The Battlers | |
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![]() Newspaper ad from 26 Jun 1968 | |
Written by | John Abbott Edward Hepple Jonh Kiddell Michael Wright |
Directed by | Jacques d Vigne |
Starring | John Armstrong Bill Hunter Mark McManus Carmen Duncan Vincent Gil |
Country of origin | Australia |
Original language | English |
No. of episodes | 26 |
Production | |
Producer | John Walters |
Running time | 30 mins |
Original release | |
Release | 26 June 24 December 1968 | –
The Battlers is a 1968 Australian TV series about an aboriginal boxer. It was inspired by the story of Lionel Rose.[1]
Tolly McCall is the lightweight boxing champion of Australia whose career is threatened with injury. His wife Janet is relieved that he will no longer box. Tolly becomes obsessed with a young aboriginal boxer, Wayne.
It was followed the production of You Can't See Round Corners. It was originally known as The Doongara Kid.[2] The story was inspired by Lionel Rose. Vincent Gil was trained in boxing for the serial by Bill McConnell.[3]
It was shot at ATN's studio in Epping, Sydney and on location at Le Perouse, the stadium, and travelling tent shows.[4]
Reviewing the pilot episode The Age praised it as "exciting, sustaining, action viewing".[5]
The Sydney Morning Herald felt the second episode "felt tired" and that the writers "were not at home with women".[6]
In July the Sydney Morning Herald called it "television drama less derivative than any Australian series so far" but said Gill "is given little to articulate about being aboriginal. To begin with, he looks white and in the hands of white writers his characterisation is robbed of perception."[7]
In December the Sydney Morning Herald said "the show has not delivered a knock out" blaming poor writing.[8]