''Possession'' is an Australian

television Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertisin ...

soap opera A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio dramas originally being sponsored ...

made by the

Reg Grundy Organisation Reg Grundy Organisation (founded as Reg Grundy Enterprises, later known as both Reg Grundy Productions and Grundy Television and known informally as Grundy's) was an Australian-based multinational mass media company, primarily involved in tele ...

for the

Nine Network The Nine Network (stylised 9Network, commonly known as Channel Nine or simply Nine) is an Australian commercial free-to-air television network. It is owned by parent company Nine Entertainment and is one of five main free-to-air television netw ...

in 1985. It was the brainchild of the television producer,

Reg Watson Reginald James Watson (27 August 1926 – 8 October 2019) was an Australian television producer and screenwriter. He was executive producer on ''Crossroads (British TV series), Crossroads'' and created Australian media exports serials such as ' ...

. The pilot was written by

Bevan Lee Bevan John Lee (born 7 November 1950) is an Australian writer and executive best known for creating the TV dramas '' All Saints'', ''Packed to the Rafters'', ''Winners & Losers'' and '' A Place to Call Home''. Career Lee was an actor before tu ...

Ed. Scott Murray, ''Australia on the Small Screen 1970-1995'', Oxford Uni Press, 1996 p124 and executive produced by

Don Battye Donald Gordon Battye (29 September 1938 – 28 February 2016) was an Australian composer, writer and television producer, best known for his work with Crawford Productions and Reg Grundy Organisation (known then as Reg Grundy Productions). Biogr ...

. The series began with a convoluted espionage incident that uncovered the interpersonal dramas and family secrets of several wealthy, powerful and glamorous women, their handsome young lovers, and long-lost children. It was not a popular success and only ran to 52 episodes. Production was cancelled in May 1985. Director of publicity for Nine, Sue Ward said "We did a complete series. We just didn't take up the option of a second series because it didn't rate." The later episodes played out in a late-night time slot due to low ratings. Nine asked the

Australian Broadcasting Tribunal The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) is an Australian government statutory authority within the Communications portfolio. ACMA was formed on 1 July 2005 with the merger of the Australian Broadcasting Authority and the Austr ...

to extend the local drama quota time past 10.00 pm to allow the network to move the low-rated series out of prime time and still have the episodes count toward their local drama content. When the tribunal agreed Nine moved ''Possession'' to a graveyard slot. Mercado 2004, p.238.

Cast

;Original cast members * Bruce Barry as David Macarthur, a wealthy tycoon killed off by ASIS agents in the show's premiere * Lou Brown as Alan Morton * Tracey Callander as Kathleen Dawson, Greg's fiancee *

Anne Charleston Anne Charleston (born 30 December 1942) is an Australian actress, notable for her career locally and in the United Kingdom in theatre and television. Charleston started her career in theatre in the mid 1950's, and has been a staple of the small ...

as Elizabeth Macarthur, David's wife *

Lyn Collingwood Lyn Collingwood (born 6 September 1936, Sydney), credited also as Lynn Collingwood, is an Australian actress. Biography Collingwood was born IN Sydney, New South Wales in 1936, and did not start a career in the arts until later in life, she ...

as Iris Dawson *

Maggie Millar Maggie Millar (born 6 January 1941) alternatively Maggie Miller, is an Australian former actress, artist, writer, radio personality and public relations officer. She is known for her television series roles in '' Bellbird'', ''The Sullivans'' ...

as Claudia Valenti, Louise's business partner * Lloyd Morris as Greg Macarthur, David's son * Eric Oldfield as Gerry Foster *

Tamasin Ramsay Tamasin Ramsay (born 1969) is an Australian anthropologist and former actress. She studied medical anthropology at the University of Melbourne and received her Doctor of Philosophy, PhD in the same field from Monash University in 2009. Ramsay r ...

as Jane Andrews, illegitimate daughter of David and Louise *

David Reyne David Nicholas Reyne (born 14 May 1959) is an Australians, Australian actor, musician, television and radio presenter. Reyne was born in Lagos, Nigeria to an Australian mother and English diplomat father. The family moved to Victoria (Australia), ...

as Detective Vince Bailey, investigating David's murder * Darien Takle as Louise Carpenter, David's former mistress *

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 ...

as John Andrews, Jane's adopted father ;Later additions * Briony Behets as Eve Cambridge *

Max Cullen Max Cullen (born 29 April 1940) is an Australian stage and screen actor. He has appeared in many Australian films and television series but is best known for his role in the film ''Spider and Rose'' and the television series ''The Flying Doctors ...

as Harry Keane, an intelligence agent *

Maggie Dence Margaret Helen Dence (born 1 February 1942) is an Australian actress of stage and screen, with a career spanning some seven decades. She is equally at home in both comedy and drama roles, and is best known to early audiences for her roles in t ...

as Lady Shannon *

Ally Fowler Alexandra "Ally" Fowler (born 6 December 1961) is an Australian actress and singer. She is known for her roles as Angela Hamilton in '' Sons and Daughters'' (1982–84) and Zoe Davis in '' Neighbours'' (1986); both series were produced by the ...

as Nicola Shannon * Bryan Marshall as Oliver Hearst

References

External links

*{{IMDb title, id=0284773, title=Possession
''Possession''
at the

National Film and Sound Archive The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA), known as ScreenSound Australia from 1999 to 2004, is Australia's audiovisual archive, responsible for developing, preserving, maintaining, promoting and providing access to a national co ...

Nine Network original programming Australian television soap operas 1985 Australian television series debuts 1985 Australian television series endings English-language television shows Television series produced by The Reg Grundy Organisation