Blue Murder is an Australian live television play which aired in 1959 on ABC. Broadcast live in Sydney on 2 December 1959, a kinescope ("telerecording") was made of the broadcast so it could be shown in Melbourne (it is not known if it was also shown on ABC's then-new stations in Adelaide and Brisbane).[6]
| Blue Murder | |
|---|---|
 Ad from SMH 2 Dec 1959 | |
| Genre | thriller |
| Written by | George F. Kerr[3] |
| Story by | George F. Kerr |
| Directed by | Ray Menmuir |
| Country of origin | Australia |
| Original language | English |
| Production | |
| Running time | 60 mins |
| Production company | ABC |
| Original release | |
| Network | ABC |
| Release | 2 December 1959 (Sydney, live)[1][2] |
| Release | 25 February 1960 (Melbourne, tape)[4][5] |
It is not known if the kinescope recording still exists. Filmink magazine wrote "it sounds as if it would be great, campy fun."[7] It was one of several thrillers filmed in early Australian television.[8]
Premise
editOn Sydney's north shore, an ageing actress, Thelma Lane-Forest, is killed by her bitter and untalented son, Ricky. The son's girlfriend, Jeanette, has a brother, Philip, who is a theatre critic. A journalist, Lundy, also becomes involved.
Cast
edit- Ric Hutton as Ricky Lane-Forest
- Nancye Stewart as Thelma Lane-Forest
- Derani Scarr as Jeanette Gage
- Colin Croft as Philip Gage
- Hugh Stewart as Martin Johnson
- Richard Davies as Lundy
Reception
editThe Sydney Morning Herald felt the plot was illogical, but also called it a "neatly constructed thriller, very competently produced" with "enough gloss on the writing and production to overcome any lingering questions raised by logic; and the play succeeded admirably on its own chosen level – it was craftsmanlike, thoroughly professional and pleasantly diverting."[9]
The story was also adapted into a radio play which was broadcast in 1960.[10]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "TV Guide". Sydney Morning Herald. 30 November 1959. p. 12.
- ^ "Advertising". Sydney Morning Herald. 2 December 1959. p. 21.
- ^ "Advertising". The Canberra Times. Vol. 35, no. 9, 697. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 3 September 1960. p. 15. Retrieved 8 May 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "TV Guide". The Age. 25 February 1960.
- ^ "Drama Set in Sydney Suburb". The Age. 25 February 1960. p. 14.
- ^ Vagg, Stephen (27 February 2022). "Forgotten Australian Television Plays: Four from George F. Kerr". Filmink.
- ^ Vagg, Stephen (18 February 2019). "60 Australian TV Plays of the 1950s & '60s". Filmink.
- ^ Vagg, Stephen (27 April 2021). "Forgotten Australian TV Plays: The Big Killing". Filmink. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
- ^ J.M. (3 December 1959). "Live TV Show of Thriller". Sydney Morning Herald. p. 8.
- ^ "Advertising". The Canberra Times. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 3 September 1960. p. 15. Retrieved 27 May 2020 – via Trove.
External links
edit- Blue Murder at IMDb
- Blue Murder at National Film and Sound Archive
- Blue Murder at National Archives of Australia
- Blue Murder at AustLit
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