Jump to content

Ashes to Ashes (Wednesday Theatre)

Edit links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Gonnym (talk | contribs) at 20:23, 7 November 2021 (→External links: cleanup). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

"Ashes to Ashes"
Wednesday Theatre episode
Episode no.Season 2
Episode 18
Directed byPatrick Barton
Teleplay byMarc Brendel
Original air dates27 April 1966 (Melbourne)[1]
4 May 1966 (Sydney)[2]
11 May 1966 (Brisbane)[3]
Running time55 mins[4]
Episode chronology
← Previous
"The Sound of Murder" 		Next →
—
List of episodes

"Ashes to Ashes" is a 1966 Australian television play which screened as part of Wednesday Theatre.[5] It was a comedy thriller.[6]

Plot

Paris Beaumont has a whirlwind romance with Barbara Manson, marries her, and takes her to his house in Port Campbell. When Barbara finds a case containing women's clothing she starts asking questions about his first wife's disappearance.[7]

Cast

  • Ray Taylor as Paris Beaumont
  • Gerda Nicolson as Barbara Manson
  • Terry McDermott as Tregembo
  • John Royle
  • Kevin Colebrook
  • Michael Howley
  • Diana Wilson
  • Moira Carleton
  • Gerard Kennedy

Production

The play starred Ray Taylor, best known for being a TV presenter. His variety program The Ray Taylor Show had been cancelled just before production of Ashes to Ashes.[8] Taylor had some experience acting in repertory in England; he described the play as "a fun sort of thing".[9]

Taylor said "it's a darn good play and I wouldn't mind doing some more but my time is taken up writing a play of my own."[3]

It was based on an English play but set in Australia. Location filming took place at Port Campbell and Como House, South Yarra.[1] Taylor said "it's kinky, switched on or whatever you like to call it in The Avengers style."[10]

The script had a character referring to amounts over £1 as "quids" and those under as "cents". The Sydney Morning Herald asked light-heartedly if this was having "two bob each way".[11]

Reception

The Age said "The ABC should take a bow" claiming Taylor gave "an excellent performance slightly reminiscent of the urbane George Sanders... The suspense is well contrived and sustained."[12]

The Sydney Morning Herald said Taylor "played out his own macabre sense of humour" in the play adding "he showed a magnetic side of his personality, but it would be interesting to see him playing a part further removed from his own self to assess Taylor the actor."[13]

References

  1. ^ a b "Make Believe TV Wedding". The Age. 21 April 1966. p. 16.
  2. ^ "Television". Sydney Morning Herald. 4 May 1966. p. 20.
  3. ^ a b "Ray Taylor, Sgt Bronson in ABC Play". TV Times. 4 May 1966. p. 11.
  4. ^ "WEDNESDAY". The Canberra Times. Vol. 40, no. 11, 457. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 2 May 1966. p. 23. Retrieved 22 March 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ^ "WEDNESDAY". The Canberra Times. Vol. 40, no. 11, 457. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 2 May 1966. p. 23. Retrieved 19 February 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ "Television". The Age. 27 April 1966. p. 22.
  7. ^ "TV Guide". The Age. 21 April 1966. p. 37.
  8. ^ "Ray Taylor Obituary". Television.
  9. ^ "Ray Taylor in thriller". The Age. 24 February 1966. p. 11.
  10. ^ "In Love Scene". The Age. 24 March 1966. p. 25.
  11. ^ "Back Page". Sydney Morning Herald. 8 May 1966. p. 112.
  12. ^ Monitor (30 April 1966). "Public affairs on TV". The Age. p. 25.
  13. ^ Robinson, Harry (6 May 1966). "Impressions". Sydney Morning Herald. p. 9.


Stub icon

This article about a television episode is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ashes_to_Ashes_(Wednesday_Theatre)&oldid=1054057580"