Taurus Rising
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| Taurus Rising | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Soap opera Drama |
| Created by | Reg Watson |
| Country of origin | Australia |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 21 |
| Production | |
| Producer | Philip East |
| Production company | Reg Grundy Organisation |
| Original release | |
| Network | Nine Network |
| Release | 27 July – 17 December 1982 |
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. The series began at 8.30pm time-slot in a two hour movie pilot and continued for a couple of weeks on Tuesday nights. Due to a decline in ratings it was delegated to Friday nights at 10pm by the time of the finale during 1982. Taurus Rising has never screened on Nine Network since the original screening.
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".
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 evolved and was outsourced to Grundy Productions. Grundys made a pilot which was viewed by Channel 9 in January 1982.[1]
It cost $2 million to make.[2]
Cast
Taurus Rising focuses on the rival Brent and Drysdale families.[3]
- The Brents
- Annette Andre as Jennifer Brent: Long-lost daughter of Harry, mother of Mike.
- Andrew Clarke as Mike Brent: Son of Jennifer and Ben.
- Gordon Glenwright as Harry Brent: Patriarch of the Brent family.
- The Drysdales
- Georgie Sterling as Isabella Drysdale: Matriarch of the Drysdale family, who was once engaged to Harry Brent.
- Alan Cassell as Ben Drysdale: Son of Isabella, married to Faith, head of the Drysdale construction business.
- Betty Lucas as Faith Drysdale: Wife of Ben.
- Andrew Sharp as Keith Drysdale
- Damon Herriman as Phil Drysdale: Son of Ben and Faith.
- Marina Finlay as Elizabeth Drysdale
- Others
- Linda Newton as Alice Blake: Daughter of Bert, teacher and nanny to Phil.
- Maurie Fields as Bert: Father of Alice, Drysdale construction foreman
- Michael Long as Sam Farrer: Son of Marie, works for Ben.
- Diane Craig as Libby Hilton: Journalist at the Sydney Observer, having an affair with Ben.
- Vic Hawkins as Malcolm Adams
- Jessica Noad as Marie: Mother of Sam, housekeeper for the Drysdale family.
