Season of Australian Plays was an anthology series of 6 television movies screened by the ABC in 1979. Written by six different writers they covered different genres and looked at different areas of life and characteristics in 1970s Australia. They began on 14 October with Burn the Butterflies and played over six consecutive Sunday nights concluding with Banana Bender on 18 November.
Films October 14 Burn the Butterflies Writer Cliff Green Director Oscar Whitbread Cast Ray Barrett as Prime Minister Joe Delaney Fred Parslow as Deputy Prime Minister Monica Maughan as Senator Brairley Anderson Gerald Maguire as PM's private secretary George Mallaby as Minister for Overseas Trade John Bowman as probing television reporter
October 21 Mismatch Writer Barry Donnelly Director Ken Hannam Cast Stephen O'Rourke as Richard Harrington Jane Harders as Marsha Harrington
October 28 Gail Writer Keith Thompson Director John Gauci Cast Sally Cooper as Gail Edwards Terry Gill as Dad Nanette Wallace as Mum
November 4 Money in the Bank Writer Peter Yeldham Director John Walker Cast Max Meldrum as George Tom Richards as Charlie Barbara Stephens as Maggie
November 11 The Rock Pool Writer Colin Free Director Chris Thomson Cast Bunney Brooke as Toddy Ed Devereaux as Ernie Lyn James as Myra
November 18 Banana Bender Writer John May Director John Walker Cast John Hargreaves as Tom Harvey Lyndell Rowe as Maureen Maurie Fields as Smiley
Accolades 1980 Sammy Awards Best TV play - Burn the Butterflies Best writer TV play - Keith Thompson (Gail) 1980 Logie Awards Best actress in a single drama - Bunney Brooke (The Rock Pool) Best single drama - Burn the Butterflies
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