Greater Illustrated History of the Glorious Antipodes Show, The – Nostalgia Central

1 9 6 9 (Australia)
6 x 30 minute episodes

Based on Gilbert Anstruther’s 1968 novel Look, Dad, They’re Hanging Grandpa, this short ABC-TV series took a comedic look through Australian history from Captain Cook to Ned Kelly.

Ronald Falk served as the link man, a professor conducting a series of illustrated lectures featuring a six-person revue company comprising John Derum, Alan Harvey, Ric Hutton, Chris Johnston, Maggie Kirkpatrick and Peter Rowley.

Also seen was a tall, curvaceous blonde named Diane Granquist, who assisted the professor throughout the six shows, wearing not very much and never speaking a single word.

A cavalcade of writers took part: Maurice Wiltshire (who was also the script editor), Dick Barry, John O’Grady (Junior), Tony Morphett, Freddy Bamberger, Ken Sterling, Trevor Myers and Bob Symons.

The producer was Bill Munro.

The Sydney Morning Herald called it a “ghastly load of old codswallop”. Writers O’Grady and Wiltshire made a much better fist of it a year later with Noel Ferrier’s Australia A to Z.

Ronald Falk
John Derum
Alan Harvey
Ric Hutton
Chris Johnston
Maggie Kirkpatrick
Peter Rowley
Diane Granquist