| Elly & Jools | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Children's television series |
| Created by | Posie Graeme-Evans [1] |
| Written by |
|
| Directed by | Karl Zwicky |
| Starring | Rebecca Smart Clayton Williamson Peter Fisher Anne Tenney Abigail Dennis Miller Damon Herriman Vanessa Collier |
| Theme music composer |
|
| Opening theme | "Help Me Through The World" by Andrew Cam and Nadine Weinberger |
| Ending theme | "Help Me Through The World" (instrumental) |
| Composer | Chris Harriott |
| No. of series | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 12 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer | Errol Sullivan |
| Producers |
|
| Editor | John Cameron |
| Running time | 25 minutes |
| Production company | Southern Star Group |
| Original release | |
| Network | Nine Network |
| Release | 11 June – 26 June 1990 |
Elly & Jools is an Australian children's television series that originally aired on the Nine Network in 1990. [2]
It starred Rebecca Smart as Elinor 'Elly' Lockett and Clayton Williamson as Julian 'Jools' Trevaller. It also featured Abigail, Anne Tenney, Peter Fisher, Dennis Miller, Damon Herriman and Vanessa Collier. [3] [4]
The Trevaller family move from the city to a new house in a small country town called Waterloo Creek. [5] The house they move into is haunted by the ghost of a young girl called Elinor "Elly" Lockett who died in the 19th century. [5] Elly befriends the Julian "Jools" Trevaller, who tries to help solve the mystery of her death. [5]
In the final episode it is revealed that Elly died in a tragic accident and stayed in the world of the living in order to clear the name of the man suspected of her murder. Having achieved peace, she passes to the afterlife and is reunited with her loving family whilst Jools meets Eloise, a living girl identical to Elly who is perceived either as her reincarnation or as a sign to him that the world is full of human girls just like her. [6]
Filming of Elly and Jools commenced in July 1989. [7] Rebecca Smart's casting announced shortly after the commencement of filming. [7]
The show was filmed at Peninsula House in Windsor, New South Wales and at the Australiana Pioneer Village in Wilberforce.[ citation needed ]
The dog which appeared in the series also played the dingo in the Meryl Streep and Sam Neill film, A Cry in the Dark .[ citation needed ]
In 1991, the twelve 30-minute episodes were condensed into one three-hour video distributed by CIC Video. [8] [9]
Elly and Jools received positive reviews from television critics.
The Sydney Morning Herald's Jon Casimir praised the show describing it as a "pleasure to watch" due to Karl Zwicky's inventive direction, an up-tempo soundtrack from Chris Harriott, the "sterling work" of the actors and also because of "an all-pervasive sense of fun" and "an unabashed enthusiasm." [10] Casimir also wrote: "...what Elly and Jools has to say about life is every bit as pertinent if not more so, that anything you could learn from Ramsay Street or Summer Bay." [10]
While discussing Australian children's television which had been produced during the year of 1990, Margaret Geddes from The Age described Elly and Jools as "another gem made locally" and a "delightfully gentle romantic comedy." [2]
Posie Graham-Evans, the producer and creator of the 1989 children's mini-series Elly and Jools says Australian children's drama is among the best available...
Elly and Jools is a CIC Video...
...Elly and Jools, originally 12 half-hours directed by Karl Zwicky, has been cut into one three-hour video (G, CIC)...