Funnel Web
| Funnel Web | |
|---|---|
| Based on | play by Philip Grenville Mann |
| Written by | Philip Grenville Mann |
| Directed by | Bill Bain |
| Country of origin | Australia |
| Original language | English |
| Production | |
| Running time | 60 mins |
| Production company | ABC |
| Original release | |
| Release | 25 April 1962 (Sydney, live) 30 May 1962 (Melbourne, taped)[1] |
Funnel Web is a 1962 Australian TV play starring Grant Taylor and written by Phillip Grenville Mann. It screened on the ABC and was a suspense drama.[2]
Plot
A Canadian woman, Nina, is searching for her husband, Max Godfrey, who deserted her. She finds him living in Sydney. Max has also defrauded his business partner. He decides to take steps to get rid of both his ex-wife and former business partner.
Cast
- Grant Taylor as Max Godfrey
- Wendy Playfair as Max's ex-wife
- Stewart Ginn as the detective
- Diana Davidson as Nina
- Alastair Duncan as Paul
- Phillipa Baker as Marion Westlake
- Mary Mackay as Miss Wetherby
- Ken Hacker as Gleeson
Production
Development
It was based on a story by Phillip Grenville Mann. He originally wrote it as a 30-minute TV play for British TV called "Dead or Alive". This aired in 1956 as part of the anthology series Theatre Royal, hosted by Lili Palmer. The episode starred Australian actor Ron Randell and directed by Don Chaffey, who would later work in Australia.[3] Other actors included Ralph Michael, Patricia Driscoll, Lloyd Lamble and John Miller.
Mann expanded the story into a full length stage play, which was performed in Britain. He then adapted for Australian TV.[1] According to Filmink "A lot of TV plays around this time sound as though they were inspired by Dial M for Murder, which started as a TV play, i.e. tales of murder among the monied classes." [4]
It was the last in a series of live TV plays by Australian authors on the ABC which had been announced in March 1962.[1][5] The others were:
Shooting
It was Grant Taylor's live TV debut and was shot in Sydney.[7]
Reception
The Sydney Morning Herald praised "the meticulously chic settings designed by Francesca Crespi (a beach house at Avalon and a Sydney office interior) and the easy-limbed, masterful portrayal of the villain by Grant Taylor".[8]
See also
External links
References
- ^ a b c "Viewers to See Drama in Its Third Form". The Age. 24 May 1962. p. 13.
- ^ "TV Guide". The Age. 24 March 1962. p. 33.
- ^ Dead or Alive 1956 TV show at IMDb
- ^ Vagg, Stephen (February 18, 2019). "60 Australian TV Plays of the 1950s & '60s". Filmink.
- ^ "Young Star's Work". Sydney Morning Herald. 12 March 1962. p. 13.
- ^ "Drama Go Ahead with Six Australians with Ideas". The Age. 1 March 1962. p. 12.
- ^ "Live Drama On Wednesday". The Canberra Times. 11 February 1963. p. 20. Retrieved 15 March 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Thriller Play on Channel 2". Sydney Morning Herald. 26 April 1962. p. 7. Retrieved 15 March 2015.