Number 96 DVD update!

Aftermath of Murder: Andrew Mercado, who's assembling the next "Number 96" boxed set of consecutive TV episodes for Umbrella, has just announced that he has secured new bonus commentary tracks with the wonderfully witty Carol Raye (one of my funniest interviewees ever, when I interviewed her many years ago), and the charming Lis Kirkby.

Known to fans of "Number 96" as Don Finlayson's aunt, the Baroness Amanda Von Pappenburg, Carol Raye did two memorable stints in the series, plus one cameo appearance, and then went behind the scenes of the soapie as a Cash Harmon casting director. Her earlier work on "The Mavis Bramston Show" had already endeared Ms Raye to the Australian public, but wacky Amanda, forever cracking open champagne at breakfast - or, indeed, whenever her brain told her that the time was "a quarter past a daffodil" - often stole the show. I'm really looking forward to her contribution to this new DVD set.

Elisabeth Kirkby, the beloved Lucy Sutcliffe of the launderette (somewhere around the corner from her flat at "Number 96"), also went on to a totally different career after departing the series. As Leader of the Australian Democrats in the Upper House of NSW Parliament, Ms Kirkby became a household name all over again. I was fortunate enough to meet her on several occasions to discuss the series, and I was always impressed by her knowledge and pithy opinions of the state of the TV industry of the 70s, and what made "Number 96" so unique and successful.

Well done, Andrew, for this most excellent achievement! More details can be found here!


Don plans a trip to Heidelberg, to visit daffy Aunt Amanda!