Talking Prisoner

Interview with Betty Bobbitt and Anne Phelan
Welcome to this special episode of Talking Prisoner. This interview has never been made public,  This episode is devoted to the memory of Betty Bobbitt and Anne Phelan. Betty played Judy Bryant between 1980 to 1985 in 429 episodes and Anne played Top Dog Myra Desmond. It was shot as a promo for the charity event on January 21, 2000, at The Forum theatre in Melbourne. Anne was on the organizing committee of the 21st Anniversary reunion party for Prisoner and fans had flown in from around the world and raised money for Aids charities. It was recorded in Betty's living room by the Director (and boom operator) Chris Adshead, you can even hear the trams going past in the background. The cameraman is Noel Penn and the interviewer is journalist Kim Wilson. Barrie Pullen who was the cameraman on Prisoner managed to get the Beta tapes from Chris and convert them to what you will see in this 37-minute interview. Betty and Anne discuss how they got their roles on Prisoner and why they think the show is so popular. Anne shares a very funny story about Elspeth Ballantyne and floor manager Ray Lindsay. Anne talks about her favourite scenes she filmed on Prisoner and what it was like to shoot her final scenes with Betty and how she felt when Betty left the show. Betty shares a very funny story about her son and both Betty and Anne talk about how fond they were of the cast and crew of Prisoner and the special comradery they all shared between them. Anne talks about why she left Prisoner and the special friendships they both had with the non-speaking extras on Prisoner. Anne talks about the preparations for putting together the 2000 Prisoner event and the cast Anne and Betty were looking forward to seeing again and the fans that flew in from around the world for this spectacular event. Lots of behind-the-scenes footage of this interview at the end. A big Thank you to Ken Mulholland and Barrie Pullen for allowing Talking Prisoner to present this amazing interview to all the fans and a big thank you to Chris Adshead, Noel Penn, and Kim Wilson as without you we would never have seen this interview.
#bettybobbitt #annephelan #prisoner #cellblockh

Corals Soapbox EP 5 Welcome to Episode 3 of Corals Soapbox. Coral Drouyn has worked on some of Australia’s most iconic TV Shows and been responsible for some of the biggest storylines on many of our much-loved TV shows such as Neighbours, Home and Away, Blue Heelers, Streetsmartz, The Gerry Connolly Show, Pacific Drive and of course Prisoner. Coral worked on Prisoner as a script writer, Script Editor, Story Liner and Story Editor, and created some of the biggest characters ever to appear on Prisoner. Coral Drouyn and Matt Batten sit down for a chat each episode. In episode 5 they talk about the news of the week including the passing of Queen Elizabeth and the people of the UK in mourning, Coral shares her thoughts on if Australia should become a republic or not. Coral and Matt discuss best and worst storylines of Prisoner in which fans were able to post their favourite and least favourite storylines. Coral breaks down why a storyline works and why a storyline can fail and goes in to great detail. The storylines that Coral discussed were, Pixie Masons rape storyline, The Kate Peterson story, Zara Moonbeam and Bea Smith, Hazel Kent Euthanasia, Brandy/Laura multiple personality’s, Nora Flynn becoming Top Dog, Joan Ferguson and Shane, Jenifer Hartley and her Grandma. Coral goes into great depth on each of these storylines and why she wrote them, why she created them, why they worked and why some did not work. Coral and Matt also share their views on the Jury selection process in the court systems of Australia and the United states. Please like and subscribe to our YouTube channel.
#cellblockh #prisoner #coraldrouyn

Talking Prisoner Presents EP 5 Interview with Mat Stevenson
Welcome to Episode 5 of Talking Prisoner “Presents”. Hosts Ken Mulholland and Matt Batten sat down with Home and Away legend mat Stevenson. Matt has appeared in many Australian TV shows including Blue Heelers, All Saints, Offspring, Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries and Home and Away from 1989 to 1994 and played Adam Cameron. We discussed Mat’s life growing up as a child and his love for acting coming from his bike rides to look at the Channel 10 building and how he got his break into acting. Mat also appeared in Neighbours prior to Home and Away and told us what it was like to work with Prisoner Writer Ian Smith. Mat is also a fan of Prisoner and discussed with us what he likes about the show. Mat discussed that he auditioned for Wentworth, and we also discussed with Mat about his recent interview on Channel Ten’s The Project about the journey of his daughter Grace. We discussed in depth about Mat’s time on Home and Away appearing in over 518 episodes and how he got the part of Adam Cameron. Mat told us what he thought of his character Adam and what it was like to work with the likes of Dannii Minogue, Less Hill, Ray Meagher, Sharyn Hodgson, Nicolle Dickson, Norman Coburn, Peter Vroom, and shared with us special memories about his close friendship with Dieter Brummer. We spoke about the famous storyline of his character killing of fan favourite Bobby Marshall and what it was like to shoot those scenes and what the public reaction was like at the time. Mat answered all fan questions, Please like and subscribe to our YouTube Channel.
 
#matstevenson #homeandaway #adamcameron #prisoner #danniiminogue

Talking Prisoner Corals Soapbox EP 4
Welcome to Episode 3 of Corals Soapbox. Coral Drouyn has worked on some of Australia’s most iconic TV Shows and been responsible for some of the biggest storylines on many of our much-loved TV shows such as Neighbours, Home and Away, Blue Heelers, Streetsmartz, The Gerry Connolly Show, Pacific Drive and of course Prisoner. Coral worked on Prisoner as a script writer, Script Editor, Story Liner and Story Editor, and created some of the biggest characters ever to appear on Prisoner. Coral Drouyn and Matt Batten sit down for a chat each episode. In episode 4 they talk about why some Prisoner fans are upset that each episode of Corals Soapbox is not solely dedicated to Prisoner. Coral and Matt discuss Shane Crawford and the role he was given on the theatre production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and what Coral thinks about an ex footballer given a theatre role. Coral shares her thoughts on the current affairs of Ex President Trump, We talk about David E Kelly’s new Netflix series The Lincoln Lawyer. The rest of the episode is dedicated to two characters that Coral created, Bev Baker played by Maggie Dence and Officer David Bridges played by David Waters. Coral talks about why she created Bev Baker and why the character was so dark and why she was only in the show for six episodes and why Bev had the ending she had. Coral walks us through the process of the writer’s room on Prisoner and how the episodes were created and written and how many of the writers were freaked out by the Bev Baker character. Coral breaks down the character Officer David Bridges and why she created him. Please like and subscribe to our YouTube channel
#coraldrouyn #prsioner #cellblockh #wentworth

Welcome to Episode 6 of Talking Prisoner Presents. Hosts Ken Mulholland and Matt Batten sat down with the amazing Karina Arroyave who has had a career spanning over 30 years and has appeared in many Tv shows and Movies such as The Equalizer, Lean on Me, As the World Turns, New York Undercover, The Practice, Law and Order, Chicago Hope, Judging Amy, Empire, 24, NYPD Blue, 187, Blue Bloods, Bull, Law and Order Special Victims unit, Orange is the New Black, The Blacklist and so many more. We spoke to Karina about her life growing up and where the love of acting came from and how she first developed the passion for acting. We discussed her life living in New York and what it has been like to work during the Covid-19 Pandemic. Karina shared with us her memories of working on cult Movie Lean on Me and what it was like to shoot that movie and work with Morgan Freeman and getting to meet Joe Clark. Karina shared her memories of working with acclaimed Film Director John Avildsen who directed movies like Rocky, The Karate Kid, Lean on Me, Cry Uncle, Save the Tiger and what John meant to Karina and their special friendship. Karina also starred alongside Michael Douglas in the movie Falling Down and shared with us what it was like working with Michael and Director Joel Schumacher. We spoke to Karina about her friendship with Legendary actor Phillip Seymour Hoffman and her other stand out movie 187 which Karina worked alongside Samuel L Jackson, we broke down some scenes from this movie and discussed in detail. Karina shared her advice for upcoming actors trying to get into the entertainment industry. We then moved to Orange is the New Black, Karina appeared in six powerful episodes centred around immigration and child separation and what it was like to play the part of Karla Cordova. We discussed what a typical day was like on the set of Orange and how she got the part on the show. We discussed the problem of Immigration in the USA and Karla’s thoughts on the current immigration situation and what she drew on to play those powerful scenes in Orange. We broke down some episodes with Karina Episode 5 Minority Report, Episode 11 God Bless America, and that powerful scene in the kitchen when Karla speaks to her children who have been adopted out. We then spoke about working with James Spader on the Blacklist. Karina was very giving of her time and was such an amazing person to learn about her career and life. Please like and subscribe to our YouTube channel.
 
#karinaarroyave #orangeisthenewblack  #michaeldouglas  #morganfreeman  #jamesspader

Welcome to Episode 50 of Talking Prisoner. Hosts Ken Mulholland and Matt Batten sat down with Brett Popplewell who is the head of Production scripted at Fremantle Media. Brett has a career in Film and Television spanning over 30 years and has performed the role of Executive producer and line producer on Emmy award winning shows such as Salems lot, Nightmares and Dreamscapes, The Starter wife. Brett also worked as a Producer and Assistant Director on shows such as Water Rats, E-Street, The Alice, The Man from snowy river, Wentworth, Prisoner, Mc Leods Daughters and co-created AFI Winner Bastard Boys. Brett is responsible for over 200 hours of award winning drama and $250 Million worth of Australian and International Productions. Ken and Matt spoke to Brett about his life growing up and what his life was like at school, his first job out of school and how he got his start in the Australian Tv and Film industry. Brett spoke about his passion for flying planes and scuba diving. Brett shares his memories working as an assistant director on Australian movie Melvin, Son of Alvin which was the sequel to Alvin Purple which was written by Prisoner legend Alan Hopgood. Brett shares his memories of working on E-Street as a producer for three years and what it was like to work with show creator Forrest Redlich and directors like Rod Hardy, Sean Nash, Tony Osicka and Leigh Spence. Brett spoke about the challenges of shooting a show like E-Street and why he thinks it was cancelled. Brett shares some stories about his time on Water Rats as an assistant director and the fun he had on that show working with Colin Friels and the amazing stunts they would shoot on the show. Brett co created Bastard Boys in 2007 and shares his memories of shooting that show and working with the workers that were sacked by Patrick Corporation at the time. Brett worked on Wentworth as a line producer in 2016 and shares story’s about the production of Wentworth and what it was like to work on Wentworth with Executive Producer Jo Porter and in Season 7 when the show was axed and how the fans had so much to do with Foxtel commissioning Season 8 of Wentworth. Brett spoke about the challenges of producing shows through covid and how Fremantle Media set the example to the rest of the world how to continue working safely during a pandemic. Brett shares his thoughts on the future of Free to air tv and his job as the head of Scripted Production at Fremantle Media. Please like and subscribe to our YouTube channel.
 
#wentworth #prisoner #cellblockh #fremantlemedia #brettpopplewell

Welcome to Episode 3 of Corals Soapbox. Coral Drouyn has worked on some of Australia’s most iconic TV Shows and been responsible for some of the biggest storylines on many of our much-loved TV shows such as Neighbours, Home and Away, Blue Heelers, Streetsmartz, The Gerry Connolly Show, Pacific Drive and of course Prisoner. Coral worked on Prisoner as a script writer, Script Editor, Story Liner and Story Editor, and created some of the biggest characters ever to appear on Prisoner. Coral Drouyn and Matt Batten sit down for a chat each episode. In episode 3 they talk about the homelessness crisis in Australia and the exorbitant retirement income that politicians receive each year all whilst we have a homelessness crisis in the world. Coral and Matt then discuss the controversial Edna Pearson episodes on Prisoner. We discuss the case of Emily Perry in South Australia. Mrs Emily Perry was charged with two counts of attempting to murder Ken Perry, her third husband. The prosecution alleged that between July and November 1978, and again between February and October 1979, she administered poison to him with the intention of killing him. Mrs Perry was convicted on both counts and sentenced to 15 years imprisonment with hard labour. There was no evidence directly implicating her, and no suggestion that she had poisoned her husband unintentionally. So as to establish a ‘course of conduct’, the prosecution relied on inferences that she had also been responsible for the deaths of three other people with whom she had had a close relationship. Coral discusses the similarities between this real-life case, the Edna Pearson Episodes and why Emily Perry started legal action against Grundy’s and why most scenes had to be cut from the show. Matt also discusses with Coral Episode 463 when Edna first arrives in Wentworth and all the other storylines that were happening in that episode including Marie Winter becoming Top Dog, Bobby losing her baby, Meg taken hostage. Matt talks to Coral about how Vivean Grey who played Edna Pearson felt about the character at the time and how long Coral intended for Vivean to stay on the show had the legal action not happen. Please like and subscribe to our YouTube channel.
#coraldrouyn #emilyperry #viveangrey #cellblockh

Talking Prisoner Presents Sons and Daughters EP 4 Interview with Tom Richards David Palmer

Welcome to Episode 4 of Talking Prisoner Presents. Hosts Ken Mulholland and Matt Batten sat down with Tom Richards who played David Palmer in Sons and Daughters. Tom has appeared in many other Australian TV Classics such as Homicide, Division 4, Ryan, Bluey, The Sullivans, The Box, Chopper Squad, Cop Shop, Bellamy, Richmond Hill, The Flying Doctors, A Country Practice, Water Rats, Big Sky, Murder Call and All Saints, he is most known for playing David Palmer on Sons and Daughters. We spoke to Tom about his life growing up as a child and some of his first jobs he had out of school. Tom explained to us how he got into acting and what it was like to be in the 1971 Theatre production “The Rose and the Ring” at the famous Twelfth theatre. Tom played Terry Young in Matlock Police and told us about his time on Matlock and what it was like to work with Paul Cronin who played Senior Constable Gary Hogan. Tom shared with us a story about Roger Moore and the Bond girls, an absolute exclusive to Talking Prisoner. We then moved on to long running drama Sons and Daughters. We spoke about how Tom got the part of the hot tempered David Palmer and told us about what it was like to work with Brian Blain who played Gordon Hamilton. Tom shared with us why he left Sons and Daughters in 1986 and to come back in 1987. Tom shared all his memories with us about Sons and Daughters including what it was like working with Rowena Wallace Pat the Rat, Leila Hayes who played Beryl Palmer and working with Prisoner favourite Lisa Crittenden who played his daughter Leigh. Tom shared with us about the trip to Belgium to meet the fans and what that experience was like. Tom answered all fan questions and so much more.

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#sonsanddaughters #davidplamer #tomrichards

Welcome to Episode 48 Part 1 of Talking Prisoner. Hosts Ken Mulholland and Matt Batten sat down with Lisa Crittenden for her first ever exclusive interview about her career. Lisa appeared in 91 episodes of Prisoner. Lisa has an extensive list of credits to her name such as Australian classic TV shows and Movies, such as Power Without Glory, The Sullivans, Holiday Island, Bellamy, The Restless Years, A Country Practice, Carson's Law, Whose Baby, Rafferty's Rules, High Tide, Coverstory, Every Woman's Dream, Repeat Performance, Xena Warrior Princess and Short Cuts. Lisa also played the regular character of Leigh Palmer in Sons and Daughters from 1985-1986, Nurse Carrie Burton in Shortland Street in 1992 and had 3 different roles in Blue Heelers. Part 2 is all about Prisoner and Lisa’s time on Prisoner. Ken and Matt spoke to Lisa about her first day on the set and a funny story about a chair she sat on in the green room. Lisa shares her memories of what it was like shooting her first scenes with Joy Westmore who played Officer Barry and how much she learnt from working with Maggie Kirkpatrick who played Joan Ferguson. Lisa spoke about working with legendary casting director Jan Russ who played Lisa’s on screen mum in Prisoner and also what it was like working with Darius Perkins who played Trevor Collins in the halfway house storylines. Lisa had many scenes with Sheila Florance and shares her memories of working with Sheila and her on screen boyfriend Spud played by Robert Forza and Alan Lee who played Tony Berman. We discussed the storyline surrounding Marina Finlay and Michael Cormick who played Lainie Dobson and Alan Farmer and what Lisa thought of that storyline. Lisa shares her memories working with Val Lehman and what she learnt as an actress from Val. Lisa had some great scenes with Carole Skinner who played Nola McKenzie and spoke about working with Carole and Betty Bobbitt. We discussed Lisa’s final scenes working with Lesley Baker who played Belle Tinker Peters and played Monica Ferguson in the early days of Prisoner. Lisa talks about her meeting with Ian Smith about Lisa finishing her time on Prisoner and much more. Lisa also answered all fan questions. Please like and subscribe to our Youtube channel.
 
#lisacrittenden #maggiekirkpatrick #carolskinner #prisoner #cellblockh #wentworth