OMC Eps

CLASSIC AUSTRALIAN TELEVISION

OUR MAN IN CANBERRA
OUR MAN IN THE COMPANY
EPISODE DETAILS

OUR MAN IN CANBERRA OUR MAN IN THE COMPANY FEATURE ARTICLE HOME INTERVIEWS CHRONOLOGICAL OVERVIEW F.A.Q. LINKS EXPLANATION OF EPISODE GUIDE TERMS	OUR MAN IN CANBERRA EPISODES: 4, including pilot. LENGTH: 30 mins. FORMAT: Mono, Video / film integration. PRODUCTION: 1971 - 1972 ABC Production, Sydney. RUNNING ORDER: Official. NETWORK: ABC. CAST: Humphrey Sullivan M.H.R........JEFF ASHBY Kate Sullivan.......KATY WILD The Minister.......WALTER SULLIVAN Mrs. Wheeler.......DOLORE WHITEMAN Turner.......BENITA COLLINGS Max (barman).......LEX MITCHELL Anderson (pub 'philosopher').......GRAHAM ROUSE CREW: Producer.......BILL MUNRO Executive Producer.......ALAN MORRIS Scripts.......JOHN O'GRADY Devised by.......JOHN O’GRADY OUR MAN IN THE COMPANY EPISODES: 15. LENGTH: 30 mins. FORMAT: Mono, Video / film integration. PRODUCTION: ABC Production, Sydney. 1973 (series 1), 1974 (series 2). RUNNING ORDER: Airdate. NETWORK: ABC. CAST: Humphrey Sullivan B.A........JEFF ASHBY Kate Sullivan.......KATY WILD The Director.......WALTER SULLIVAN Mrs. Ena Wheeler.......DOLORE WHITEMAN Turner.......BENITA COLLINGS Pub 'philosopher' 1.......LEX MITCHELL Pub 'philosopher' 2.......GRAHAM ROUSE Support: Clayton.......TONY INGERSENT CREW: Scripts.......JOHN O'GRADY	EPISODE TITLES OUR MAN IN CANBERRA ~. Our Man In Canberra Pilot episode 1. Ministerial Vacancy 2. Censorship 3. Old Age Pensions OUR MAN IN THE COMPANY Series 1 1. Vacancy On The Board 2. Never Let It Be Said 3. A Row Of Dots 4. Principle And Interest 5. Scarlet Woman 6. Let Women Go Free 7. Rural Crisis Series 2 8. Carnival Night In Lumpy's Flat 9. Never Dance With A Man In Shiny Shoes 10. Sweet Fanny Adams 11. Two In One 12. Favour For A Friend 13. Red Alert 14. Follow The Leader 15. Poor Little Thing Katy Wild.
	OUR MAN IN CANBERRA ~ Our Man In Canberra Kate Sullivan.......Robyn Nevin Fred Larkin.......Fred 'Cul' Cullen Lift mechanic.......John Meillon Himself.......Bill Peach Reporter.......Mike Dorsey Speaker.......Edward Howell Parliamentary member.......Tony Ingersent Bus driver 1.......Reg Evans Bus driver 2.......Les Foxcroft Pub customer 1.......Barry Donnelly Pub customer 2.......Gordon Piper Director.......Bill Munro Synopsis: Humphrey Sullivan, newly elected Member for Danforth, is preparing to take his place in Federal Parliament and is still finalising his maiden speech when Fred Larkin enlists his aid in a local industrial issue. Fred is a bus driver whose insistence on wearing sandals against regulations provokes a bus driver's strike, which soon has Humphrey and the Minister in a panic by the possibility that it could escalate into a nationwide dispute. Notes: Pilot episode, part of an anthology series The Comedy Game, from which the series Our Man In Canberra was a spin-off. Bill Peach, host of the ABC current affairs programme This Day Tonight, appears as himself. Robyn Nevin was replaced by Katy Wild as Mrs. Sullivan in the series. Airdate: Sydney 16/11/71 Canberra 16/11/71 Brisbane 23/11/71 Melbourne 9/12/71 1. Ministerial Vacancy Synopsis: When a Cabinet member resigns, Humphrey finds himself as a possible successor, but The Minister has other ideas. Notes: Remade as ‘Vacancy On The Board’, episode 1 of Our Man In The Company. Airdate: Never screened.	Pilot episode: Jeff Ashby and John Meillon. Jeff Ashby.
	2. Censorship Opposition Leader.......James Condon TV interviewer.......Mike Dorsey Mrs. Fisher.......Jacqueline Kott Harry (photographer).......Stuart Finch Reporter.......Tony Allyn Sgt. Bradley.......Brian Anderson Mrs. Anderson.......Sue Hollywood Mrs. Reinhardt.......Rilla Scott Pub 'philosopher'.......Doug Kingsman Director.......Bill Munro Synopsis: Humphrey strikes trouble when he expresses his liberal views on censorship. The Minister allows him to peruse some pornographic material refused classification by the Government Censor, in an attempt to persuade Humphrey to support censorship. Matters get out of hand when a pressure group, Mothers for Australian Decency, discover the material in his house. Humphrey’s political future is in jeopardy until he out-manoeuvres the Minister. Notes: Remade as ‘A Row Of Dots’, episode 3 of Our Man In The Company. Airdate: Never screened.	Ep. 2: Mike Dorsey. Jeff Ashby.
	3. Old Age Pensions Ruby.......Rosie Sturgess Haxted.......Eddie Hepple Synopsis: Mrs. Wheeler is shocked to discover her sister Ruby is living with her boyfriend. They can't afford to get married as married pensioners get less than single ones. Mrs. Wheeler suggests a pension lottery to raise money to increase pensions, and Humphrey gets into hot water for following up the idea. Notes: Remade as ‘Scarlet Woman’, ep. 5 of Our Man In The Company. Rosie Sturgess was not available for the remake, in which Ruby was played by Marion Johns. Airdate: Never screened.	Ep. 3: Eddie Hepple, Rosie Sturgess and Dolore Whiteman.
	OUR MAN IN THE COMPANY SERIES 1 1. Vacancy On The Board Clayton.......Tony Ingersent Peters.......Jack Allan Newsreader (himself).......James Dibble TV technician.......Reg Gorman Journalist 1.......David Whitford Journalist 2.......Rob Steele Director.......Bill Munro Producer.......Bill Munro Executive Producer.......Alan Morris Synopsis: When the director of foreign sales resigns from the Board, Humphrey finds himself as a possible successor, but the Director has other ideas. Notes: A remake of ‘Ministerial Vacancy’, one of the three completed Our Man In Canberra episodes. ABC Sydney newsreader James Dibble (who had been reading the news since television began in 1956) appears as himself in a TV news segment. Airdate: Sydney 7/7/73 Melbourne 1/8/73	Katy Wild and Jeff Ashby.
	2. Never Let It Be Said Harry Small.......Harry Lawrence Producer.......Bill Munro Executive Producer.......Alan Morris Synopsis: Humphrey finds himself involved in the endless dispute between the Company's Department of Entitlements and an old digger, Harry Small, when Small asks for a higher pension. Airdate: Sydney 14/7/73 Brisbane 18/7/73 Melbourne 8/8/73 3. A Row Of Dots Mrs. Fisher.......Jacqueline Kott Producer.......Bill Munro Executive Producer.......Alan Morris Synopsis: Humphrey strikes trouble when he expresses his liberal views on censorship. Notes: A remake of ‘Censorship’, one of the three completed Our Man In Canberra episodes. Airdate: Sydney 21/7/73 Brisbane 25/7/73 Melbourne 15/8/73	Ep. 2: Lex Mitchell, Graham Rouse and Harry Lawrence. Katy Wild.
	4. Principle And Interest Peter Goonasekeria.......John Derum Hart.......Ron Roberts Clayton.......Tony Ingersent Director.......Bill Munro Producer.......Bill Munro Executive Producer.......Alan Morris Synopsis: Mrs. Wheeler receives some surprises when a young man from Sarajaybo comes to stay with the Sullivans. In Australia temporarily, he tries to bribe Humphrey and make his visit permanent. Airdate: Sydney 28/7/73 Melbourne 22/8/73	Ep. 4: Jeff Ashby and John Derum.
	5. Scarlet Woman Ruby.......Marion Johns Haxted.......Eddie Hepple Producer.......Bill Munro Executive Producer.......Alan Morris Synopsis: Mrs. Wheeler is dismayed to find that her sister Ruby is leading an immoral life, and declares her a fallen woman. The permissive society, however, is not as much to blame for her sister's domestic arrangements as the Pension Department of the Company. Mrs. Wheeler sets out, through Humphrey Sullivan, to make some changes to the Company's pension scheme for retired employees. Ruby doesn't understand what all the fuss is about, and the Director is more concerned with his own future in the Company than the problems of retired employees. Notes: A remake of ‘Old Age Pensions’, one of the three completed Our Man In Canberra episodes. Rosie Sturgess was not available for the remake, the part of Ruby being played by Marion Johns. Airdate: Sydney 4/8/73 Brisbane 8/8/73 Melbourne 29/8/73	Katy Wild and Dolore Whiteman.
	6. Let Women Go Free Miss Healey.......Robyn Nevin Mrs. Radcliffe.......Hilda Scurr Ivy Marsh.......Margo Lloyd Clayton.......Tony Ingersent TV interviewer.......Geoff Stone Newsreader (himself).......James Dibble Director.......Nicolas Parsons Producer.......Bill Munro Synopsis: When the Director declares that a woman's place is in the kitchen, Miss Healey alleges that section 34 of the Company's constitution discriminates against women. Mrs. Wheeler holds Humphrey and the Company responsible for women having to pay at public lavatories, and she starts a civil campaign. Notes: ABC Sydney newsreader James Dibble appears as himself in a TV news segment. Airdate: Sydney 11/8/73 Brisbane 15/8/73 Melbourne 5/9/73	Ep. 6: Walter Sullivan and Robyn Nevin.
	7. Rural Crisis Farmer.......Slim deGrey Tom.......Fred Betts Scientist.......John Morris Sir John.......Moray Powell Producer.......Bill Munro Executive Producer.......Alan Morris Synopsis: Humphrey sets out to increase the profits of the Company's rural subsidiaries, which are affected by the rural crisis, by providing consumers with wholesome, old-fashioned eggs. The Director is not convinced that there is any need for concern - there is merely 'a slight non-viability in some areas due to circumstances beyond our control'. It is a chance remark from his housekeeper that starts Humphrey on a scientific investigation designed to save the poultry industry from bankruptcy. Airdate: Sydney 18/8/73 Brisbane 22/8/73 Melbourne 12/9/73	Graham Rouse and Lex Mitchell.
	SERIES 2 8. Carnival Night In Lumpy's Flat Marcia.......Kerry Maguire Bruce.......Max Osbiston Producer.......Alister Smart Executive Producer.......Maurice Murphy Synopsis: While Kate is planning a second honeymoon in Surfers Paradise, Humphrey finds himself guest of honour at the Carnival Night in Lumpy's Flat, and the pawn in the Director's master plan involving a costly land development deal. Included in this master plan is one of the Company's notorious ex-secretaries, Marcia, and her jealous husband Bruce, who is prone to grabbing his shotgun at the slightest provocation. Humphrey unwittingly clinches the deal in the Director's favour while fighting off the advances of Marcia. Airdate: Sydney 9/7/74 Melbourne 12/7/74 Adelaide 23/7/74	Walter Sullivan.
	9. Never Dance With A Man In Shiny Shoes Arnold Harbinger.......Alfred Sandor Abigail.......Sandra Lee Patterson Producer.......Alister Smart Executive Producer.......Maurice Murphy Synopsis: American tycoon Arnold Harbinger arrives in Australia with his secretary Abigail. He wants to sublease from the Company oil drilling rights in Central Australia, and the deal is handed to Humphrey to arrange. To his shock, Humphrey discovers that his wife Kate is head of an environmental group opposing any kind of drilling in the area, and Kate and Humphrey clash head on. Kate fights the proposal on a conservation issue, while Humphrey chairs a one-man committee set up to justify the deal. Airdate: Sydney 16/7/74 Melbourne 19/7/74	Katy Wild and Jeff Ashby.
	10. Sweet Fanny Adams Snow.......Steve Dodds Jonathan Lord.......John Pearce Winston.......Jack Charles Producer.......Alister Smart Executive Producer.......Maurice Murphy Synopsis: The Company golf course seems doomed when two Aboriginals set up camp on the 18^th green claiming land and mining rights. Humphrey is elected company spokesman on the issue, which is creating much public and media interest. In his attempts to solve the problem, and to keep the golf course and the company's reputation intact, Humphrey and his housekeeper Mrs. Wheeler battle on air with talk-back radio host Jonathan Lord. Notes: Prominent Sydney radio personality John Pearce appears as radio host Jonathan Lord. Airdate: Sydney 23/7/74 Melbourne 26/7/74 Brisbane 4/8/74	Jeff Ashby.
	11. Two In One Tony Francelli.......John Serge Interviewer.......Geoff Stone Director.......Alister Smart Producer.......Alister Smart Executive Producer.......Maurice Murphy Synopsis: When out of work designer Tony Francelli, a volatile Italian, invents a revolutionary two-in-one car that can be transformed from a family sedan to a one-man runabout, Humphrey - under pressure from Mrs. Wheeler - submits the idea to the Director who, as usual, shows him the door. Following a television interview with the inventor, a rival company takes an interest in the design. Humphrey is assigned to win back the now happily employed designer. Airdate: Sydney 30/7/74 Melbourne 2/8/74 Brisbane 11/8/74	Benita Collings.
	12. Favour For A Friend .......John Trenaman Producer.......Nicholas Parsons Executive Producer.......Maurice Murphy Synopsis: An important contract for the Company seems doomed when Mrs. Wheeler wins the 'Dazzle Brite' soap powder jingle contest, and unwittingly involves Humphrey in a lavish advertising campaign linking him to a rival company. Airdate: Sydney 6/8/74 Melbourne 9/8/74 Brisbane 18/8/74	Walter Sullivan.
	13. Red Alert Ernie Clipple.......Grahame Bond Producer.......Ted Robinson Executive Producer.......Maurice Murphy Synopsis: There is a feeling of uneasiness in the Company and questions are being asked. As usual, the Director has all the answers but he's not telling. Ernie Clipple, a security agent for the Company, is assigned to trail Humphrey who is suspected of spying for the Russians. Airdate: Sydney 13/8/74 Melbourne 16/8/74 Brisbane 25/8/74 14. Follow The Leader Producer.......Ted Robinson Executive Producer.......Maurice Murphy Synopsis: Inflation hits the country, the Company and the Sullivan household, and Humphrey decides to take a stand against it. Rising prices begin to drastically affect the Company and the workers, and Humphrey takes a reduction in salary and finds himself the centre of an industrial dispute, out of pocket and out of a job. Airdate: Sydney 20/8/74 Melbourne 23/8/74 Brisbane 1/9/74	Lex Mitchell and Graham Rouse.
	15. Poor Little Thing Clayton.......Tony Ingersent Producer.......Alister Smart Executive Producer.......Maurice Murphy Synopsis: With the death of the Chairman, the Director sees himself taking over while Humphrey has his eye on a vacant position on the Board. Things begin to go wrong when Clayton begins campaigning for the position of Chairman, and the Director puts possibly his finest master plan into action. Humphrey not only gets elected to the Board but is voted Chairman, but how long he holds the position is up to the Director, who, as usual, is pulling the strings. Airdate: Sydney 27/8/74 Melbourne 30/8/74 Brisbane 8/9/74	Walter Sullivan.