Skyways (TV series)

Last updated

Skyways
Skyways.jpg
Tony Bonner as Paul MacFarlane and Bill Stalker as Peter Fanelli in Skyways
GenreSoap opera
Drama
Created by Terry Stapleton
Jock Blair
Country of originAustralia
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes188
Production
Production company Crawford Productions
Original release
Network Seven Network
Release9 July 1979 (1979-07-09) 
27 July 1981 (1981-07-27)

Skyways is an Australian television soap opera drama series made by Crawford Productions for the Seven Network.

Contents

Production and casting

The series, which aired from 1979 to 1981, was set at the fictional Pacific International Airport and dealt with the lives of the pilots, airline staff and management team who worked there.

Skyways was mainly taped in a television studio where, in many interior-set scenes, Colour Separation Overlay created the illusion of a bustling airport with taxiing planes outside the window. Many of the exterior scenes were shot on location at Melbourne Airport.

The show's regular cast members included Tony Bonner as airport manager Paul MacFarlane, later replaced by Gary Doolan (Gerard Kennedy). Tina Bursill played glamorous and ruthless assistant manager Louise Carter. Bill Stalker, played head of airport security Peter Fanelli, an ex-detective. When Skyways ended Fanelli was moved to Crawford police procedural Cop Shop , while Brian James' character George Tippett was transplanted to Holiday Island .

Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan roles

Years before Neighbours and international pop stardom, Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan appeared together in one episode as siblings.

Storylines

An early storyline featured a lesbian flight attendant (Judy Morris) unsuccessfully attempting to seduce a colleague (Deborah Coulls) who revealed she was heterosexual. Morris' character was soon afterwards stabbed to death in the shower as part of a murder-mystery storyline.

International broadcast

The series screened across Europe and the UK during 1984-1986 on Sky Channel which would later become Sky One. It also aired in the UK on Astra Satellite channel, Lifestyle during 1990 at 1.00 p.m Monday to Friday.

Syndication

During the first week of January 2006 the entire series was replayed Thursday early mornings, weekly at 2.00am, then at the later time-slot of 3.00am on WIN TV in Wollongong (South Coast NSW) as part of the early morning Crawfords Classics TV series.

DVD release

On 4 November 2024 Crawfords announced the series will be released on DVD. The release will consist of a seven volume set.

TitleFormatEpisodesOriginal Melbourne airdatesDiscsRegion 4 (Australia)Special FeaturesDistributors
Skyways (Volume 1)DVDEpisodes A-28812 December 2024Episodes A&B to be released on separate solo disc in February 2025 Crawford Productions
Skyways (Volume 2)DVDEpisodes 29-567February 2025None Crawford Productions
Skyways (Volume 3)DVDEpisodes 57-8272025None Crawford Productions
Skyways (Volume 4)DVDEpisodes 83-10872025None Crawford Productions
Skyways (Volume 5)DVDEpisodes 109-13472025None Crawford Productions
Skyways (Volume 6)DVDEpisodes 135-16272025None Crawford Productions
Skyways (Volume 7)DVDEpisodes 163-18872025None Crawford Productions

Cast

Main / regular

Recurring / guests

ActorRoleEps.
Alan Hopgood Edward Fielding2
Alex Menglet Mikhail Gosenko1
Anna Hruby Sharon Webster1
Anne Charleston Wendy Stewart2
Anne Phelan Joan Hailey1
Anne Tenney Eileen1
Barry Creyton John Hunter13
Barry Quin Jeremy Drake1
Belinda Giblin Christine Burroughs12
Brian Wenzel Frank Richmond1
Briony Behets Pam McKinnon1
Bruce Spence David Howard1
Catherine Wilkin Hanna Clayton1
Cecily Polson Jocelyn Powell3
Chantal Comtouri Lorraine Cruikshank1
Charles Tingwell Harold Forbes4
Cornelia Frances Susan Winters / Wendy Kirk2
Dannii Minogue Amy
Danny Adcock Nigel Poulter1
David Gulpilil Koiranha1
Debra Lawrence Sheila Turner1
Di SmithMeg Robinson1
Diane Craig Catherine Tissot1
Dina Mann Fiona Woods6
Frank Gallacher Marcel Boussac / Alexandrow6
George Mallaby District Attorney2
Gerda Nicholson Joan Fitzgerald1
Graham Harvey Greg Freeman1
Grant Dodwell Grant Simpson1
Gus Mercurio Willard Fry1
Ian Smith Col. Garner2
Irene InescortMrs. Young15
Jackie Woodburne Marie Newman1
Jane Clifton Shelley1
Jason Donovan Adam / Trevor Kirk2
John Hamblin Bob Kennedy1
John Walton Bryan Johnson3
Jon Finlayson Bruno1
Judith McGrath Dr Mendelsohn / Mrs Mason / Zoe Lawrence5
Judy Morris Robyn Davies12
Judy Nunn Bessie Langhurst2
Justine Saunders Helen Smith6
Kylie Minogue Robin1
Kerry McGuire Ann Driscoll1
Lesley Baker Gladys Skinner1
Lewis Fitz-Gerald Leslie Foy6
Lorna Lesley Pippa Shaw2
Mark Littie Jimmy McDonald3
Martin Vaughan Charlie Dat1
Mercia Deane-Johns Susan Masters1
Michael Aitkens Frank Harper2
Michael Duffield Sir Joseph Miles / Sir Godfrey Fox9
Miles Buchanan Bert Simpson1
Monica Maughan Mrs Jones1
Nadia Tass Sarah McGregor1
Penelope Stewart Barbie Beach / Jenny McKay3
Penne Hackforth-Jones Lady Pamela Griff1
Penny Cook Joanne Whicker1
Penny Ramsey Judy Pinnington1
Peta Toppano Sister Theresa1
Peter Cummins Les Mitchell / Raymond Dixon2
Peter Curtin David Kerridge / Roy Hamilton2
Peter Whitford Nigel Forsythe1
Queenie Ashton Mrs Fow1
Ray Meagher Sgt Murphy1
Reg Evans Errol Foote1
Rod Mullinar Geoff Blake3
Roger Oakley Joe D'Angelo2
Ronald Falk Derek Powell3
Rowena Wallace Ann Wallace1
Sandy Gore Yvonne Deauville1
Shane Porteous John Dermarney1
Sigrid Thornton Olivia Baker1
Stefan Dennis Richard1
Terry Gill Ed Sloane / Keith Shelton2
Terry McDermott Fred Manning / Captain Gardner3
Tim Robertson Bert Dyer1
Tom Burlinson Jim Backwell1
Tom Oliver Scott Honeyman1
Tommy Dysart Paddy MacDonald1
Tracy Mann Mickey Devine1
Veronica Lang Sarah Blake3
Vincent Ball Capt Fitzgerald1
Wyn Roberts Barney Waters2

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