Ryan (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Ryan was an Australia
n adventure television series
screened by the Seven Network
from 27 May 1973. The series was produced by Crawford Productions
and had a run of 39 one hour episodes.
The title character was a dashing private investigator
played by Rod Mullinar
. (A few years prior Mullinar had briefly taken the lead role in the similar Crawfords series Hunter
(1967) in its closing episodes after the original lead actor Tony Ward
left the show.) Ryan's assistant was played by New Zealand
-born actor Pamela Stephenson
, soon to leave for England and a successful television career. Other regular characters were Tony Angelini (Luigi Villani), a taxi driver and Ryan's regular informant, while Detective Cullen (Colin McEwan
) was Ryan’s main liaison with the police force.
Ryan was shot entirely on film and in colour with an eye to potential international sales. An initial sale of 39 episodes to the Seven Network recouped only 55% of the series' relatively high production costs. An international sale was therefore crucial to the show's continued feasibility.
Australian television was still broadcasting in black and white in 1973, while key international markets broadcast in colour and would more readily purchase a colour series. Though many Australian series shot their interior scenes on videotape in the studio using a multiple-camera setup
with only outdoor scenes shot on film, because Australia was yet to switch to colour television the television studios were not yet equipped with colour equipment. This meant Ryan had to be shot entirely on film. In another concession to international marketability Mullinar was instructed to play the role using a Mid-Atlantic American accent.
The series premiered in May 1973, rating well in Brisbane
and Adelaide
, but failing in the crucial Melbourne
and Sydney
markets. A key reason for low ratings was the fact that the Nine Network
had moved the highly popular police drama Division 4
to a new night to compete with the much-hyped new series. Ryan was moved around the schedules in order to find an audience, but ratings remained mediocre. After the initial 39 episodes were in the can the Ryan crew were, in expectation of a second series, retained by Crawfords and put to work on Homicide - whose output was increased to two episodes a week - on that show's second weekly episode. This resulted in one cross-over episode, with the Ryan regular characters appearing in an episode of Homicide. One regular cast member, Pamela Stephenson, did not appear, having opted to leave the series during the recess.
Ultimately Ryan was not renewed by the Seven Network due to insufficient ratings. The Homicide production reverted to one episode a week. While some of the Ryan crew were rolled into new Crawfords serial The Box, that show featured little outdoors filming so inevitably some of the Ryan crew were retrenched - the first time Crawfords had ever retrenched staff.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n adventure television series
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
screened by the Seven Network
Seven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
from 27 May 1973. The series was produced by Crawford Productions
Crawford Productions
Crawford Productions is an Australian television production company founded by Hector Crawford; the present incarnation of the company, Crawfords Australia, is now a subsidiary of the WIN television corporation.-History:...
and had a run of 39 one hour episodes.
The title character was a dashing private investigator
Private investigator
A private investigator , private detective or inquiry agent, is a person who can be hired by individuals or groups to undertake investigatory law services. Private detectives/investigators often work for attorneys in civil cases. Many work for insurance companies to investigate suspicious claims...
played by Rod Mullinar
Rod Mullinar
Rod Mullinar is an actor, noted for his roles on Australian television.He took a regular leading role in Hunter late in the show's run in 1968, however he appeared in just eight episodes due to the cancellation of the series...
. (A few years prior Mullinar had briefly taken the lead role in the similar Crawfords series Hunter
Hunter (Australian Crawfords TV series)
Hunter was an Australian espionage adventure television series screened by the Nine Network from 5 July 1967 to 1969. The series was created by Ian Jones and produced by Crawford Productions....
(1967) in its closing episodes after the original lead actor Tony Ward
Tony Ward (Australian actor)
Tony Ward was an Australian television actor and current affairs reporter. He is regarded as Australian television's original action star, on Hunter, and was an inaugural reporter on two national current affairs programs, Seven Days and A Current Affair.-Life:Anthony John Ward was born in Sydney,...
left the show.) Ryan's assistant was played by New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
-born actor Pamela Stephenson
Pamela Stephenson
Pamela Helen Stephenson Connolly is a New Zealand-born Australian clinical psychologist and writer now resident in the United Kingdom. She is best known for her work as an actress and comedian during the 1980s...
, soon to leave for England and a successful television career. Other regular characters were Tony Angelini (Luigi Villani), a taxi driver and Ryan's regular informant, while Detective Cullen (Colin McEwan
Colin McEwan
Colin McEwan was an Australian television presenter and actor. He was best known for appearing on both stage and TV versions of The Naked Vicar Show, and for his role as Bob Bullpitt in Kingswood Country...
) was Ryan’s main liaison with the police force.
Ryan was shot entirely on film and in colour with an eye to potential international sales. An initial sale of 39 episodes to the Seven Network recouped only 55% of the series' relatively high production costs. An international sale was therefore crucial to the show's continued feasibility.
Australian television was still broadcasting in black and white in 1973, while key international markets broadcast in colour and would more readily purchase a colour series. Though many Australian series shot their interior scenes on videotape in the studio using a multiple-camera setup
Multiple-camera setup
The multiple-camera setup, multiple-camera mode of production, or multicam is a method of filmmaking and video production. Several cameras—either film or professional video cameras—are employed on the set and simultaneously record or broadcast a scene...
with only outdoor scenes shot on film, because Australia was yet to switch to colour television the television studios were not yet equipped with colour equipment. This meant Ryan had to be shot entirely on film. In another concession to international marketability Mullinar was instructed to play the role using a Mid-Atlantic American accent.
The series premiered in May 1973, rating well in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
and Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, but failing in the crucial Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
and Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
markets. A key reason for low ratings was the fact that the Nine Network
Nine Network
The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
had moved the highly popular police drama Division 4
Division 4
Division 4 was an Australian television police drama series made by Crawford Productions for the Nine Network between 1969 and 1975 for 300 episodes....
to a new night to compete with the much-hyped new series. Ryan was moved around the schedules in order to find an audience, but ratings remained mediocre. After the initial 39 episodes were in the can the Ryan crew were, in expectation of a second series, retained by Crawfords and put to work on Homicide - whose output was increased to two episodes a week - on that show's second weekly episode. This resulted in one cross-over episode, with the Ryan regular characters appearing in an episode of Homicide. One regular cast member, Pamela Stephenson, did not appear, having opted to leave the series during the recess.
Ultimately Ryan was not renewed by the Seven Network due to insufficient ratings. The Homicide production reverted to one episode a week. While some of the Ryan crew were rolled into new Crawfords serial The Box, that show featured little outdoors filming so inevitably some of the Ryan crew were retrenched - the first time Crawfords had ever retrenched staff.