Riptide (Australian TV series)

Last updated

Riptide
Created by Michael Noonan
Starring Ty Hardin
Theme music composer Tommy Tycho
Country of originAustralia
United Kingdom
Bermuda
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes26
Production
Executive producerGuy Thayer
Producer Ralph Smart
Running time49 minutes
Production companiesArtransa
Associated British-Pathe
Trans-Pacific Enterprise
Original release
Network Seven Network (Australia)
Release6 February 1969 (1969-02-06)

Riptide is an Australian adventure television series, starring Ty Hardin, which was first broadcast in 1969. The show featured a foreign lead actor and a foreign producer, similar in approach to the later series The Outsiders . Co-stars were Jonathan Sweet and Sue Costin, while guest roles featured Australian actors such as Tony Ward, Rowena Wallace, Michael Pate, Bill Hunter, Helen Morse, John Meillon, Norman Yemm, Chips Rafferty, and Jack Thompson. [1] The series was filmed at Australian locations. [2]

Contents

Plot

The protagonist Moss Andrews (played by Ty Hardin, who had previously appeared in Bronco ) is a once successful US-American businessman who took a sabbatical after his wife had died prematurely. The widower undertook a long sailing trip, hoping that experiencing pure nature would give him some peace of mind. In Australia, the beautiful environment helped him to pull himself together again and therefore he has decided to stay for the time being, operating a charter boat company along the eastern seaboard. However, he is frequently bothered by suspicious characters who try to follow through on hidden schemes. He always manages eventually to put paid to all looming menaces.

Cast

Main/regular

Guests/recurring

ActorRoleEps.
Alistair Duncan Harry1
Alister Smart Adam Brockenhurst / Les Duggan / Ted3
Ben Gabriel Fenwick1
Bill Hunter 'Lofty' Smith / Mick Scobie2
Carmen Duncan Professor Karen Shaw / Kate Brett2
Carol Raye Lauriana French1
Chips Rafferty 'Sharky' Hall / Ken Brockenhurst / Major Drysdale3
Danny Adcock Donald1
Dawn Lake 2
Dennis Miller Jeff Challis1
Enid Lorimer Dora Binney1
Fernande GlynnBarmaid1
Gerard Maguire Tractor Driver1
Gordon Boyd Blackie / Hamilton Walsh2
Harold Hopkins Harry1
Helen Morse Joanna Decker1
Jack Thompson Wally / Ted2
Jacki Weaver Liz1
Jeanie Drynan Penny Waring / Val Wells2
Jodie Yemm Jodi Rix1
John GrayFred Martin / Havelock2
John Gregg Johnny DeBray1
John Hamblin Wallace's Mate1
John Meillon Luke Russell1
Ken Shorter Ross1
Kerry McGuire Freda Phillips / Beryl Winton2
Kevin Miles Brian Clarke1
Lionel Long Hamilton1
Lois Ramsey Anastasia Burns1
Lorrae Desmond Madge Scobie1
Max Cullen Gus / Chris / Rod3
Michael Pate Captain Bonner / Wes Lowry2
Neva Carr Glyn Ruth Decker1
Norman Kaye Eric Garrow1
Norman Yemm Const. Bob Rix / Andy Mercer2
Pat SullivanBimbo Ashton / Rainbow Quilter / Receptionist3
Penne Hackforth-Jones Sally Tennant / Dancer2
Penny Ramsey Sue Sherman1
Reg Evans Assistant Manager1
Reg Gorman Reg / Wal / Charlie3
Roger Ward Sergeant / Denzil Webb2
Ron Graham Chris Bolan1
Ron Haddrick Abraham Decker1
Rowena Wallace Cathy Smith / Xena2
Sean Scully Chuck1
Slim De Grey Carl7
Steve Dodd Jacko1
Suzy Kendall Diana / Kate Russell / Vera Rutland3
Tom Oliver Dave Todd / Bruno / Mike Hallett3
Tony Ward Maurie Anderson / Mike Hagan2
Vincent Gil Conrad Dehn / Constable 1 / Johnny3

Production

Development

The series was based on an idea by American Guy Thayer and developed by London-based Australian writer Michael Noonan who had worked with Thayer on The Flying Doctors . Noonan had helped create two earlier British-financed television shows with American stars set in Australia, The Flying Doctor and Whiplash . Noonan says Thayer's original pitch was about a show about a man wbo ran a charter boat on the Barrier Reef and was called Charter Boat with Oliver Reed to star. [3] The show was announced in 1966 as Charter Boat. [4]

Finance was raised from an Australian company, Artransa, and a British company, Associated British. (The series was officially a co-production between a Bermudan-based company of Thayer's, Trans Pacific Enterprises, and Artransa Park Studios, with copyright owed by Associated British Pathe, Amalgamated Television Services and Trans Pacific.) Noonan says the intention was that the series would be written by three Australian writers based in London under Noonan's supervision - Bruce Stewart, Tony Scott Veitch and Rex Rienits. They each wrote two episodes each but Associated British were rejected them and Robert Banks Stewart became story editor instead. [3]

By November 1967 Leon Becker, manager of Artransa, reported that five Australians had submitted scripts: Bruce Stewart, Michael Noonan, Peter Yeldham, Rex Rienits and Anthony Scott Veitch. [5] No script from an Australian-resident writer was used on the series. This led to a dispute with the Australian Writers Guild.

The lead role went to Ty Hardin. [6]

The series was filmed in colour. Ty Hardin said: "We can make a Riptide episode here for $70,000. In the States it would cost $200,000." [1]

Filming started 29 November 1967.

During the making of the series Hardin told a journalist, "I'm really a very humble man. Not a day goes by that I don't thank God for my looks, my stature and my talent." [7]

Shooting was problematic. [8] Several months in Ralph Smart was brought out to act as a producer. Among the things he did was sack the two co-stars. [9]

Reception

The series rated well in Australia. However the reception of the series did not meet the expectations of its producers. US-American broadcasters rejected the series [1] and the enthusiasm of audiences in Australia and Europe was merely lukewarm. There was no second season for this TV show.

Episode

  1. Bound from California (5 February 1969). w Robert Bruce Stewart, p Ralph Smart d Peter Maxwell. Moss Andrews arrives on a boat from the USA, recovering from the death of his wife. He runs into an old friend and gets involved in a battle over tug boats. GS: Gordon Boyd, Pat Sullivan, Ron Graham, Fernande Glynn, John Gray. NB. This episode was the sixteenth episode filmed.

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "Riptide". Classic Australian Television. Retrieved 5 August 2017.
  2. Vagg, Stephen (3 April 2020). "6 Productions Rick Dalton Might Have Wound Up Doing in Australia After Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood…". Filmink.
  3. 1 2 Noonan, Michael. "Michael Noonan interview" (Interview). Interviewed by Albert Moran. National Film and Sound Archive.
  4. "US-Aust TV makers joint TV venture". The Age. 26 May 1966. p. 14.
  5. Robinson, Harry (16 November 1967). "Riptide starts to flow". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 11.
  6. Veitch, Jock (19 November 1967). "Cowboy gets a new image". The Sunday Sydney Morning Herald. p. 99.
  7. Nicklin, Lenore (27 November 1968). "Gary Cooper was right - Ty Hardin is a star". TV Times. p. 10.
  8. Clark, Russell (27 August 1969). "Cost:$2 million and a lot of headaches". TV Times. p. 42-43.
  9. Owen, Roslyn (22 February 1969). "Danger man chief sacks Riptide stars". TV Week. p. 6.