The Sullivans
The Sullivans is an Australian drama television series produced by Crawford Productions which ran on the Nine Network from 15 November 1976 until 10 March 1983. The series told the story of an average middle-class Melbourne family and the effect the Second World War had on their lives. It was a consistent ratings success in Australia, and also became popular in the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Netherlands, Gibraltar and New Zealand.
Pre-production
The show was purchased by Channel Nine without a pilot programme being produced. They commissioned 34 hours with a view to extension. Fourteen writers were assigned to the thirteen plot lines which had been devised.
The cast had not been established when they started writing the series and three months later they still had only two cast members, Vikki Hammond and Noni Hazelhurst.
When researching the time period, the set designer Nick Rossedale said at the time "when you are dealing with a period of time that is well within living memory, you have to watch things very carefully". Hence, the painstaking research into the reality of the show.
USS The Sullivans (DDG-68)
USS The Sullivans (DDG-68), an Arleigh Burke-class Aegis guided missile destroyer, is the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the five Sullivan brothers — George, Francis, Joseph, Madison, and Albert Sullivan, aged 20 to 27 – who lost their lives when their ship, USS Juneau, was sunk by a Japanese submarine in November 1942 in the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal (the first ship named for them was USS The Sullivans (DD-537)). This was the greatest military loss by any one American family during World War II. In 2000 a group affiliated with Al-Qaeda attempted to attack and destroy The Sullivans, but the attackers' boat sank before the attack could be carried out.
Construction
The contract to build The Sullivans was awarded to Bath Iron Works Corporation in Bath, Maine on 8 April 1992 and her keel was laid down on 27 July 1994. She was launched on 12 August 1995 sponsored by Kelly Ann Sullivan Loughren, granddaughter of Albert Sullivan. The ship was commissioned on 19 April 1997, with Commander Gerard D. Roncolato in command. Upon her commissioning, the ship was given the motto that is thought to have been spoken by the brothers when asked to separate during World War II, "We Stick Together."
USS The Sullivans (DD-537)
USS The Sullivans (DD-537) is a Fletcher-class destroyer. She is a United States Navy ship named in honor of the five Sullivan brothers (George, Francis, Joseph, Madison, and Albert) aged 20 to 27 who lost their lives when their ship, USS Juneau, was sunk by a Japanese submarine during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal on 13 November 1942. This was the greatest military loss by any one American family during World War II. She was also the first ship commissioned in the Navy that honored more than one person.
After service in both World War II and the Korean War, The Sullivans was assigned to the 6th Fleet and was a training ship until she was decommissioned on 7 January 1965. In 1977, she and cruiser USS Little Rock (CG-4) were processed for donation to the Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park in Buffalo, New York. The ship now serves as a memorial and is open for public tours.
Construction
The Sullivans was originally laid down as Putnam on 10 October 1942 at San Francisco by the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation. She was initially renamed Sullivan until President Franklin Roosevelt changed the name to The Sullivans to clarify that the name honored all five Sullivan brothers. The name was made official on 6 February 1943 and launched 4 April 1943. The ship was sponsored by Mrs. Thomas F. Sullivan, the mother of the five Sullivan brothers. The Sullivans was commissioned on 30 September 1943 with Commander Kenneth M. Gentry in command.
The Sullivans
Cast
- Lorraine Bayly
- John Bowman
- Marcella Burgoyne
- Paul Cronin
- Maggie Dence
- Reg Gorman
- Susan Hannaford
- Noni Hazlehurst
- Peter Hehir
- Michael Caton
- Vivean Gray
- Vikki Hammond
- Leon Lissek
- Andrew McFarlane
- Ingrid Mason
- Richard Morgan
- Frederick Parslow
- Steven Tandy
- Norman Yemm
- Keith Eden
- Denzil Howson
- Alan Rowe
- Charmain Jacka
- Ron Pinnell
- Season 1
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Episode 1: On the Brink of War: Parts 1-4
The story began in 1939, with the declaration of war against Germany. From the outset the series foc...
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Episode 5: (#1.5)
Australia:1976...
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Episode 6: (#1.6)
It is a tense reunion for Maggie and Dave, after all these years. They talk together at the local pu...
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Episode 10: (#1.10)
Grace informs John about Dave's decision wanting to join the Army. Tom heads out with Bert again to ...
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Episode 11: (#1.11)
Australia:1976...
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Episode 12: (#1.12)
Australia:1976...
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Episode 13: (#1.13)
Australia:1976...
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Episode 14: (#1.14)
Australia:1976...
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Episode 19: (#1.19)
Australia:1976...
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Episode 34: (#1.34)
Australia:1976...
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Episode 37: (#1.37)
Australia:1976...
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Episode 51: (#1.51)
Australia:7 February 1977...
The Sullivans
ALBUMS
- The Sound of Leamington Spa, Volume 6 released: 2007
