virginity"[1] and it followed the lives of residents living in a four-storey city apartment block at the fictional 96 Lindsay Street, Paddington.
The show was conceived by novelist David Sale (who also was a screenwriter, who worked on the series) and developed by production firm Cash Harmon Productions[1]the series was originally commissioned by the then flagging network to make a soap opera with similar elements to the British series "Coronation Street, but a little racier".
The show was a daring last-bid attempt from a network on the verge of bankruptcy, and its immediate success (and advertising revenue) helped it be more competitive and buy successful new international shows such as The Waltons and M*A*S*H. By 1974, on the back of the series, the network was number one in the ratings for the first time.[2]
Number 96 became one of the most popular Australian drama television series of its era, although because of its subject matter, was not picked up by many international markets. It was the world's first soap opera to screen in prime time five nights a week, and was the first Australian TV series to inspire a US remake.
History and milestones
Number 96 was known for its humour as well as its groundbreaking depictions of taboo subjects of the time, exploring issues such as homosexuality,[1] abortion,[1] rape,[1] interracial romance,[1] drug usage,[1] breast cancer[1] Pregnancy in later life[1] and transgenderism,[1] but also its array of comedy characters with their own catchphrases, in a nod to vaudeville.[1]
It was the first television program to feature a full range of LGBT characters,[3] although TV's first gay character was introduced the previous year in the US sitcom All in the Family when a friend of Archie Bunker's, (portrayed by Carroll O'Connor) known as "Steve" played by Phillip Carey came out as gay in an early episode "Judging Books By Covers". Sadly, Steve was never seen again.[4]
According to the publication The Great Clowns of American Television, comedian Ernie Kovacs was the first person to portray a gay character Percy Dovetonsils in his self-titled The Ernie Kovacs Show, although the term was not officially established at that time).[4]
The first regular gay character in the US debuted in 1972 with actor Vincent Schiavelli as Peter Panama in sitcom The Corner Bar, but he was short-lived and did not make it to a second series, with then-president of the New York-based Gay Activists Alliance calling it "the worst stereotype of a gay person I’ve ever seen."
[5]
Number 96 was actually the first TV show in the world to feature a regular gay character, lawyer Don Finlayson (Joe Hasham) and he became so popular, he was in the series from the first episode until the last. He was a good guy and straight-acting, and he had several gay relationships (and a few one night stands) over the course of the series.
Toni Lamond, played Karen Winters, was TV's first ever lesbian character. She was shown fondling and kissing the virginial Bev whilst she was sleeping under the effect of sleeping pills. Karen was later revealed to be a devil worshipper who wanted to sacrifice Bev to the devil during a Black Mass, a story-arc that was heavily censored [1]
The series also featured TV's first ever transgender character, and remarkably she was played by a transgender actress, cabaret performer Carlotta. Robyn Ross was romanced by Arnold Feather (Jeff Kevin), a comic character whose early romances always ended in disaster. Although the relationship did not last after her revelation, she was not dehumanised or made fun of.[3]
A second lesbian character, Marie Crowther, was played by Hazel Phillips but she left the series after ogling Vera Collins in the shower and told her affections would not be returned.
Photographer Bruce Taylor (Paul Weingott) was TV's first bisexual character. He was Don's first lover but was also having an affair with bitchy businesswoman Maggie Cameron. After Bruce fled, Don's most enduring relationship would be with hilariously camp and bisexual chef Dudley Butterfield (Chard Hayward). Don and Dudley lived together for over two years, and Dudley only moved out when he decided to become a ladies man, in sequences mostly played for comedy.
The Box, which aired after Number 96 from 1974, starred Judy Nunn as bisexual reporter Vicki Stafford. TV's first lesbian kissing scene, in the show's pilot episode, was between Vicki and Felicity (Helen Hemingway). Like Number 96, they had a gay character too, Lee Whiteman (Paul Karo) and together with Don Finlayson, they appeared on the cover of family magazine TV Times with a headline that said "The Gay Guys Are Great".[3]
Broadcasting and production
In 1972, Australian television featured many imported shows, primarily from the United States and the United Kingdom. Previously, local soaps Autumn Affair, The Story Of Peter Grey, and Motel were only mildly successful. Long-running ABC soap Bellbird was moderately popular in rural areas, but less so in city locales.
Bill Harmon and Don Cash had previously worked in New York at NBC, and became a partnership after arriving in Australia and producing adventure series The Rovers and a couple of unsuccessful films.[1]
Production of Number 96 started in October 1971. It was produced and recorded on videotape in monochrome for the first three years, and switched to colour production in late 1974. Many of the early black-and-white episodes no longer exist, due primarily to network policy of the time of destroying or wiping tape.
Producer Don Cash, used one of the world's first computers to figure out how the series could construct such a large output, this standard was later used on series created thereafter
The premise, original story outlines, and original characters were devised by series creator David Sale, who had also written for the TV comedy satire series The Mavis Bramston Show. Sale also wrote the scripts for the first episodes of Number 96 and continued as a script writer and storyliner for much of the show's run.
A building at 83 Moncur Street, Woollahra, was used for exterior establishing shots of the block of flats. The majority of the recording was done on sets at the studios of Channel Ten based then in North Ryde, Sydney.
Directors included Peter Benardos[1] and Brian Phillis.[1] Regular writers included David Sale, Johnny Whyte, who was the series final script editor, Susan Swinford, Dick Barry, Michael Laurence, Lynn Foster,[1]Ken Shadie and Eleanor Witcombe.
Controversial Stories
Early black-and-white episode featuring semiregular Thelma Scott as Claire Houghton and her on-screen daughter Bev Houghton, played by Abigail
Number 96 became infamous for its groundbreaking adult storylines and nudity, its comedy characters, and controversial storylines including teenage drug addiction and a black mass conducted by devil worshippers. Whodunits included a panty snatcher (dubbed the Knicker Snipper), the Pantyhose Strangler, the Hooded Rapist, and a bomb that exploded killing off four characters.[1]
A story where Rose Godolfus (Vivienne Garrett) took marijuana was the first time the Australian Broadcasting Control Board exercised the 101 censorship code, insisting that Rose must be shown to suffer from its effects.[1]
However, a few years later, at the request of NSW Police, a heroin drug storyline was explored with 15-year-old schoolgirl Debbie Chester (Dina Mann). She was seen being taught how to inject heroin with a needle, in a storyline designed to warn parents how easy it was to do.[1]
The first shock moment involved heavily pregnant Helen Eastwood (Briony Behets) finding her husband Mark (Martin Harris) in their bed with Rose Godolfus (in what was TV's first topless nude scene until censors ordered it to be cut). Helen ran out, fell down the stairs and miscarried, while Rose was later gang-raped by bikies. Later, doctor Gordon Vansard (Joe James) was struck off the books for providing drugs for an illegal abortion, while his wife Sonia (Lynn Rainbow) suffered from mental delusions, leaving but then returning for the film version of Number 96.
An early interracial kiss occurred between character Chad Farrell, played by Ronne Arnold, and Sonia (Lynn Rainbow), and this storyline was said to have made the show unable to be sold to the US. International networks could cut out the nudity, but the interracial romances and homosexual themes were too frequent to be censored.
A later interracial romance saw Indigenous actress Justine Saunders playing hairdresser Rhonda Jackson. She had an affair with Dudley (Chard Hayward) but was secretly in love with Arnold (Jeff Kevin) and the actress became the first Aboriginal woman to appear on the cover of TV Week while publicising this role. [1]
The final year of Number 96 featured the reintroduction of sexual situations with more extreme nudity, and increasingly violent situations. Carol Raye, who played Amanda and stayed on behind the scenes to do casting, had left and creator David Sale also quit in its final months, concerned about the show's change in direction.
Don and Dudley had split; Don's new boyfriend was Rob Forsyth (John McTernan) and then corrupt cult leader Joshua (Shane Porteous). The show's final months saw Dudley being graphically machine-gunned to death in the Wine Bar (now a disco called Duddles), and a nazi bike gang ran amok in a storyline that upset real life bikers.
The boldest move in the show's final months saw Number 96 embark upon on the most explicit nudity ever to be seen on Australian TV. Number 96 had shown a brief full frontal flash in November 1976 when a nurse fled a burning flat, but the arrival of a delusional psychiatric patient who didn't like wearing clothes was on a whole other level. Miss Hemingway's (Deborah Gray) extensive topless and full frontal nudity sequences over 21 episodes, however, attracted just three complaints despite being screened on free to air TV at 8.30 pm.
Other bedroom farce sequences featured male and female nudity. A scene where Jane Chester becomes a prostitute and is asked to whip her male client, new Number 96 resident Toby Buxton (Malcolm Thompson), featured a brief glimpse of his full frontal male nudity.
These changes were made to combat falling viewing figures, but it didn't work and in July 1977 the series was cancelled due to declining ratings. Joe Hasham, Pat McDonald and Ron Shand were the only original cast members to remain to the final episode.[1]
Actors highlighted in blue are original cast members.[1]
Note: Number 96, featured more than 100 cast members, and the ensuing list is a selection only of more prominent only.[1]
The TV series launched the TV career of Abigail, who played the first incarnation of character Beverley Houghton and was billed as a sex symbol
The series featured over 100 performers, including screenwriter and technicians. Many upcoming performers where given the opportunity in the industry to develop their performances, whilst an alumnus of the showbiz world made guest appearances
as Mrs. Daisy Carson (regular deli customer/one line extra)[1]
Numerous stars wanted to appear in guest roles, even racing identity Gai Waterhouse, who unsuccessfully auditioned after completing a drama course in England. Also suggested was a young Bryan Brown (although having been in England he had acquired a British accent, and was considered unsuitable by producer Bill Harmon, even though he hailed from Parramatta).[1]
Visit by Royalty
The Duke and Duchess of Bedford visited the set and appeared in a cameo in the series, in a storyline in which they come to visit Baroness Amanda von Pappenburg (played by Carol Raye).[1]
Series background
Gordon McDougall as Les Whittaker
The series became famous for every episode ending in a cliffhanger and they were the first to do a summer cliffhanger, where the cliffhangers would be ramped up with every character in peril over the six week break the show took for the summer hiatis. In 1972, it was the car crash of Gordon (Joe James) and in 1973, Bev (Victoria Raymond) was shot. In 1974, Patti (Pamela Garrick) was the shock second victim of the Pantyhose Strangler, but in 1975, instead of a death, it was the mysterious resurrection of Jaja (Anya Saleky) who was thought to be dead. For its last summer cliffhanger, a drunk Herb (Ron Shand) was seen leaving Sydney on a train with a mystery blonde out to rob him.
During 1974, the series shifted its emphasis from sexual situations and drama to focus more on comedy. After the introduction of colour TV in 1975, ratings went into decline as its audience began switching over to bigger budget American shows (that year the show was only the third highest-rated show of the year, behind The Six Million Dollar Man and repeats of Bewitched. A bold new storyline was devised to revitalise the series and in an unprecedented move, 40 complete scripts were discarded and rewritten. The Number 96 set was sealed off to non-essential personnel with a new storyline involving a mysterious figure planting bombs, with several false alarms. The dramatic storyline was intended to draw back viewers and to provide a mechanism to quickly write out several existing characters in a bid to freshen up the cast of characters and revamp the storylines.
On Friday 5 September 1975, a planted bomb exploded in the delicatessen, destroying it and the adjacent wine bar, which was crowded with customers. The sequence was filmed on a Saturday because the studio was empty, and real gelignite was used, resulting in the studio doors being blown off their hinges.
The makers of the show made a bold move, killing off several long-running cast favourite's which were revealed on the front page of newspapers on Monday 8 September 1975. They included Les (Gordon McDougall), Aldo and Roma Godolfus (Johnny Lockwood and Philippa Baker), and then revealing scheming Maggie Cameron (Bettina Welch) as the bomber and sending her off to prison. Maggie wanted to scare residents into moving so she could sell the building. Despite massive publicity, the bomb-blast storyline resulted in only a temporary boost to the program's ratings, but it did provide material for future storyline's, particularly with the trial of Maggie Cameron.
In October, Lucy and Alf Sutcliffe (played by original cast members Elisabeth Kirkby and James Elliott) were also written out of the series. New younger characters were added to the show, most of whom didn't last out the series. Two that did were teenage sisters Debbie and Jane Chester (Dina Mann and Suzanne Church). They became orphans when their parents were taken by a shark in an obvious nod to shark film Jaws. Other enduring characters among the high cast turnover of the later period were new blonde sex-symbol Jaja Gibson (Anya Saleky), and Giovanni Lenzi (Harry Michaels), an exuberant Italian who worked in the deli.
1976 saw another whodunnit storyline with the Hooded Rapist, and there was now an increase in location shooting, including Moncur Street, Woollahra (outside the building used in the credits), local parks, Chinatown, and Luna Park.[6]
Series format
The first episode began with an exterior shot of the building with moving vans being unloaded while Herb and Dorrie are heard having an argument. Each subsequent episode began with an exterior shot of the building while audio from the previous episode's final scene could be heard. The shot would zoom in on the apartment in which that scene occurred, or remain unchanged, as the show's title was displayed. The vision would then switch to the scene in question as a recap of the previous episode's cliffhanger.
The series was broadcast as five half-hour episodes each week for its first four years. From the beginning of 1976 episodes were broadcast as two one-hour episodes each week in most areas. However, from an internal perspective episodes continued to be written and compiled in half-hour instalments.
Film adaptation
Number 96 was adapted into a feature film in 1974 and titled Number 96. The feature film opened with Vera being gang-raped by bikies just before the opening titles. When asked why he chose to start the movie like this, (David Sale) quipped "I wanted people to know they were in the right cinema."
One of its major drawcards was it being a full-colour production, unlike the series which was still broadcasting in monochrome. It had the same creative team and mostly the same cast as the series. Although it received mostly negative reviews, audiences lined up George Street to gain a seat on opening day. It earned nearly A$2.8 million on a A$100,000 budget, and was the most profitable Australian movie ever made at that time. It became the 5th highest grossing Australian movie of the 1970s. Film critics, unfamiliar with the TV series, were amazed that each character received a round of applause from the audience when they made their first appearance.[1]
Final night
The final episode ended with a reunion curtain call of popular cast members past and present. A week after the airing of the final episode in Sydney, a televised public auction of props and costumes from the series was held in the grounds of Channel Ten.
Cultural impact and reception
Number 96 was rated number 9 in the 2005 television special 50 Years 50 Shows, which counted down Australia's greatest television programs.
McKenzie Wark wrote in Celebrities, Culture and Cyberspace (published by Pluto Press, 1999): "Once, when I was a kid, I was walking down a suburban street at night, when I noticed a rhythmic flickering of light from inside the houses. Though screened from view by the drawn curtains, the lights from a row of separate houses were all pulsing in time, and then I heard the music and I knew everyone was watching the same show ... Number 96."[1]
John Singleton wrote: "When Shakespeare was writing his plays, people queued up for Shakespeare. Today, they're queuing up for Number 96, so in my opinion Number 96 is today's Shakespeare."[1]
Phillip Adams, from newspaper The Age, wrote: "I believe that television serials provide a surrogate sense of community and that many viewers are more involved in Number 96 than they are in their own community."[1]
Number 96 was the first Australian soap opera/serial to gain a significant cult following, prior to the network's internationally successful series Prisoner.[1] It led to huge merchandise such as tie-in novels and magazines, singles and LP records from cast members, a disco soundtrack album, a Family Circle cookbook with an iron-on T-shirt transfer, the 1974 feature film Number 96, and a 1980 American remake.
When the series started. its cast was one of the largest ever assembled for a local production. When it ended after 1218 episodes, it was the longest-running soap opera produced in Australia, having surpassed the ABC series Bellbird. Number 96 was surpassed by The Young Doctors in 1982.
At the series' height, The New York Times stated it was the highest-rated program of its kind in the world.[1]
When the stars travelled from Sydney to Melbourne via train overnight to attend the Logie Awards ceremony, they were mobbed at country stations along the way during wild whistle stops. The crowds waiting in Melbourne was bigger than those that met The Beatles during their only Australian tour in 1964.[1]
Whilst the program was extremely popular in Australia, its risqué subject matter and storylines meant it could not sell into any overseas markets. The show was written up in Time magazine, but it could never have screened in the United States, because of its nudity, homosexuality, and interracial romances.[1]
The series was based during the era of mass (white) emigration to Australia, and its multicultural cast included characters who were Jewish Hungarian, South African, Indian, and a British couple that included a "whinging Pom". It included veteran actors from Australia, mainly from the early days of radio and stage. As theatre had been their preferred form of entertainment, many stars, such as Wendy Blacklock, were reluctant to go into a TV serial, but once she got there, she remained until the final episode.[1]
The series, although originally based on elements of Coronation Street, which screened twice a week, was later likened more to US serial Peyton Place, which at its peak had three half-hour episodes a week. Neither show could match the Australian's prestigious output of five half-hour episodes a week, and screening all year except for a six-week break over summer.[1]
Controversies
The show attracted many complaints. The Australian Broadcasting Control Board repeatedly sanctioned the network. To keep the series on air, each episode was previewed to ensure it complied with control board guidelines. Sometimes, offending scenes were cut from the episode after its Sydney airing and were not seen when episode screened elsewhere. Consequently, the first episodes feature cuts and screen blackouts. Paperwork about the offensive material, which includes most of the Black Mass, survives with the National Film and Sound Archive, but the actual reel of footage has never been found. Eventually, due to the show's popularity, the control board relaxed its restrictions and stopped previewing episodes. By the time the show was winding up in 1977, nobody seemed to be checking its output, which was far racier than anything that had been dared in its early years when it was under constant surveillance.
Awards
In addition to the four Logies won by cast member Pat McDonald during her run with the show, Number 96 won both the "Raw Prawn" award in 1976 for Worst Drama, and "Best Drama" Logies in 1974, 1975, and 1976. Actor Bunney Brooke won the "Best Actress" Logie Award for her work as Flo in 1975.[7]
The series cast became stars in Australia and had their own Number 96 passenger train, specially designed for cast and crew travel, which for the show's first few years they would take the train from Sydney to Melbourne for the annual TV Week Logie Awards in a silver multicarriaged train with the commissioner's carriage hooked up at the rear for VIPs. This train was specially organised by publicity director Tom Greer. The 16-hour overnight journey left from the centre of Sydney at 4:30 pm with a farewell party, complete with red carpet and jazz band in attendance; it featured whistle stops at country sidings and saw thousands of people turn out to see their favourite stars, before it arrived at Spencer Street station. These whistle stops were all beamed back by television stations and went live to air. The rail service of the time was keen to promote its overnight tourism packages, and for the journey, the train was christened as the Spirit of 96.[1]
A humorous story, as told by Greer, was the engagement of a piano player (the outrageous John McDonald) to entertain the cast on the train on the way to Melbourne. John could only play upright pianos. The railways rang and said they could not get the upright around the passageway corners of the train so it would be impossible to get it on board. Greer demanded it be put on the train somehow even if it meant dismantling the piano and putting it back together – "key by key". In desperation, engineers arrived and took off the side of the carriage, loaded the piano on with a forklift, before replacing the carriage wall. The train used green steam locomotive number 3801, which frequently operated the Spirit of Progress train service between Sydney and Melbourne.
Merchandise
Eight paperback novelisations (1972–74) were sold under the Arkon [8] imprint by Angus & Robertson. Some of these were credited to "Marina Campbell", a pseudonym of Anne Harrax.[9] An original novel, 96 (Cover title: Number 96), was published by Stag in 1976.[10]
In 1975, the Number 96 Cookbook was released in Australia by publisher Pacific Magazines (Family Circle)]; it featured photographs and recipes from eight members of the cast.[11]
The series celebrated 1,000 episodes in 1976 with a compilation special, Number 96: And They Said It Wouldn't Last, which reviewed the show's most famous story lines and recounted the exploits of its departed main characters. And They Said It Wouldn't Last was repeated at the start of 1977 with a new ending presented by Dina Mann. It is featured on the first DVD release, along with a new documentary that covered the show's final 200 episodes.
International screenings
Cast members were amazed to learn the show briefly screened overseas. Cast member Bettina Welch reported seeing it dubbed in Italy, but this was never confirmed. Despite a short late-night run in Toronto, Canada, on edgy network Citytv, the content was too explicit for any US and UK television network. An attempt to sell the show at Cannes TV Festival in 1975 by using a topless model backfired when British newspaper Daily Mirror reported it got "a swift 'No Entry' sign" from their broadcasters the BBC and ATV."[12]
Maggie Cameron portrayed by Bettina Welch
American version
In 1980, a short-lived US remake of the same name on NBC retained the comedy, but toned down the sexual elements of the series. The series was launched over three consecutive nights, from 10 to 12 December. US television and TV Guide promotions for the series used advertising hyperbole, suggesting that the series had been "banned in Australia". The nudity and racy content of the original series were not present in the remake; it probably would not have been allowed in the US due to censorship standards there, so the US version only hinted at the sexual content that had been on display in the original. The US version of Number 96 was quickly cancelled due to low ratings. The US show was finally aired in parts of Australia in 1986.
From 4 February 1980, TEN-10 in Sydney commenced repeating the series at midnight Mondays through Thursdays, starting from episode 585, the first episode fully produced in colour.[13] In 1994, Network Ten repeated the 1976 special And They Said It Wouldn't Last with a new introduction by Abigail.
In November 1996, Network Ten screened a re-run of Number 96: The Movie.
Though the complete run of colour episodes (585–1218) survive, the National Film and Sound Archive retains only 19 of the first 584 black-and-white episodes. The rest were lost when the show switched to colour, with the master tapes wiped by the network for re-use, or made into a "foyer display". The first three weeks (episodes 1–15), episodes 31–35 and two episodes from the 1974 black and white episodes (episodes 450 and 534) survive. With the exception of episodes 11, 12, 14, 15 and 534, all available black-and-white episodes have been released on DVD, along with Number 96: The Movie and the 1974 and 1975 episodes 649–712, 832–847. As of March 2022, 96 of 1218 episodes have been released in some form, with 560 episodes presumed lost.
Home media
Number 96: The Movie was released in a 2-disc collectors edition on Region 4 on DVD by Umbrella Entertainment, who subsequently released three volumes of episodes across 4 discs each. Number 96: The Movie was also included the compilation Ozploitation: Volume 4 with five other Australian exploitation films.
audio commentary by Elaine Lee (Vera), creator David Sale and TV commentator Andrew Mercado
original draft screenplay (DVD-ROM)
And They Said It Wouldn't Last, a 1976 documentary special celebrating the show's 1000th episode, with an introduction by Abigail from 1994
The Final Years, a 2006 documentary covering the last 218 episodes, with interviews with Elaine Lee (Vera), Sheila Kennelly (Norma), Wendy Blacklock (Edie), Deborah Gray (Miss Hemingway), David Sale and Andrew Mercado
archive footage of the cast's Spirit of 96 train journey to attended the 1975 Logies in Melbourne
Number 96: The Pantyhose Strangler
32
August 30, 2008
episodes 649–680 (which originally aired from Nov 8, 1974 to Jan 27, 1975)[15]
audio commentary by Chantal Contouri (Tracey) and Andrew Mercado
archive footage of the announcement of the 2006 DVD release aired on Network Ten News
stills gallery
Number 96: Aftermath of Murder
32
March 13, 2010
episodes 681–712 (which originally aired from Jan 28 to March 12, 1975)[16]
The Australian Way: A Salute to Aussie Sex Appeal, a 1982 television special hosted by Good Morning Australia's host Gordon Elliott and Joanna Lockwood in a clip segment that features Abigail as a special guest.
1976 "Adults Only" television promo for And They Said It Wouldn't Last
archive footage of the announcement of the 2008 DVD release aired on Network Ten News, includes reunion between Chantal Contouri (Tracey) and Pamela Garrick (Patti)
Number 96: The Beginning and the Bomb
32
March 13, 2012
episodes 1–10, 13, 31, 33–35 (which originally aired between March 13 to April 27, 1972)
^Clarske, David and Steve Samuelson. 50 Years: Celebrating a Half-Century of Australian Television, Random House: Milsons Point, NSW, 2006. ISBN1-74166-024-6 pp. 151–60
