''Funnel Web'' is a 1962 Australian TV play starring Grant Taylor and written by Phillip Grenville Mann. It screened on the

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Broadcasting * Aliw Broadcasting Corporation, Philippine broadcast company * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial American ...

and was a suspense drama.

Plot

A Canadian woman, Nina, is searching for her husband, Max Godfrey, who deserted her years ago. She finds him living in Sydney. Max has also defrauded his business partner. He decides to take steps to get rid of both his ex-wife and former business partner.

Cast

*Grant Taylor as Max Godfrey *Diana Davidson as Nina Godfrey *

Wendy Playfair Wendy Playfair (born 28 August 1926) is an Australian radio, television and film character actress, best known for her roles in television serials. Playfair started her career in radio serials, but became best known for her brief stint in TV seri ...

as Nina Godfrey * Alastair Duncan as Paul Charlton * Phillipa Baker as Marion Westlake * Mary Mackay as Miss Wetherby *

Stewart Ginn Stewart Ginn (born 2 June 1949) is an Australian professional golfer. Early life Ginn was born in Melbourne. He grew up behind the twelfth green of the Royal Melbourne Golf Club. Early in his life "he used to caddy at Royal Melbourne." He th ...

as Dt Sgt Lundy *Ken Hacker as Gleeson * Philippa Baker

1956 British TV version

It was based on a story by Phillip Grenville Mann. He originally wrote it as a 30-minute TV play for British TV called "Dead or Alive". This aired in 1956 as part of the anthology series ''Theatre Royal'', hosted by

Lilli Palmer Lilli Palmer (; born Lilli Marie Peiser; 24 May 1914 – 27 January 1986) was a German actress and writer. After beginning her career in British films in the 1930s, she would later transition to major Hollywood productions, earning a Golden Glob ...

. The episode starred Australian actor

Ron Randell Ronald Egan Randell (8 October 1918 – 11 June 2005) was an Australian actor. After beginning his acting career on the stage in 1937, he played Charles Kingsford Smith in the film '' Smithy'' (1946). He also had roles in '' Bulldog Drummond ...

and was directed by

Don Chaffey Donald Chaffey (5 August 1917 – 13 November 1990) was a British film director, writer, Film producer, producer, and art director. Chaffey's film career began as an art director in 1947, and his directorial debut was in 1953. He remained acti ...

, who would later work in Australia. Other actors included Ralph Michael, Patricia Driscoll, Lloyd Lamble and John Miller. Mann expanded the story into a full length stage play, which was performed in Britain.

Development

Mann adapted the story for Australian TV. According to ''Filmink'' "A lot of TV plays around this time sound as though they were inspired by ''

Dial M for Murder ''Dial M for Murder'' is a 1954 American crime thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, starring Ray Milland, Grace Kelly, Robert Cummings, Anthony Dawson, and John Williams. Both the screenplay and the successful stage play on which it was ...

'', which started as a TV play, i.e. tales of murder among the monied classes." It was the last in a series of live TV plays by Australian authors on the ABC which had been announced in March 1962. The others were: *'' Boy Round the Corner'' *'' The House of Mancello'' *'' The Teeth of the Wind'' *''

The Hobby Horse ''The Hobby Horse'' was a quarterly Victorian periodical in England published by the Century Guild of Artists. The magazine ran from 1884 to 1894 and spanned a total of seven volumes and 28 issues. It featured various articles not only on arts ...

'' *''

Jenny Jenny may refer to: * Jenny (given name), a popular feminine name and list of real and fictional people * Jenny (surname), a family name Animals * Jenny (donkey), a female donkey * Jenny (elephant), a female elephant in the German Army in Worl ...

Production

It was Grant Taylor's second TV performance following ''Jenny'' and was shot in Sydney. The set, including two office interiors and a beach house at Avalon, was designed by Francesca Crespi. Technical supervisor John Garton was a veteran of many ABC plays and operas. Director Bill Bain said "the play is an excellent vehicle for actors and producer, being slick, tight and dynamic."

Reception

The ''Sydney Morning Herald'' praised "the meticulously chic settings designed by Francesca Crespi (a beach house at Avalon and a Sydney office interior) and the easy-limbed, masterful portrayal of the villain by Grant Taylor".

External links

''Funnel Web''
at

National Film and Sound Archive 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 ...

''Funnel Web''
at

IMDb IMDb, historically known as the Internet Movie Database, is an online database of information related to films, television series, podcasts, home videos, video games, and streaming content online – including cast, production crew and biograp ...

References

{{Bill Bain Black-and-white Australian television shows 1962 Australian television plays Television plays written by Phillip Grenville Mann Television plays directed by Bill Bain (director)