''All at Sea'' is a 1977 Australian television film about a group of misfits on holiday on an island resort. It used the cast from ''The Celebrity Game''.Ed. Scott Murray, ''Australia on the Small Screen 1970-1995'', Oxford Uni Press, 1996 p5

Premise

The adventures of various guests and staff at Sea Island Resort in Queensland. It is run by Mr Blimer with the help of John Bright. Blimer tries to seduce his assistant; a waitress, Joy, is constantly harassed by the guests but is working her own agenda; employee Mike likes Maryanne but winds up sleeping with the seemingly proper Miss Farrow; Arthur Pickering, is a government minister; a reverend, Parslow, is actually a thief.

Cast

*Johnny Pace as John Bright *

Mike Preston Michael Preston (born Jack Davies; 14 May 1938) is an English international film and television actor, and singer, sometimes credited as Mike Preston. Life and career Preston was born in Metropolitan Borough of Hackney, Hackney, London, Engla ...

as Mike *Joe Martin as Joe, the barman *

Joy Chambers Joy Chambers (born 1947) is an Australian actress, author, and businesswoman. Career Chambers is known for such television soap opera roles as Rita Merrick in '' The Restless Years'', Dr Robyn Porter in ''The Young Doctors'', and Rosemary Danie ...

as Joy *Harriet Pace (as "Harriet") as Miss Tuttle *

Noel Ferrier Noel Ferrier AM (20 December 193016 October 1997) was an Australian television personality, comedian, stage and film actor, raconteur and theatrical producer. He was a regular panelist in Graham Kennedy's popular game show '' Blankety Blanks ( ...

as Mr. Blimer *

Johnny Lockwood John Sidney Lockwood (7 December 192025 April 2013) was a British variety entertainer, comedian and actor, who also became notable in Australia after emigrating to that country. Lockwood worked in radio, theatre, television and film. He beca ...

as Reverend Parslow/George Parsons *

Abigail Abigail () was an Israelite woman in the Hebrew Bible married to Nabal; she married the future King David after Nabal's death ( 1 Samuel ). Abigail was David's second wife, after Saul and Ahinoam's daughter, Michal, whom Saul later marri ...

as Denise Demour * Stuart Wagstaff as Mr Arthur Pickering * Cornelia Frances as Miss Farrow *

Sheila Kennelly Sheila Kennelly (born 28 December 1936Willingham, Margot "The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Australian Showbiz"Oram, James "Home and Away" Behind the Scene's'' published by Angus and Robertson also credited as Sheila Kenneally, is a British-born ...

as Mrs. Hand *

Ugly Dave Gray Graham David Taylor (born 26 December 1933), known better as Ugly Dave Gray, is an English Australian actor, television personality, comedian, game show host, and radio host. Early life Born Graham David Taylor, he transposed his first and mid ...

as Dick Goscomb *

Barry Creyton Barry Creyton (born 1939, Brisbane, Queensland) is an Australian actor and playwright. Creyton began his professional career in radio and revue in Melbourne, Australia and became well known in Sydney starring in and writing popular comedy-melod ...

as Dennis Radley * Megan Williams as Maryanne Hand *Barbara Wyndon *Jacqueline Kott *Garry Keane *Sheryl Sciro *Ray Marshall * Alan Penney

Production

The film was a rare comedy from the Grundy Organisation.

Reg Grundy Reginald Roy Grundy (4 August 1923 – 6 May 2016) was an Australian entrepreneur and media mogul, best known for his numerous television productions. He was the producer of various Australian game shows, such as '' Blankety Blanks'' (based on ...

claimed he was the one who had the idea of making an Australian TV movie in the vein of the

Carry On Carry On may refer to: * ''Carry On'' (franchise), a British comedy media franchise *Carry-on luggage or hand luggage, luggage that is carried into the passenger compartment * ''Carry On'' (film), a 1927 British silent film * ''Carry On'' (novel), ...

films featuring the most popular comics in the country. He pitched the idea to Ian Holmes at Channel Ten who agreed to finance it. Grundy's wife

was then a panelist on ''

The Celebrity Game ''The Celebrity Game'' is an Australian game show that aired in two different formats. The original series, based on an American game show of the same name, was hosted by Bert Newton on the Nine Network in 1969 as ''Australia's Celebrity Game''. ...

'' on Channel Ten, and she also appeared in the cast. Grundy assigned producing duties to Howard Leeds who had recently joined Grundys from Hollywood. "So here I had an American producing a show that was based entirely on English comedy with mostly Australian actors", Grundy later wrote. "It was a mishmash."Reg Grundy, ''Reg Grundy'', Pier 9, 2010 p 183 The Johnny Lockwood part was originally offered to

John Meillon John Meillon, ( ; 1 May 1934 – 11 August 1989), was an Australian character actor, known for many straight as well as comedy roles, he became most widely known internationally as Walter Reilly in the films ''Crocodile Dundee'' and ''Crocodil ...

who turned it down. The film was shot in Sydney over 12 days in February 1977 at locations including the Shore Motel at Artarmon, the Pasadena Hotel, Church Point, Sacha's Restaurant, the Newport Hotel and Newport. Noel Ferrier called it "a nightmarish experience" because the film featured so many stand-up comics. "Being in a company of, or working with, one stand up comedian can be a taxing experienced; when surrounded by about eight of this remarkable breed the consequences can be singularly unfunny. There were more tantrums and bitchy scenes among this bunch of lovelies than you'd be likely to find in half a dozen ballet companies."

Reception

Grundy wrote in his 2010 memoirs that the movie "got a twenty-one rating which these days would be a hit but back then was just okay. Howard eedshad struck out." No TV station wanted to pick it up and turn it into a series.

References

External links

* {{IMDb title, 0075659
''All at Sea''
at Ozmovies
''All at Sea''
at AustLit Australian comedy television films 1977 television films 1977 films Films directed by Igor Auzins 1970s English-language films