''1915'' is an Australian
historical drama
A historical drama (also period drama, period piece or just period) is a dramatic work set in the past, usually used in the context of film and television, which presents history, historical events and characters with varying degrees of fiction s ...
television miniseries written by
Peter Yeldham
Peter Alan Yeldham (25 April 1927 – 20 September 2022) was an Australian screenwriter for motion pictures and television, playwright and novelist whose career spanned five decades.
Biography
Peter Yeldham was born in Gladstone, near Smitht ...
, based on
Roger McDonald's 1979 novel ''
1915: A Novel of Gallipoli'', that premiered on
ABC TV on 27 June 1982, and concluded on 8 August 1982. The miniseries stars
Scott McGregor,
Scott Burgess,
Sigrid Thornton
Sigrid Madeline Thornton (born 12 February 1959) is an Australian film and television actress. Her television work includes ''Prisoner'' (1979–80), '' All the Rivers Run'' (1983), '' SeaChange'' (1998–2019) and '' Wentworth'' (2016–2018) ...
,
Jackie Woodburne,
Ilona Rodgers,
Richard Moir
Richard Moir (born 1950) is an Australian former actor and editor.
Career
Moir initially began his career as a film editor for low-budget 1970s Australian films and TV series, many of which were the work of director Esben Storm. Moir struck u ...
,
Serge Lazareff
Serge Constantine Lazareff (7 August 1944 – 20 August 2021) was an Australian actor and screenwriter/editor, who was born in Shanghai, China. He appeared in 54 roles from the late 1960s until 1999, before starting a second career as a writer ...
, Damon Sanders, and
Andrew McFarlane. It deals the friendship between two young mates during the outbreak of
World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
.
[Ed. Scott Murray, ''Australia on the Small Screen 1970-1995'', Oxford Uni Press, 1996 p218]
Cast
*
Scott Burgess as Billy Mackenzie
*
Scott McGregor as Walter Gilchrist
*
Lorraine Bayly as Helen Gilchrist
* Gary Holmes as Douggie Gilchrist
*
Bill Hunter as Alan Gilchrist
*
Jackie Woodburne as Dianna Bendetto
*
Arna-Maria Winchester
Arna-Maria Winchester was an Australian actress, appearing on film, TV and in the theatre.
Career
Winchester played the main role in the 1980 film '' The Chain Reaction'' and the 1983 TV series ''Kings''. Other featured screen roles include ...
as Brigid Scott
*
Sigrid Thornton
Sigrid Madeline Thornton (born 12 February 1959) is an Australian film and television actress. Her television work includes ''Prisoner'' (1979–80), '' All the Rivers Run'' (1983), '' SeaChange'' (1998–2019) and '' Wentworth'' (2016–2018) ...
as Frances Reilly
*
Anne Haddy
Patricia Anne Haddy (5 October 1930 – 6 June 1999), credited also as Anne Hardy, was an Australian actress, television presenter and voice artist, who worked in various facets of the industry including radio, stage and television. She was mar ...
as Mrs. Gillen
*
Andrew McFarlane as Robert Gillen
*
Gerard Kennedy as Dent
*
Serge Lazareff
Serge Constantine Lazareff (7 August 1944 – 20 August 2021) was an Australian actor and screenwriter/editor, who was born in Shanghai, China. He appeared in 54 roles from the late 1960s until 1999, before starting a second career as a writer ...
as Blackly Reid
*
Richard Moir
Richard Moir (born 1950) is an Australian former actor and editor.
Career
Moir initially began his career as a film editor for low-budget 1970s Australian films and TV series, many of which were the work of director Esben Storm. Moir struck u ...
as Reverend Fox
*
Maurie Fields
Maurice Fields (born Maurice Sheil, 4 August 1926 – 18 December 1995) was an Australian vaudeville performer, actor and stand-up comedian.
Career
Fields became a well-known face on television first thanks to his comic sketches on live progra ...
as Mayor
*
Ilona Rodgers as Mrs. Reilly
*
Martin Vaughan
Martin Kevin Vaughan (5 June 1931 – October 2022) was an Australian stage, television and film actor and musician. He is best known for appearing in the film ''Phar Lap'' as trainer Harry Telford and the lead role in the award-winning 26-part ...
as Hugh Mackenzie
*
Vince Martin as Frank Barton
*
Adrian Wright as Oliver Melrose
* Ric Herbert as Pig Nolan
* Mervyn Drake as Lt. Fagan
*
Alan David Lee
Alan David Lee (born 1955 or 1956) is an Australian actor.
Early life
Lee grew up on a farm in Kenya before moving to Australia when he was 7.
He graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in 1981. When he had initially applie ...
as Corporal
* Ned Manning as Captain Ashworth
Reception
John Voorhees of the Seattle Times wries "But while the characters are compelling enough to hold our interest through all seven episodes, the real reason for watching ``1915`` is because it captures the feeling of time and place so expertly, exhibiting a sense of history that goes beyond old cars and period clothes. And it is that historical ambience that sets ``1915`` apart from many TV miniseries." Daniel Ruth of the Chicago Sun-Times gave it 2 1/2 stars, criticising the pacing "This mini-series takes too long to establish itself, as McGregor and Burgess spend the first four hours of "1915" swooning over Thornton and Woodburne and calling each other "mate." Enough already." but praising other aspects "Two virtues of "1915" are its terrific production values and period costuming."
Awards and nominations
References
External links
*
''1915''at
Australian Screen Online
The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA), known as ScreenSound Australia from 1999 to 2004, is Australia's audiovisual archive, responsible for developing, preserving, maintaining, promoting, and providing access to a national c ...
1982 Australian television series debuts
1982 Australian television series endings
1980s Australian drama television series
1980s Australian television miniseries
Australian Broadcasting Corporation original programming
Australian military television series
Australian English-language television shows
Historical television series
Television series about families
Television shows based on Australian novels
Works about friendship
Works about the Gallipoli campaign
World War I television drama series
Works by Peter Yeldham
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