# Dynasty (Australian TV series)

Dynasty is an Australian TV series that aired from 7 October 1970 to 6 October 1971, based on the 1967 Tony Morphett novel of the same name which had been previously adapted as a television play.

## 1969 TV play

The novel was first adapted as a television play produced by the Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC), and broadcast in October 1969 as one installment of an anthology series of unrelated plays under the title Australian Plays.
The project was written by Morphett based on his novel, and directed in Melbourne by Oscar Whitbread. Morphett had previously written for Australian Playhouse.

### Plot

Inventor Jim Richards (Terry Norris) seeks financial backing from the Mason Corporation for his new machine. He finds himself in the middle of a power struggle for control of the corporation, including a family dispute. David Mason uses his affair with his sister-in-law Kathy to his advantage.

### Cast

* Terry Norris as Jim Richards
* Brian James as Jack Mason, head of family
* Mark McManus as Peter Mason, a brother
* Ron Graham as John Mason, a brother
* Kevin Miles as David Mason
* Alan Hopgood as Jacob Goldberg

### Reception

* The Sydney Morning Herald called the play "the best thing the ABC has done in a long, long time."
* "Dynasty belongs to a handful of programs, all produced by the ABC, which examine media power in Australia and indeed it would be interesting to compare Dynasty with later studies such as The Oracle (1979) and Paper Man (1990)." Moran praised actor John Tate for a "very strong performance".

## TV series

Following the success of the TV play, a regular TV series was produced with a largely different cast. Premiering in July 1970, the first series consisted of 10 episodes, and the second and final series consisted of 13 episodes.

### Plot summary

Dynasty follows media mogul Jack Mason and his grasping sons John, David and Peter.

### Cast

* John Tate as Jack Mason (Episodes 1–10)
* Ron Graham as John Mason
* Kevin Miles as David Mason
* Nick Tate as Peter Mason
* Anne Haddy as Kathy Mason, John's wife
* Pat Bishop as Patricia Mason, Peter's wife
* Serge Lazareff as Christopher Mason, John and Kathy's son
* Owen Weingott as Jacob Goldberg
* Ben Gabriel as 'Unk' Martel
* Tony Ward as Nigel Dayton
* Lyn James as Maggie Tench, Jack's secretary
* Kerry McGuire as Franki Halliday
* Tom Oliver as Tom Fenwick

### Episodes

Twenty-three episodes were produced.

#### Series 1

| No. in series | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
| 1 | 1 | "Gran Turismo" | Tom Jeffrey | Tony Morphett | 7 October 1970 (1970-10-07) |
| 2 | 2 | "Catwalk" | Unknown | Tony Morphett | 14 October 1970 (1970-10-14) |
| 3 | 3 | "Counterpoint" | Frank Arnold | Glyn Davies | 21 October 1970 (1970-10-21) |
| 4 | 4 | "Young Jim Westlake" | Tom Jeffrey | Peter Schreck | 28 October 1970 (1970-10-28) |
| 5 | 5 | "Cry Me A River" | Unknown | Tony Morphett | 4 November 1970 (1970-11-04) |
| 6 | 6 | "Paper Of The People" | Frank Arnold | John Dingwall | 11 November 1970 (1970-11-11) |
| 7 | 7 | "Second Pressure" | Eric Tayler | Tony Morphett | 18 November 1970 (1970-11-18) |
| 8 | 8 | "The Champion" | Unknown | Tony Morphett | 25 November 1970 (1970-11-25) |
| 9 | 9 | "Have You Got The Numbers?" | Brian Bell | Tony Morphett | 2 December 1970 (1970-12-02) |
| 10 | 10 | "When All The Bets Were Off" | Frank Arnold | Tony Morphett | 9 December 1970 (1970-12-09) |

#### Series 2

| No. in series | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
| 11 | 1 | "Dead Man's Chair" | Alan Burke | Tony Morphett | 14 July 1971 (1971-07-14) |
| 12 | 2 | "The Killing Ground" | Eric Tayler | Tony Morphett | 21 July 1971 (1971-07-21) |
| 13 | 3 | "The Coorabungle Deposit" | Unknown | Tony Morphett | 28 July 1971 (1971-07-28) |
| 14 | 4 | "Corrida For A Stunt Man" | Frank Arnold | Tony Morphett | 4 August 1971 (1971-08-04) |
| 15 | 5 | "Who Wants A Bridge?" | Brian Bell | Pat Flower | 11 August 1971 (1971-08-11) |
| 16 | 6 | "Detour To Power" | Frank Arnold | Peter Schreck & Glyn Davies | 18 August 1971 (1971-08-18) |
| 17 | 7 | "Nothing Personal" | Alan Burke | Alan Burke | 25 August 1971 (1971-08-25) |
| 18 | 8 | "Whatever Happened To Jamie Brooks?" | Brian Bell | Tony Morphett | 1 September 1971 (1971-09-01) |
| 19 | 9 | "Two Reds Don't Make A White" | Frank Arnold | Ron Harrison | 8 September 1971 (1971-09-08) |
| 20 | 10 | "Countdown" | Frank Arnold | Bob Ellis | 15 September 1971 (1971-09-15) |
| 21 | 11 | "Full Circle" | Unknown | Tony Morphett | 22 September 1971 (1971-09-22) |
| 22 | 12 | "Man In The Middle" | Unknown | Tony Morphett | 29 September 1971 (1971-09-29) |
| 23 | 13 | "A Half Tone Block Is Black And White" | Unknown | Bob Ellis & Ben Blakeney | 6 October 1971 (1971-10-06) |