Beyond Number 96

Since yesterday's exclusive announcement of more classic "Number 96" on DVD, I've felt a need to upgrade the last section of my old, annotated episode guide - the one with details of all "Number 96"-connected shows since the parent series went off the air. I Google this stuff every few years and it's amazing how little snippets turn up every now and then. For example, when I did my initial research, I would have stopped my skimming of bound volumes of old TV Times and TV Week issues when I hit the end of 1977, and so I had no notes on the bizarre-sounding second pilot for a variety series that would have featured Reg and Edie MacDonald! Also, last time I checked, there was no online information whatsoever on "Eurotrash" (in which yours truly appeared as the dubiously-described as the "only member of the Abigail and Number 96 Fan Club!). Recently, I found an official site that listed all the segment titles and subjects of that tongue-in-cheek documentary series.

Anyway, here's the list:

SPECIAL: Number 96 Auction. (20/08/1977)
A live cross to the grounds of Channel 10, Sydney. With Joe "The Gadget Man" Sandow as the auctioneer. 90 minutes; aired at 12 noon. Sold off for charity were Number 96 costumes, props, furniture and set pieces. Many cast members watched from the Number 96 double-decker bus. Net proceeds were donated to the Microsearch Foundation of Australia. Highlights of the auction were featured on that evening's "Eyewitness News". 0-10 Network.

UNAIRED PILOT: The Zodiac Girls. (Promoted to networks September 1977)
Written by Alan Veitch. Casting by Ian Leigh-Cooper. Featured Number 96 alumni: Abigail, Deborah Gray, Frances Hargreaves, Lorna Lesley and Candy Raymond, with Kit Taylor as the chauvinistic astrologer. Stylis Television Productions.

UNAIRED PILOT: Oh Mummy, Oh Daddy. (Taped February 1978)
Second unsuccessful attempt to spin off the characters of Reg and Edie MacDonald (Mike Dorsey and Wendy Blacklock), this time in a potential music/variety series with dream sequences (eg. Superman and Ginger Meggs characters in the pilot). Seven Network.

ARCADE. (Commenced 20/01/1980)
Comedy/drama serial. Created and developed by David Sale and Johnny Whyte. Produced by Mike Murphy and Bill Harmon, assistant producers Ian Leigh-Cooper and Ted Jobbins, associate producer Kevin Powell, executive producer John Davies. 90 min. pilot plus 50 episodes; 20 were never aired. The series concerned the shopkeepers (and their families) of a busy suburban shopping arcade under a Strata Hotel Motel complex. The new series premiered on the Sunday night, then it moved to weeknights. Featured numerous Number 96 alumni Aileen Britton, Bill Charlton, Lorrae Desmond, Mike Dorsey, Garth Meade, Anne Semler and Patrick Ward. Guests included Danny Adcock, Roger Cox and Allan Penney. [Pilot script written by David Sale; directed by Mike Murphy.] Network TEN (in Melbourne, ATV-0 had just become became ATV-10, as part of Rupert Murdoch's new Network TEN entity).

REPEAT OF COLOUR EPISODES. (Commenced 4/02/1980)
Episodes of Number 96 (from the first colour compile, #585, onwards) were repeated in Sydney in a late-night timeslot, Monday-Thursday. In Brisbane, 8/02/1981-4/10/1981, initially on Sundays and Mondays, but dropping back to Sundays only from April. Network TEN.

NUMBER 96 (US Version). (Commenced USA 10/12/1980 on NBC; aired in Australia 1986)

SPECIAL: The Australian Way: A Salute to Aussie Sex Appeal. (1/07/1982)
Presented by Gordon Elliott, Joanna Lockwood and Grant Kenny. Clip show incorporated raunchy footage from Number 96 and interviews with Joe Hasham, Elaine Lee and Abigail. Also included was a scene from Joanna Lockwood's time with the show. Network TEN.
The segment, "A Salute to Aussie Sex Appeal", of this program is available as a bonus feature on the 2010 DVD, "Number 96: Aftermath of Murder". The date on the DVD (1978) is incorrect; it was actually 1982.

REPEAT OF MOVIE. (24/03/1983)
WIN-4 in Wollongong, NSW, screened the movie at 11.30pm. Exact Sydney airdate unknown.

GOLDEN YEARS OF TELEVISION: Tribute to Australian Soaps. (14/08/1986)
Presented by David Lyle and Ginger de Winter (aka Virginia Bell). Featured the infamous "bomb aftermath" episode (#840) and assorted footage. Nine Network.

TONIGHT LIVE WITH STEVE VIZARD. (20/07/1993)
Hosted by Steve Vizard. Featured flashback footage and live interviews with Elaine Lee, Jeff Kevin and Number 96 historian, Ian McLean. Comedian Vince Sorrenti featured in a live cross to Sydney, and conducted a tour of Moncur Flats, at 83 Moncur Street, Woollahra, the actual location of the Number 96 building seen in the show's credits. Nigel Giles provided research. Seven Network.

SPECIAL: Number 96: They Said It Wouldn't Last. (21/11/1994)
With new commentary from Abigail. Featured most of the special made to celebrate the show's 1000th episode, revamped and concluded with the "curtain call" from the final episode. 10 TV Australia.

DARREN GRAY DOWN UNDER: Number 96. (26/02/1995)
Hosted by Darren Gray, produced by Joy Hruby. Featured interviews with actor Vince Martin and Number 96 historians, Ian McLean and Andrew Mercado. CTV1.

SALE OF THE CENTURY: Battle of the TV Classics. (19/06/1995)
Hosted by Glenn Ridge. Featured Johnny Lockwood, Elaine Lee, Jeff Kevin and Candy Raymond representing Number 96 and competing against stars from The Sullivans, Prisoner: Cell Block H and The Young Doctors. Candy Raymond made it through to the finals. Ian McLean and Darren Gray provided research and team support. Nine Network.

EUROTRASH: Eurotrash Goes Down Under. (SEASON 5, Episode #6, (UK 22/12/1995; Australian airdate unknown)
Hosted by Jean-Paul Gaultier, narrated by Kate Robbins. Australian edition presented by Amanda Keller. The segment "Abigail" featured flashback footage of Number 96, Chances and the Alvin Purple movies and TV series. Interviews were with Abigail, journalist Robin Oliver and Number 96 historian, Ian McLean. Foxtel/Austar's The Comedy Channel; Galaxy TV.

REPEAT OF MOVIE. (8/11/1996) This time, rather savagely cut, particularly Rebecca Gilling's nude scenes. Network Ten.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW. (1997)
Presented by Peter Luck. Weekly episodes, three of which focused on Number 96 stories. One episode featured James Elliott and Elisabeth Kirkby. Another reunited John Orcsik with Joe Hasham, who reenacted their kiss from the Number 96 feature film. A Soap Opera Weddings special featured Jeff Kevin and Pamela Garrick. Ian McLean provided research. Seven Network.

TAMARA TONITE. (20/10/1999 - 3/11/1999)
Presented by Brisbane-based drag queen, Tamara Tonite (aka Roderick Paterson). Weekly episodes, three of which were focused on Number 96. Interviews with Sheila Kennelly (#137), Elaine Lee (#138) and Number 96 historian, Ian McLean (#139). Channel Briz31.

TELEVISION'S GREATEST HITS: The Best of Number 96. (13/03/2000 - 30/03/2000)
Presented by Andrew Mercado over three weeks. 24 episodes, hand selected by Andrew Mercado and Ian McLean. Episodes shown were: #2 (middle of the original Sydney premiere), 33 (Sonia & Chad interracial kiss), 450 (Amanda & Herb in court), 604 (a Fake Amanda, and Dorrie's dreams), 613 (Flo's jilted wedding), 630/631 (TC's mother's beach house), 649 (Pantyhose Strangler strikes), 669 (Pantyhose Strangler strikes again), 679 (Pantyhose Strangler defeated), 680 (Pantyhose Strangler escapes), 689 (Norma's mother vs the Murphy bed), 838/839 (Bomb in the building!), 840/841 (bomb aftermath), 844 (Lucy's anguish), 1005 (Junior's real father), 1006 (the Hooded Rapist strikes), 1136 (Duddles' disco opens), 1160 (Rob's deadly game), 1164 (Miss Hemingway arrives; bikies kidnap Chook), and 1217/1218 (the finale and curtain call). Foxtel/Austar's TV1.

THE BEST OF AUSSIE DRAMAS: Part I. (7/11/2002)
Presented by Kate Ritchie of Home and Away. Contained numerous clips of Number 96, with sound byte comments from John Orcsik, Elaine Lee, Jeff Kevin, Lorrae Desmond, Vince Sorrenti and Number 96 historian, Ian McLean. Part II aired a week later, and a two-part focus on Aussie Cop Shows followed over the next fortnight, with additional sound byte comments from Paula Duncan, John Orcsik and Lorrae Desmond. Seven Network.

SPECIAL: Ten: Seriously 40. (21/08/2005)
Presented by Bert Newton and Rove McManus. Clip show celebrating four decades of the former 0-10 Network. Network TEN.

SPECIAL: 50 Years, 50 Shows. (25/09/2005)
Presented by Eddie McGuire. Number 96 rated #9 out of 50 Australian television shows. Nine Network.

DVD: Number 96: 2 Disc Collectors Edition. (10/07/2006)
Includes: a brand new 16:9 transfer of Number 96: The Movie (1974), uncut and uncensored, with newly recorded audio commentary (2006) with Elaine Lee, creator/screenwriter David Sale and TV historian Andrew Mercado; original draft screenplay of the movie on DVD-ROM; And They Said It Wouldn't Last TV documentary special (1976, plus 1977 update); Abigail's introduction to the special's repeat TV screening (1994); an all new featurette, THE FINAL YEARS (2006), covering the last 218 episodes (and new interviews with actors Elaine Lee, Sheila Kennelly, Wendy Blacklock, Deborah Gray and series creator David Sale); plus rare footage of the Spirit of 96 train journey, as the TV cast attended the Logies in Melbourne (1975). Umbrella Entertainment Australia. (Note that cover art of the first pressings of this product mentioned a stills gallery, but this was unable to be included as planned.)

REPEAT OF SPECIAL: 50 Years, 50 Shows. (11/09/2006)
Newly presented by Mike Munro, celebrating Australian television's 50th anniversary. Nine Network.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW. (8/07/2007)
Presented by Melissa Doyle and David Koche. Featured Jeff Kevin, Sheila Kennelly, Elaine Lee, James Elliott, Elisabeth Kirkby, Frances Hargreaves, Chantal Contouri, Joe Hasham and Chard Hayward. Ian McLean provided research. Seven Network.

UPDATES:

NOT QUITE HOLLYWOOD: The Wild, Untold Story of Ozploitation! (08/2008)
Theatrical documentary included brief footage from Number 96. Interviewees included actors Rebecca Gilling, Wendy Hughes, Lynette Curran, Briony Behets, Candy Raymond, Deborah Gray, Roger Ward and Norman Yemm, and associate producer, David Hannay. Archival footage of Abigail, in numerous non-96 appearances, were more revealing than any of her supposedly more-notorious Number 96 scenes! (Later also available from Umbrella Entertainment Australia.)

DVD: Number 96: The Pantyhose Strangler. (30/08/2008)
Includes: 32 consecutive colour episodes #649-680; stills gallery (that was originally planned for the previous DVD collectors' set); newly recorded audio commentary (2008) with actor Chantal Contouri and TV historian Andrew Mercado; 2006 footage of the Network Ten News announcement of the earlier DVD release. Umbrella Entertainment Australia.

DVD: Number 96: Aftermath of Murder. (11/03/2010)
Includes: 32 consecutive colour episodes #681-712; newly recorded audio commentaries (2009) with actors Carol Raye, Elisabeth Kirkby and TV historian Andrew Mercado; The Australian Way: A Salute to Aussie Sex Appeal TV special (1982, incorrectly identified as 1978); original 1976 "Adults Only" TV promo for premiere of And They Said It Wouldn't Last documentary special; 1975 uncut Christmas messages from cast members; and 2008 footage of the Network Ten News announcement of the previous DVD release, including a reunion between Chantal Contouri and Pamela Garrick. Umbrella Entertainment Australia.

DVD: Ozploitation: Volume 4. (01/2012)
Number 96: The Movie is re-released (Disc 1 only, not the docos) as part of a six-disc set of Australian movies, including Alvin Purple, Alvin Rides Again, Stork, BMX Bandits, Dark Age and the short film, Three Old Friends. (The liner notes incorrectly state that Abigail stars in Number 96: The Movie; she does, however, feature in the two Alvin movies.) Umbrella Entertainment Australia.

DVD: Number 96: The Beginning and the Bomb. (Forthcoming 2012)
Celebrating the 40th anniversary of the series. Includes: 16 of the 21 surviving b/w episodes (#1-10, 13, 31, 33-35, 450) and 16 consecutive colour episodes #832-847; audio interviews from the National Film & Sound Archive with actor James Elliott and director Peter Benardos, conducted by Nigel Giles; newly recorded audio commentary (2010) with The Hon Michael Kirby, AC CMG, and TV historian Andrew Mercado; Showcase (2009) interview with actor Elaine Lee and series creator David Sale, conducted by Andrew Mercado; Network Ten News interview (2009) with actor/politician Elisabeth Kirkby, conducted by reporter Angela Bishop, promoting the previous DVD release; and downloadable PDFs of original press clippings and advertisements. Umbrella Entertainment Australia.

On a totally unrelated topic...
Sunday's magic number: 94.0. Absolutely no change - again. (Should I admit now to Thursday night's two donuts. And Friday's four? Shhhh! Maybe not.)

How wonderful: it's Sunday. The day I declare my progress to the world, and it's sandwiched between Number 96 news that people will be Googling for months! Let's hope the numbers are lower by the time the new DVD set hits.