1978: June 17-23

Cover: Cop Shop's real-life rebel
In playing troubled teenager Gayle Taylor in the Seven Network series Cop Shop, actress Jo-Anne Moore (pictured, with co-stars Rowena Wallace and George Mallaby) can see similarities between that of her character and her own teen years. "I had a period when I was very rebellious. If I saw something I wanted to do, I did it. Not getting into trouble really, just wanting to get out to see what life was about. I used to get into a lot of arguments with my parents then, but we are good friends now," she told TV Times. The Cop Shop role is the 19-year-old's first major TV role following guest appearances in Bluey, The Sullivans, Homicide and Bellbird, and the movie The Getting Of Wisdom.

The Years fly south
In an attempt to boost The Restless Years' profile in Melbourne, the normally Sydney-based soap spent two days' location filming in Melbourne. Filming had taken place mostly at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl and the Shrine Of Remembrance. June Salter, who plays schoolmistress Miss MacKenzie, enjoyed the trip to the southern capital: "It's a lovely city, perfect for outside shots. The weather was quite amazing for the two days we spent here." Joining Salter for the Melbourne-based plot were co-stars Zoe Bertram and Sonny Blake (pictured).

To Sidney with love!
Ann Sidney (pictured) had plenty of admirers when she was Miss World. Now the co-host of Perth STW9's The Better Sex is once again being inundated with letters. More than 15,000 entries have been received at STW9 for a competition being run by the game show, offering daily prizes such as a hairdryer or a radio, and the major prize of a trip to Singapore or Hong Kong. The Grundy-produced game show, hosted by Mike Preston, has also just received news that it has been sold for screening interstate.

Discomania is coming!
The growing disco phenomenon, inspired by the movie Saturday Night Fever, has seen plans for a weekly series Disco Connexion, promising as many as 200 enthusiastic amateurs in choreographed disco routines. A pilot episode for the program, featuring Sydney disco personality Angelo "Angie" Naxam, has already been taped and subsequent episodes are planned to have live via-satellite crosses to major overseas venues such as Studio 54 in the US. The program is being developed by McCabe Paradine Productions for the 0-10 Network.

Viewpoint: Letters to the Editor:
"I have endured the ever-declining standard of Countdown until I have come to the stage I can take no more. Ian Meldrum is so juvenile I am embarrassed to have him remain as compere of Countdown. The only reason I still watch the program is because it is the only pop program on at a decent time." A. Rankins, TAS.

"All the yakking about which country produces the best comedy shows is quite unnecessary. Everyone knows that no other country in the world can outclass the British for comedy." E. Williams, QLD.

"The 0-10 Network must be proud of Young Talent Time and The Restless Years - I don't like to be out in case I miss any part of them. Same goes for Nine's The Sullivans, The Young Doctors and Little House On The Prairie." R. White, NSW.

What's On (June 17-23):
On Monday, Exploring The Psychic Mind, a 90-minute special, airs on ATV0, hosted by John Laws with Carol Raye and Patrick Tennyson.

The following night, HSV7 presents Everything You Always Wanted To Know About The Law... But Couldn't Afford To Ask, hosted by David Johnston and news reporter Pamela Graham. The 90-minute special covers the type of legal matters that affect everyday Australians - neighbourhood disputes, trespassing and road accidents are among the subjects re-enacted and discussed.

Comedienne and actress Gloria Dawn is the subject of the second episode of ABC's Woman In Question, in a program taped just before her death.

This week's guests on The Peter Couchman Show include Maria Venuti, Julie McKenna and Wendy Stapleton.

Sunday night movies are Killer Force (HSV7), Nobody Is Back ... Prepare Your Grave (GTV9) and Billy Two Hats (ATV0).

Source: TV Times (Melbourne edition), 17 June 1978. ABC/ACP

1978: January 21-27

Cover Story: Marcia - The hard road to the hits:
Queen of Pop Marcia Hines has taken her show on a tour around Australia, with 86 concerts performed in as many towns and cities over fourteen weeks - claiming to be the biggest tour ever undertaken in Australia. In this double-page article, Hines' manager Peter Rix recalls the highlights of the tour.

Mike Preston for new Grundy game:
Former In Melbourne Tonight and The Celebrity Game host Mike Preston is returning to TV to host a new game show The Better Sex. The new show, to be produced at STW9 Perth by the Grundy Organisation, will also feature former Miss World Ann Sidney. Sydney-based Preston will commute to Perth once a month for taping of the new show. Grundys are also producing another Perth-based game show Family Feud from the studios of TVW7 which has now been sold for screening on GTV9 Melbourne and TCN9 Sydney.

Chopper Squad's overseas success:
Chopper Squad, the new big budget series from the Grundy Organisation and the 0-10 Network, has been sold to Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines prior to its debut in Australia. The series, set around a rescue team who use a helicopter to rescue people in trouble, is being filmed around Sydney's northern beaches and is expected to debut on 0-10 in March.

TV's Success Story: The Soaps:
Since Number 96 began with a bang in 1972, the soap opera has become a viable program format in Australia. Despite Number 96 and its Melbourne counterpart The Box both being axed in 1977, there are signs that the soap genre is going to be around for a long time to come - with four series - Cop Shop, The Restless Years, The Sullivans, The Young Doctors - now in production.

Viewpoint: Letters to the Editor
"Why did ABC ruin December 16, 17 and 18 by putting cricket on all day? Besides the fact that cricket is one of the most boring and slow-moving games known, a whole day's cricket could easily be put into an hour of highlights." J.Taylor, NSW

"The memory of Number 96 remains, and with scriptwriters of this standard Australia can hold its own with the rest of the world." G.Pattended, SA.

"Why are viewers of Sydney Channel 7 subjected to the blabberings of Rex Mossop? Why is he asked to comment on a multitude of sports about which he cannot hope to have had sufficient experience - to appreciate the finer points of, say, cricket or motor racing?" S.Ritchie, NSW

What's On: January 21-27
Another weekend of cricket with the World Series Cricket (GTV9) and Gillette Cup (ATV0).

Sunday afternoons see a game show All Star Sweepstakes on ATV0 featuring host John Newman and panelists Tim Evans, Ron Blaskett, Gerry Gee and Chelsea Brown. Earlier in the day HSV7's This Week Has Seven Days celebrate the 21st anniversary of TV clowns Zig and Zag. Coincidentally(?), Seven's movie that night is a suspense thriller called Zigzag.

GTV9's Sunday night movie is They Shoot Horses Don't They?, ATV0 presents The Nelson Affair and ABC's Elizabeth R continues. All are re-runs as the new ratings year is still some weeks away.

January 26 is Australia Day, but you'd not know it to see the TV listings for the day. In fact, after the news and current affairs programs are out of the way the only Australian-made programming in the evening consists of a 10-minute Australia Day Message (ABC), Survival With Johnny Farnham (ABC), The Sullivans (GTV9), Blankety Blanks (ATV0) and a late-night documentary series Australians At War (ATV0).

Source: TV Times, 21 January 1978 (Melbourne edition). ABC/ACP