| The Box | |
|---|---|
| Genre | soap opera |
| Starring | George Mallaby Peter Regan Fred 'Cul' Cullen Belinda Giblin Barrie Barkla Helen Hemingway Judy Nunn Paul Karo Ken James Monica Maughan Kay McFeeter Graeme Blundell Briony Behets Fred Betts Ken Snodgrass Lois Ramsay. |
| Country of origin | Australia |
| Language(s) | English |
| No. of series | 4 |
| Production | |
| Running time | 30-60 minutes |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | Network Ten |
| Picture format | Black and White (1974) PAL (1975-1977) |
| Audio format | Stereo |
| Original run | 11 February 1974 – 1 April 1977 |
The Box was an Australian soap opera than ran on Network Ten from 11 February 1974 until 1 April 1977.
The Box was produced by Crawford Productions who at the time was having great success producing police procedural television series in Australia. The Box was Crawford's first soap opera, and was launched as a reaction to the enormous success of adult soap opera Number 96.
The Box was a drama set in fictional television station UCV-12. It featured elements that satirised the Australian television industry. Characters in the series were said to be modelled on Australian television figures of the day, and many self referential elements featured. Like Number 96 the series was famous for its adult storylines, frequent nude glimpses, and sexual content.
Contents |
The initial episodes emphasised sex, scandal, and the political machinations of station personnel. The first episode showed a sexy young woman named Felicity (played by 20 year old Helen Hemingway) seduce a male TV compere. Felicity later claimed to be a 15-year-old schoolgirl, but it was eventually learned she was actually over 18. She later posed for a nude centerfold with a male action-hero TV actor, and was seduced by a scheming female journalist. This seduction featured Australian TV's first ever lesbian kiss.
The journalist in question was Vicki Stafford (Judy Nunn) who emerged as a popular character in the series. The show also featured an openly-gay television producer, the flamboyant Lee Whiteman (Paul Karo), and gossipy tea lady Mrs Hopkins (Lois Ramsey).
Along with constructing characters modelled on real-life Australian television figures of the day, The Box presented various fictional programs produced by UCV-12 that commented-on real-life Australian programs. Troubled action drama Manhunt with its accident-prone star Tony Wild (Ken James) was much like the police series produced by Crawfords at that time. Variety program Big Night Out was an In Melbourne Tonight style production, and later the medical drama Mercy Flight seemed connected to early Australian series The Flying Doctor (1959).
Production commenced at the studios of ATV-0 (now ATV-10) in October 1973. The first episode screened on ATV-0 on 11 February 1974 at 9.00pm. The program was initially shot in black and white, before switching to colour production in late 1974.
Initially The Box proved a huge hit, ranking as Australia's second most popular show in 1974. Thereafter the series toned-down the more controversial elements and more comic notes appeared.
Production of the series was in half-hour episodes for the first two years. In some regions two episodes were aired consecutively in one-hour blocks. Other regions broadcast the serial as five half hour installments each week, stripped across each weekday evening. Starting with the 1976 season, episodes were compiled in one hour installments.
A feature film of the same name was produced in colour in January 1975 featuring much the same cast as the series at that time. The film also featured Graham Kennedy playing himself, and Cornelia Frances in the key role of Dr S M Winter, an efficiency expert brought in to improve operations at UCV-12. Robin Ramsay played Winter's assistant Bruce. Marilyn Vernon as starlet Ingrid O'Toole, and Leonie Bradley, credited as "Nature Girl", provided nude glimpses. Keith Lee played Price, and Robert Forza appeared as Channel 12's clapper loader. The film was shot on 35 mm on new sets at Crawford Productions' Abbotsford studios. It was released in August 1975.
The series continued after the film, and soon the film's sets were moved to the television studios to be used in the series. In the show's storyline an office fire in October 1975 explained the change in appearance.
In Melbourne episodes screened as two, one-hour episodes each week throughout 1976.
Production on the series ended 1 April 1977 due to declining ratings and the closing episodes screened through 1977 in a late-night timeslot.
The original cast was: George Mallaby, Peter Regan, Fred 'Cul' Cullen, Belinda Giblin, Barrie Barkla, Helen Hemingway, Judy Nunn, Paul Karo, Ken James, Monica Maughan, Kay McFeeter, Graeme Blundell, Briony Behets, Fred Betts, Ken Snodgrass, Lois Ramsay.
Later cast additions included Lynda Keane, Vanessa Leigh, Delvene Delaney, Luigi Villani, Tracy Mann, Jill Forster, John Stanton, Geraldine Turner, Davina Whitehouse, Syd Heylen, Tony Barry, Cheryl Rixon, Tristan Rogers, Noni Hazelhurst, Barbara Llewellyn, Anne Louise Lambert, Maurie Fields, Don Barker, Penny Downie, Christine Broadway, Ross Skiffington, Gary Day, Tom Richards.
Key writers for the early episodes included Tom Hegarty, Don Battye and Jonathan Dawson.