''Rose Against the Odds'' is a 1991 two-part Australian miniseries written and directed by John Dixon. It chronicles the life of Australian Aboriginal boxer

Lionel Rose Lionel Edmund Rose MBE (21 June 1948 – 8 May 2011) was an Australian former professional boxer who competed from 1964 to 1976. He held the undisputed WBA, WBC, and ''The Ring'' bantamweight titles from 1968 to 1969, becoming the first Ind ...

.Ed. Scott Murray, ''Australia on the Small Screen 1970-1995'', Oxford Uni Press, 1996 p228-229

Production

The series was conceived in 1983 and financed by the

Seven Network The Seven Network (commonly known as Channel Seven or simply Seven) is a major Australian commercial free-to-air Television broadcasting in Australia, television network. It is owned by Seven West Media, Seven West Media Limited, and is one of ...

Film Victoria VicScreen, formerly known as Film Victoria, is the Victoria State Government, Victorian Government’s creative and economic screen development agency. They function behind the scenes, supporting professionals, infrastructure, projects and ev ...

and Australian Film Finance Corporation. It was filmed in

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

and

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

Cast

* Paul Williams as Lionel Rose *

Tony Barry Tony Barry (28 August 1941 – 21 December 2022) was an Australian actor and activist best known for his television and film roles. Personal life Barry was born in Ipswich, Queensland, on 28 August 1941. He had one son. Barry was an environmen ...

as Jack Rennie * Kris McQuade as Shirley Rennie *

Steve Jacobs Steve Jacobs is an Australian actor and film director who is married to actress and producer Anna Maria Monticelli. The two co-starred in ''Sky Trackers''. Jacobs directed the movie ''La Spagnola'' (2001), which was written and produced by Mont ...

as Frank Oakes *

Telly Savalas Aristotelis "Telly" Savalas (January 21, 1922 – January 22, 1994) was an American actor and singer whose career spanned four decades. Noted for his bald head and deep, resonant voice, he is perhaps best known for portraying Lt. Theo Kojak on th ...

as George Parnassus * Tsurutarô Kataoka as

Fighting Harada Masahiko Harada (born April 5, 1943), better known as Fighting Harada, is a Japanese former professional boxer. He is a world champion in two weight classes, having held the NYSAC, WBA, and ''The Ring'' undisputed flyweight titles from 1962 t ...

Vikki Blanche Vikki Blanche (born 1966 or 1967) is an Australian actress and director. She made her television debut in the children's series '' Home'' in 1983, followed by a role in the ABC drama ''The Keepers''. Shortly after graduating from the National The ...

as Jenny Oakes *

Frankie J. Holden Frankie J. Holden (born Peter Brian; 18 December 1952) , also known as Frank Holden, is an Australian singer, actor and TV presenter. In the 1970s, he fronted Ol' 55 (band), Ol' 55, which had a hit with "On the Prowl" from their debut album, ...

as Tom Price *Rhonda Roberts as Gina Rose *Lorraine Mafi-Williams as Adelaide Rose * Alan Campbell as Young Lionel *Jie Pitman as Young Michael *

David Wirrpanda David Selwyn Burralung Merringwuy Galarrwuy Wyal Wirrpanda ( ; born 3 August 1979) is a former Australian rules footballer, best known for his career with the West Coast Eagles in the Australian Football League (AFL). Born in Melbourne, Wirrpand ...

as Young Ted *

Jacinta Stapleton Jacinta Patrice Stapleton (born 6 June 1979) is an Australian actress. Known for her role as Amy Greenwood in the Australian television soap opera ''Neighbours'' from 1997 to 2000 and again from 2020 to 2022. Her most notable role was playing ...

as Young Jenny *Tim Sullivan as Reporter *

Bob Ansett Robert "Bob" Ansett (born 8 August 1933 in Melbourne) is an Australian entrepreneur, actor, author, motivational speaker and former sports team chairman. Early life Ansett is the son of Reg (Order of the British Empire) and Grace Ansett. Reg An ...

Reg Ansett Sir Reginald Myles Ansett KBE (13 February 1909 – 23 December 1981) was an Australian businessman and aviator. He was best known for founding Ansett Transport Industries, which owned one of Australia's two leading domestic airlines between ...

References

External links

* {{Use dmy dates, date=June 2019 1991 films 1990s Australian television miniseries 1991 Australian television series debuts 1991 Australian television series endings Indigenous Australian television series