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The Patriots (TV series)

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The Patriots
Ad in The Age 7 Jun 1962
GenreHistorical drama
Written byPhilip Grenville Mann
Directed byColin Dean
StarringJames Condon
Country of originAustralia
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes10
Production
Running time30 mins
Original release
NetworkABC Television
Release27 May (1962-05-27) –
29 July 1962 (1962-07-29)

The Patriots was an Australian television drama mini-series. A period-drama, it aired for 10 episodes on ABC in 1962.[1]

This was among a series of period dramas produced by the broadcaster, being preceded by Stormy Petrel (1960) and The Outcasts (1961), and followed by The Hungry Ones (1963). The first two had been written by Rex Rienits but this one was written by Phillip Grenville Mann.[2][3]

The cast included James Condon as William Charles Wentworth, who gets into trouble while running a newspaper called The Australian (note: no relation to the current newspaper of the same name).[4]

Telerecordings (also known as kinescope recordings) of the episodes are held by National Archives of Australia.

The ABC had broadcast a radio play on this era by Edmund Barclay called Spoiled Darlings.[3]

Premise

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William Wentworth runs a newspaper which brings him into conflict with Governor Darling.

Cast

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Episodes

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No.TitleSydney air dateMelbourne air date
1Unknown27 May 1962 (1962-05-27)10 June 1962
2Unknown3 June 1962 (1962-06-03)17 June 1962
Wentworth becomes involved in a breach of promise suit
3"The Governor Acts"10 June 1962 (1962-06-10)24 June 1962
Wentworth protests against "rubber stamp" governorship
4Unknown17 June 1962 (1962-06-17)2 July 1962
5"Full scale war"24 June 1962 (1962-06-24)9 July 1962
6"Pistol Duel"1 July 1962 (1962-07-01)15 July 1962
A duel is fought between William Dumrareq and Robert Wardell
7"A Marriage in Sydney"8 July 1962 (1962-07-08)22 July 1962
Sarah marries William
8"A Court Martial"15 July 1962 (1962-07-15)29 July 1962
9Unknown22 July 1962 (1962-07-22)5 August 1962
Darling's answer to Wentworth's impeachment is to hold an official inquiry to the death of Private Sudds
10Unknown29 July 1962 (1962-07-29)21 August 1962

Production

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In January 1962 the ABC announced it would make a third historical series, an unofficial sequel to Stormy Petrel and The Outcasts.[5] The first two were written by Rex Rienits but this one was written by Phillip Grenville Mann, an Australian who had worked in London and replaced Rienits as drama editor at the ABC. Mann was quoted in the Sydney Morning Herald as saying: "I hope that any factions in it are not dubbed 'goodies' and 'baddies'. "When men of principle disagree it does not necessarily follow that they become either heroes or scoundrels. Tragedy – and drama – can sometimes be found in men who act with absolute integrity and in direct conflict with the needs and desires of the people."[6]

Designer Phil Hickie spent four months designing 17 sets, plus the costumes and props. More than 200 gallons of paint were used.[7]

The series aired in June.[4]

Reception

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Nan Musgrove of The Australian Women's Weekly said she "thought "The Patriots" was a wonderful story that could have had added excitement if it had been played at a quicker pace. I wish it had been done in five one-hour episodes." She noted the wide public interest the series attracted.[8]

Stephen Vagg of Filmink argued:

The Patriots doesn’t really have enough material for 300 minutes. The conflict between Darling and Wentworth is really solid, and focusing on the Sudds case would have made a fantastic 90 minute play... But stretched over ten episodes, there’s a lot of padding. Undramatic padding too, with a lot of scenes consisting of characters standing around being indignant about what they are reading in the paper. It even skips some stuff that happened in real life which was cool, such as Wardell meeting a violent death at the hands of escaped convicts.[3]

References

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  1. ^ "The Patriots Recalls Early Fight for Freedom". TV & Radio Guide. The Age. 7 June 1962. p. 5. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  2. ^ "New Serial with Emphasis on Our Fight for Freedom". TV & Radio Guide. The Age. 8 March 1962. p. 2. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  3. ^ a b c Vagg, Stephen (2021). "Forgotten Australian TV Plays: The Patriots". Filmink.
  4. ^ a b Musgrove, Nan (6 June 1962). ""The Patriots"". The Australian Women's Weekly. pp. 10–11. Retrieved 4 June 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ^ Musgrove, Nan (31 January 1962). "ABN plans third historical TV serial". The Australian Women's Weekly. Vol. 29, no. 35. Australia. p. 17. Retrieved 16 July 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ Marshall, Valda (3 September 1961). "TV Merry Go Round". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 88. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  7. ^ Marshall, Valda (20 May 1962). "TV Merry Go Round". Sydney Morning Herald. p. 90. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  8. ^ Musgrove, Nan (15 August 1962). "Double ballet triumph". The Australian Women's Weekly. Vol. 30. Australia. p. 17. Retrieved 16 July 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
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