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Lots to interest you this month – a great new product, Specials especially for Fathers Day, Bonus Buys and a focus on one of Australia’s most successful daytime soapies…
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Time For Mystery – Volume 2
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We had a very positive reaction to Volume 1 – here’s hoping everyone enjoys Volume 2!
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More great mysteries to entertain you and test your crime solving skills!
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A collection of mysteries from the archives of AWA, this drama series features leading artists from both Australia and New Zealand. Introduced by a narrator, there are four acts to each hour-long episode, allowing listeners to get deeply involved in the plot as it develops (and perhaps time to throw in a few red herrings!)
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There are eight individual stories contained in each volume.
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8 x 45 mins (approx) episodes
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Our August specials have Fathers Day in mind, so explore away! And they’re big bargains at just $30.00 each – this month only:
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the ever popular loveable rogue.
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The Man From Mi5- nursery rhymes aren’t always what they seem
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Philip Marlow Investigates – the world famous detective has two investigations
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Harvest Of Hate – a town where prosperity covers evil and you don’t ask questions
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The House Of Gold – ambition and ruthlessness run through this inheritance saga
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Tempest – sci-fi story of a power crazed group who learn to control the elements
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AND, if you spend $120.00 or more on any of our products (excluding books), then choose one of the following titles as a bonus (ie free!):
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the dramatized life story of
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Tapestries Of Life – unfamiliar stories of the great, rich and famous
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View Matrimony – a lonely girl answers a newspaper ad in her quest for romance
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This month we’re revisiting, and highlighting, one of the most popular series in our catalogue…Portia Faces Life
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During the early 1950s Grace Gibson bought the rights to create an Australian production of the NBC soapie about a lawyer named Portia Blake. It had commenced in October 1940 and was sponsored nationally in the US.
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Portia Faces Life was designed for week day broadcast and aimed at appealing to the daytime or early evening audience, something it did very successfully.
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The Australian version began with Lyndall Barbour in the title role, and despite her moving to the UK for work, she later returned to the role and stayed until the very end.
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When production began, Levers sponsored the Australian version of Portia both here and in New Zealand, whereas their opposition, Colgate-Palmolive, sponsored the Australian version in Barbados, Trinidad and Jamaica. Some Canadian stations also broadcast the Australian version, as did South Africa – their sponsors are unknown. Later, Woolworths sponsored the show in Sydney
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Rather than just adapting the US scripts, our local writers took Portia on her own Australian journey, along with husband Walter and son Dickie.
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Portia Manning was a successful and beautiful wife and mother. At the same time, she was an outstanding lawyer meaning she was engaged in a constant struggle for the work/life balance.
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As a daily ‘soapie’ Portia’s story continued day-to-day without a conclusion in sight.
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By the late 1960s the radio landscape had changed. Music, and top 40 music in particular, became what the radio station programmers wanted.
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Grace Gibson made changes too. As the desire for a ‘soapie’ was declining, Grace introduced measures to both keep stations and listeners happy. Stations who wanted the ‘soapie’ version continued with it for the time being, whereas stations who wanted something sharper transitioned to stories that kept the character but had her solve a case in a set number of episodes, usually 104, 128 or 130 (104 and 128 for stations who broadcast it Monday-Thursday, as Friday was considered ‘shopping’ day, particularly in the regional markets).
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Gradually all the stations transitioned to the series, rather than the ‘soapies’. These stand-alone series started with The Haverlock Affair, then, Partners In Jeopardy, The Silent Witness and The Seed Of Evil. Guest appearances by Portia arose in Violets Are Blue and 30 Days Hath September – all of which are available from our website, gracegibsonradio.com
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If you’d like to learn more about radio soapies and serials, and the behind-the-scenes stories, please refer to:
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