australian television information archive

Episode 1.01

June 28, 1988
Written by Bob Ellis, Stephen Ramsey
Directed by Peter Fisk

Just before the end of WWII, John Curtin lays on his deathbed. Who will fill the position? Brilliant legal mind, "Doc" Evatt or unschooled train driver Ben Chifley? With an election to face in 1946, the Labor Party needs to choose wisely.

Cast: Ed Devereaux as Ben Chifley, John Bonney as Robert Menzies, Simon Chilvers as Doc Evatt, Nick Tate as Les Haylen, Ray Meagher as Tom Burke, Gary Files as Fred Daly, Ron Blanchard as Arthur Calwell, John Ewart as Eddie Ward, Danny Adcock as Lloyd Ross, Graham Rouse as Arthur Fadden, Bryan Marshall as Richard Casey, Norman Kaye as Archbishop Mannix, John Derum as B.A. Santamaria, Stuart McCreery as Allan Dalziel, Harold Hopkins as Edgar Ross, Malcolm Robertson as Idris Williams, Diane Craig as Elsie, Paul Solkkila as Ron Tate, Mary-Lou Stewart as Joanna Malcolm, Bill Young as Jim Cooper, Valerie Bader as Mary Alice Evatt, Joan Bruce as Pattie Menzies, Dorothy St Heaps as Elizabeth Chifley, Robin Bowering as Mr Purcell, Max Phipps as Frank Packer, Neil Fitzpatrick as H.C. Coombs, Kevin Colsby as Narrator, Tim Eliott as Radio Announcer, Tracy Mann as Tess Ross, Kenneth Radley as Bill Parkinson, Scott McGregor as Jim Comerford, Alan McQueen as Jim Healy, Peter Corbett as John Dedman, Leone Martin-Smith as Ethel Casey, Gerry Duggan as Wally, Kenneth Gladstone as Frank Forde, Matthew O'Sullivan as Ship's Captain, Ron Gaist as Frederick Sheddon, Laurie Butler as Speaker of the House, Paul Hunt as John Burton

With: Peter Wall, Colin Borgonon, Arthur Trotter, Gary Waddell, David Roach-Turner, Peter Frank, Dawn Benson, Marcus Cornelius, Max Lindner

Episode 1.02

July 05, 1988
Written by Bob Ellis, Stephen Ramsey
Directed by Peter Fisk

With a supposed Communist uprising in the coal industry moves are afoot to abolish the party from the Liberal side, but also to nationalise the banks from Labor. The High Court finds that nationalising the banks is not constitutional.

Cast: Ed Devereaux as Ben Chifley, John Bonney as Robert Menzies, Simon Chilvers as Doc Evatt, Nick Tate as Les Haylen, Ray Meagher as Tom Burke, Gary Files as Fred Daly, Ron Blanchard as Arthur Calwell, John Ewart as Eddie Ward, Danny Adcock as Lloyd Ross, Graham Rouse as Arthur Fadden, Bryan Marshall as Richard Casey, Norman Kaye as Archbishop Mannix, John Derum as B.A. Santamaria, Stuart McCreery as Allan Dalziel, Harold Hopkins as Edgar Ross, Malcolm Robertson as Idris Williams, Diane Craig as Elsie, Paul Solkkila as Ron Tate, Mary-Lou Stewart as Joanna Malcolm, Bill Young as Jim Cooper, Valerie Bader as Mary Alice Evatt, Joan Bruce as Pattie Menzies, Dorothy St Heaps as Elizabeth Chifley, Robin Bowering as Mr Purcell, Max Phipps as Frank Packer, Neil Fitzpatrick as H.C. Coombs, Kevin Colsby as Narrator, Tim Eliott as Radio Announcer, Kenneth Radley as Bill Parkinson, Scott McGregor as Jim Comerford, Hec McMillan as Sir Wiiliam McKell, Peter Corbett as John Dedman, Leone Martin-Smith as Ethel Casey, John Spicer as Mr Justice Latham, Ron Hackett as Les McConnan, Gerry Duggan as Wally, Frank Garfield as Jesuit, Kenneth Gladstone as Frank Forde, Michelle Marzo as Rosalind Evatt, Edwin Hodgeman as Radio Actor, Michael Sommerville as Radio Actor, Laurie Butler as Speaker of the House, John Stone as Lawyer

With: Gary Waddell, Brian Lindsay, Colin Borgonon, Barry Bird, Dawn Benson, David Conley, Phil Turton, John de Ville

Episode 1.03

July 12, 1988
Written by Bob Ellis, Stephen Ramsey
Directed by Peter Fisk

After Chifley wins the election, Evatt spends much time overseas and is elected third President of the United Nations. The Miners' Union gets more concessions, but wants even more. Evatt argues to the Privy Council for bank nationalisation.

Cast: Ed Devereaux as Ben Chifley, Simon Chilvers as Doc Evatt, John Bonney as Robert Menzies, Nick Tate as Les Haylen, Ray Meagher as Tom Burke, Gary Files as Fred Daly, Ron Blanchard as Arthur Calwell, John Ewart as Eddie Ward, Danny Adcock as Lloyd Ross, Graham Rouse as Arthur Fadden, Bryan Marshall as Richard Casey, John Derum as B.A. Santamaria, Stuart McCreery as Allan Dalziel, Harold Hopkins as Edgar Ross, Malcolm Robertson as Idris Williams, Diane Craig as Elsie, Paul Solkkila as Ron Tate, Mary-Lou Stewart as Joanna Malcolm, Bill Young as Jim Cooper, Valerie Bader as Mary Alice Evatt, Joan Bruce as Pattie Menzies, Dorothy St Heaps as Elizabeth Chifley, Robin Bowering as Mr Purcell, Neil Fitzpatrick as H.C. Coombs, Kevin Colsby as Narrator, Tim Eliott as Radio Announcer, Tracy Mann as Tess Ross, Kenneth Radley as Bill Parkinson, Scott McGregor as Jim Comerford, Alan McQueen as Jim Healy, Peter Corbett as John Dedman, John Hudson as Francis Gallagher, Ron Brewster as R.W. Davey, Gerry Duggan as Wally, Laurie Butler as Speaker of the House, Ron Gaist as Frederick Shedden, Roy Maxwell as Roger Hollis, Paul Hunt as John Burton, Geoffrey Aldridge as Frank, Jerome Ehlers as Sean

With: Colin Borgonon, Joe Lancaster, Jack Duddington, Dennis Tordoff

Episode 1.04

July 19, 1988
Written by Bob Ellis, Stephen Ramsey
Directed by Peter Fisk

Communist demands become so great even the ALP feels the need to oppose them leading to the coal miners' strike of 1949, gaoling of some union members and sending in the army to work the mines.

Cast: Ed Devereaux as Ben Chifley, Simon Chilvers as Doc Evatt, John Bonney as Robert Menzies, Nick Tate as Les Haylen, Ray Meagher as Tom Burke, Gary Files as Fred Daly, Ron Blanchard as Arthur Calwell, John Ewart as Eddie Ward, Danny Adcock as Lloyd Ross, Graham Rouse as Arthur Fadden, Bryan Marshall as Richard Casey, John Derum as B.A. Santamaria, Stuart McCreery as Allan Dalziel, Harold Hopkins as Edgar Ross, Malcolm Robertson as Idris Williams, Diane Craig as Elsie, Paul Solkkila as Ron Tate, Mary-Lou Stewart as Joanna Malcolm, Bill Young as Jim Cooper, Valerie Bader as Mary Alice Evatt, Joan Bruce as Pattie Menzies, Dorothy St Heaps as Elizabeth Chifley, Jeff Ashby as Garfield Barwick, Robin Bowering as Mr Purcell, Neil Fitzpatrick as H.C. Coombs, Kevin Colsby as Narrator, Tim Eliott as Radio Announcer, Tracy Mann as Tess Ross, Kenneth Radley as Bill Parkinson, Scott McGregor as Jim Comerford, Alan McQueen as Jim Healy, Hec McMillan as Sir William McKell, Peter Corbett as John Dedman, Leone Martin-Smith as Ethel Casey, Kenneth Goodlet as Judge Foster, Ron Hackett as Les McConnan, Phillipa Baker as Dame Enid Lyons, Gerry Duggan as Wally, Edwin Hodgeman as Radio Actor, Michael Sommerville as Radio Actor, Phillip Ross as Speaker of the House, Des James as Priest, Victor Ramon as W.R. Dovey Q.C., Paul Hunt as John Burton, Robert Ampt as Sydney City Organist

With: Eleanor Patterson, Gary Dale, David Riley, John Lucky, David Conley, Anne Hopkins, Dawn Benson, Colin Borgonon

Episode 1.05

July 26, 1988
Written by Bob Ellis, Stephen Ramsey
Directed by Peter Fisk

Menzies is now Prime Minister and starts naming alleged Communists in parliament, subjecting them to gaol and sackings. Chifley's heart is giving up the ghost, and Doc Evatt becomes acting Opposition Leader.

Cast: Ed Devereaux as Ben Chifley, Simon Chilvers as Doc Evatt, John Bonney as Robert Menzies, Nick Tate as Les Haylen, Ray Meagher as Tom Burke, Gary Files as Fred Daly, Ron Blanchard as Arthur Calwell, Rob Steele as Clyde Cameron, John Ewart as Eddie Ward, Danny Adcock as Lloyd Ross, Robert Baines as Stan Keon, Graham Rouse as Arthur Fadden, Bryan Marshall as Richard Casey, Norman Kaye as Archbishop Mannix, John Derum as B.A. Santamaria, Stuart McCreery as Allan Dalziel, Harold Hopkins as Edgar Ross, Malcolm Robertson as Idris Williams, Diane Craig as Elsie, Paul Solkkila as Ron Tate, Mary-Lou Stewart as Joanna Malcolm, Bill Young as Jim Cooper, Valerie Bader as Mary Alice Evatt, Dorothy St Heaps as Elizabeth Chifley, Jeff Ashby as Garfield Barwick, Neil Fitzpatrick as H.C. Coombs, Kevin Colsby as Narrator, Tim Eliott as Radio Announcer, Tracy Mann as Tess Ross, Kenneth Radley as Bill Parkinson, Scott McGregor as Jim Comerford, Alan McQueen as Jim Healy, Hec McMillan as Sir William McKell, et al.

Episode 1.06

August 02, 1988
Written by Bob Ellis, Stephen Ramsey
Directed by Peter Fisk

Menzies calls a double-dissolution over his Communist Party prohibition bill in April 1951, which he wins, but loses five seats. On 13 June 1951, Chifley dies following a heart attack in his Canberra hotel room.

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With:

Episode 1.07

August 09, 1988
Written by Bob Ellis, Stephen Ramsey
Directed by Peter Fisk

Doc Evatt is elected Opposition Leader after Chifley's tragic death, but the odds are stacked against him. Menzies uses the Communist menace as a stick to beat him and milks the Petrov affair for all it's worth.

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Episode 1.08

August 16, 1988
Written by Bob Ellis, Stephen Ramsey
Directed by Peter Fisk

Following the Petov Affair, Evatt promises pension rises, the abolition of means tests and tax cuts. Noone believes him (even in his own party) and Menzies wins again. Disaffected Victorian ALP members split the party to form the DLP.

Cast:

With: