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Power Without Glory: episode guide

Episodes 1 - 9 | Episodes 10 - 18 | Episodes 19 - 26

Solidarity Forever

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Episode 19
Monday, October 25, 1976
Written by Howard Griffiths
Directed by Douglas Sharp

1929. Labor's election victory has made Jimmy Summers the nation's new PM. A letter from Marjorie announces the birth of John and Nellie's first grandchild but it's not enough to soften John's heart and accept her back into his house. A growing financial crisis is exacerbated by a stock market crash in America. Martha Ashton is institutionalized after she tries to take her own life. John wants government protection from imported spirits to increase workers at local distilleries — and his profits. Frank Ashton pushes the government to nationize the banks but his colleagues have no appetite for another election. ©tzuk

Cast: Martin Vaughan as John West, Rosalind Speirs as Nellie, Heather Canning as Mrs Moran, Wendy Hughes as Mary West, Tony Bonner as Brendan West, Tristan Rogers as Peter Monton, Michael Pate as Archbishop Malone, Terence Donovan as Frank Lammence, Barry Hill as Frank Ashton, Elaine Baillie as Martha Ashton, Rowena Wallace as Harriet Marshall, Ken Wayne as Ted Thurgood, Peter Aanensen as Jimmy Summers, Gary Files as Smollett, John Nash as Lygon, Arthur Barradell-Smith as Monton, Tom Lake as Doctor, Margaret Reid as Mrs Granger, Anne Pendlebury as Maid, Peter Lord, Roger Boyce, John Proper, Richie Finger, Musicians: Kevin Hocking, Andy Factor, Bert Pettifer

Hard Times

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Episode 20
Monday, November 01, 1976
Written by Roger Simpson
Directed by David Zweck

1931. The Depression has hit the country hard, although some are affected more than others, a fact made increasingly clear to Mary as she continues to live her lavish lifestyle. Eyebrows are raised when Mary volunteers at a soup kitchen operated by the Communist Party. Ted Thurgood is forced to stand down from caucus to clear his name upon accusations of fraud resulting from the Royal Commission. After returning from law school, Brendan finds his father's business tactics more distasteful than ever when he sees first hand the ruin he has wrought. Brendan's drinking leads to a fatal car accident.©tzuk

Cast: Martin Vaughan as John West, Rosalind Speirs as Nellie, Heather Canning as Mrs Moran, Wendy Hughes as Mary West, Tony Bonner as Brendan West, Terence Donovan as Frank Lammence, Barry Hill as Frank Ashton, Rowena Wallace as Harriet Marshall, Ken Wayne as Ted Thurgood, Peter Aanensen as Jimmy Summers, Sean Scully as Eddie Corrigan, Tristan Rogers as Peter Monton, David Cameron as Hugo, Camilla Rowntree as Brenda, John Michael Howson as Fashion Designer, Anne Pendlebury as Maid, Brendan Cassidy as Harry

Reason In Revolt

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Episode 21
Monday, November 08, 1976
Written by Cliff Green
Directed by Keith Wilkes

1933. Frank Ashton is driven from the stage while speaking before a meeting of the Unemployed Workers Movement. Disheartened, he resigns his seat in Parliament and retires for politics. John has Nellie's mother is hospitalised despite her daughter and granddaughter's objections. Mary has a new boyfriend and continues her involvement with the Communist Party. John begins stepping out with a widowed publican.©tzuk

Cast: Martin Vaughan as John West, Rosalind Speirs as Nellie, Heather Canning as Mrs Moran, Wendy Hughes as Mary West, Patsy King as Vera Maguire, Rowena Wallace as Harriet Marshall, John Wood as Sugar Renfrey, Terence Donovan as Frank Lammence, Barry Hill as Frank Ashton, Bill Garner as Ben Worth, Maurie Fields as 1st Heckler, Bill McCormack as 2nd Heckler, Jack Brown as Andy, Roger Boyce as Chairman, Linda Burd as Evicted Woman [Mrs Thomas], Cy Thomas as Evicted Man, [Mr Thomas] Robert Leeman as Harmonica

Lest We Forget

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Episode 22
Monday, November 15, 1976
Written by Sonia Borg
Directed by Douglas Sharp

1934. Troubling news out of Europe tells of the rise of the Nazi Party in Germany. On a personal level, Marjorie's husband has joined Hitler's Brownshirts. John drops his support for the current mayor of Melbourne amidst allegation of corruption but he won't go quietly. At the behest of her Communist friends, Mary convinces her father to provide his stadium for a rally against fascism. However, the government bars their main speaker, Egon Kisch from entering the country. Mary's ex, Peter Monton, asks her father for financial assistance with a business venture. John asks Sugar to investigate Mary's current boyfriend, Ben Worth. Kisch gets his chance to speak at a peace march but afterwards, news reports on the Communist-themed event drive John West to give his daughter an ultimatum — give up her Communist friends or leave his house.©tzuk

Cast: Martin Vaughan as John West, Rosalind Speirs as Nellie, Michael Pate as Archbishop Malone, Wendy Hughes as Mary West, John Wood as Sugar Renfrey, Terence Donovan as Frank Lammence, Bill Garner as Ben Worth, Rowena Wallace as Harriet Marshall, Sean Scully as Eddie Corrigan, Patsy King as Vera Maguire, Gerard Maguire as Colin Lassiter, Kurt Ludescher as Egon Kisch, Harry Scott as Fred Shaw, Tristan Rogers as Peter Monton

Confound Their Politics

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Episode 23
Monday, November 22, 1976
Written by Cliff Green
Directed by David Zweck

1937. John, a milk marketer, is upset by allegations in the newspaper about his influence over the Victorian parliament in efforts to prevent passage of the Milk Supply Bill. John uses his connections to track down Mary's new job and sees that she is fired. Sugar's misguided efforts to intimidate replacement workers during the milk carters strike help lead to a Royal Commission into the milk supply business. Mary and Ben get married (with no family present) and honeymoon at their friends' house in the country. Her friend's husband decides to go oversees to fight the fascists in Spain. Ben decides to join him.©tzuk

Cast: Martin Vaughan as John West, Rosalind Speirs as Nellie, Wendy Hughes as Mary West, Terence Donovan as Frank Lammence, John Wood as Sugar Renfrey, Rowena Wallace as Harriet Marshall, Bill Garner as Ben Worth, Frank Wilson as Tom Trumbleward, Fred Cul Cullen as Jim Watty, Michael Duffield as Jock McNeil, Brian Blain as Peter Wells, Elspeth Ballantyne as Dorothy Wells, Patsy King as Vera Maguire, Anne Pendlebury as Maid, Michelle Kidd as Nurse, Bill Stacey, Bernie Ledger, Steven Millichamp, Warwick Randall

Fallen Heroes

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Episode 24
Monday, November 29, 1976
Written by Roger Simpson
Directed by Keith Wilkes

1939. A letter arrives from Germany with unsettling news from Marjorie — Andreas has left her and the children. Nellie wants to help her daughter come home but John won't do anything unless his daughter asks him for help herself. Mary is in good spirits anticipating Ben's return from Spain but there is a somber mood at the celebratory party after Mary discovers Ben lost his sight fighting in the war. The signing the German-Soviet Nonaggression Pact surprises everyone. Mary pleads with her father to help Marjorie before it is too late and is surprised to learn he's already sent her money to come home but it may be too late. Great Britain has declared war on Germany. Australia is at war.©tzuk

Cast: Martin Vaughan as John West, Rosalind Speirs as Nellie, Wendy Hughes as Mary West, Bill Garner as Ben Worth, Barry Hill as Frank Ashton, Rowena Wallace as Harriet Marshall, Tim Robertson as Arthur West, John Wood as Sugar Renfrey, Terence Donovan as Frank Lammence, Elspeth Ballantyne as Dorothy Wells, Jeffrey Booth as Communist, Matthew King as Communist, Anne Pendlebury as Maid, Colin Vancao as Percy, Robert Leeman as Harmonica player, Brian May & the ABC Melbourne Showband

War Damage

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Episode 25
Monday, December 06, 1976
Written by Sonia Borg
Directed by Douglas Sharp

1945. The war is over but it's still business as usual for John West who is championing a new candidate for the state by-election. However, a new challenger poses a problem. The man is part of a secret Catholic movement formed to fight communism in the unions that has now spread into politics. John hopes to combine their efforts but refuses to do so by withdrawing his candidate. Attacks on his personal and business lives only strengthens his resolve and causes him to look for new allies. Ben collapses at home and is admitted to hospital with a suspected brain tumour. He dies on the operating table. Frank is writing his memoirs but burns his chapters on Frank West after a day out with his old friends. John's man losses in the by-election to a team of active, young Catholic voters. Searching for direction, Mary decides to travel to Europe to look for Marjorie who hasn't been heard from since the end of the war. She asks her father to fund her venture reminding him of all the shares in his various businesses he put in her name over the years. He writes her a cheque and tells her he never wants to see her again. She responds by saying she has no intention of ever returning to Australia. Despite parting on bad terms, when Mary boards her ship to depart she is surprised to learn her father has paid to upgrade her cabin to First Class.©tzuk

Cast: Martin Vaughan as John West, Rosalind Speirs as Nellie, Michael Pate as Archbishop Malone, Wendy Hughes as Mary West, John Wood as Sugar Renfrey, Terence Donovan as Frank Lammence, Barry Hill as Frank Ashton, Ken Wayne as Ted Thurgood, Bill Garner as Ben Worth, Rowena Wallace as Harriet Marshall, Patsy King as Vera Maguire, Gerard Maguire as Colin Lassiter, Bruce Kerr as Ken Mitchell, Jonathan Hardy as Paddy Kelleher, Allen Bickford as Vincent Parelli, Bobby Bright as Michael Kiely, Clive Hearne as Dr Thorpe, Anne Pendlebury as Maid, David Allshorn as Steward

This, Thy Servant

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Episode 26
Monday, December 13, 1976
Written by Howard Griffiths
Directed by Oscar Whitbread

1948. Mary is living in London with Marjorie's children. Marjorie's fate remains unknown. Archbishop Malone won't turn his back on John as requested by the anti-Communist Catholic Movement who don't see him as an ally. The Archbishop brings the two sides together and gets John to agree to fund their movement. John is shaken by news from Mary confirming Marjorie's death five years earlier in the Ravensbrück concentration camp. John is slowed by a heart attack but comes out fighting after allegations of corruption are made against him by Michael Kiely in a political debate. A phone call from Mary highlights Christmas day for the Nellie and John. Archbishop Malone convinces John to put aside his feelings and support Kiely in the election. With his health failing, John unburdens himself by confessing to a lifetime of sins. John decides to leave his business interests to Mary but they are disheartened to receive a letter from Mary informing them of her hospitalization. They fear it is cancer. Sugar pays John a visit so they can listen to the football match together but John passes away while sitting in the garden.©tzuk

Cast: Martin Vaughan as John West, Rosalind Speirs as Nellie, Michael Pate as Archbishop Malone, Wendy Hughes as Mary West, John Wood as Sugar Renfrey, Terence Donovan as Frank Lammence, Tom Robertson as Arthur West, Jonathan Hardy as Paddy Kelleher, Allen Bickford as Vincent Parelli, Bobby Bright as Michael Kiely, Peter Cox as Tony Grey, Reg Gorman as Priest, Malcolm Phillips as Dr Bevan, Ivor Bowyer as Reporter [Bill Sanderson], Joan Miller as Maid, Diana Greentree as Woman, Dick Mason as Football Commentator