Cop Shop‘s Restless Mum
Actress Rowena Wallace is feeling that she’s becoming typecast after a succession of roles which the 30-year-old has played a “homely wife” figure – a perception not helped by her naturally silver hair (“a hereditary thing”) and that one of her earlier roles in the mini-series Power Without Glory had her play an aging role. Image problems aside, Rowena is happy in her new role in Cop Shop opposite actor George Mallaby (pictured with Rowena on the TV Times cover), although playing a housewife with a teenage daughter is a far cry from her trail-blazing teenage role in You Can’t See Round Corners a decade earlier.
Sparring partners’ birthday toast:
The 0-10 Network‘s daytime talent show Pot Of Gold has reached its 600th episode, celebrated by host Tommy Hanlon Jnr and resident judge Bernard King. The pair had an uneasy on-air partnership – Hanlon insisting King’s vicious criticisms of contestants were too harsh, but King felt Hanlon was too soft on them. Over its 600 episodes, 4300 acts have appeared.
John finally cops the job:
Sydney-based actor John Orcsik has finally scored a role in a Crawford Productions series. The former Number 96 actor had auditioned for roles in Bluey and Homicide, and for the original casting of Cop Shop, and had missed each time – but now had been chosen by Crawfords to appear in a new Cop Shop role to fill the gap left behind by departing actor Tony Bonner.
The Sullivans‘ Greek connection:
Greek-born actress Chantal Contouri has just made her debut appearance in the World War II series The Sullivans, as a widow who becomes involved with some of the Australian soldiers fighting in Greece. The 27-year-old actress had made a recent trip to Greece and with husband Peter Walker had restored a peasant cottage into a home where the pair plan to spend time each year.
Max-In-The-Box bounces back:
Following the demise of the soap opera The Box, actor Barrie Barkla moved to Perth in the hope of distancing himself from his character from the series, TV executive Max Knight. But for Barkla, who has established himself at Perth’s STW9 with on-air and backstage roles, it was harder to move on from the character than he had expected – especially given that The Box still had a considerable time to run still in Perth.
Viewpoint – Letters to the Editor:
“My complaint is not about the quality of Australian TV so much as the misrepresentation of Australians. There is no reflection on the mixture of races in Australia. I would like to see Italian or Indian teachers in the Grundy programs set in schools – for example, Glenview High.” M.S., NSW
“I am evidently (and as usual) in the very small minority, but I remain completely amazed that a really hilarious show like Celebrity Squares should be replaced with a sort of B-class quiz effort called Blankety Blanks….” R.H.G., WA
“I thank Crawford Productions and the Seven Network for Cop Shop. It is not just another police series. It is a more realistic series, showing the pressure on police and their families.” F.M., NSW.
What’s On (Melbourne):
More cricket on GTV9 with World Series Cricket, but also there’s cricket action on ATV0 with Tasmania versus South Australia in the Gillette Cup.
On weekday afternoons, with non-ratings still dictating the schedules, GTV9 presents re-runs of police drama Division 4, while ATV0 presents a magazine program Shoulder To Shoulder with journalist Mickie de Stoop. In the mornings, ATV0 starts the day at 7.00am with The Early Bird Show, GTV9 has the Holiday Fun Show in the same timeslot, and ABC has Sesame Street at 8.00am. HSV7 doesn’t commence weekday transmission until 10.00am with Miss Patricia on Romper Room starting the broadcast day.
David Johnston and Honor Walters present the children’s magazine program This Week Has Seven Days on HSV7. Among this week’s topics are toffee making, macrame, safety when canoeing and resident vet Dr Tim looks at water dragons.
Sunday night movies are Honky Tonk (HSV7), The Chairman (GTV9) and Crooks And Coronets (ATV0).
Source: TV Times, 14 January 1978. ABC/ACP
