External links
- Alvin Purple at IMDb
| Alvin Purple | |
|---|---|
| Created by | Alan Hopgood |
| Starring | Graeme Blundell Chris Haywood |
| Country of origin | Australia |
| No. of episodes | 13 |
| Production | |
| Running time | 30 min per episode |
| Original release | |
| Network | ABC |
| Release | 13 August 1976 – 1976 |
Alvin Purple was an Australian television situation comedy series, made by the ABC in 1976. [1] The series followed continued adventures of the title character, previously featured in the successful sex comedy feature film Alvin Purple (1973) and its sequel Alvin Purple Rides Again (1974). It debuted on 19 August 1976. [2]
Graeme Blundell reprised the role of Alvin in the series. Alvin cohabitated with a new character, flatmate Spike (Chris Haywood). As in the films, various women inexplicably lust after Alvin. The women were played by a stream of recognisable Australian actresses in guest-starring roles including Tina Bursill, Jacki Weaver, Belinda Giblin, June Rich, Jane Harders, Pamela Gibbons, Kirrily Nolan, Peta Peita, Judy Lynne, Suzanne Church, Carla Hoogeveen, Chantal Contouri, Anya Saleky. Dawn Lake and Leonard Teale also acted in the series. [3] [4]
In late 1974, Tim Burstall and Hexagon Productions discussed, with ABC, a possible television series based on Alvin Purple. Eventually, ABC made the series in arrangement with Alan Hopgood, who wrote the original screenplay.
During negotiations, apparently neither Burstall nor Alan Finney (of Hexagon) made any claim that they retained rights in Alvin. However, after the ABC had produced several episodes, Burstall and Hexagon became aware that property in the Alvin character belonged to them, and they sued the ABC for breach of copyright.
In the decision Hexagon Pty Ltd and Ors v The Australian Broadcasting Commission [1981] VR 224, the court held that copyright vested in Hexagon, but they were stopped from enforcing its rights by not seeking to do so, before the ABC commenced its production. It was held that the conduct of Hexagon had been such as to indicate to the ABC that they would not pursue any rights and prohibit the ABC from proceeding. [5]
Timothy Burstall AM was an English Australian film director, writer and producer, best known for hit Australian movie Alvin Purple (1973) and its sequel Alvin Rides Again (1974).
This is a list of Australian television-related events in 1976.
Alvin Purple is a 1973 Australian sex comedy film starring Graeme Blundell in the title role; the screenplay was written by Alan Hopgood and directed by Tim Burstall, through his production company Hexagon Productions and Village Roadshow.
The 18th Annual TV Week Logie Awards were presented on Friday 12 March 1976 at Southern Cross Hotel in Melbourne and broadcast on the Nine Network. Bert Newton from the Nine Network was the Master of Ceremonies. American film star Lee Marvin, television actors Henry Winkler, Martin Milner and Arte Johnson, and British actors Gordon Jackson and Susannah York appeared as guests.
Skyways is an Australian television soap opera drama series made by Crawford Productions for the Seven Network.
Homicide was a landmark Australian television police procedural drama series broadcast on the Seven Network and produced by Crawford Productions. It was the television successor to Crawfords' radio series D24. The "Consummate Homicide cast" includes the four characters that are the best known: Det. Snr. Sgt. David "Mac" MacKay, Det. Sgt. Peter Barnes, Inspector Colin Fox and Sen. Det. Jim Patterson.
Sue Belinda Giblin professionally billed as Belinda Giblin, is an Australian actress. Prominent in theatre and television soap operas, and several feature films.
Chris Haywood is an English-born Australian actor, writer and producer, with close to 500 screen performances to his name. Haywood has also worked as a casting director, art director, sound recordist, camera operator, gaffer, grip, location and unit manager.
Chantal Contouri is a Greek Australian television and film actress and former dancer, best known for her role in the 1970s soap opera Number 96, as nurse Tracy Wilson, later revealed to be the serial killer known as the infamous "pantyhose strangler".
Edwin Dudley Roberts was an Australian television screenwriter and supervising producer.
Alvin Rides Again is a 1974 Australian sex-comedy film sequel to Alvin Purple. It was directed by David Bilcock and Robin Copping, who were regular collaborators with Tim Burstall. It was rated M unlike its predecessor which was rated R. Alvin Rides Again still features a lot of full frontal nudity.
Judith Ann Morris is an Australian character actress, as well as a film director and screenwriter, well known for the variety of roles she played in 58 different television shows and films, starting her career as a child actress and appearing on screen until 1999, since then she has worked on film writing and directing, most recently for co-writing and co-directing a musical epic about the life of penguins in Antarctica which became Happy Feet, Australia's largest animated film project to date.
Petersen is a 1974 Australian drama film directed by Tim Burstall.
2000 Weeks is a 1969 Australian drama film directed by Tim Burstall and starring Mark McManus, Jeanie Drynan, and Eileen Chapman.
Jacqueline Ruth Weaver is an Australian theatre, film, and television actress. Weaver emerged in the 1970s Australian New Wave through her work in Ozploitation films such as Stork (1971), Alvin Purple (1973), and Petersen (1974). She later starred in Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975), Caddie (1976), Squizzy Taylor (1982), and a number of television films, miniseries, and Australian productions of plays such as Death of a Salesman and A Streetcar Named Desire.
The Outsiders was the name of an Australian-West German co-production which was made in Australia in 1976. It starred Andrew Keir as Charlie Cole and German actor Sascha Hehn as Pete Jarrett. It also featured other prominent Australian actors including John Jarratt, Wendy Hughes, Leonard Teale, Ray Barrett, Peter Cummins, John Meillon, Megan Williams, John Ewart, Judy Morris, Vincent Ball, Terence Donovan, Serge Lazareff, Peta Toppano, David Gulpilil and Roger Ward. The series was shot in English and Sascha Hehn was dubbed by Australian actor Andrew Harwood.
Shannon's Mob is an Australian TV series about an Australian intelligence agency. It was the last TV series from Fauna Productions, who were responsible for Skippy the Bush Kangaroo among others.
The Bluestone Boys is a 1976 Australian comedy television series about a fictional prison, produced by Crawford Productions. The program was not particularly successful and was cancelled after a run of 26 episodes. The series starred Garry Meadows and Chuck Faulkner.
Quality of Mercy is a 1975 Australian TV series, which took the format of an anthology of television plays. All the scripts were by female writers. The series was commissioned by John Croyston, the head of ABC TV Drama, and was produced in Melbourne and Sydney. It was followed later in 1975 by a companion series, The Seven Ages of Man.
Don's Party is a 1976 Australian film version of the play Don's Party by David Williamson with a screenplay by Williamson, directed by Bruce Beresford. John Hargreaves plays Don Henderson with Jeanie Drynan as Don's wife Kath. Ray Barrett plays Mal, Don's mentor, and Pat Bishop is his wife. Graham Kennedy plays Mack, Graeme Blundell is the Liberal supporter and Veronica Lang his obedient wife. Kerry is the attractive and assertive artist and Evan is her uptight and possessive partner. Cooley comes with his young girlfriend Susan.
