Thunder on Sycamore Street

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"Thunder on Sycamore Street"
The General Motors Hour episode
Thunder on Sycamore St.png
The Age 21 Jul 1960
Episode no.Season 1
Episode 3
Directed by David Cahill
Teleplay by Reginald Rose
Original air date23 July 1960 (1960-07-23)
Running time60 mins
Guest appearance
Frank Waters
Episode chronology
 Previous
"This is Television"
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"You, Too, Can Have a Body"

"Thunder on Sycamore Street" is a 1960 Australian television play directed by David Cahill. It was based on a script by Reginald Rose. It aired on 23 July 1960 in Melbourne and Sydney. [1] [2]

Contents

It followed production of The Grey Nurse Said Nothing as part of General Motors Hour. [3] Like that production it starred Frank Waters. [4]

Plot

The residents of Sycamore Street are upset when they discover a new neighbour has served a prison sentence.

Cast

Production

The drama was produced in ATN 7 Studio "A" at its Television Centre, Epping. This studio is the largest production studio for TV in Australia. The major set, representing the exteriors of three homes, covered 2,000 square feet. It was the largest single set ever installed at the ATN studios, and ATN production executives said it was the biggest single set ever made for Australian "live" TV. A further 600 feet was allowed for the roadway and for camera movement. As all three houses in which the action of the play was set were identical, a second basic set was used. This covered about 500 additional feet of studio space. [5]

It was one of the last appearances of Muriel Steinbeck. [6]

The play had been performed on Australian radio in 1959. [7]

Reception

The TV critic for the Sydney Morning Herald said the production "gave audiences something to think about" and was "careful enough, although evidences of pinch-pennyism were apparent... Frank Waters... stood head and shoulders over a comparatively indifferent cast." [8]

See also

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References

  1. "TV Guide". The Age. 21 July 1960. p. 31.
  2. "TV Guide". Sydney Morning Herald. 23 July 1960. p. 13.
  3. "New Dramas on Channel Seven". 14 June 1960. p. 18.
  4. Marshall, Valda (3 July 1960). "Local Players in US Drama". p. 107.
  5. "Australian Cast In Drama Picture". Sydney Morning Herald. 18 July 1960. p. 13.
  6. Vagg, Stephen (25 August 2019). "Unsung Aussie Actors – Muriel Steinbeck". Filmink.
  7. "Advertising". The Canberra Times . Vol. 33, no. 9, 291. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 16 May 1959. p. 13. Retrieved 6 September 2020 via National Library of Australia.
  8. "Drama on ATN 7". Sydney Morning Herald. 25 July 1960. p. 6.