Dynasty (Australian TV series)

{{For|the American TV series|Dynasty (1981 TV series)|Dynasty (2017 TV series)}}

{{Infobox television

| image = Dynasty (Australia) Series 2 main title.jpg

| caption = Series 2 title card (1971)

| genre = Drama

| writer = Tony Morphett
John Dingwall

| director = Frank Arnold

| starring = Pat Bishop
Ben Gabriel
Anne Haddy
Nick Tate

| composer =

| theme_music_composer = Laurie Lewis

| country = Australia

| language = English

| num_seasons = 2

| num_episodes = 23

| list_episodes =

| producer =

| camera =

| runtime = 60 mins

| channel = ABC

| first_aired = {{start date|1970|10|07|df=y}}

| last_aired = {{end date|1971|10|06|df=y}}

}}

Dynasty is an Australian TV series that aired from 7 October 1970 to 6 October 1971, based on the 1967 Tony Morphett novel of the same name which had been previously adapted as a television play.{{cite web |url=http://www.classicaustraliantv.com/dynasty_eps.htm |title=Dynasty Episode Details |website=ClassicAustralianTV.com |access-date=9 September 2014}}{{cite book |author=Albert Moran |title=Moran's Guide to Australian TV Series |publisher=AFTRS |year=1993 |pages=153–154}}

1969 TV play

The novel was first adapted as a television play produced by the Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC), and broadcast in October 1969 as one installment of an anthology series of unrelated plays under the title Australian Plays.{{cite web |url=http://www.classicaustraliantv.com/dynasty.htm |title=Dynasty Feature Article |website=ClassicAustralianTV.com |access-date=9 September 2014}}{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article107900206 |title=Australian plays on ABC-TV. |newspaper=The Canberra Times |date=27 October 1969 |access-date=31 July 2015 |page=15 |via=National Library of Australia}}

The project was written by Morphett based on his novel, and directed in Melbourne by Oscar Whitbread.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article107037519 |title=Characters tend to mar power concept |newspaper=The Canberra Times |volume=42 |issue=11,873 |location=Australian Capital Territory, Australia |date=16 December 1967 |access-date=18 February 2019 |page=10 |via=National Library of Australia}} Morphett had previously written for Australian Playhouse.{{cite magazine|first=Stephen|last=Vagg|magazine=Filmink|url=https://www.filmink.com.au/forgotten-australian-television-plays-boy-with-banner-objector-and-watch-it/?fbclid=IwAR0OTtx-FMLFPi2Wpk58-tsnRoz_WET2AJdAgot7iLLqlymBeldzdCm8ZOE|date=29 August 2023|title=Forgotten Australian Television Plays: Boy with Banner, Objector and Watch It}}

=Plot=

Inventor Jim Richards (Terry Norris) seeks financial backing from the Mason Corporation for his new machine. He finds himself in the middle of a power struggle for control of the corporation, including a family dispute. David Mason uses his affair with his sister-in-law Kathy to his advantage.

=Cast=

Terry Norris as Jim Richards
Brian James as Jack Mason, head of family
Mark McManus as Peter Mason, a brother
Ron Graham as John Mason, a brother
Kevin Miles as David Mason
Alan Hopgood as Jacob Goldberg

=Reception=

The Sydney Morning Herald called the play "the best thing the ABC has done in a long, long time."{{cite news|title=Aust Play an ABC Winner|newspaper=Sydney Morning Herald|date=October 26, 1969}}
"Dynasty belongs to a handful of programs, all produced by the ABC, which examine media power in Australia and indeed it would be interesting to compare Dynasty with later studies such as The Oracle (1979) and Paper Man (1990)." Moran praised actor John Tate for a "very strong performance".

TV series

Following the success of the TV play, a regular TV series was produced with a largely different cast. Premiering in July 1970, the first series consisted of 10 episodes, and the second and final series consisted of 13 episodes.

=Plot summary=

Dynasty follows media mogul Jack Mason and his grasping sons John, David and Peter.

=Cast=

John Tate as Jack Mason (Episodes 1–10)
Ron Graham as John Mason
Kevin Miles as David Mason
Nick Tate as Peter Mason
Anne Haddy as Kathy Mason, John's wife
Pat Bishop as Patricia Mason, Peter's wife
Serge Lazareff as Christopher Mason, John and Kathy's son
Owen Weingott as Jacob Goldberg
Ben Gabriel as 'Unk' Martel
Tony Ward as Nigel Dayton
Lyn James as Maggie Tench, Jack's secretary
Kerry McGuire as Franki Halliday
Tom Oliver as Tom Fenwick

=Episodes=

Twenty-three episodes were produced.

==Series 1==

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!style="background:#000000; width:7%;" |No. in
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!style="background:#000000; width:41%;" |Title

!style="background:#000000; width:15%;" |Directed by

!style="background:#000000; width:15%;" |Written by

!style="background:#000000; width:15%;" |Original air date

{{Episode list/sublist|Dynasty (Australian TV series)

|EpisodeNumber = 1

|EpisodeNumber2 = 1

|Title = Gran Turismo

|DirectedBy = Tom Jeffrey

|WrittenBy = Tony Morphett

|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|1970|10|7|df=y}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor = 000000

}}

{{Episode list/sublist|Dynasty (Australian TV series)

|EpisodeNumber = 2

|EpisodeNumber2 = 2

|Title = Catwalk

|DirectedBy =

|WrittenBy = Tony Morphett

|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|1970|10|14|df=y}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor = 000000

}}

{{Episode list/sublist|Dynasty (Australian TV series)

|EpisodeNumber = 3

|EpisodeNumber2 = 3

|Title = Counterpoint

|DirectedBy = Frank Arnold

|WrittenBy = Glyn Davies

|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|1970|10|21|df=y}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor = 000000

}}

{{Episode list/sublist|Dynasty (Australian TV series)

|EpisodeNumber = 4

|EpisodeNumber2 = 4

|Title = Young Jim Westlake

|DirectedBy = Tom Jeffrey

|WrittenBy = Peter Schreck

|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|1970|10|28|df=y}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor = 000000

}}

{{Episode list/sublist|Dynasty (Australian TV series)

|EpisodeNumber = 5

|EpisodeNumber2 = 5

|Title = Cry Me A River

|DirectedBy =

|WrittenBy = Tony Morphett

|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|1970|11|4|df=y}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor = 000000

}}

{{Episode list/sublist|Dynasty (Australian TV series)

|EpisodeNumber = 6

|EpisodeNumber2 = 6

|Title = Paper Of The People

|DirectedBy = Frank Arnold

|WrittenBy = John Dingwall

|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|1970|11|11|df=y}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor = 000000

}}

{{Episode list/sublist|Dynasty (Australian TV series)

|EpisodeNumber = 7

|EpisodeNumber2 = 7

|Title = Second Pressure

|DirectedBy = Eric Tayler

|WrittenBy = Tony Morphett

|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|1970|11|18|df=y}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor = 000000

}}

{{Episode list/sublist|Dynasty (Australian TV series)

|EpisodeNumber = 8

|EpisodeNumber2 = 8

|Title = The Champion

|DirectedBy =

|WrittenBy = Tony Morphett

|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|1970|11|25|df=y}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor = 000000

}}

{{Episode list/sublist|Dynasty (Australian TV series)

|EpisodeNumber = 9

|EpisodeNumber2 = 9

|Title = Have You Got The Numbers?

|DirectedBy = Brian Bell

|WrittenBy = Tony Morphett

|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|1970|12|2|df=y}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor = 000000

}}

{{Episode list/sublist|Dynasty (Australian TV series)

|EpisodeNumber = 10

|EpisodeNumber2 = 10

|Title = When All The Bets Were Off

|DirectedBy = Frank Arnold

|WrittenBy = Tony Morphett

|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|1970|12|9|df=y}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor = 000000

}}

==Series 2==

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!style="background:#000000; width:7%;" |No. in
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!style="background:#000000; width:7%;" |No. in
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!style="background:#000000; width:41%;" |Title

!style="background:#000000; width:15%;" |Directed by

!style="background:#000000; width:15%;" |Written by

!style="background:#000000; width:15%;" |Original air date

{{Episode list/sublist|Dynasty (Australian TV series)

|EpisodeNumber = 11

|EpisodeNumber2 = 1

|Title = Dead Man's Chair

|DirectedBy = Alan Burke

|WrittenBy = Tony Morphett

|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|1971|7|14|df=y}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor = 000000

}}

{{Episode list/sublist|Dynasty (Australian TV series)

|EpisodeNumber = 12

|EpisodeNumber2 = 2

|Title = The Killing Ground

|DirectedBy = Eric Tayler

|WrittenBy = Tony Morphett

|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|1971|7|21|df=y}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor = 000000

}}

{{Episode list/sublist|Dynasty (Australian TV series)

|EpisodeNumber = 13

|EpisodeNumber2 = 3

|Title = The Coorabungle Deposit

|DirectedBy =

|WrittenBy = Tony Morphett

|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|1971|7|28|df=y}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor = 000000

}}

{{Episode list/sublist|Dynasty (Australian TV series)

|EpisodeNumber = 14

|EpisodeNumber2 = 4

|Title = Corrida For A Stunt Man

|DirectedBy = Frank Arnold

|WrittenBy = Tony Morphett

|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|1971|8|4|df=y}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor = 000000

}}

{{Episode list/sublist|Dynasty (Australian TV series)

|EpisodeNumber = 15

|EpisodeNumber2 = 5

|Title = Who Wants A Bridge?

|DirectedBy = Brian Bell

|WrittenBy = Pat Flower

|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|1971|8|11|df=y}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor = 000000

}}

{{Episode list/sublist|Dynasty (Australian TV series)

|EpisodeNumber = 16

|EpisodeNumber2 = 6

|Title = Detour To Power

|DirectedBy = Frank Arnold

|WrittenBy = Peter Schreck & Glyn Davies

|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|1971|8|18|df=y}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor = 000000

}}

{{Episode list/sublist|Dynasty (Australian TV series)

|EpisodeNumber = 17

|EpisodeNumber2 = 7

|Title = Nothing Personal

|DirectedBy = Alan Burke

|WrittenBy = Alan Burke

|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|1971|8|25|df=y}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor = 000000

}}

{{Episode list/sublist|Dynasty (Australian TV series)

|EpisodeNumber = 18

|EpisodeNumber2 = 8

|Title = Whatever Happened To Jamie Brooks?

|DirectedBy = Brian Bell

|WrittenBy = Tony Morphett

|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|1971|9|1|df=y}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor = 000000

}}

{{Episode list/sublist|Dynasty (Australian TV series)

|EpisodeNumber = 19

|EpisodeNumber2 = 9

|Title = Two Reds Don't Make A White

|DirectedBy = Frank Arnold

|WrittenBy = Ron Harrison

|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|1971|9|8|df=y}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor = 000000

}}

{{Episode list/sublist|Dynasty (Australian TV series)

|EpisodeNumber = 20

|EpisodeNumber2 = 10

|Title = Countdown

|DirectedBy = Frank Arnold

|WrittenBy = Bob Ellis

|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|1971|9|15|df=y}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor = 000000

}}

{{Episode list/sublist|Dynasty (Australian TV series)

|EpisodeNumber = 21

|EpisodeNumber2 = 11

|Title = Full Circle

|DirectedBy =

|WrittenBy = Tony Morphett

|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|1971|9|22|df=y}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor = 000000

}}

{{Episode list/sublist|Dynasty (Australian TV series)

|EpisodeNumber = 22

|EpisodeNumber2 = 12

|Title = Man In The Middle

|DirectedBy =

|WrittenBy = Tony Morphett

|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|1971|9|29|df=y}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor = 000000

}}

{{Episode list/sublist|Dynasty (Australian TV series)

|EpisodeNumber = 23

|EpisodeNumber2 = 13

|Title = A Half Tone Block Is Black And White

|DirectedBy =

|WrittenBy = Bob Ellis & Ben Blakeney

|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|1971|10|6|df=y}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor = 000000

}}

References

External links

{{IMDb title|0380106}}
[http://www.classicaustraliantv.com/dynasty.htm Dynasty] at Classic Australian TV
[http://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C621126 Dynasty TV series] at AustLit
[https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=12667721&S=1 Dynasty rehearsal script] at National Archives of Australia

Category:1970 Australian television series debuts

Category:1971 Australian television series endings

Category:1970s Australian drama television series

Category:Australian Broadcasting Corporation original programming

Category:Australian English-language television shows