NUMBER 96
COMEDY / CRIME / DRAMA
AUSTRALIA
1972-1977
NUMBER 96 is an Australian television soap opera/serial that broadcast from March 1972 to August 1977. It screened week nights in the prime time 8.30 pm slot and was one of the most popular Australian TV series of the 1970s. NUMBER 96 consists of 1218 episodes of 25 minutes.
STORY: Storylines explored the lives and relationships of the residents of a four-storey block of flats at 96 Lindsay Street, Paddington. The building has eight apartments, a ground floor delicatessen and a chemist shop. The chemist soon became a wine bar, which finally became a disco shortly before the series ended.
GAY COUPLE STORYLINE: It was the first soap globally to feature an ongoing gay character, Don Finlayson (Joe Hasham). Don was a dependable lawyer who was joined by his more flamboyant partner Dudley Butterfield (Chard Hayward).
Don Finlayson (Joe Hasham) & Dudley Butterfield (Chard Hayward)
JOE HASHAM (1972-1977) September 4, 1948, Tripoli, Lebanon
CHARD HAYWARD (1972-1977) ?, 1949, Wales, UK
SPECIAL: When Number 96 began in 1972, it was an instant hit. Original cast member Hasham became one of the most popular cast members, regarded as a sex symbol by many fans. He reprised the role in the feature film version of the serial, in which his character engaged in a gay kiss with the closeted Simon Carr (John Orcsik), although the shot was later cut from the film. Hasham continued to play the role until Number 96 ended in 1977. Number 96 became famous for its adult storylines, nude glimpses, and comedy characters, as well as its Agatha Christie-style whodunnit story arcs. There were many controversial storylines and firsts, including the world's first gay character, an interracial romance, and other taboo subjects that were not being addressed at that time in America.
AWARDS: ‘NUMBER 96’ 5 wins
7.5 IMDB
