Number 96 (TV series)
Number 96 is an Australian primetime soap opera that aired on 0-10 Network (the forerunner of what is now Network Ten) from 13 March 1972 to 11 August 1977, originally broadcast in the primetime slot of 8:30 pm for 5 x half-hour episodes every weeknight, then later 2 x one hour episodes screened per week.[2]
Originally it aired in black and white monochrome until halfway through its run. From March 1975, it was seen in colour as networks switched over to colour television broadcasting in Australia[1]
Background[edit]
The series was notable for breaking new ground and 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 British 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 0-10 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 struggling on the verge of bankruptcy, and its immediate success (and advertising revenue) helped it become more competitive by buying successful new international shows such as The Waltons and M*A*S*H. By 1974, the network was number one in the ratings for the first time in its history.[3]
Number 96 became one of the most popular Australian drama television series of all time, but due to its racy subject matter, it was unable to be picked up by many international markets. It was the first soap opera to screen in prime time five nights a week, and later became the first Australian TV series to inspire a US remake.
Number 96 became infamous for its groundbreaking depictions of taboo subjects of the time, exploring issues such as homosexuality, abortion, rape, interracial romance, drug usage, pregnancy in later life, and transgenderism, but also its array of comedy characters with their own catchphrases, in a nod to vaudeville.[1]
The highest rating episode was when it was revealed that Lucy Sutcliffe's (portrayed by Elisabeth Kirkby) lump in her breast was benign, after which many women went to their doctors to be tested for cancer, an issue that was not discussed much at the time and long before singer Kylie Minogue went public with her diagnosis.[1]
Multicultural milestones[edit]
Based during an era of mass (white) emigration to Australia, mostly from the UK, Number 96, as befitting its inner-city location, presented a much more multicultural view of suburbia.
Its British longer-term characters included Lancastrians Lucy Sutcliffe (Elisabeth Kirkby) and her husband Alf (James Elliot), who was depicted as the archetypal whinging pom. While Alf longed to go back to England, Lucy was happy and content to remain in Australia. British barmaid Norma Whitaker was married to Les, an amateur inventor from Scotland. He was played by Gordon McDougall, who would return to the series as the Scottish aristocrat Lord McCraddenow. Don Finlayson's Aunt Amanda von Pappanburg was a British Baroness who lived in Germany and visited Don on several occasions.[1]
Other European characters included Aldo Godolfus from Hungary, the Russian Roma Lubinski-Godulfus and the Italian deli worker Giovanni Lenzi and his aunt Maria Panucci. Fashion designer Vera Collins came from South Africa. Shorter-term characters included Indian Dr Bannerjee, African-Americans Chad Farrell and Hope Jackson, and indigenous Australian Rhonda Jackson.[1]
LGBTQ milestones and TV world firsts[edit]
Number 96 was the first television program anywhere in the world to feature a full diverse range of LGBTQ characters as regulars, although many historians and scholars are unaware of this, because the show's controversial content meant it was unable to be screened outside of Australia. Even today, the show could not be screened on American network TV.[1][4]
There had been LGBTQ characters in programs before but these were primarily guest characters or fleeting mentions.
Actor Joe Hasham appeared for the duration of the series, as Lawyer Don Finlayson. Hence, Number 96 was the first series to depict a gay character in a regular role and the first to be portrayed as a sympathetic character and in a positive light.[5] Hasham's Finlayson gained a cult following and been acknowledged as doing much for gay-lib. Don was depicted as being dependable, sincere and kind, yet he was not effeminate and came across as straight acting, though he had no hang-ups about being gay. Don would have several gay relationships in the series (and a few one-night stands), but maintained he was homosexual and never had relationships with woman.[1]
Don's first lover in early episodes would be bisexual photographer Bruce Taylor (Portrayed by Paul Weingott), Taylor would be TV's first bisexual character,[5] whilst with Don he would have an affair with ruthless businesswoman Maggie Cameron, after Bruce fled, Don would form a more long-term and enduring relationship with hilariously camp bisexual chef Dudley "Dud" Butterfield. Don and Dudley would remain live together for 2 years and only separate when Dudley decided to become a ladies man, in sequences made primarily for comedic effect.
Prior to Number 96 TV's first gay character had been seen the previous year in the US sitcom All in the Family but he was a one-off. In the storyline a friend of Archie Bunker's, (portrayed by Carroll O'Connor) known only as "Steve" played by Phillip Carey in a guest part came out as gay telling Bunker of his sexuality in an early episode titled "Judging Books By Covers". after which however the character was never seen or mentioned again.[6]
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.[6]
The first regular gay character in the US occurred several months after Number 96 in 1972. Actor Vincent Schiavelli played Peter Panama in sitcom The Corner Bar, but he was short-lived and however unlike Number 96's Joe Hasham he's portrayal did not prove popular with viewers and he only appeared for the first season, with then-president of the New York-based Gay Activists Alliance calling it "the worst stereotype of a gay person I've ever seen".
[7]
Number 96 would also feature numerous firsts, however usually featuring shorter term cast in varying story-arcs, for example notable theatre star Toni Lamond, played Karen Winters, who was TV's first ever lesbian character. She was shown fondling and kissing the virginal Bev (plated by series regular Abigail== 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]
A second lesbian character, Marie Crowther Hazel Phillips, left the series after ogling Vera Collins in the shower and being told her affections would not be returned.
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, she was never dehumanised or poked fun at.[4]
Other Aussie series featuring LGBTQ characters[edit]
The Box, which aired from 1974 on the same network immediately after Number 96, 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 also had a male gay character, Lee Whiteman (Paul Karo), and together with Don Finlayson, they appeared on the cover of family magazine TV Times with a headline stating "The Gay Guys Are Great".[4] However, with both Number 96 and The Box not seen internationally, the cult series Prisoner is more acknowledged as having TV's first regular lesbian character Franky Doyle, played by Carol Burns, along with several other lesbian characters.[1]
Broadcasting and production[edit]
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. The standard invented by him was later used on all Australian soaps 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.
Visit by royalty[edit]
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 Ashton / von Pappenburg (played by Carol Raye).[1]