The Dismissal (miniseries)
The Dismissal is an Australian television miniseries, first screened in 1983, that dramatised the events of the 1975 Australian constitutional crisis.
| The Dismissal | |
|---|---|
| Screenplay by | Terry Hayes Ron Blair Sally Gibson George Miller Phillip Noyce Daphne Paris |
| Story by | Ron Blair |
| Directed by | Carl Schultz George Miller Phillip Noyce John Power George Ogilvie |
| Starring | Max Phipps John Stanton John Meillon |
| Country of origin | Australia |
| Original language | English |
| No. of episodes | 3 |
| Production | |
| Producer | Terry Hayes |
| Cinematography | Dean Semler |
| Editors | Richard Francis-Bruce Sara Bennett John Hollands |
| Running time | 270 minutes |
| Production company | Kennedy Miller |
| Budget | $2.6 million[1] |
| Release | |
| Original network | Network Ten |
| Original release | 6 March 1983 |
It was partly written and directed by the noted film makers George Miller and Phillip Noyce as well as Mad Max screenwriter Terry Hayes, with cinematography by Dean Semler.
The miniseries comprised six one-hour episodes. It was originally broadcast by Network Ten, beginning on 6 March 1983 (the day after the 1983 federal election), and was also broadcast in the United Kingdom.
It was voted the 19th-best Australian television show on the 50 Years 50 Shows list.
In the 1970s there were several attempts to make a film based on the same story called King Hit written by Erwin Rado and Bruce Grant. Phillip Noyce and Paul Cox were both attached as directors for a time.[2]
Cast
- Max Phipps as the dismissed Labor Prime Minister Gough Whitlam
- John Meillon as Governor-General Sir John Kerr
- John Stanton as the appointed Liberal Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser
- John Hargreaves as Whitlam's Deputy Prime Minister Jim Cairns
- Bill Hunter as Labor politician Rex Connor
- Ruth Cracknell as Margaret Whitlam, the prime minister's wife
- George Ogilvie as Labor Senator Jim McClelland
- Peter Sumner as Treasurer Bill Hayden
- Vincent Ball as Labor Senator Justin O'Byrne, President of the Senate
- Ed Devereaux as Phillip Lynch
- Arthur Dignam as Eric Robinson
- Stewart Faichney as Billy Snedden
- Robyn Nevin as Anne Kerr, Lady Kerr
- Tom Oliver as Liberal Senator Reg Withers
- Sean Scully as Doug Anthony
- Martin Vaughan as independent Senator Albert Field
- Lucky Grills (uncredited) as George Harris, President of Carlton Football Club
- Peter Carroll, narrator
Reception
The series was a huge ratings success in Australia, getting a 42% viewing share.[3]
See also
References
- Albert Moran, Moran's Guide to Australian TV Series, AFTRS 1993 p 146
- David Stratton, The Last New Wave: The Australian Film Revival, Angus & Robertson, 1980 p212
- Sadlier, Kevin. "Death of the Australian mini-series". Sydney Sun Herald. p. 47.