Number 96
1 9 7 2 - 1 9 7 7 (Australia)
1218 x episodes
 First aired
on Monday 13 March 1972, Number 96 became
the most popular program on Australian TV within one year, screening every week
night in all capital cities and on almost every regional station.
The series created a sensation because it dealt graphically with
homosexuality, drug and alcohol addictions, promiscuous people,
insanity, rape, and lots and lots and LOTS of sex - hence why it was
shown in an "adult" timeslot (screening five nights a week
at 8:30 pm).
Basically the story of a group of neighbours living in a block of
inner city apartments (in Paddington, Sydney) with two shops
downstairs, a Delicatessen and a Wine Bar (formerly a chemist shop).
Best of all were the storylines relating to the "Knicker-Snipper"
and the "Pantyhose Strangler". Both scenarios kept viewers
tuned in for months (as did the "Hooded Rapist"
storyline).
Abigail became a household name overnight and became renowned for
uncovering her breasts. One of the most memorable scenes from the
series showed Abigail slipping her panties off onto the floor of her
bedroom and a hand slipping out from under the bed and taking them.
. .
Meanwhile, Elaine Lee as Vera Collins was destined to be unlucky
with a long string of sexual partners.
The series also served to introduce the first images of gay males
on our screens via the relationship between Don Finlayson and Dudley
"Duddles" Butterfield.
 But there was much more to the series than just sex. In
particular there was a great deal of comedy, mostly centred around
scatty concierge and queen of the malapropism, Dorrie Evans
("Why wasn't I told?").
Other memorable characters at No. 96 were: Aldo and Roma Godolfus,
dorky Arnold Feather, Flo Patterson and her budgie, Mr Perky,
whingeing Lancashire migrant Alf Sutcliffe, Les and Norma Whittaker
and The MacDonald family.
Number 96 became the number 1 show on Australian TV but by
1975 the show had slipped to sixth position and the producers pulled
out all stops to lure the viewers back. Having already exhausted
most storylines (Nazi war criminals, Bigamy, Rape etc) it was
decided to "get rid of them".
The writers decided to kill off six of the regular characters by
having a bomb go off in the block of flats.
The multi-viewpoint split screen effects they used for the final
moments before the explosion as Les Whittaker ran through the block
vainly attempting to warn everyone were ground-breaking at the time
although seem extremely crude in retrospect.
 As the season cliff-hanger it was left open-ended who had
actually died and who survived, relying on viewers letters to decide
the fate of the characters. The identities of the dead remained a
mystery for weeks.
Eventually, shopkeepers Roma and Aldo Godolfus and inventor Les
Whittaker were found to have moved on to more heavenly
accommodation. These were some of the favourite and longest-running
characters (which was a brave move) and more deaths came later in
the "Wine Bar Siege"
The melodrama continued until Number 96 finally shut the
door on its groundbreaking run, with the final episode airing on 22 December 1977.
The series was devised by Don Cash and Bill Harmon. Cash died in
1973 and Harmon in 1981.
A 1974 feature film of Number 96 was memorable for
(amongst other things) the rape of Vera Collins (again). This time
by a bikie gang.
In 1980 an American version of Number 96 was made. It bore
absolutely no resemblance to the original and was exceptionally
weak.
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