Black Limelight (1959 film)

Last updated
Black Limelight
Directed by William Sterling
StarringPatricia Kennedy
Country of originAustralia
Original languageEnglish
Production
Running time75 mins [1] or 90 mins [2]
Original release
NetworkABC
Release15 July 1959 (1959-07-15) (Melbourne)

Black Limelight is a 1959 Australian TV play. It was shot in ABC's Melbourne studios. [3] It was made at a time when Australian drama production was rare. [4]

Contents

Premise

A married man, Peter, is suspected of murdering his mistress. His wife Mary fights to clear his name. She discovers his lawyer friend is the killer.

Cast

Production

A bathing scene was shot at Canadian Bay. [5] It also included scenes shot in North Balwyn. [6]

Patricia Kennedy had a five-minute monologue which was reportedly to be the longest speech up to that moment on Melbourne TV drama. [7]

Reception

The TV critic from The Sydney Morning Herald thought that "Patricia Kennedy's remarkable dramatic strength in the big leading role did much to minimise the gimmicky construction of thriller plot and some lack of incisive editing" and that "William Sterling's production was, in most places, worthy of the material." [3]

The critic from The Age said "there wasn't a great deal to enthuse about... Channel 2 can and will do more significant dramas." [8]

Related Research Articles

<i>The Purple Jacaranda</i> Television series

The Purple Jacaranda was an Australian television mini-series which aired on ABC in 1964 based on a novel by Nancy Graham. Cast included James Condon, Margo Lee, Ronald Morse, Diana Perryman, Walter Sullivan and John Unicomb.

Black Limelight is a stage play by Gordon Sherry, which has been adapted for television at least four times. However, at least three of these adaptations are now lost.

Bodgie is an Australian television movie, or rather a live television play with filmed sequences, which aired on ABC during 1959. Originally broadcast on 12 August 1959 in Sydney on ABN-2, a kinescope recording was made of the program and shown in Melbourne on ABV-2 on 2 September 1959.

<i>Misery Me</i> Australian 1959 television film

Misery Me is a 1959 Australian television movie, or rather a live television play, which aired on ABC. It was a satirical comedy written by British playwright Dennis Cannan and had originally been a stage play.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">They Were Big, They Were Blue, They Were Beautiful</span> 4th episode of the 1st season of Shell Presents

"They Were Big, They Were Blue, They Were Beautiful" is an Australian television movie, or rather a live television play, which aired live on 27 June 1959 in Sydney, and on 8 August 1959 in Melbourne. It aired as part of Shell Presents, a monthly presentation of standalone productions which aired from 1959 to 1960 on ATN-7 in Sydney and GTV-9 in Melbourne.

A Dead Secret is a 1957 play by Rodney Ackland. It is a murder drama set in 1911 London and is based on the Seddon murder trial.

<i>Killer in Close-Up</i> 1957 Australian television film

Killer in Close-Up was a blanket title covering four live television drama plays produced by the Australian Broadcasting Commission in 1957 and 1958. It could be seen as the first anthology series produced for Australian television.

"The Big Killing" is a 1965 Australian television film which aired on ABC. A murder drama aired in a 70-minute time-slot, it was produced in ABC's Sydney studios. Producer was James Upshaw, whose previous works had included variety series The Lorrae Desmond Show.

<i>Rope</i> (1957 film) 1957 television film directed by William Sterling

Rope is a 1957 Australian television film based on the play Rope by Patrick Hamilton. It was presented in real time.

Funnel Web is a 1962 Australian TV play starring Grant Taylor and written by Phillip Grenville Mann. It screened on the ABC and was a suspense drama.

"Tragedy In A Temporary Town" is a 1959 episode of the Australian anthology drama show Shell Presents starring Michael Pate. It was filmed "live" in Melbourne, then recorded and broadcast in Sydney. It was the third episode of Shell Presents and the first shot in Melbourne. It aired live on 16 May 1959 in Melbourne with a tapped version airing on 30 May 1959 in Sydney.

One Bright Day is a 1958 Australian television play. It aired on the ABC and was directed by Ray Menmuir. It aired as part of Monday Night Theatre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Other People's Houses</span> 2nd episode of the 1st season of Shell Presents

"Other People's Houses" is the second episode of the 1959 Australian TV drama anthology Shell Presents. It was based on a play by Tad Mosel and starred Diana Perryman and was directed by David Cahill. It aired on 2 May 1959 in Sydney and on 3 October 1959 in Melbourne.

Till Death Do Us Part is a 1959 Australian television play based on a stage lay that had been adapted for radio. The TV play was broadcast live in Melbourne, recorded, and was shown in Sydney.

Dinner with the Family is a 1959 Australian TV play. Australian TV drama was relatively rare at the time. It featured English star Jessie Matthews in her first Australian TV appearance - she was touring the country at the time - and was shot in Melbourne.

<i>Antony and Cleopatra</i> (1959 film) 1959 Australian TV series or program

Antony and Cleopatra is a 1959 Australian television play based on the play by William Shakespeare.

Murder Story is a 1958 Australian television play.

<i>A Piece of Ribbon</i> 1963 Australian TV series or program

A Piece of Ribbon is a 1963 Australian television play filmed. It was based on an English TV play by Leslie Thomas that had already been performed by the BBC.

The Public Prosecutor is a 1958 television play broadcast by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. It was set during the French Revolution and was based on a play by Fritz Hochwälder. It was shown live in Melbourne in July 1958 but did not screen in Sydney until 1960.

Marriage Lines is a 1962 Australian television play directed by Christopher Muir.

References

  1. "TV Guide". The Age. 9 July 1959. p. 33.
  2. "TV Guide". Sydney Morning Herald. 20 July 1959. p. 20.
  3. 1 2 "Murder Drama From ABN". Sydney Morning Herald. 23 July 1959. p. 6.
  4. Vagg, Stephen (18 February 2019). "60 Australian TV Plays of the 1950s & '60s". Filmink.
  5. "Beach Scene in Suspense Drama". The Age. 9 July 1959. p. 12.
  6. "Melbourne Beach Scenes in Love TV drama". The Age. 18 June 1959. p. 25.
  7. "Jottings". The Age. 4 July 1959. p. 9.
  8. Janus (23 July 1959). "On Channel". The Age. p. 14.