Prisoner 

The lives of women behind bars in a female prison.

Stars:

Elspeth Ballantyne, Betty Bobbitt, Sheila Florance

10 wins.

Cast

Complete series cast summary:
Elspeth Ballantyne	...	Meg Morris / ... 669 episodes, 1979-1986
Betty Bobbitt	...	Judy Bryant 430 episodes, 1980-1985
Sheila Florance	...	Lizzie Birdsworth 404 episodes, 1979-1985
Maggie Kirkpatrick	...	Joan "The Freak" Ferguson / ... 389 episodes, 1982-1986
Val Lehman	...	Bea Smith 376 episodes, 1979-1983
Patsy King	...	Erica Davidson 354 episodes, 1979-1985
Gerda Nicolson	...	Ann Reynolds / ... 319 episodes, 1981-1986
Colette Mann	...	Doreen Burns / ... 294 episodes, 1979-1985

Storyline

This Australian series has, after 692 episodes, received cult status all over the world. The series takes place in Wentworth, a prison in Australia. Wentworth is a high-security female prison. The women are there for all sorts of crimes. We get to follow how they got there, their life in the prison and what becomes of them afterwards. We also get to follow the staff, their work in the prison and their personal relationships.

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Plot Keywords:

prison | female convict | prison life | prison cell | woman | 

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Taglines:

The cult phenomenon from down under.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Details

Official Sites:

Official fan site

Country:

Australia

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 August 1979 (USA)

Also Known As:

Caged Women

Filming Locations:

Willsmere, Kew, Victoria, Australia

Company Credits

Production Co:

Grundy Television Productions,Network Ten,The Grundy Organization

Technical Specs

Runtime:

50 min (692 episodes)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

Thursday 13th February 1986 saw legendary US entertainer Sammy Davis Jr. arrive (via Network Ten's "Eyewitness News" helicopter) at the Nunawading studios to visit the show's set and gallery, where he met the cast and declared his adoration for the character of Joan Ferguson, much to actress Maggie Kirkpatrick's amusement. He was a fan of the show from LA screenings, and expressed a desire to make a guest appearance, preferably opposite The Freak - unfortunately for the star no suitable shooting dates proved viable, and the drama was soon in the processes of winding down.

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Goofs

Bea Smith's husbands name changed varies from Harry to Jack.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Franky Doyle: She bumped into me.

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Alternate Versions

In the version shown by Channel 5 in the UK, episode 601, there was a cut of around 20 seconds when Wendy is threatening the women. She says, "Same goes for the rest of you scabs. Lou wasn't too rapt when she heard you broke the strike so I hear [from here onward, it was cut] (to Nancy) Oh what are you looking so scared about? You're name on the list is it? Eh? I wouldn't bet my boots on big chief Moron doing anything to help yous lot. He's too full of himself to worry about you lot. You should have known what side your bread was buttered on girls! Oh don't tell me [this is where the cut ended] Bird Brain's got something to say!"

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Connections

Featured in 100 Greatest TV Moments from Hell (2000)

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Soundtracks

On the Inside
(Prisoner theme)
Written by Allan Caswell
Conducted by William Motzing
Performed by Lynne Hamilton

User Reviews

"Fine to watch after the pubs closed!",

By the time prisoner graced our screens in 1988 it had already been canceled in its native Australia after a seven-year run (ending in 1986). In the UK it was not aired on prime time but found itself relegated to the post 11.00pm watershed probably because of it's risky and controversial story lines. Depending on what region you lived in, could be found any time after midnight.(In fact quite often Thames would screen it from 11.00 -12-00 and if you could pick up Anglia TV they would show it from 12.00 - 01.00 but a couple of seasons ahead.) Fortunately for prisoner by 1986 the four terrestrial channels had finally entered the 20thC and began broadcasting all through the night, therefore, shows such as prisoner became the ideal type of television to fill these new slots.

Needless to say this Aussie import like all the others soon developed it's own cult following. Unlike most of the other goody-goody Auzzie soaps that were located in middle class locations with spoiled teenagers and dopey grown ups working in coffee shops, prisoner by contrast was mostly broadcast in a windowless claustrophobic environment of a correctional facility.

Wentworth prison as with most prison TV shows had all the stereotypes. Those included were the heartless senior members of the staff who were totally committed to punishment and discipline who were of course held in check by the jelly-spined social workers and the well intentioned Governess who not surprising clung to the hope that these women could be rehabilitated. The inmates too had there's, the 'Top Dog', 'the dike', the gang leaders with their 'wenchmen', the hard cases, the old timer the whiner, the non conformist and last but not least the 'nark' or 'snitch'.

The main theme of the prisoner story lines broadly focused on the inmates standing up to the seemingly petty and inflexible rules of the prison system, (i.e. don't let the bastards grind you down scenarios). Yet prisoner also grappled with some of the every day problems that many of the women were forced to come to terms with, lesbianism, bullying, sadistic guards, prison gangs, and drugs.

For some viewers this no doubt provided a refreshing alternative to the bland political news shows that were broadcast after the pubs closed. Having said that, a few pints of lager was probably the order of the day as the Wentworth inmates at best were not easy on the eye and at worst just plain scary! As any warm-blooded male with tell you after alcohol consumption a lot of homely women begin to look respectable. In all fairness without a decent hairdresser or make up, denim overalls and dungarees are never going bring the best out of any woman, so perhaps that's what made many of the actors believable, no Charlie's angels here.