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{{Infobox television film
{{short description|1984 film}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2015}}
| name = Bodyline
{{Use Australian English|date=May 2015}}
| image = Bodyline-tv-series.jpg
{{Infobox television
| image_size = 240px
| image = Bodyline-tv-series.jpg
| caption = '''''Bodyline''''' (DVD cover)
| genre = [[Drama]], [[cricket]] <br />[[miniseries]]
| image_size = 240
| distributor =
| image_alt =
| creator =
| caption = '''''Bodyline''''' (DVD cover)
| genre = [[Drama]], [[cricket]]<br />[[miniseries]]
| director =
| producer =
| creator =
| writer =
| based_on =
| screenplay =
| writer =
| story =
| screenplay =
| based on =
| story =
| director = [[Carl Schultz]]<br />[[George Ogilvie]]<br />[[Denny Lawrence]]<br />[[Lex Marinos]]
| narrator =
| starring = [[Gary Sweet]]<br />[[Hugo Weaving]]<br />[[Jim Holt (actor)|Jim Holt]]<br />[[Rhys McConnochie]]<br />[[Frank Thring]]
| starring = [[Gary Sweet]]<br />[[Hugo Weaving]]<br />[[Jim Holt (actor)|Jim Holt]]<br />Rhys McConnochie<br />[[Frank Thring]]
| music =
| narrated =
| theme_music_composer = [[Chris Neal (songwriter)|Chris Neal]]
| cinematography =
| editing =
| country = [[Australia]]
| studio =
| language = English
| budget =
| num_episodes = 7
| country = [[Australia]]
| producer =
| language = English
| editor =
| network = [[Network Ten]]
| cinematography =
| released =
| runtime = 50 minutes
| company = [[Kennedy Miller]]
| first_aired = 16 July 1984
| last_aired = 27 August 1984
| budget =
| runtime = 50 minutes
| network = [[Network Ten]]
| first_aired = {{start date|1984|7|16|df=y}}<ref name="scott">Ed. Scott Murray, ''Australia on the Small Screen 1970-1995'', Oxford Uni Press, 1996 p178</ref>
| num_episodes = 7
| last_aired = {{end date|1984|8|27|df=y}}
| preceded_by =
| followed_by =
| website =
}}
}}
{{Don Bradman series}}


'''''Bodyline''''' is an Australian [[1984 in television|1984]] television [[miniseries]] which dramatised the events of the 1932–1933 [[United Kingdom|English]] [[The Ashes|Ashes]] [[cricket]] tour of Australia.
'''''Bodyline''''' is an Australian [[1984 in television|1984]] television [[miniseries]] which dramatised the events of the [[English cricket team in Australia in 1932–33|1932–1933 English Ashes cricket tour of Australia]]. The title refers to the [[bodyline]] [[cricket]]ing tactic (also known as [[Leg theory#Fast leg theory|fast leg theory]]) devised by the [[English cricket team]] during their 1932–33 [[The Ashes|Ashes]] tour of Australia.


==Plot==
The [[Television producer|producers]] were [[George Miller (producer)|George Miller]] and [[Terry Hayes]]. The [[TV director|director]]s were [[Denny Lawrence]], [[Lex Marinos]], [[George Ogilvie]] and [[Carl Schultz]]. The scriptwriters for the mini-series were [[Robert Caswell]], [[Lex Marinos]], [[Denny Lawrence]] and [[Terry Hayes]]. The [[music]] for the mini-series was written by [[Chris Neal (composer)|Chris Neal]] and [[Phillip Scott]]. [[Photography]] was by [[Dean Semler]] and [[Andrew Lesnie]].
The events leading up to the [[England Cricket Team]]'s 1932–1933 Ashes tour of Australia and the tactics, of bowling directly at the batsman, used by the English cricket team to counteract the extraordinary batting prowess of Australian cricketer [[Donald Bradman]] during the Ashes series.


==Cast==
The seven-part mini-series was a ratings success, and was shown over a four-week period; however, it was regarded by those still alive who took part in the 1932-33 series or remembered it as a ludicrous travesty of the real events.
* [[Hugo Weaving]] as [[Douglas Jardine]]
* [[Gary Sweet]] as [[Don Bradman|Donald Bradman]]
* [[Jim Holt (actor)|Jim Holt]] as [[Harold Larwood]]
* [[Rhys McConnochie]] as [[Pelham Warner|Pelham "Plum" Warner]]
* [[John Gregg (actor)|John Gregg]] as [[Percy Fender]]
* [[Heather Mitchell]] as Edith Clarke (Jardine's Egyptologist girlfriend) (fictitious character)
* [[John Walton (actor)|John Walton]] as [[Bill Woodfull]]
* [[John Doyle (comedian)|John Doyle]] as [[Gubby Allen|George "Gubby" Allen]]
* [[Frank Thring]] as [[George Harris, 4th Baron Harris|Lord Harris]]
* [[Ashok Banthia]] as the [[Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi|Nawab of Pataudi]]
* [[Jane Harders]] as Mrs Jardine (Douglas Jardine's mother)
* [[Julie Nihill]] as Jessie Bradman (Donald Bradman's wife)
* [[Max Cullen]] as Chooka (the reporter)
* [[Vincent Ball]] as [[Joseph Lyons]], the [[Prime Minister of Australia]]
* [[Colin Croft (actor)|Colin Croft]] as Sir [[Stanley Jackson (cricketer)|Stanley Jackson]]
* [[Richard Carter (actor)|Richard Carter]] (credited as "Ric Carter") as [[Bill Voce]]
* [[Bill Young (actor)|Bill Young]] as [[Bill Bowes]]
* [[Alan David Lee]] as [[Eddie Paynter]]
* [[Terry Bader]] as [[Bob Wyatt]]
* [[Michael Winchester]] as [[Stan McCabe]]
* Michael O'Neill as [[Vic Richardson]]
* [[Leslie Dayman]] as [[Bert Oldfield]]
* [[John Sheerin]] as [[Bill Ponsford]]
* [[Lauri Moran]] as [[Bert Ironmonger]]
* [[George Whaley (actor)|George Whaley]] as [[Martin Hawke, 7th Baron Hawke|Lord Hawke]]
* [[Celia De Burgh]] as Mrs Larwood (Harold Larwood's wife)
* [[Reg Gillam]] as Sir [[Clive Wigram, 1st Baron Wigram|Clive Wigram]]
* [[Edward Howell (actor)|Edward Howell]] as [[Douglas Hogg, 1st Viscount Hailsham|Lord Hailsham]]
* [[Paul Chubb]] as "[[Yabba]]" (The Barracker)
* [[Arthur Dignam]] as [[Malcolm Jardine|Mr Jardine]] (Douglas Jardine's father)
* [[John Clayton (Australian actor)|John Clayton]] as Mr Bradman (Donald Bradman's father)
* [[Peter Whitford]] as Robertson
* [[Peter Dahlsen]] as [[Les Ames]]
* [[Mark Hope (actor)|Mark Hope]] as [[Herbert Sutcliffe]]
* [[Michael Jay (actor)|Michael Jay]] as [[Maurice Leyland|Leyland]]
* [[Bernard Ledger]] as [[George Duckworth]]
* [[Doug Middleton (actor)|Doug Middleton]] as [[Wally Hammond|Walter Wally]]
* [[Ron Stephenson]] as [[Hedley Verity]]
* [[Stewart Faichney]] as [[Alan Kippax]]
* [[Robert Giltinan]] as [[Leo O'Brien (cricketer)|Leo O'Brien]]
* [[Ross Hall (actor)|Ross Hall]] as [[Bill O'Reilly (cricketer)|Bill O'Reilly]]
* [[Scott Lowe (actor)|Scott Lowe]] as [[Tim Wall]]
* [[Ned Manning]] as [[Jack Fingleton]]
* [[Peter Philpott]] as [[Clarrie Grimmett]]
* [[Brian Anderson (actor)|Brian Anderson]] as Umpire [[George Hele|Hele]]
* [[Brian McDermott (actor)|Brian McDermott]] as [[Frank Packer]]
* [[Vivienne Garrett]] as Post mistress
* [[Peter Gwynne]] as Oxlade
* [[Christian Manon]]
* [[Kevin Manser]]


==Production==
''<nowiki>'I can't help feeling, with Jardine as captain ... we may win the Ashes ... but we may lose a dominion!' </nowiki>''Pelham Warner
The [[Television producer|producers]] were [[George Miller (filmmaker)|George Miller]], [[Byron Kennedy]] and [[Terry Hayes]]. The [[Television director|director]]s were [[Denny Lawrence]], [[Lex Marinos]], [[George Ogilvie]] and [[Carl Schultz]]. The scriptwriters for the mini-series were [[Robert Caswell]], [[Lex Marinos]], [[Denny Lawrence]] and [[Terry Hayes]]. The [[music]] for the mini-series was written by Chris Neal and [[Phillip Scott (actor)|Phillip Scott]]. [[Photography]] was by [[Dean Semler]] and [[Andrew Lesnie]].


==Historical inaccuracies==
''<nowiki>'Can't we ask him to use a smaller bat ...' </nowiki>''One of the Lords (on Don Bradman) at Lords Cricket Ground.
* The controversial England captain [[Douglas Jardine]] is represented early in his career as encouraging a bowler to [[Run out#Running out a batsman "backing up" |''Mankad'']] an opponent without giving a prior warning. Jardine's action is excused in the dramatisation by [[Lord Harris]], who is represented as saying he had done the same in his playing career. While this represents Jardine's (and his supporters') perceived wilingness to resort to sharp practice, there is in fact no evidence that Jardine or Harris initiated such an instance as captains, and no record of such an incident in first-class cricket.
* The third test at Adelaide is correctly represented as a nadir of relations between the two teams and the two countries, specifically over an incident when [[Bert Oldfield]] was hit over the head while batting against [[Harold Larwood]].<ref>[https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/england-marylebone-cricket-club-tour-of-australia-1932-33-61718/australia-vs-england-3rd-test-62608/full-scorecard 3rd test, Adelaide]</ref> However, Oldfield apparently top-edged the delivery in question into his face, and Larwood was not actually bowling [[leg theory]] or [[Bodyline]] at the time.<ref>[https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/dangerous-games-245921 Dangerous games]</ref> On regaining consciousness, Oldfield, a tough character, is reputed to have said: "My own fault."<ref>[https://www.espncricinfo.com/player/bert-oldfield-7003 Bert Oldfield profile]</ref> Further, Oldfield missed one Test, as opposed to the remainder of the season.
* In the fourth test at Brisbane, [[Eddie Paynter]] is correctly represented as rising from his sick bed to reignite England's challenge and help with clinching the victory that regained [[the Ashes]], a display of pluck well received by the home crowd, and is correctly depicted as clinching the win with a [[Boundary (cricket)#Six runs|six]] in the second innings. However, he is represented as playing an extensive innings in the second innings featuring numerous scoring shots, when in fact he finished 14 not out, and his innings featuring only three scoring shots. (In contrast, he made 83 in the first innings at a crucial stage.)<ref>[https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/england-marylebone-cricket-club-tour-of-australia-1932-33-61718/australia-vs-england-4th-test-62609/full-scorecard 4th test Brisbane]</ref>
* Jardine and his tactics are correctly represented as falling out of favour by 1934. However, it is not represented that in a test match against West Indies in 1933 Jardine was on the receiving end of leg theory bowling himself and stood up well to the examination, making a career best 127.<ref>[https://www.espncricinfo.com/player/douglas-jardine-15481 Douglas Jardine profile]</ref>
* Jardine is presented as placing [[The Ashes urn]] in the trophy cabinet at [[Lord’s]], indicating that the team were presented with the urn for winning the series. In fact, the urn has never been used as a trophy - it is a permanent exhibit in the MCC Cricket Museum at Lord’s.
* Jardine is presented as having his Test career ended after a tour of India during the following year when equivalent tactics gave rise to vociferous protests. In fact, the accounts in ''[[Wisden]]'' of test matches during that tour make no mention of such protests, and the most successful England bowler on the tour was a slow bowler, [[Hedley Verity]],<ref>[https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/england-tour-of-india-1933-34-61789 England tour of India]</ref> although at time leg theory was used by bowlers on both sides.<ref>Douglas, Christopher (2002). Douglas Jardine: Spartan Cricketer. London: Methuen. ISBN 0-413-77216-0, p176: Frith, David (2002). Bodyline Autopsy. The full story of the most sensational Test cricket series: Australia v England 1932–33. London: Aurum Press. ISBN 1-85410-896-4, p391-2</ref>
* Harold Larwood is largely correctly represented as being made a scapegoat by the English cricket establishment for the hostility engendered during the series: however, Larwood later settled in Australia, and became a popular figure there, living there from 1950 until his death in 1995.<ref>[https://www.espncricinfo.com/player/harold-larwood-16207 Harold Larwood profile]</ref>


==Broadcast==
The UK premiere of the 5 million dollar Bodyline mini-series was originally broadcast on BBC2 Television in 4:3 picture ratio on consecutive evenings at 9.00pm from Monday 3rd June – Friday 7th June 1985 and was shown in the significantly longer, original, extended and uncut version. BBC2 divided the series into 5 parts of slightly varying lengths.
The mini-series was a huge ratings success in Australia, earning a share of 40%.<ref>{{cite news|first=Kevin|last=Sadlier|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/120298807/?terms=%22against%20the%20wind%22%20bodyline%20%22the%20dismissal%22&match=1|title=Death of the Australian mini-series|newspaper=Sydney Sun Herald|page=47}}</ref>

The UK premiere of the 5 million dollar ''Bodyline'' mini-series was originally broadcast on [[BBC Two|BBC2]] Television in 4:3 picture ratio on consecutive evenings at 9.00pm from Monday 3 June – Friday 7 June 1985 and was shown in the significantly longer, original, extended and uncut version. BBC2 divided the series into 5 parts of slightly varying lengths.{{citation needed|date=August 2013}}


The individual original BBC2 episode run-times of the Bodyline mini-series were:
The individual original BBC2 episode run-times of the Bodyline mini-series were:
Line 54: Line 115:
Total extended run-time: '''436 minutes – 7 hours 16 minutes'''.
Total extended run-time: '''436 minutes – 7 hours 16 minutes'''.


When originally shown on Channel 10 Australia in July 1984 over 4 consecutive nights - including extensive advert-breaks - the run-time was approx. 10 hours. Excluding advert breaks: the actual run-time is 7 hours 16 minutes. IMDb and Amazon give the total run-time of the official extensively cut, re-edited and picture-cropped from the original 4:3 picture ratio to 16:9 picture ratio widescreen presentation DVD version as: 330 minutes – 5 hours 30 minutes – 7 episodes of approx. 47 minutes each - a total of 329 minutes.
When originally shown on Channel 10 Australia in July 1984 over 4 consecutive nights - including extensive ad-breaks - the run-time was approx. 10 hours. Excluding ad breaks: the actual run-time is 7 hours 16 minutes. IMDb and Amazon give the total run-time of the official extensively cut, re-edited and picture-cropped - from the original 4:3 picture ratio to a 16:9 picture ratio - widescreen presentation DVD version as 330 minutes – 5 hours 30 minutes – 7 episodes of approx. 47 minutes each - a total of 329 minutes.


Therefore the original version transmitted in it’s entirety by BBC2 Television in June 1985 is approximately 1 hour 46 minutes longer than the official Australian DVD version of Bodyline. BBC2 had licence for UK premiere broadcast and one repeat showing before transmission rights reverted back to Australian TV Network 10 and Kennedy-Miller for DVD production.
Therefore, the original version transmitted in its entirety by BBC2 Television in June 1985 is approximately 1 hour 46 minutes longer than the official Australian DVD version of Bodyline. This version was repeated on BBC1 on Friday and Saturday late nights in November 1986, and again on BBC2 on Tuesday lunchtimes over July and August 1991<ref>https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/search/0/20?order=first&filt=is_tv&q=bodyline</ref> before transmission rights reverted to Australian TV [[Network 10]] and Kennedy-Miller for DVD production.

The title refers to the [[bodyline]] [[cricket]]ing tactic devised by the [[English cricket team]] during their 1932–33 [[The Ashes|Ashes]] tour of Australia. The correct English cricketing term for Bodyline is [[Leg_theory|Leg theory]].

==Plot==
The events leading up to the [[England Cricket Team]]'s 1932-1933 Ashes tour of Australia and the tactics, of bowling directly at the batsman, used by the English cricket team to counteract the batting prowess of Australian cricketer [[Donald Bradman]] during the Ashes series.

==Cast==
* [[Gary Sweet]] as [[Donald George Bradman]]
* [[Hugo Weaving]] as [[Douglas Jardine]]
* [[Jim Holt (actor)|Jim Holt]] as [[Harold Larwood]]
* [[Rhys McConnochie]] as [[Pelham Warner]]
* [[Ryan Long]] as [[Bill Ponsford]]
* [[Frank Thring]] as [[George Harris, 4th Baron Harris|Lord Harris]]
* [[Heather Mitchell]] as Edith (Jardine's Egyptologist girl-friend)
* [[Ashok Banthia]] as [[Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi|Nawab of Pataudi]]
* [[Jane Harders]] as Alice Jardine (DR Jardine's mother)
* [[Julie Nihill]] as Jessie Bradman (Donald Bradman's wife)
* [[John Gregg (actor)|John Gregg]] as [[Percy Fender|Percy George Herbert Fender]]
* [[John Walton (actor)|John Walton]] as [[Bill Woodfull]]
* [[Max Cullen]] as Chooka (the reporter)
* [[Vincent Ball]] as the [[Prime Minister of Australia]] ([[Joseph Lyons]])
* Colin Croft as Sir [[Stanley Jackson]]
* [[Leslie Dayman]] as [[Bert Oldfield]]
* [[John Doyle (comedian)|John Doyle]] as [[Gubby Allen|George "Gubby" Allen]]
* [[George Whaley (actor)|George Whaley]] as [[Martin Hawke, 7th Baron Hawke|Lord Hawke]]
* [[Celia De Burgh]] as Mrs. Larwood
* [[Reg Gillam]] as Sir [[Clive Wigram]]
* [[Edward Howell]] as [[Viscount Hailsham|Lord Hailsham]]
* [[Paul Chubb]] as "[[Yabba]]"
* [[Alan David Lee]] as [[Eddie Paynter]]
* [[Arthur Dignam]] as [[Mr Jardine (DR Jardine's father)]]
* [[John Clayton (actor)|John Clayton]]
* [[Peter Whitford]] as Robertson


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
* "''The Dictionary of Performing Arts in Australia — Theatre . Film . Radio . Television — Volume 1''" — Ann Atkinson, Linsay Knight, Margaret McPhee — Allen & Unwin Pty. Ltd., 1996
* "''The Dictionary of Performing Arts in Australia — Theatre . Film . Radio . Television — Volume 1''" — Ann Atkinson, Linsay Knight, Margaret McPhee — Allen & Unwin Pty. Ltd., 1996
* "''The Australian Film and Television Companion''" — compiled by Tony Harrison — Simon & Schuster Australia, 1994
* "''The Australian Film and Television Companion''" — compiled by Tony Harrison — Simon & Schuster Australia, 1994
*''Bodyline TV mini-series 1985 – original BBC2 Television transmission recording 3-7 June 1985''
*''Bodyline TV mini-series 1985 – original BBC2 Television transmission recording 3–7 June 1985''
*''Don Bradman: Challenging the Myth - Chapter 4: Bodyline and Myth – Page: 62 - Brett Hutchins 2002''
*''Don Bradman: Challenging the Myth - Chapter 4: Bodyline and Myth – Page: 62 - Brett Hutchins 2002''


==External links==
==External links==
* {{imdb title|0086672|title=Bodyline}}
* {{IMDb title|0086672|title=Bodyline}}
*[http://aso.gov.au/titles/tv/bodyline/ ''Bodyline''] at [[Australian Screen Online]]


{{DEFAULTSORT:Bodyline (Miniseries)}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bodyline (Miniseries)}}
[[Category:Network Ten shows]]
[[Category:Network 10 original programming]]
[[Category:1984 television films]]
[[Category:1984 television films]]
[[Category:Australian television miniseries]]
[[Category:1984 films]]
[[Category:Period television series]]
[[Category:Period television series]]
[[Category:Cricket on television]]
[[Category:Cricket on television]]
[[Category:Cultural depictions of Australian people]]

[[Category:Cultural depictions of English people]]

[[Category:Cultural depictions of cricketers]]
{{Australia-tv-prog-stub}}
[[Category:Cultural depictions of Don Bradman]]
[[Category:1980s Australian television miniseries]]
[[Category:1984 Australian television series debuts]]
[[Category:1984 Australian television series endings]]
[[Category:Films scored by Chris Neal (songwriter)]]

Revision as of 08:18, 23 May 2024

Bodyline
Bodyline (DVD cover)
GenreDrama, cricket
miniseries
Directed byCarl Schultz
George Ogilvie
Denny Lawrence
Lex Marinos
StarringGary Sweet
Hugo Weaving
Jim Holt
Rhys McConnochie
Frank Thring
Theme music composerChris Neal
Country of originAustralien
Original languageEnglisch
No. of episodes7
Production
Running time50 minutes
Production companyKennedy Miller
Original release
NetworkNetwork Ten
Release16 July (1984-07-16)[1] –
27 August 1984 (1984-08-27)
This article is part of
a series about
Don Bradman

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Bodyline is an Australian 1984 television miniseries which dramatised the events of the 1932–1933 English Ashes cricket tour of Australia. The title refers to the bodyline cricketing tactic (also known as fast leg theory) devised by the English cricket team during their 1932–33 Ashes tour of Australia.

Plot

The events leading up to the England Cricket Team's 1932–1933 Ashes tour of Australia and the tactics, of bowling directly at the batsman, used by the English cricket team to counteract the extraordinary batting prowess of Australian cricketer Donald Bradman during the Ashes series.

Cast

Production

The producers were George Miller, Byron Kennedy and Terry Hayes. The directors were Denny Lawrence, Lex Marinos, George Ogilvie and Carl Schultz. The scriptwriters for the mini-series were Robert Caswell, Lex Marinos, Denny Lawrence and Terry Hayes. The music for the mini-series was written by Chris Neal and Phillip Scott. Photography was by Dean Semler and Andrew Lesnie.

Historical inaccuracies

  • The controversial England captain Douglas Jardine is represented early in his career as encouraging a bowler to Mankad an opponent without giving a prior warning. Jardine's action is excused in the dramatisation by Lord Harris, who is represented as saying he had done the same in his playing career. While this represents Jardine's (and his supporters') perceived wilingness to resort to sharp practice, there is in fact no evidence that Jardine or Harris initiated such an instance as captains, and no record of such an incident in first-class cricket.
  • The third test at Adelaide is correctly represented as a nadir of relations between the two teams and the two countries, specifically over an incident when Bert Oldfield was hit over the head while batting against Harold Larwood.[2] However, Oldfield apparently top-edged the delivery in question into his face, and Larwood was not actually bowling leg theory or Bodyline at the time.[3] On regaining consciousness, Oldfield, a tough character, is reputed to have said: "My own fault."[4] Further, Oldfield missed one Test, as opposed to the remainder of the season.
  • In the fourth test at Brisbane, Eddie Paynter is correctly represented as rising from his sick bed to reignite England's challenge and help with clinching the victory that regained the Ashes, a display of pluck well received by the home crowd, and is correctly depicted as clinching the win with a six in the second innings. However, he is represented as playing an extensive innings in the second innings featuring numerous scoring shots, when in fact he finished 14 not out, and his innings featuring only three scoring shots. (In contrast, he made 83 in the first innings at a crucial stage.)[5]
  • Jardine and his tactics are correctly represented as falling out of favour by 1934. However, it is not represented that in a test match against West Indies in 1933 Jardine was on the receiving end of leg theory bowling himself and stood up well to the examination, making a career best 127.[6]
  • Jardine is presented as placing The Ashes urn in the trophy cabinet at Lord’s, indicating that the team were presented with the urn for winning the series. In fact, the urn has never been used as a trophy - it is a permanent exhibit in the MCC Cricket Museum at Lord’s.
  • Jardine is presented as having his Test career ended after a tour of India during the following year when equivalent tactics gave rise to vociferous protests. In fact, the accounts in Wisden of test matches during that tour make no mention of such protests, and the most successful England bowler on the tour was a slow bowler, Hedley Verity,[7] although at time leg theory was used by bowlers on both sides.[8]
  • Harold Larwood is largely correctly represented as being made a scapegoat by the English cricket establishment for the hostility engendered during the series: however, Larwood later settled in Australia, and became a popular figure there, living there from 1950 until his death in 1995.[9]

Broadcast

The mini-series was a huge ratings success in Australia, earning a share of 40%.[10]

The UK premiere of the 5 million dollar Bodyline mini-series was originally broadcast on BBC2 Television in 4:3 picture ratio on consecutive evenings at 9.00pm from Monday 3 June – Friday 7 June 1985 and was shown in the significantly longer, original, extended and uncut version. BBC2 divided the series into 5 parts of slightly varying lengths.[citation needed]

The individual original BBC2 episode run-times of the Bodyline mini-series were:

  • 3/6/1985: Part 1 – 85 minutes
  • 4/6/1985: Part 2 – 89 minutes
  • 5/6/1985: Part 3 – 88 minutes
  • 6/6/1985: Part 4 – 89 minutes
  • 7/6/1985: Part 5 – 85 minutes

Total extended run-time: 436 minutes – 7 hours 16 minutes.

When originally shown on Channel 10 Australia in July 1984 over 4 consecutive nights - including extensive ad-breaks - the run-time was approx. 10 hours. Excluding ad breaks: the actual run-time is 7 hours 16 minutes. IMDb and Amazon give the total run-time of the official extensively cut, re-edited and picture-cropped - from the original 4:3 picture ratio to a 16:9 picture ratio - widescreen presentation DVD version as 330 minutes – 5 hours 30 minutes – 7 episodes of approx. 47 minutes each - a total of 329 minutes.

Therefore, the original version transmitted in its entirety by BBC2 Television in June 1985 is approximately 1 hour 46 minutes longer than the official Australian DVD version of Bodyline. This version was repeated on BBC1 on Friday and Saturday late nights in November 1986, and again on BBC2 on Tuesday lunchtimes over July and August 1991[11] before transmission rights reverted to Australian TV Network 10 and Kennedy-Miller for DVD production.

References

  1. ^ Ed. Scott Murray, Australia on the Small Screen 1970-1995, Oxford Uni Press, 1996 p178
  2. ^ 3rd test, Adelaide
  3. ^ Dangerous games
  4. ^ Bert Oldfield profile
  5. ^ 4th test Brisbane
  6. ^ Douglas Jardine profile
  7. ^ England tour of India
  8. ^ Douglas, Christopher (2002). Douglas Jardine: Spartan Cricketer. London: Methuen. ISBN 0-413-77216-0, p176: Frith, David (2002). Bodyline Autopsy. The full story of the most sensational Test cricket series: Australia v England 1932–33. London: Aurum Press. ISBN 1-85410-896-4, p391-2
  9. ^ Harold Larwood profile
  10. ^ Sadlier, Kevin. "Death of the Australian mini-series". Sydney Sun Herald. p. 47.
  11. ^ https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/search/0/20?order=first&filt=is_tv&q=bodyline
  • "The Dictionary of Performing Arts in Australia — Theatre . Film . Radio . Television — Volume 1" — Ann Atkinson, Linsay Knight, Margaret McPhee — Allen & Unwin Pty. Ltd., 1996
  • "The Australian Film and Television Companion" — compiled by Tony Harrison — Simon & Schuster Australia, 1994
  • Bodyline TV mini-series 1985 – original BBC2 Television transmission recording 3–7 June 1985
  • Don Bradman: Challenging the Myth - Chapter 4: Bodyline and Myth – Page: 62 - Brett Hutchins 2002
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