Deadline (stylized as ..Deadline..) is a 1981 Australian-American made-for-television thriller drama film directed by Arch Nicholson and co-produced by the Australian division of Hanna-Barbera and New South Wales Film Corporation.
| Deadline | |
|---|---|
| Written by | Walter Davis |
| Directed by | Arch Nicholson |
| Starring | Barry Newman Bill Kerr Trisha Noble Alwyn Kurts Bruce Spence |
| Country of origin | Australia United States |
| Original language | English |
| Production | |
| Producer | Hal McElroy |
| Running time | 94 minutes |
| Production companies | Hanna-Barbera Australia New South Wales Film Corporation |
| Budget | A$750,000[2] |
| Original release | |
| Release | 30 December 1981 (Sydney)[1] |
Plot
editJournalist Barney Duncan (Barry Newman) discovers that an earthquake on the Australian outback was found to be a small nuclear detonation, and the work of an extortionist who vowed to detonate more devices unless his conditions for blackmail are met.
Cast
edit- Barry Newman as Barney Duncan
- Trisha Noble as Gillian Boles
- Bruce Spence as Towie
- Alwyn Kurts as Jack McGinty
- Brian Blain as Dr. Durant
- Willie Fennell as Old Alf
- Danny Adcock as ASIO Agent
- Carole Skinner as Sybil
Production
editIt was originally known as Shadow Effects and was shot on location in Sydney, Canberra and the mining town of Broken Hill. It was a pilot for an unmade TV series which was to be called Foreign Correspondent.[3][4]
At one stage Graham Kennedy was going to play a priest.[5]
Production was held up due to protests from Actors Equity.[6]
"I like the concept, it's a contemporary issue," said Newman during filming in December 1980. "I'm a news nut; my favorite actor is Walter Cronkite."[7]
References
edit- ^ "TV Guide". Sydney Morning Herald. 27 December 1981. p. 44.
- ^ "Production Survey", Cinema Papers, May–June 1981 p170
- ^ Ed. Scott Murray, Australia on the Small Screen 1970-1995, Oxford Uni Press, 1996 p39-40
- ^ "Pete Smith". The Australian Women's Weekly. Vol. 48, no. 37. Australia. 11 February 1981. p. 40 (TV WORLD). Retrieved 25 November 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "TIMESTYLE TELEVISION". The Canberra Times. Vol. 55, no. 16, 432. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 21 September 1980. p. 15. Retrieved 25 November 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "timestyle". The Canberra Times. Vol. 55, no. 16, 502. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 30 November 1980. p. 16. Retrieved 25 November 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ Groves, Don (7 December 1980). "Inhibitions don't curb barry". Sydney Morning Herald. p. 44.