1990: September 8-14

Cover: Mat Stevenson, Emily Symons (Home And Away)

Mike Munro: ‘I go home and cry’
60 Minutes reporter Mike Munro says that for the past five months, working on the story surrounding the ‘Mr Bubbles’ case involving 17 pre-school children, has often reduced him to tears.  “I get so bloody depressed.  I go home to my wife and cry.  If people want me to say that I’m on a crusade, then good.  If being a crusader means not giving up until the truth comes out then I’m proud to be called a crusader,” he told TV Week.  

‘They’ve been beauties!’
During 25 years of TV, including his years as a foreign correspondent for ABC, a reporter for 60 Minutes and now as host of Midday, Ray Martin has interviewed more than his fair share of superstars.  Pop princess Kylie Minogue wins the award for the easiest to talk to, while Joan Collins was a different story.  “Joan was difficult, until she settled in,” Martin told TV Week.  “(She) preened herself and looked at herself and was in love with the monitor.  More than anyone else, apart from Bob Hawke.  Bob Hawke just about matches her!”  Whoopi Goldberg is described as “the most natural… terrific” and Jane Fonda was “interesting.  She was interested in any subject and didn’t want to do all serious issues.”  Nicole Kidman, Elle McPherson and Sigrid Thornton are also among his favourites, while Sophia Loren is one of the most beautiful women he has ever seen.

‘You have no idea some of the things that were invented!’
This year has been a busy one for actor Marcus Graham – moving on from soapie E Street to starring roles in mini-series Shadows Of The Heart and Ratbag Hero, a guest role in ABC’s GP and an upcoming appearance in The Flying Doctors.  But a possible lowlight this year has been media speculation of a relationship with actress Nicole Kidman.  Graham (pictured) had been dating Kidman briefly before she went to the US and met Tom Cruise.  On a recent trip back to Sydney, Kidman had called at his house but he was not home, but it was enough to prompt speculation of a romance.  “You have no idea some of the things that were invented!” he told TV Week.

Briefly…
Former A Country Practice star Anne Tenney (pictured) returns to TV this week in an episode of ABC series Fresh Start, playing the part of a sheepfarmer’s wife struggling with illiteracy.  It is only her second TV appearance since leaving A Country Practice in 1985, having recently appeared in the children’s series Elly And Jools.

Actress Linda Hartley has spoken to TV Week after her sudden departure from Neighbours where her character, Kerry Mangel, was accidentally shot dead while at a duck-hunting protest.  “Joe (Mark Little) and Kerry couldn’t have split up – that just wouldn’t have happened.  If you’re going to go, you might as well go with a bang!  Kerry has been a wonderful character to play and I won a Penguin Award for her, so I’ve had a very rewarding time,” she told TV Week. 

Former Neighbours star Guy Pearce is set to make a big impact on the big screen.  The 22-year-old actor is currently on location in Fiji for the film Young Flynn, portraying screen legend Errol Flynn from a 16-year-old schoolboy to when he made his first Hollywood feature at the age of 24.  Pearce also has a key role in upcoming film Heaven Tonight, co-starring John Waters, Kim Gyngell and Rebecca Gilling, due for release later this year.

John Laws says…
”There are some annoying little traits on television.  One of them is the oft-spoken line, “Thank you for your time,” which Jana Wendt uses on every interview she conducts.  Others have taken up the courtesy – some to an irritating extent.  But perhaps the most irritating trait of all is the one that they all use – every night, without fail – on news and current affairs programs.  It’s the two words “but first”.  Once you’ve noticed these words it becomes hypnotically riveting to wait for them to be spoken each night.  Example: “Later we’ll talk to Idi Amin about how he would handle the Gulf War crisis, but first…”

Program Highlights (September 8-14):
Saturday:  ATV10 wipes out its usual overnight schedule of B-grade re-runs and movies and from tonight replaces that with Ten Newswatch, a direct telecast of news coverage from US network CNN with emphasis on the escalating situation in the Middle East.  GTV9 crosses live to Flushing Meadow, New York, for the Men’s Semi-Final and Women’s Singles Final of the US Open tennis.

Sunday:  The Sunday night movie is Innerspace (GTV9), while HSV7 presents the first part of mini-series Poor Little Rich Girl and ATV10 debuts mini-series Blood Ties.  GTV9 then crosses to Monza for the Italian Grand Prix.

Monday:  GTV9 presents early morning coverage of the Men’s Singles Final of the US Open, live from Flushing Meadow, New York.  In A Country Practice (HSV7), on the eve of her wedding Lucy Tyler (Georgie Parker) is told by her mother Lois (Jill Perryman) that she is divorcing her father who is refusing to attend the wedding.

Tuesday:  In Beyond 2000 (HSV7), reporter Simon Reeve finds out why Volvo is leading the way with the production of environmentally safe vehicles.  David McCubbin and Gia Carides are guest stars in this week’s episode of GP (ABC).

Wednesday:  ABC presents the debut of the 13-part drama series Embassy, tracing the story of Australian Embassy staff in strife-torn Ragaan, a fictional Islamic, South East Asian country.  The series stars Bryan Marshall, Janet Andrewartha, Alan Fletcher, Nina Landis, Frankie J Holden, Gerard Maguire, Nicki Wendt, Joseph Spano and Anthony Wong.

Thursday:  Maggie Tabberer and Richard Zachariah present ABC’s new lifestyle series, The Home Show, a weekly series focusing on how to get the best out of where you live.  In E Street (ATV10), a boxing match between Harley (Malcolm Kennard) and Max (Bruce Samazan) is staged to see who wins the affection of Toni (Toni Pearen) who appears rather dubious about the whole situation.

Source: TV Week (Victoria edition), incorporating TV Times and TV Guide.  8 September 1990.  Southdown Press

1990: June 9-15

Cover: Sophie Heathcote, Georgie Parker (A Country Practice)

Why Linda’s quitting the neighbourhood
Neighbours star Linda Hartley has decided to leave the popular soap after a behind-the-scenes battle between producers Grundy Television and the Ten Network. Hartley had requested for a break from the series to allow time to travel overseas and to pursue an opportunity for a singing career, but Grundy’s were not keen to renew her contract, claiming the show had exceeded its casting budget. They had planned to write out Hartley’s character, Kerry Mangel, along with other characters Des Clarke (Paul Keane) and Beverley Robinson (Shauna O’Grady), but Ten then stepped in and negotiations between Grundy’s and Hartley resumed. However, negotiations again broke down and Hartley has decided to leave the series, with her final scenes to be taped next month.

The Foreign Legion wants you!
E Street star Bruce Samazan got the shock of his life recently when he received a letter from the French Government calling him to return to France for compulsory military national service. The actor was born in French Malagasy in 1970 but came with his parents to Australia in 1973. “I’ve grown up here living a normal Australian life as an Australian citizen. The only thing different about me is that I also have French citizenship,” he told TV Week. “I now have to prove my Australian citizenship to the French Consulate. If I can’t do that, they are within their rights to find me and take me back.”

How Col’n became Randy
Col’n Carpenter (Kim Gyngell), the lead character in the Network Ten sitcom of the same name, is stuck in bed with a fever and has dreams of being a debonair cabaret singer, Randy Lombardo, who is constantly surrounded by beautiful women. But the same can’t be said for Col’n (pictured), who has never had a girlfriend, but has eyes in particular for one TV presenter… Helen Wellings from The Investigators. “She has charisma and knows so much about household appliances,” according to Col’n. “And I like Magda Szubanski on Fast Forward because she’s a really good laugher. I like some of the SBS women, too. They speak my language, but sometimes the subtitles go before I finish reading them.”

Briefly…
The dreams of A Country Practice’s young couple Matt Tyler (John Tarrant) and Lucy Gardiner (Georgie Parker) are turned into ashes in episodes to go to air this week, when their future home is burnt to the ground in a bushfire that threatens rural Wandin Valley.

Beyond 2000’s globetrotting reporter Amanda Keller has managed some time out from her schedule to get married to her boyfriend of two years, Harley Oliver. The pair were married in Sydney and were soon on their way to Malaysia for their honeymoon.

John Laws says:
”The Couchman show is a carefully stage-managed production. Confrontations are contrived and expected, simply because the producers go to any lengths to bring together people who hold extreme and opposing views on the subject to be debated.”

Program Highlights (June 9-15):
Saturday: HSV7 presents the four-hour Earth ‘90 special, Prince Charles – Children And The Environment, where HRH Prince Charles gives a personal view of the environmental problems that face the world today. The program includes appearances by Debbie Gibson, Olivia Newton-John, Julio Iglesias, Audrey Hepburn, John Denver and the Vienna Children’s Choir. SBS presents a replay of the previous night’s World Cup opening ceremony and the overnight game featuring Argentina versus Cameroon. Live coverage resumes after midnight with United Arab Emirates versus Colombia, USSR versus Romania and Italy versus Austria. SBS’ coverage of the World Cup continues each night from midnight through to 7.00am, with replays of matches the following afternoon and a 90-minute highlights package each evening.
Sunday: Sunday night movies are The Principal (GTV9) and The Jewel Of The Nile (ATV10). HSV7 presents the Royal Variety Performance before HRH Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke Of Edinburgh. Later in the evening, GTV9 presents live coverage of the final of the French Open tennis and the Austrian 500cc Motorcycle Grand Prix.
Monday: GTV9 presents the debut of children’s drama series Elly And Jools, starring Rebecca Smart (pictured), Anne Tenney and Dennis Miller.
Wednesday: ATV10 presents a delayed telecast of the Rugby League State Of Origin match between Queensland and NSW.
Friday: HSV7 crosses to Perth for a direct telecast of AFL featuring West Coast Eagles versus Hawthorn.

Source: TV Week (Victoria edition), incorporating TV Times and TV Guide.
9 June 1990. Southdown Press.

1990: June 2-8

Cover: Sharyn Hodgson, Julian McMahon (Home And Away)

Meet the new Pippa
The producers of Seven’s Home And Away have found a new actress for the key role of Pippa Fletcher.  Debra Lawrence, previously seen in ABC’s The Fast Lane, will take over the role of Pippa from Vanessa Downing who has decided to leave the series to pursue other ventures.  Producers had previously hoped to sign up Carol Willesee, who had played Pippa Fletcher in the show’s pilot episode, to continue the role but negotiations were unsuccessful.

Elaine and Marcus team up!
Popular actors Marcus Graham (formerly of E Street) and Elaine Smith (formerly of Neighbours) have signed up to star in a new Seven Network mini-series, Ratbag Hero.  The four-hour series is set in Victoria in the post-depression era of 1937 and is expected to screen on Seven in 1991.

On the ball!
Australia’s multicultural broadcaster SBS is about to embark on its most ambitious challenge ever with its coverage of the World Cup from Italy.  Joining host Les Murray (pictured) on the coverage will be former Socceroo captain Johnny Warren and sports journalists Kyle Patterson and Andy Paschalidis.  “What I’m excited about most is that the SBS team are all ‘missionaries’ of the game of soccer and this gives us an opportunity to transmit to all Australians the game’s sheer greatness,” Murray told TV Week.  Apart from a few occasions when two games are played at the same time at different venues, SBS will broadcast all matches of the World Cup live to Australia.  The network has also come to an arrangement with ABC to relay SBS’ World Cup coverage to areas that don’t receive SBS.  ABC will also present a highlights package each night of the competition.

Feud? ‘What feud?’
The Comedy Company producer and co-star Ian McFadyen has responded to rumours about a feud between himself and colleague Mark Mitchell.  “This was mentioned to me after the Logies during a radio interview,” McFadyen told TV Week.  “We’ve never had a ‘falling out’ … it’s just nonsense.  There’s never been any unpleasantness between us.”  Meanwhile, plans continue for the return of The Comedy Company and it is unclear if Mitchell will be part of the revamped show, but that is only because he is busy with his own show, Larger Than Life, to which Network Ten is committed until the end of the year.

Briefly…
Rebecca Smart might be only 14 years old but she is already a showbiz veteran with a list of movies and mini-series to her credit, though her most famous role was in The Shiralee with Bryan Brown.  Now the teen star is starring in a new Nine Network children’s drama, Elly And Jools, and is set to appear in a pilot for a new sitcom.

Nicholas Bell (pictured), one of the few males stars in the Seven Network police drama Skirts, admits he does not want to become TV’s most hated man but admits that the role of Sergeant Gary Block has presented very few redeeming features.  “He’s fairly brutal about certain things and appears chauvinistic… hopefully it will become clear why that is so.  His main motivation is to be a good cop and he feels this is the best way to go about it,” Bell told TV Week.

Sioban Tuke, one of the co-stars of The Comedy Company, is taking on a serious role in an upcoming guest appearance on A Country Practice.  Tuke will playing the role of Pam Duncan, an overweight housewife whose marriage is on the brink of failure and takes desperate measures to try to lose weight.

John Laws says…
”It’s my belief that the ABC has nothing to lose by introducing corporate sponsorship of programs.  In fact, there is much to be gained.  At the very least, there should be a 12-month trial.  This should enable everyone to have a good look at how it operates, and to see whether it has the “terrible” effect on the ABC that its vocal opponents predict.”

Program Highlights (June 2-8):
Saturday:  Mark Mitchell and his comic alter-ego, Con The Fruiterer, are comperes of ATV10’s half-hour special We Can Do It, to promote World Vision’s 40 Hour Famine.  Also featuring on the program is singer Neil Finn and Mental As Anything’s Martin Plaza.
Sunday:  Sunday night movies are The Fourth Protocol (HSV7), Like Father Like Son (GTV9) and The Money Pit (ATV10).  GTV9 later presents the three-hour global TV special, Earth ‘90.
Monday:  GTV9 crosses to Roland Stadium, Paris, for the French Open tennis.
Tuesday:  In Beyond 2000 (HSV7), Andrew Carroll searches for a male contraceptive pill.  Simon Reeve takes a walk over the French Guyana rainforests on an inflatable canopy walk. Maxine Gray investigates cooking with magnets.  GTV9 presents another late night of tennis with the French Open.
Thursday: On the eve of the start of the 1990 World Cup, SBS presents the final Viva World Cup program with Les Murray and Andy Paschalidis.
Friday:  SBS’ coverage of the World Cup in Italy begins with the opening ceremony followed by the first match, Argentina versus Cameroon.

Source: TV Week (Victoria edition), incorporating TV Times and TV Guide.      
2 June 1990. Southdown Press.