Taurus Rising
GenreSoap opera
Drama
Created byReg Watson
Country of originAustralia
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes21
Production
Production companyReg Grundy Organisation
Original release
NetworkNine Network
Release27 July (1982-07-27) 
17 December 1982 (1982-12-17)

Taurus Rising is an Australian soap opera produced by the Reg Grundy Organisation for the Nine Network in 1982. Originally intended by the network to be a replacement for The Sullivans, the series was one of a number of attempts to provide an Australian alternative to the glossy American supersoaps Dallas and Dynasty and featured two wealthy Sydney-based feuding families, the Brents and the Drysdales. To this end, it represented something of a stylistic departure for Grundy's. Unlike most other Australian soap operas which were recorded on videotape, Taurus Rising was shot entirely on film. Series began at 8.30pm time-slot in a 2 hr movie pilot and continued for a couple of weeks on Tuesday nights due to decline in ratings was delegated to Friday nights at 10pm by the time of the TV series finale during 1982. TV series was never screened on Nine network since the original screening.

It cost $2 million to make.[1]

Taurus Rising proved to be an expensive failure after it failed to win an audience and was cancelled after 21 episodes. The series did later prove popular in international markets and was subsequently sold to American cable television, marketed as a 21-part "miniseries".

Background

The project originated in 1979 at Channel Nine by Michael Pate and Tony Morphett. It was originally envisioned as a short quality series about two rival family business dynasties. Morphett wrote the early drafts. Over 18 months of development the series evovled and was outsourced to Grundy Productions. Grundys made a pilot which was viewed by Channel 9 in January 1982.[2]

Cast

The Brents
Jennifer BrentAnnette Andre
Mike BrentAndrew Clarke
Harry BrentGordon Glenwright
The Drysdales
Ben DrysdaleAlan Cassell
Faith DrysdaleBetty Lucas
Keith DrysdaleAndrew Sharp
Phil DrysdaleDamon Herriman
Elizabeth DrysdaleMarina Finlay
Isabella DrysdaleGeorgie Sterling
Other characters
Alice BlakeLinda Newton
Sam FarrerMichael Long
Libby HiltonDiane Craig
Malcolm AdamsVic Hawkins
MarieJessica Noad

References

  1. "For 'Taurus Rising', success is in the stars". The Australian Women's Weekly. National Library of Australia. 11 August 1982. p. 26. Retrieved 14 July 2013.
  2. "Taurus Rising has two jobs to do". The Sydney Morning Herald. 26 July 1982. p. 36.
  • Mercardo, A., 2004, Super Aussie soaps. North Melbourne: Pluto Press.


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