Ben Hall (TV series)


Ben Hall is a 1975 Australian TV series based on the bush ranger Ben Hall. The TV series stars Jon Finch as Ben Hall, Evin Crowley as Biddy Hall, John Castle as bushranger Frank Gardiner, Brian Blain as Sir Frederick Pottinger, Jack Charles as Billy Dargin and John Orcsik as John Gilbert. Neil McCallum was the creator-producer and the series editor was Colin Free.
It was a co-production between the ABC, BBC-TV, and 20th Century Fox. It was called the most ambitious drama production of the ABC with a budget of $1 million.
The series was filmed in the Megalong Valley, New South Wales and in the suburb of Belrose.
McCallum said "The series is not an accurate story of the life of Ben Hall. It is impossible in 13
one-hour programs to reconstruct a man's life over a period of ten years. What we have done is to be meticulous in reconstructing the period in which he lived so that the series represents, I think, a
very real picture of Australia in the 1860s."

Cast

Source:

Main

Support

Production

Filming started 30 December 1974. It took six months to film.

Release

A documentary was made to promote the series Ben Hall in the Making.

Episodes

  1. Nobody's Man. It promises to be a good year for cattleman Ben Hall until ex-convict bushranger Frank Gardiner escapes from a road gang to the Wheogo district, bringing the New South Wales Mounted Police after him and his ruthless companions, Piesley and Troy. w Ted Roberts d Don Chaffey.
  2. The Vow. A cattle muster becomes a shambles when Gardiner and his friends arrive. Escaped convict John Piesley Is out to kill Ben Hall. Piesley and Gardiner arrive at the cattle muster at the McGuires'. w Frank Nesbitt d Don Chaffey.
  3. The Promise. Gardiner plans to use Ben Hall's wedding as a diversion to rescue Johnny Gilbert from Wheogo prison. w Allan Prior d Don Chaffey.
  4. The Cruel Season. Hall loses most of his stock in drought. His wife asks him to sell his horses and move. w Eleanor Witcombe d Frank Arnold.
  5. Blind Justice. Bushranger Saucepan Bill shoots an armed guard. Ben Hall's horse is recognised and Ben is arrested for murder. w Tony Morphett d Frank Arnold.
  6. Going Home. Struggling financially due to drought, Ben leaves his pregnant wife to go work in the gold rush. w: Tony Morphett.
  7. The Rock. Feeling he has nothing to lose, Hall joins Frank Gardiner and his gang to rob a coach at the rock. w Tony Morphett d Peter Maxwell.
  8. Yellowback. The police organise a manhunt in the mountains and arrest Ben's wife as a ploy. w Jesse Lasky Jr & Pat Silver d Don Chaffey.
  9. A Greater Love. Many innocent homesteaders are arrested in the campaign against the bushrangers. w Lindsay Galloway d Don Chaffey
  10. The Attack. Ben Hall disguises his men as troopers in command of a convict road-gang to surprise an army coach and later Sir Frederick Pottinger.w Ted Roberts d Don Chaffey.
  11. The Legacy. Ben plans to use Pottinger in a daring rescue scheme on behalf of the valley settlers to obtain legal rights to their land. w Ray Johnson d Frank Arnold.
  12. The Pursued. Ben is outlawed under the Felons Act and has a price on his head. w Ray Johnson d Don Chaffey.
  13. Once Upon a Time. Ben Hall plans to leave but won't go without his wife and child. Sgt Garland is determined to capture and kill him. w: Ted Roberts d: Don Chaffey.