Talking Prisoner

Talking Prisoner EP 24 Interview with Michael Winchester (Marty Jackson)
Welcome to EP 24 of Talking Prisoner. Hosts Ken Mulholland and Matt Batten sat down with the talented Michael Winchester who played Prison Officer Marty Jackson son of Meg Morris. We spoke to Michael about his life growing up and how he got into acting and how a chance gig got him a part on Cop Shop. We spoke in great length about Michael’s time on Prisoner and how he got the part playing the third Marty Jackson on Prisoner, working  closely with Elspeth Ballantyne who played his on-screen Mum and Prisoner Veteran Meg Jackson/Morris. Michael also spoke about his scenes with Rosanne Hull-Brown who played inmate Merle Jones. We also spoke about the fan favourite episodes “The Boat Episode” and the famous “Blackmoor Riots” Michael gave us all the behind the scenes information about these two episodes and what it was like to really jump of that boat and swim into the Port Phillip bay and working with legendary actor Ray Meagher who played Blackmoor Governor Ernest Craven and what it was like to shoot that intense scenes with Ray and also working with Philip Hyde who played Prison Officer Rodney Adams. We also spoke about his time on Sons and Daughters and the movie Michael wrote, produced, and appeared in “Bathing Franky” which starred Henri Szeps and Maria Venuti. Michael also answered all fan questions.
#martyjackson #michaelwinchester #cellblockh #prisoner

Merry Christmas to all our fans
Talking Prisoner EP 23 Interview with Lois Collinder (Alice “Lurch” Jenkins)
Welcome to Episode 23 of Talking Prisoner. Hosts Ken Mulholland and Matt Batten sat down with the talented Lois Collinder who played Alice “Lurch” Jenkins. We spoke with Lois in length about her life growing up in Port Melbourne, dancing and performing from a very young age in pantomimes and performing in the original Wirth Bros Circus and what it was like to work at the iconic Melbourne department store “Georges” for 20 years. Lois also spoke about shows that she worked on such as Halifax F.P, Underbelly (Tell them Lucifer was here) and what it was like to work with Lois Ramsey on Prisoner and an classic Australian movie called Crackerjack. Lois spoke with us in detail about her part on Prisoner, how she got the audition, how her character went from a background inmate to a series regular, Lois also told us how the nickname Lurch started and which director on Prisoner gave her the nickname “Lurch”. We broke down some iconic episodes that Lois appeared in including the fan favourite Episode 582 the Fashion parade, The Lou Kelly riots, the Terrorists siege, the arrival of Rita Connors, the boat episodes (Told us something very funny about the boat episodes), and the iconic last episode 692. Lois was very gracious with her time and gave us so much information behind the scenes of Prisoner and you will all want to know if Lois did an encore of South American Way.
#loiscollinder #alicejenkins #prisoner #cellblockh

Talking Prisoner EP 22 Interview with Kim Trengove (Rachel Milsom)
Welcome to Episode 22 of Talking Prisoner. Hosts Ken Mulholland and Matt Batten sat down with the talented Kim Trengove who played inmate Rachel Milsom. We discussed in length with Kim the countries she lived in as a child, her close relationship with her father Alan Trengove who was the founder of the Australian Tennis Magazine and working for her father, we also discussed Kim’s school life and what led her to acting and where the passion came from for acting and other shows that she had worked on such as Cop Shop, the Last outlaw and the Sullivans. Kim also talked to us about shows she performed in Sydney and having dinner with a member from the Beatles and this certain member from the Beatles flirting with her. Kim also wrote an episode for Neighbours that starred Prisoner cast Lesley Baker and Caroline Gillmer and her work with Neighbours bad boy Paul Robinson played by Stefan Dennis. We spoke to Kim about how she got the role of Rachel Milsom on Prisoner and working with Ron Shand, we broke down and discussed Prisoner Episodes that Kim appeared in and spoke about what went on behind the scenes with her episodes and working closely with Andy Anderson who played Officer Rick Manning and why her character was written into the show. Kim also discussed with us the scenes she shot with Maggie Millar who played Marie Winter and what it was like on her last day of shooting Prisoner. Kim also answered all fan questions.
#kimtrengove #prisoner #cellblockh #alantrengove #thebeatles

Welcome to Episode 21 of Talking Prisoner. Hosts Ken Mulholland and Matt Batten sat down with international performer Michael Cormick. Michael is a singer and has a hugely successful and prolific career I musical theatre both in Australia, Uk and Europe. Michael spoke to us about his life growing up as a child and what led him to the arts. We spoke with Michael in depth about his career in theatre performing in Europe, Rome, Paris and Cyprus and his first audition in London with Andrew Lloyd Webber and what it was like to play the Beast in Beauty and the Beast with Hugh Jackman and director Robert Jess Roth. Michael shared his memories with us about his performing at Melbourne’s Carols by Candlelight and working with Marina Prior, Michael also had a guest come on Talking Prisoner which Ken and Matt had no prior warning about and this guest is someone that all Prisoner fans and Australian Television fans will know, Michael shared his memories of working with Bert Newton and when he first appeared on New Faces. Michael shared some secrets with us about Prisoner that were not know to anyone, how he got his part on Prisoner, what he thought of his character and the storylines for Ellen/Alan. We also broke down Episodes 354, 355 and 360 with Michael and his memories of those episodes. We spoke with Michael about a special project he has been working on called the Byron Supper Club.
 
#michaelcormick #marinaprior #hughjackman #cellblockh

Talking Prisoner EP 20 Interview with Rod Hardy Prisoner (Director)
Welcome to Episode 20 of Talking Prisoner. Hosts Ken Mulholland and Matt Batten sat down with International Tv and Film Director Rod Hardy. Rod directed the second episode of Prisoner ever to go to air plus many more episodes thereafter. We spoke with Rod about his life growing up and how he got into the Tv and Film industry and starting out at Crawford Productions. Rod told us about how he got his start on Prisoner working with Reg Watson and Ian Bradley, we spoke about episodes that he directed and the Great Tunnel escape and working with Fiona Spence, he also shared his memories of working with the late great Paul Cronin on the Sullivans, directing shows like Neighbours, E-Street, Cop Shop,  moving to the United States in 1992 to further his career, he also shared with us a funny story about directing Buffalo girls and working with Melanie Griffith, Anjelica Huston and Leiv Schreiber, we touched on his international career directing shows like The Practice, JAG, The X-Files, Saving Grace and Battlestar Galactica and what it was like to shoot the re-make of the 1952 movie High Noon starring Tom Skerritt. Please subscribe to our YouTube channel and like the Talking Prisoner FaceBook Page.
 
#rodhardy #cellblockh #prisoner #anjelicahuston #fionaspence #leivschreiber

Talking Prisoner EP 19 Interview with Maggie Millar (Marie Winter)
Welcome to Episode 19 of Talking Prisoner. Hosts Ken Mulholland and Matt Batten sat down with award winning artist and actor Maggie Millar who played inmate Marie Winter. Maggie spoke with us about her early life growing up, school, what subjects she enjoyed the most, her time at RADA (Royal Academy of Dramatic Art) In London with people such as Vivien Leigh, Alan Rickman, Anthony Hopkins, Joan Collins, Roger Moore and how she was accepted into this prestigious school. We also discussed some of the shows Maggie appeared on such as Bellbird and what it was like to work with her on screen husband Alan Hopgood, we then spoke about Prisoner and how she got the part on the ground breaking drama and shooting her first scenes with Val Lehman (Bea Smith) at prison Barnhurst and then what it was like to come back to Wentworth for a further 36 episodes. We broke down some iconic episodes such as the Sandy Edwards riot, working with Louise Le Nay in the riot episodes, Marie Winters riot, the amazing scene on the staircase during the riot where she pushed Reb Keane played by Janet Andrewartha over the stairs, and why they had to re shoot the great Marie Winter escape and what her thoughts were on her exit, we also discuss why she was not asked back as a series regular. Maggie also shared with us her memories working with Maggie Kirkpatrick who played officer Joan Ferguson. We managed to get through all the fan questions and Maggie even did the trademark Marie Winter laugh for us.
 
#rada #maggiemillar #cellblockh #prisoner #mariewinter

Talking Prisoner EP 18 Interview with Kath Gordon (Officer Joanne Riley)
Welcome to Episode 18 of Talking Prisoner. Hosts Ken Mulholland and Matt Batten sat down with the talented Kath Gordon. We spoke to Kath about her childhood growing up and where her passion and love for acting came from and the play she first saw as a child that made her decide that she wanted to be an actor. Kath also told us about her time at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute and becoming best friends with Angelina Jolie and what it was like to train at the prestigious school. Kath also shared with us some information about Prisoner that no one else knows even Ken and Matt were not aware. Kath spoke about working with the likes of Joy Westmore, Maggie Kirkpatrick, Judith McGrath and how she got the part on Prisoner, her thoughts on why Officer Riley was not given a bigger part and why she turned down a role to star on Foxtel’s highest rating drama Wentworth. We also breakdown the episodes Kath appeared in including the one where Lou Kelly took her hostage, Kath also talks to us about her teaching acting and what productions her students have starred in.
 
#kathgordon #leestrasburg #angelinajolie #prisoner

Talking Prisoner EP 17 Interview with Louise Le Nay (Sandy Edwards)
Welcome to the Seventeenth episode of Talking Prisoner. Hosts Ken Mulholland and Matt Batten sat down with Louise Le Nay who played inmate Sandy Edwards. We spoke to Louise about her childhood growing up, what she was like at school and what it was like to get into the National institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) and learning at NIDA. Louise told us all about what it was like to work with Ross Higgins on Kingswood Country and then to play Barbara Hill on Neighbours when it was on Channel Seven and what it was like when Seven axed Neighbours, and what it was like to work with Anne Haddy and writing the scenes surrounding her death. Louise spoke to us in depth about Prisoner, her audition, working with Wayne Jarratt and Olivia Hamnett and what it was like to shoot the Great Sandy Edwards Riot and why the writers made her Top Dog whilst Bea Smith (Val Lehman) was in hospital and we spoke in great length on why Louise left the show and that the producers wanted her to stay. We also asked Louise about one of the biggest conspiracy theories on Prisoner – What really happened to Sandy Edwards and Louise’s personal thoughts on what happened to Sandy. Please subscribe to our Youtube channel and like our FaceBook page.
#sandyedwards #talkingprisoner #cellblockh #neighbours #louiselenay

Talking Prisoner EP 17 Interview with Louise Le Nay (Sandy Edwards)
Welcome to the Seventeenth episode of Talking Prisoner. Hosts Ken Mulholland and Matt Batten sat down with Louise Le Nay who played inmate Sandy Edwards. We spoke to Louise about her childhood growing up, what she was like at school and what it was like to get into the National institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) and learning at NIDA. Louise told us all about what it was like to work with Ross Higgins on Kingswood Country and then to play Barbara Hill on Neighbours when it was on Channel Seven and what it was like when Seven axed Neighbours, and what it was like to work with Anne Haddy and writing the scenes surrounding her death. Louise spoke to us in depth about Prisoner, her audition, working with Wayne Jarratt and Olivia Hamnett and what it was like to shoot the Great Sandy Edwards Riot and why the writers made her Top Dog whilst Bea Smith (Val Lehman) was in hospital and we spoke in great length on why Louise left the show and that the producers wanted her to stay. We also asked Louise about one of the biggest conspiracy theories on Prisoner – What really happened to Sandy Edwards and Louise’s personal thoughts on what happened to Sandy. Please subscribe to our Youtube channel and like our FaceBook page.
#sandyedwards #talkingprisoner #cellblockh #neighbours #louiselenay

Welcome to part 2 of Episode 16 of Talking Prisoner. Hosts Ken Mulholland and Matt Batten sat down with Sean Nash who was a Writer and Director on Prisoner. In Part 2 we discuss directing the very last two episodes of Prisoner Episode 691 and 692 and how other directors were wanting to swap with Sean so they could shoot the very last episodes. We also discussed Episode 536 which was the flashback episode, why they shot the flashback episode and why the Rec room had an extra wall added for this episode only. We also spoke to Sean in great length about another show he directed and wrote for called E-Street, working with Forrest Redlich who created E-Street, the Werewolf and gangster storylines and where Forrest drew inspiration from for his storylines. We touched on Home and Away, Paradise Beach and answered all fan questions.
 
#seannash #prisoner #estreet #homeandaway