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The Public Prosecutor

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The Public Prosecutor
Based onplay by Fritz Hochwälder.
Written byWilliam Sterling
Directed byWilliam Sterling
Country of originAustralia
Original languageEnglish
Production
Running time75 minutes
Production companyABC
Original release
Release23 July 1958 (1958-07-23) (Melbourne, live)[1]
Release6 January 1960 (1960-01-06) (Sydney)[2]

The Public Prosecutor is a 1958 television play broadcast by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. It was set during the French Revolution and was based on a play by Fritz Hochwälder. It was shown live in Melbourne in July 1958 but did not screen in Sydney until 1960.[3]

Plot

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The Public Prosecutor is responsible for rounding up victims of the guillotine. He wants the name of a man known only to Theresia. Meanwhile the French Assembly of Deputies debate the end of terror. The identity of the final victim is a surprise.

Cast

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  • Frank Gatliff as Fouquier, the Prosecutor
  • John Morgan as Tallien, Theresia's husband
  • Patricia Kennedy as Theresia

Production

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The play had been performed by the BBC in 1957.[4]

It was shot at ABC's new studios at Rippon Lea. It was Patricia Kennedy's second TV performance following playing Mrs Rattenbury in Killer in Close Up.[5] The play took eight weeks to prepare and involved construction of an eight foot guillotine.[1]

Designer John Peters had also designed sets depicting revolutionary France in the film The Elusive Pimpernel.[6]

Reception

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GTV-9 engineers called up after the broadcast to congratulate ABV-2 on the technical excellence of the program.[7]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Drama of Revolution to Test Techniques". The Age. 18 July 1958. p. 26.
  2. ^ "TV Guide". Sydney Morning Herald. 6 January 1960. p. 16.
  3. ^ "Channel News". Sydney Morning Herald. 4 January 1960. p. 21.
  4. ^ 1957 BBC Version at IMDb
  5. ^ ""Live" TV Drama". The Age. 18 July 1958. p. 25.
  6. ^ "Round Up". The Age. 18 July 1958. p. 27.
  7. ^ "Round up". The Age. 1 August 1958. p. 23.
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