Our Man in the Company is an Australian comedy series which screened on the ABC in 1973 and 1974. This series was a spin-off from the controversial series Our Man in Canberra,[1] debuted in New South Wales on 7 July 1973[2] and ended on 27 August 1974.[3]
Our Man in Canberra had its origins in one episode of the anthology series The Comedy Game, which was broadcast in November 1971. The pilot was filmed outside the Old Parliament House.[4] The first episode of the series was meant to air on 3 June 1972, written by John O'Grady.[5] However, the series' production was cancelled in May 1972, due to legal reasons, with an episode costing $10,000 to film.[6] The series was in breach of Section 116 (II) of the Broadcasting and Television Act of Australia.[7] It was dropped in March 1973, resulting in the cast and the Australian Broadcasting Commission open to contempt charges of parliament.[8]
- Jeff Ashby as Humphrey Sullivan
- Katy Wild as Kate Sullivan
- Walter Sullivan as The Minister/The Director
- Delore Whiteman as Ena Wheeler
- Benita Collings as Turner
- Kerry McGuire as Marcia
- Lex Mitchell as Pub Philosopher
- Graham Rouse as Pub Philosopher
- Reg Gorman as TV Technician
"OMC Eps". Classic Australian Television. Archived from the original on 23 March 2005. Retrieved 8 June 2024. Kusko, Julie (11 July 1973). ""OUR MAN IN THE COMPANY"". The Australian Women's Weekly. Vol. 41, no. 6. Sydney: Australian Consolidated Press. p. 17. Retrieved 8 June 2024 – via National Library of Australia. "Our Man In The Company" starts on ABC-TV in New South Wales on Saturday, July 7, at 7.30 p.m.; other States later.
"Tuesday, 27". The Canberra Times. Vol. 48, no. 13, 843. Canberra: John Fairfax and Sons. 26 August 1974. p. 12. Retrieved 8 June 2024 – via National Library of Australia. "Films for the week". The Canberra Times. Vol. 46, no. 12, 967. Canberra. 15 November 1971. p. 13. Retrieved 8 June 2024 – via National Library of Australia. THE COMEDY GAME: Jeff Ashby, as Humphrey Sullivan, outside Parliament House. This week's episode in this Australian written and produced comedy series is entitled 'Our Man in Canberra'.
O'Brien, Philip (16 July 2008). "Politicians up for a laugh". The Canberra Times. Canberra: Fairfax Media. p. 3. ProQuest 1020361248. Our Man in Canberra was a comedy series about a young, idealistic MP who is constantly frustrated by the political bureaucraticmachine. Three of the 13 scripted episodes were filmed in 1972 before ABC management and commissioners decided to defer it (in the dying days of the McMahon government) and then cancel it in 1973 because of fears, shared by the newly elected Whitlam government,that its topical focus was in breach of the Broadcasting and Television Act.
Written at Sydney. "ABC halts TV politics drama". The Age. Melbourne: John Fairfax and Sons. 26 May 1972. p. 1. Retrieved 8 June 2024 – via Newspapers.com. The series Our Man In Canberra was costing $10, 000 an episode to film. Three episodes have already been prepared. The official reason - from the ABC for canning the series written by Australian author John O'Grady is that it contravenes a section of the Broadcasting Act banning the televising of "current political matter".
"'No pressure to stop program'". The Canberra Times. Vol. 46, no. 13, 144. Canberra: John Fairfax and Sons. 7 June 1972. p. 15. Retrieved 8 June 2024 – via National Library of Australia. Section 116 (ii) of the Broadcasting and Television Acts says, "The Commission or a licensee shall not broadcast or televise a dramatisation of any political matter which is then current or was current at any time during the last five preceding years"
Written at Sydney. "Unshown". The Canberra Times. Vol. 47, no. 13, 380. Canberra: John Fairfax and Sons. 12 March 1973. p. 1. Retrieved 8 June 2024 – via National Library of Australia. The chairman of the ABC, Sir Robert Madgwick, announced today that the series 'Our Man in Canberra' would be dropped because transmission of it might leave the commission and the cast open to a charge of contempt of Parliament.
