''Riptide'' was an Australian adventure television series, starring

Ty Hardin Ty Hardin (born Orison Whipple Hungerford Jr.; January 1, 1930August 3, 2017) was an American actor best known as the star of the 1958 to 1962 ABC/ Warner Bros. Western television series ''Bronco''. Early life Hardin was born in New York City ...

, which was first broadcast in 1969. The show featured a foreign lead actor and a foreign producer, similar in approach to the later series '' The Outsiders''. Co-stars were Jonathan Sweet and Sue Costin, while guest roles featured Australian actors such as Tony Ward,

Rowena Wallace Rowena Wallace (born 23 August 1947) is an English-born Australian stage and screen actress, most especially in the genre of television soap opera. She is best known for her Gold Logie-winning role as conniving Patricia "Pat the Rat" Hamilton/M ...

Michael Pate Michael Pate OAM (born Edward John Pate; 26 February 1920 – 1 September 2008) was an Australian actor, writer, director, and producer, who also worked in Hollywood in the 1950s and 1960s. Biography Early life Pate was born in Drum ...

, Bill Hunter,

Helen Morse Helen Morse (born 24 January 1947) is an English-born Australian actress who has appeared in films, on television and on stage. She won the AFI (AACTA) Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for the 1976 film '' Caddie'', and starred in the 19 ...

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 ...

Norman Yemm Norman Yemm (23 March 1933 – 3 February 2015) was an Australian actor, opera singer and sportsman. Screen career (Film and TV) Yemm's film roles include ''Night of Fear'' and ''The Fourth Wish'' On the small screen he may be best remembe ...

Chips Rafferty John William Pilbean Goffage MBE (26 March 190927 May 1971), known professionally as Chips Rafferty, was an Australian actor. Called "the living symbol of the typical Australian", Rafferty's career stretched from the late 1930s until his death ...

, and

Jack Thompson Jack Thompson may refer to: Sports * Jack Thompson (footballer, born 1892) (1892–1969), English footballer who played for Sheffield United and Bristol City * Jack Thompson (1920s footballer), English footballer who played for Aston Villa and Brig ...

. The series was filmed at Australian locations.

Plot

The protagonist Moss Andrews (played by Ty Hardin, who had previously appeared in ''

Bronco A bucking horse is any breed or either gender of horse with a propensity to buck. They have been, and still are, referred to by various names, including bronco, broncho, and roughstock. The harder they buck, the more desirable they are for rod ...

'') is a once successful US-American businessman who took a

sabbatical A sabbatical (from the Hebrew: (i.e., Sabbath); in Latin ; Greek: ) is a rest or break from work. The concept of the sabbatical is based on the Biblical practice of ''shmita'' (sabbatical year), which is related to agriculture. According to ...

after his wife had died prematurely. The widower undertook a long sailing trip, hoping that experiencing pure nature would give him some peace of mind. In Australia, the beautiful environment helped him to pull himself together again and therefore he has decided to stay for the time being, operating a charter boat company along the eastern seaboard. However, he is frequently bothered by suspicious characters who try to follow through on hidden schemes. He always manages eventually to put paid to all looming menaces.

Production

The show was announced in 1966 as ''Charter Boat''. The series was filmed in colour. Ty Hardin said: "We can make a Riptide episode here for $70,000. In the States it would cost $200,000." However, the reception of the series did not meet the expectations of its producers. US-American broadcasters rejected the series and the enthusiasm of audiences in Australia and Europe was merely lukewarm. There was no second season for this TV show.

References

External links

*{{IMDb title , 0144731 , Riptide Seven Network original programming 1969 Australian television series debuts 1969 Australian television series endings Black-and-white Australian television shows