Ashes to Ashes (Wednesday Theatre)

"Ashes to Ashes"
Wednesday Theatre episode
Episode no.Season 2
Episode 18
Directed byPatrick Barton
Teleplay byMarc Brendel
Original air date27 April 1966 (1966-04-27)
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"Ashes to Ashes" is a 1966 Australian comedy thriller[1] television play which screened as part of Wednesday Theatre[2] on 27 April 1966 in Melbourne,[3] on 4 May 1966 in Sydney,[4] and on 11 May 1966 in Brisbane.[5]

Plot

Paris Beaumont has a whirlwind romance with Barbara Manson, marries her, and takes her to his house in Port Campbell. When Barbara finds a case containing women's clothing she starts asking questions about his first wife's disappearance.[6]

Cast

Production

The play starred Ray Taylor, best known for being a TV presenter. His variety program The Ray Taylor Show had been cancelled just before production of Ashes to Ashes.[7] Taylor had some experience acting in repertory in England; he described the play as "a fun sort of thing".[8]

Taylor said "it's a darn good play and I wouldn't mind doing some more but my time is taken up writing a play of my own."[5]

It was based on an English play but set in Australia. Location filming took place at Port Campbell and Como House, South Yarra.[3] Taylor said "it's kinky, switched on or whatever you like to call it in The Avengers style."[9]

The script had a character referring to amounts over £1 as "quids" and those under as "cents". The Sydney Morning Herald asked light-heartedly if this was having "two bob each way".[10]

Reception

The Age said "The ABC should take a bow" claiming Taylor gave "an excellent performance slightly reminiscent of the urbane George Sanders... The suspense is well contrived and sustained."[11]

The Sydney Morning Herald said Taylor "played out his own macabre sense of humour" in the play adding "he showed a magnetic side of his personality, but it would be interesting to see him playing a part further removed from his own self to assess Taylor the actor."[12]

References

  1. ^ "Television". The Age. 27 April 1966. p. 22.
  2. ^ "WEDNESDAY". The Canberra Times. Vol. 40, no. 11, 457. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 2 May 1966. p. 23. Retrieved 19 February 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ^ a b "Make Believe TV Wedding". The Age. 21 April 1966. p. 16.
  4. ^ "Television". Sydney Morning Herald. 4 May 1966. p. 20.
  5. ^ a b "Ray Taylor, Sgt Bronson in ABC Play". TV Times. 4 May 1966. p. 11.
  6. ^ "TV Guide". The Age. 21 April 1966. p. 37.
  7. ^ "Ray Taylor Obituary". Television.
  8. ^ "Ray Taylor in thriller". The Age. 24 February 1966. p. 11.
  9. ^ "In Love Scene". The Age. 24 March 1966. p. 25.
  10. ^ "Back Page". Sydney Morning Herald. 8 May 1966. p. 112.
  11. ^ Monitor (30 April 1966). "Public affairs on TV". The Age. p. 25.
  12. ^ Robinson, Harry (6 May 1966). "Impressions". Sydney Morning Herald. p. 9.


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