E Street
Encyclopedia
E Street is an Australian television
soap opera
created by Forrest Redlich and produced by the Ten Network from 1989 to 1993.
Whereas Neighbours
is set in a middle-class suburb, Home and Away
in a seaside town, and Richmond Hill
a semi-rural ordinary community, E Street was set in a tough inner-city district called Westside and stories revolved around the local community there.
The moderately successful and sedately-paced Grundy
serial Richmond Hill was cancelled by Ten to make way for E Street. Richmond Hill had also been successfully sold to ITV in the UK, and was rating in the high-20's in Australia, so it was a huge gamble by Ten to axe it and replace it with the untried E Street. Indeed, it would take 3 years for a UK broadcaster to pick up the soap and E Street initially rated somewhat lower than Richmond Hill in Australia, but audience research indicated that it attracted a significant proportion of the 14-35 audience and a large male viewership - a demographic highly prized by advertisers. Later, with racier storylines, the ratings climbed, eventually eclipsing the figures that Richmond Hill had attracted. E Street ran for 404 one-hour episodes. Like many Australian soap operas before it, E Street was broadcast as two one-hour episodes each week and until the premiere of (unsuccessful) HeadLand
in November 2005, it had been the last Australian soap opera to screen its episodes in this format.
(Forrest Redlich had worked as a writer on A Country Practice) and could initially be seen as an 'urban' version of that soap, tackling human interest, issue-led stories over two weekly hour-long episodes, with longer-running soapier elements provided by a small ensemble cast. There were further parallels: both soaps featured a police station, a local pub and a doctor's surgery. Whereas A Country Practice featured a veterinary surgery, in E Street, this was replaced with a legal centre. A more obvious comparison with A Country Practice was with the addition of Penny Cook
as E Streets' anchor character, Dr Elly Fielding. Penny Cook had previously had a tremendously popular run as vet Vicky Dean in A Country Practice from 1981–85 and she was the first of several well-known actors to cross over to E Street during its 4 year run, including Kate Raison
, Joan Sydney
, Anne Tenney
and Josephine Mitchell
. Another popular member of the original cast was Tony Martin
as trendy Reverend Bob Brown and his blossoming relationship with Dr Elly spanned much of the entire run of the series. Other regulars from the beginning included publican Ernie Patchett (Vic Rooney) and his teenage son, Chris (Paul Kelman). He was romancing feisty barmaid Lisa Bennett, played by Alyssa-Jane Cook
who became one of the soap's most popular stars. Sarah McKillop (Katrina Sedgewick) arrived in Westside to re-open the Legal Centre at the beginning of the series, and newlyweds Paul (Warren Jones) and Rhonda Berry (Melanie Saloman) were also settling into life on Eden Street when it began.
But what started out as a grittier version of its immediate contemporaries, E Street did not perform well in Australia when it launched in January 1989 and this led to many changes in direction. As early as 6 months in, the series underwent a revamp and, at first, the original issue-based social commentary storylines were replaced by more upbeat plots, episode titles were ditched and comedy characters were added, brightening up the whole feel and look of E Street. However, the violent demise of two original cast members - one was shot dead in a siege, the other raped and strangled to death - set the extreme and darkened tone of what was to come. By the end of 1989, the programme had an entire new look, redesigned titles, an upbeat and jazzier theme tune plus an expanded cast of more likable and younger characters. Comedy and colour was now a large part of E Street, and the younger cast featured dashing airline pilot Daniel Windsor (Chris Orchard) and his young family moving to E Street as Daniel romanced Dr Elly. His eldest daughter, Toni (Toni Pearen
) became particularly popular, and other new characters, such as "Wheels" (Marcus Graham
), 'Harley' Brown (Malcolm Kennard) and Alice Sullivan (Marianne Howard) all helped the soap become more and more popular and continue to develop a huge following.
During the 1990 season, E Streets viewing figures began to rapidly climb and the arrival of deranged, drug-addicted Sonny Bennett (Richard Huggett) sent ratings soaring. This character, Lisa Bennett's brother and hell-bent on revenge, signalled another shake up of the cast and no less than five established characters were disposed of during this period - three members of the Patchett family perished in a highly shocking car-bomb explosion - but it was these scenes that shook up the audience figures and the show was soon nearing the top of the ratings and became the most talked about series on Australian television. A super-bitch with shoulder-pads, Sheridan Sturgess arrived, taking over the local TV station WTV8, and the role was given to Kate Raison
, another actress famous for her 4-year run in A Country Practice (as Cathy Hayden). Sheridan became central to E Streets next big storyline; the arrival of the notorious serial killer Stephen Richardson, a.k.a 'Mr Bad' (Vince Martin
). The 1991 season was dominated by this long and convoluted plot which cleverly affected every cast member over an entire year. More high-profile contract-cast were killed off during this grisly but utterly compelling storyline, leaving viewers wondering who was going to be killed-off next. The audience lapped up Sheridan's Technicolor nightmare sequences revealing the murder of a little girl called Becky Campbell by a man with his face painted half black and half silver. That person was of course Stephen Richardson, the charming Karate teacher of Claire Fielding, and as Sheridan grew more fearful of Stephen, Mr Bad's reign of terror began with the shocking murder of Dr Virginia Travis (Julieanne Newbould
) followed soon after by Sheridan's brother Michael (Graham Harvey
). E Street had undoubtedly moved on from its well-meaning inception; the opening title sequence was eventually dropped, the pace and melodrama breathlessly increased and cast turnover became exceptionally high, however, the soap continued to develop its audience and E Street finally topped the Australian ratings for the first time during 1991. Viewers had seemingly accepted the drug abuse, religious cults and crazy stalkers - plus the problematic re-cast of the leading character Dr Elly Fielding when Penny Cook
quit and was replaced by Diane Craig
- because, all along, the show did not take itself seriously and this made the relentless and sensational plots somewhat enjoyable as a form of escapism. Indeed, during the rest of 1991 and most of 1992, E Street was the most popular serial in Australia.
As the series established its own identity, several music videos and musical performances were incorporated into episodes to promote music released on the offshoot Westside Records music label, whilst some of the actresses, namely Melissa Tkautz
and Toni Pearen
, released singles which were massive hits in Australia. Melissa Tkautz
had the biggest selling single of 1991 with her #1 dance hit "Read My Lips" and the follow-up, "Sexy (Is The Word)", made #3 the same year, all thanks to their inclusion on E Street. Hugely popular pin-up star Bruce Samazan
even released a single, a rap record called "One of a Kind", and artists such as the Maybe Dolls and Euphoria also had big hits thanks to E Street. The show had developed an unprecedented look and sound all of its own, surpassing both Neighbours and Home and Away in the ratings and popularity. At the 1992 Australian Logies, E Street won the coveted "Most Popular Serial" category, sealing the success of the series in its home territory.
Ironically however, E Streets' popularity peaked in 1992 with the conclusion of the 'Mr Bad' storyline. Indeed, it was this long-running plot that kept the show at the top of the Australian ratings and even after the departure of Vince Martin
, who originally played the sadistic serial-killer, and Kate Raison
as victim Sheriden Sturgess, the 'Mr Bad' plot continued with a new actor playing the part - and new characters for him to torment. However, once Stephen Richardson and his murderous alter-ego were finally dead and buried, the writers struggled to keep the momentum as several high-profile characters departed and new storylines seemed lame compared to what had happened before. A big loss was Marcus Graham
who completed 3 separate stints in the show as Stanley "Wheels" Kovac. Early in the series, he used a wheelchair
, hence his nickname
, although he was fully upright when he left E Street for good in episode 302, taking with him the hugely popular character, Sheridan Sturgess. Original favourite Lisa Bennett (Alyssa-Jane Cook
) and long-running Alice Sullivan (Marianne Howard) had also left the series by this point and many others were to leave soon after. The solution was a raft of fresh faces; lovable nerd Jamie Newman (Scott McRae) arrived during the 'Mr Bad' revenge plot along with new Police Constable Sam Farrell (Simon Baker
); a new bad-boy appeared - Reverend Bob's long-lost gangster brother, Jack Brown, played by Andrew Williams, poached from Neighbours
where he'd spent 8 months playing Lou Carpenter's son, Guy. Melissa Bell
, also ex-Neighbours, joined the cast as Bonnie Tate and fresh from her role in Home and Away
, Josephine Mitchell
arrived as Penny O'Brien. These characters were met with limited success, however, and Jack Brown's uninspired gangster
storylines were considered a low point of E Streets final few months, as was a dream sequence involving Max turning into a werewolf
, which seemed a desperate attempt by the writers to hold on to a hastily dwindling audience.
bought the rights to the series in early 1992, some three years after its Australian debut and while the show was still a huge success on its home network. The entertainment channel Sky One
had already screened long-running Aussie serials A Country Practice
, The Young Doctors
and The Sullivans
in the 1980s and was screening Nine Network
's flop 'adult' drama Chances the week E Street launched on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 9pm.
Sky Television aired E Street in a 30-minute format, stripped Mondays to Fridays at 6.30pm-7pm, with a repeat the following afternoon at 1pm. This format had also been used in the UK when broadcasting hour-long drama A Country Practice
on ITV
in the early 1990s. E Street launched on Sunday, 5 April 1992 and following the 2 hour pilot, Sky picked up the story from Episode 47 http://www.edenstreet.net/1-50.htm on Monday, 6 April, completely abandoning the opening 46 episodes that had achieved poor ratings in Australia.
Sky
heavily publicised the launch of their new Australian soap, and promoted it with the taglines "Meet Your New Neighbours on E Street" and "Your New Neighbours are moving in", clearly using the popularity of the BBC
's Neighbours
to lure viewers. This slogan could be seen across the country on double decker buses, billboards and teen magazine advertisements. The actors Tony Martin
(Bob), Alyssa-Jane Cook
(Lisa), Marcus Graham
(Wheels), Leslie Dayman
(George), Cecily Polsen (Martha) and Vic Rooney (Ernie) all flew to Britain to appear in advertisements promoting the launch of the soap. The Sun
newspaper ran competitions based on the show, with first prize being a holiday to Sydney, Australia; runners-up received satellite dish
es so they could watch Sky
- E Street had well-and-truly arrived in Britain. Indeed, during the first 12 months it aired in the UK, E Street became one of the highest rated programmes on Sky One
averaging around 750,000-1 million viewers an episode. This was at a time when there was an available audience of only around 2.5 million, due to Sky only being available via the Astra
satellite and selected cable areas.
During the hard-hitting storyline involving extreme character Sonny Bennett (Richard Huggett), he killed three characters in a shocking car-bomb explosion (episodes 170-171). In the UK, where E Street aired in an earlier timeslot, these episodes were broadcast on 23–24 March 1993 and were preceded by a warning to viewers that the episode contained scenes that some may find upsetting. The 12.30pm repeat the following day was dropped entirely and replaced by The Simpsons. Similarly, heavy cuts were made during the "Mr Bad" storyline, particularly the murders of Virginia Travis and Michael Sturgess which were edited for UK screenings.
and Simon Baker
(then known as Simon Baker-Denny) both winning their respective categories in 1992 and 1993, it came as a blow to cast and crew that E Street had been cancelled by Network 10 early 1993. It was revealed by creator and Executive Producer Forrest Redlich on the recent DVD release The Best of Mr Bad Part 2 that the cancellation was more due to creative differences and the direction Network 10 wanted to take the show, than actual falling viewing figures. High-profile cast departures also damaged the show's reputation, with long-running and popular characters Wheels, Sheridan Sturgess, Stephen Richardson, Joey Valentine, Claire Fielding, Toni Windsor and Craig "C.J" Jones all exiting during the show's last 12 months. Viewer favourite and pivotal character from the start Reverend Bob Brown was then dramatically killed off when Tony Martin
quit the show, and it was announced soon after that E Street had been axed. In the final episodes (403 and 404), the remaining cast were placed in life-threatening or cliff-hanger situations: Jo-Jo (Kelley Abbey
) battled the attentions of a sleazy loan-shark, several characters were trapped inside the burning Patchetts Pacific pub and Max and Alice were lost in the outback as Bonnie relapsed and slipped into a coma. When the final episode began, time had moved on seven weeks and gradually it was revealed that all the characters are alive and well having survived the previous episodes' various cliff-hangers. The cast gathered around comatose Bonnie's hospital bedside and each read a line from a poem Max had found in recently deceased Rev Bob's prayer book. As the last line was read out by Max, Bonnie finally opened her eyes and said; "Max!". A final 10-minute montage of E Streets greatest moments was then played out to the closing credits, with Elly tearfully laying a single red rose on Rev Bob's grave as E Street's final scene, thus suitably signifying the end of the four-year series.
The final episode aired in Australia Thursday, 13 May 1993, with the UK run ending nearly two years later on Tuesday, 28 February 1995. A repeat run of the 1989 and 1990 seasons commenced on Ten in 2000, and was cancelled at the end of 2003. In the UK E Street has never been repeated.
Several cast members immediately went onto to star in other Australian soap operas and drama serials:
Further Cast 1989-1993
† credited as Brooke 'Mikey' Anderson.
†† Melissa Bell also played a minor character called Janine in 1989, before joining Neighbours.
Network Ten
Tuesday 24 January 1989 - Thursday 13 May 1993
Tuesdays and Thursdays 19.30
Repeated the first 184 episodes (1989 and 1990 seasons) during 2000 to 2001 at 05.00.
United Kingdom
Sky One
Pilot episode screened Sunday 5 April 1992 at 14.00 and 20.00.
From Monday 6 April 1992, E Street commenced with episode 47 and screened Monday to Friday at 18.30-19.00 with a repeat the following afternoon at 1pm.
11 September 1993, episode 252, E Street was moved to weekend daytime slots and was shown in hour-long episodes on Saturdays 18.00-19.00 and Sundays 13.00-14.00. This was briefly to accommodate Paradise Beach
in the 18.30 weekday slot but ultimately became an extremely unpopular scheduling decision.
On Tuesday, 4 January 1994, E Street returned to the 18.30 timeslot with the afternoon repeat now at 12.30p.m, thus creating an 'Aussie Soap Hour' with Paradise Beach
which aired 12.00/18.00.
E Street remained popular in the UK, despite its cancellation in Australia. During September 1994, a year and a half after it last aired Down Under, E Street was moved to the primetime 19.00 slot and the final episode 404 screened on Monday 27th-Tuesday 28 February 1995 as 2 half-hour episodes.
Sky One did not transmit Episodes 1 to 46 of E Street. Subsequent episodes were customised and heavily edited for transmission on Sky One. This included heavy soundtrack changes, major cuts of violent and unsuitable scenes (Episodes 170, 254 and 260 are examples) and a different closing sequence, removing advertising and music credits.
E Street has never been repeated in the UK.
This design of opening titles and music lasted until Episode 134, featuring only minor alterations as characters came and went. From Episode 135, however, the opening title sequence was dropped and replaced with a re-cap of the previous episode, an aerial view of Eden Street with the E Street logo forming, followed by establishing shots of the area with writer and producer credits. Sometimes, the previous episode cliffhanger would be played after the short sequence and continue uninterrupted into the episode. This practice was common with Network Ten stable-mate Neighbours
, which similarly dropped its opening credits in 1990 in favour of a short re-cap, brief titles accompanied by a music sting. This opening to E Street remained until its final episodes, although Neighbours reinstated an opening sequence in 1992. More recently, Home and Away
now frequently open episodes with a re-cap, brief title screen and 5 second music sting, much like E Street in the early 1990s.
The end title sequence remained unchanged, with credits rolling over an aerial shot of Westside during nighttime. The original theme for the closing credits was 2 minutes in duration, and was changed from Episode 51 to the updated version, an extended mix of the music now used for the opening titles.
On the original Australian credits, there were several sponsorship credits that were removed from UK broadcasts. A different music soundtrack was also used on the international version of E Street, but can be heard uncut on the recent DVD release of the series.
Logies won:
Logies Nominated:
, broadcast on Seven Network
.http://au.blogs.yahoo.com/where-are-they-now/3/episode-2e-street The cast members that appeared on the programme were Marcus Graham
(Wheels), Alyssa-Jane Cook
(Lisa Bennett), Melissa Tkautz
(Nikki Spencer), Bruce Samazan
(Max Simmons), Melissa Bell
(Bonnie Tate) and Brooke Anderson
(Claire Fielding). The studio guests were joined via a satellite link-up to Vince Martin
who starred as the show's most memorable character, Mr Bad.
and Sons and Daughters
. The first boxset called "The Best of Mr Bad Volume 1" is a 5-disc set and, unusually for this kind of release, features 20 consecutive episodes from 253 to 272, that originally aired in 1991 (1993-94 in the UK). The set tells the beginning of the notorious Mr Bad storyline which achieved massive viewing figures when they originally aired. Commentaries on episode 272 are provided by Bruce Samazan (Max) and Melissa Tkautz (Nikki) with Australian soap expert Andrew Mercado.
A second 5-disc DVD set, "The Best of Mr Bad Part 2" was released on 3 December 2007, and once again, contained consecutive episodes from 273 to 292, which continued the long-running Stephen Richardson/Mr Bad storyline. Episode 288 features revealing commentary provided by E Street creator and executive Producer, Forrest Redlich.
Australian television
Television in Australia began experimentally as early as 1929 in Melbourne with stations 3DB and 3UZ using the Radiovision system by Gilbert Miles and Donal McDonald, and later from other locations, such as Brisbane in 1934....
soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
created by Forrest Redlich and produced by the Ten Network from 1989 to 1993.
Whereas Neighbours
Neighbours
Neighbours is an Australian television soap opera first broadcast on the Seven Network on 18 March 1985. It was created by TV executive Reg Watson, who proposed the idea of making a show that focused on realistic stories and portrayed adults and teenagers who talk openly and solve their problems...
is set in a middle-class suburb, Home and Away
Home and Away
Home and Away is an Australian soap opera that has been produced in Sydney since July 1987 and is airing on the Seven Network since 17 January 1988. It is the second-longest-running drama and most popular soap opera on Australian television...
in a seaside town, and Richmond Hill
Richmond Hill (TV series)
Richmond Hill was an Australian television soap opera made in 1988 by the Reg Grundy Organisation for the Ten Network. It was devised by Reg Watson who also created Neighbours...
a semi-rural ordinary community, E Street was set in a tough inner-city district called Westside and stories revolved around the local community there.
The moderately successful and sedately-paced Grundy
Reg Grundy Organisation
The Reg Grundy Organisation was an Australian television production company founded in 1959 by businessman Reg Grundy . It has since branched out into Europe and the USA. The company first produced game shows, before branching into soap operas in 1973...
serial Richmond Hill was cancelled by Ten to make way for E Street. Richmond Hill had also been successfully sold to ITV in the UK, and was rating in the high-20's in Australia, so it was a huge gamble by Ten to axe it and replace it with the untried E Street. Indeed, it would take 3 years for a UK broadcaster to pick up the soap and E Street initially rated somewhat lower than Richmond Hill in Australia, but audience research indicated that it attracted a significant proportion of the 14-35 audience and a large male viewership - a demographic highly prized by advertisers. Later, with racier storylines, the ratings climbed, eventually eclipsing the figures that Richmond Hill had attracted. E Street ran for 404 one-hour episodes. Like many Australian soap operas before it, E Street was broadcast as two one-hour episodes each week and until the premiere of (unsuccessful) HeadLand
HeadLand
headLand is an Australian drama television series produced by the Seven Network which ran from 15 November 2005 to 21 January 2006. The Seven Network filmed 52 episodes in the first series. Production on the second series had begun before any episodes were aired.Set in a university, headLand...
in November 2005, it had been the last Australian soap opera to screen its episodes in this format.
About E Street
E Street was modelled on A Country PracticeA Country Practice
A Country Practice is an Australian television drama series. One of the longest-running of its kind, produced by James Davern of JNP Productions, it ran on the Seven Network for 1,058 episodes from 18 November 1981 to 22 November 1993. It was produced in ATN-7's production facility at Epping,...
(Forrest Redlich had worked as a writer on A Country Practice) and could initially be seen as an 'urban' version of that soap, tackling human interest, issue-led stories over two weekly hour-long episodes, with longer-running soapier elements provided by a small ensemble cast. There were further parallels: both soaps featured a police station, a local pub and a doctor's surgery. Whereas A Country Practice featured a veterinary surgery, in E Street, this was replaced with a legal centre. A more obvious comparison with A Country Practice was with the addition of Penny Cook
Penny Cook
Penny Cook is an Australian actress. She graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art in 1978.Cook first appeared in the 1970s Australian television soap opera The Restless Years...
as E Streets' anchor character, Dr Elly Fielding. Penny Cook had previously had a tremendously popular run as vet Vicky Dean in A Country Practice from 1981–85 and she was the first of several well-known actors to cross over to E Street during its 4 year run, including Kate Raison
Kate Raison
Kate Raison is an Australian actress, best known for her roles on television, including Cathy Hayden in A Country Practice, Sheridan Sturgess in E Street and Georgina Ellis in Pacific Drive....
, Joan Sydney
Joan Sydney
Joan Sydney is a British actress best known for her work on Australian television, with more than 40 years experience mainly in the genres of soap operas and television serials, but also appearing in mini-series and theatre productions, including "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof", "Talking Heads" and "Dirty...
, Anne Tenney
Anne Tenney
Anne Tenney is an Australian film and television actress, probably best known for her role as Molly Jones in the television drama A Country Practice and as Sal Kerrigan in The Castle.-Career:...
and Josephine Mitchell
Josephine Mitchell
Josephine Mitchell is an Australian actress, best known for her role as Jo Loveday in the television soap opera A Country Practice. She has subsequently appeared in Home and Away, E Street, Neighbours and All Saints....
. Another popular member of the original cast was Tony Martin
Tony Martin (actor)
Tony Martin is an Australian actor. He married Rachael Blake on 21 December 2003. His son, Justin, is also an actor, with appearances in Somersault and Blue Water High to his credit....
as trendy Reverend Bob Brown and his blossoming relationship with Dr Elly spanned much of the entire run of the series. Other regulars from the beginning included publican Ernie Patchett (Vic Rooney) and his teenage son, Chris (Paul Kelman). He was romancing feisty barmaid Lisa Bennett, played by Alyssa-Jane Cook
Alyssa-Jane Cook
Alyssa-Jane Cook is an Australian actress.She is best known for her regular role as Lisa Bennett on the Australian television soap opera E Street...
who became one of the soap's most popular stars. Sarah McKillop (Katrina Sedgewick) arrived in Westside to re-open the Legal Centre at the beginning of the series, and newlyweds Paul (Warren Jones) and Rhonda Berry (Melanie Saloman) were also settling into life on Eden Street when it began.
But what started out as a grittier version of its immediate contemporaries, E Street did not perform well in Australia when it launched in January 1989 and this led to many changes in direction. As early as 6 months in, the series underwent a revamp and, at first, the original issue-based social commentary storylines were replaced by more upbeat plots, episode titles were ditched and comedy characters were added, brightening up the whole feel and look of E Street. However, the violent demise of two original cast members - one was shot dead in a siege, the other raped and strangled to death - set the extreme and darkened tone of what was to come. By the end of 1989, the programme had an entire new look, redesigned titles, an upbeat and jazzier theme tune plus an expanded cast of more likable and younger characters. Comedy and colour was now a large part of E Street, and the younger cast featured dashing airline pilot Daniel Windsor (Chris Orchard) and his young family moving to E Street as Daniel romanced Dr Elly. His eldest daughter, Toni (Toni Pearen
Toni Pearen
Toni Pearen is an Australian actress, singer, songwriter and TV presenter born in Cronulla, Sydney on 5 June 1972. She initially became recognisable through her role on soap opera E Street from 1989 until 1992. She had a pop music career in the early 1990s which included the release of an album and...
) became particularly popular, and other new characters, such as "Wheels" (Marcus Graham
Marcus Graham
Marcus Graham is an Australian television and stage actor who has also starred in several films, including Mulholland Drive and Josh Jarman. He was known as a teenage heartthrob in the early 90s while starring in the Australian TV soap E Street as the character "Wheels"...
), 'Harley' Brown (Malcolm Kennard) and Alice Sullivan (Marianne Howard) all helped the soap become more and more popular and continue to develop a huge following.
During the 1990 season, E Streets viewing figures began to rapidly climb and the arrival of deranged, drug-addicted Sonny Bennett (Richard Huggett) sent ratings soaring. This character, Lisa Bennett's brother and hell-bent on revenge, signalled another shake up of the cast and no less than five established characters were disposed of during this period - three members of the Patchett family perished in a highly shocking car-bomb explosion - but it was these scenes that shook up the audience figures and the show was soon nearing the top of the ratings and became the most talked about series on Australian television. A super-bitch with shoulder-pads, Sheridan Sturgess arrived, taking over the local TV station WTV8, and the role was given to Kate Raison
Kate Raison
Kate Raison is an Australian actress, best known for her roles on television, including Cathy Hayden in A Country Practice, Sheridan Sturgess in E Street and Georgina Ellis in Pacific Drive....
, another actress famous for her 4-year run in A Country Practice (as Cathy Hayden). Sheridan became central to E Streets next big storyline; the arrival of the notorious serial killer Stephen Richardson, a.k.a 'Mr Bad' (Vince Martin
Vince Martin (actor)
Vince Martin or Vin Martin , born Vincent Markesteijn, is a television and film actor. He mostly acted in film and television productions in Australia, where he was raised and started his career....
). The 1991 season was dominated by this long and convoluted plot which cleverly affected every cast member over an entire year. More high-profile contract-cast were killed off during this grisly but utterly compelling storyline, leaving viewers wondering who was going to be killed-off next. The audience lapped up Sheridan's Technicolor nightmare sequences revealing the murder of a little girl called Becky Campbell by a man with his face painted half black and half silver. That person was of course Stephen Richardson, the charming Karate teacher of Claire Fielding, and as Sheridan grew more fearful of Stephen, Mr Bad's reign of terror began with the shocking murder of Dr Virginia Travis (Julieanne Newbould
Julieanne Newbould
Julieanne Newbould is an Australian actress who first came to prominence in the 1970s.She was a popular original cast member in soap opera The Restless Years. The series started in late 1977; Newbould left the series in early 1979. She later played two roles in Prisoner. She appeared first in 1982...
) followed soon after by Sheridan's brother Michael (Graham Harvey
Graham Harvey
Graham Harvey is an Australian actor, best known for his roles in television soap operas.His credits include: The Sullivans , The Young Doctors , Return to Eden , E Street and Neighbours .-External links:...
). E Street had undoubtedly moved on from its well-meaning inception; the opening title sequence was eventually dropped, the pace and melodrama breathlessly increased and cast turnover became exceptionally high, however, the soap continued to develop its audience and E Street finally topped the Australian ratings for the first time during 1991. Viewers had seemingly accepted the drug abuse, religious cults and crazy stalkers - plus the problematic re-cast of the leading character Dr Elly Fielding when Penny Cook
Penny Cook
Penny Cook is an Australian actress. She graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art in 1978.Cook first appeared in the 1970s Australian television soap opera The Restless Years...
quit and was replaced by Diane Craig
Diane Craig
Diane Mary Craig is an actress born in County Down, Northern Ireland but who is best known for her performances on Australian television....
- because, all along, the show did not take itself seriously and this made the relentless and sensational plots somewhat enjoyable as a form of escapism. Indeed, during the rest of 1991 and most of 1992, E Street was the most popular serial in Australia.
As the series established its own identity, several music videos and musical performances were incorporated into episodes to promote music released on the offshoot Westside Records music label, whilst some of the actresses, namely Melissa Tkautz
Melissa Tkautz
Melissa Natalie Tkautz is an Australian-Maltese actress, singer, songwriter and model of Austrian and Maltese heritage. Tkautz was married on Friday 6 February 2009 to her partner of 5 years, Kwesi Nicholas.- Early career :...
and Toni Pearen
Toni Pearen
Toni Pearen is an Australian actress, singer, songwriter and TV presenter born in Cronulla, Sydney on 5 June 1972. She initially became recognisable through her role on soap opera E Street from 1989 until 1992. She had a pop music career in the early 1990s which included the release of an album and...
, released singles which were massive hits in Australia. Melissa Tkautz
Melissa Tkautz
Melissa Natalie Tkautz is an Australian-Maltese actress, singer, songwriter and model of Austrian and Maltese heritage. Tkautz was married on Friday 6 February 2009 to her partner of 5 years, Kwesi Nicholas.- Early career :...
had the biggest selling single of 1991 with her #1 dance hit "Read My Lips" and the follow-up, "Sexy (Is The Word)", made #3 the same year, all thanks to their inclusion on E Street. Hugely popular pin-up star Bruce Samazan
Bruce Samazan
Bruce Samazan is an Australian actor who appeared in several soap operas and drama series on Australian television, the only actor to have played regular roles in Australia's "Big Three" soap operas of the 1990s .-E Street:Samazan was a brickie's labourer, until 1989 when he accompanied his...
even released a single, a rap record called "One of a Kind", and artists such as the Maybe Dolls and Euphoria also had big hits thanks to E Street. The show had developed an unprecedented look and sound all of its own, surpassing both Neighbours and Home and Away in the ratings and popularity. At the 1992 Australian Logies, E Street won the coveted "Most Popular Serial" category, sealing the success of the series in its home territory.
Ironically however, E Streets' popularity peaked in 1992 with the conclusion of the 'Mr Bad' storyline. Indeed, it was this long-running plot that kept the show at the top of the Australian ratings and even after the departure of Vince Martin
Vince Martin (actor)
Vince Martin or Vin Martin , born Vincent Markesteijn, is a television and film actor. He mostly acted in film and television productions in Australia, where he was raised and started his career....
, who originally played the sadistic serial-killer, and Kate Raison
Kate Raison
Kate Raison is an Australian actress, best known for her roles on television, including Cathy Hayden in A Country Practice, Sheridan Sturgess in E Street and Georgina Ellis in Pacific Drive....
as victim Sheriden Sturgess, the 'Mr Bad' plot continued with a new actor playing the part - and new characters for him to torment. However, once Stephen Richardson and his murderous alter-ego were finally dead and buried, the writers struggled to keep the momentum as several high-profile characters departed and new storylines seemed lame compared to what had happened before. A big loss was Marcus Graham
Marcus Graham
Marcus Graham is an Australian television and stage actor who has also starred in several films, including Mulholland Drive and Josh Jarman. He was known as a teenage heartthrob in the early 90s while starring in the Australian TV soap E Street as the character "Wheels"...
who completed 3 separate stints in the show as Stanley "Wheels" Kovac. Early in the series, he used a wheelchair
Wheelchair
A wheelchair is a chair with wheels, designed to be a replacement for walking. The device comes in variations where it is propelled by motors or by the seated occupant turning the rear wheels by hand. Often there are handles behind the seat for someone else to do the pushing...
, hence his nickname
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
, although he was fully upright when he left E Street for good in episode 302, taking with him the hugely popular character, Sheridan Sturgess. Original favourite Lisa Bennett (Alyssa-Jane Cook
Alyssa-Jane Cook
Alyssa-Jane Cook is an Australian actress.She is best known for her regular role as Lisa Bennett on the Australian television soap opera E Street...
) and long-running Alice Sullivan (Marianne Howard) had also left the series by this point and many others were to leave soon after. The solution was a raft of fresh faces; lovable nerd Jamie Newman (Scott McRae) arrived during the 'Mr Bad' revenge plot along with new Police Constable Sam Farrell (Simon Baker
Simon Baker
Simon Baker is an Australian actor. Since 2008, he has starred in the CBS television series The Mentalist.-Early life:...
); a new bad-boy appeared - Reverend Bob's long-lost gangster brother, Jack Brown, played by Andrew Williams, poached from Neighbours
Neighbours
Neighbours is an Australian television soap opera first broadcast on the Seven Network on 18 March 1985. It was created by TV executive Reg Watson, who proposed the idea of making a show that focused on realistic stories and portrayed adults and teenagers who talk openly and solve their problems...
where he'd spent 8 months playing Lou Carpenter's son, Guy. Melissa Bell
Melissa Bell (actress)
Melissa Bell is an Australian actress and singer. She was the third actor to play Lucy Robinson in soap opera Neighbours....
, also ex-Neighbours, joined the cast as Bonnie Tate and fresh from her role in Home and Away
Home and Away
Home and Away is an Australian soap opera that has been produced in Sydney since July 1987 and is airing on the Seven Network since 17 January 1988. It is the second-longest-running drama and most popular soap opera on Australian television...
, Josephine Mitchell
Josephine Mitchell
Josephine Mitchell is an Australian actress, best known for her role as Jo Loveday in the television soap opera A Country Practice. She has subsequently appeared in Home and Away, E Street, Neighbours and All Saints....
arrived as Penny O'Brien. These characters were met with limited success, however, and Jack Brown's uninspired gangster
Gangster
A gangster is a criminal who is a member of a gang. Some gangs are considered to be part of organized crime. Gangsters are also called mobsters, a term derived from mob and the suffix -ster....
storylines were considered a low point of E Streets final few months, as was a dream sequence involving Max turning into a werewolf
Werewolf
A werewolf, also known as a lycanthrope , is a mythological or folkloric human with the ability to shapeshift into a wolf or an anthropomorphic wolf-like creature, either purposely or after being placed under a curse...
, which seemed a desperate attempt by the writers to hold on to a hastily dwindling audience.
UK launch
In the UK, Sky TelevisionSky Digital (UK & Ireland)
Sky is the brand name for British Sky Broadcasting's digital satellite television and radio service, transmitted from SES Astra satellites located at 28.2° east and Eutelsat's Eurobird 1 satellite at 28.5°E. The service was originally launched as Sky Digital, distinguishing it from the original...
bought the rights to the series in early 1992, some three years after its Australian debut and while the show was still a huge success on its home network. The entertainment channel Sky One
Sky One
Sky1 is the flagship BSkyB entertainment channel available in the United Kingdom and Ireland.The channel first launched on 26 April 1982 as Satellite Television, and is the fourth-oldest TV channel in the United Kingdom, behind BBC One , ITV and BBC Two...
had already screened long-running Aussie serials A Country Practice
A Country Practice
A Country Practice is an Australian television drama series. One of the longest-running of its kind, produced by James Davern of JNP Productions, it ran on the Seven Network for 1,058 episodes from 18 November 1981 to 22 November 1993. It was produced in ATN-7's production facility at Epping,...
, The Young Doctors
The Young Doctors
The Young Doctors is an Australian early evening soap opera. The series was set in the fictional Albert Memorial hospital and primarily concerned with romances between younger members of the hospital staff, screened on the Nine Network from Monday, 8 November 1976 until Wednesday, 30 March...
and The Sullivans
The Sullivans
The Sullivans is an Australian drama television series produced by Crawford Productions which ran from 1976 until 1983. The series told the story of an average middle-classMelbourne family and the effect World War II had on their lives...
in the 1980s and was screening Nine Network
Nine Network
The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
's flop 'adult' drama Chances the week E Street launched on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 9pm.
Sky Television aired E Street in a 30-minute format, stripped Mondays to Fridays at 6.30pm-7pm, with a repeat the following afternoon at 1pm. This format had also been used in the UK when broadcasting hour-long drama A Country Practice
A Country Practice
A Country Practice is an Australian television drama series. One of the longest-running of its kind, produced by James Davern of JNP Productions, it ran on the Seven Network for 1,058 episodes from 18 November 1981 to 22 November 1993. It was produced in ATN-7's production facility at Epping,...
on ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
in the early 1990s. E Street launched on Sunday, 5 April 1992 and following the 2 hour pilot, Sky picked up the story from Episode 47 http://www.edenstreet.net/1-50.htm on Monday, 6 April, completely abandoning the opening 46 episodes that had achieved poor ratings in Australia.
Sky
Sky
The sky is the part of the atmosphere or outer space visible from the surface of any astronomical object. It is difficult to define precisely for several reasons. During daylight, the sky of Earth has the appearance of a pale blue surface because the air scatters the sunlight. The sky is sometimes...
heavily publicised the launch of their new Australian soap, and promoted it with the taglines "Meet Your New Neighbours on E Street" and "Your New Neighbours are moving in", clearly using the popularity of the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's Neighbours
Neighbours
Neighbours is an Australian television soap opera first broadcast on the Seven Network on 18 March 1985. It was created by TV executive Reg Watson, who proposed the idea of making a show that focused on realistic stories and portrayed adults and teenagers who talk openly and solve their problems...
to lure viewers. This slogan could be seen across the country on double decker buses, billboards and teen magazine advertisements. The actors Tony Martin
Tony Martin (actor)
Tony Martin is an Australian actor. He married Rachael Blake on 21 December 2003. His son, Justin, is also an actor, with appearances in Somersault and Blue Water High to his credit....
(Bob), Alyssa-Jane Cook
Alyssa-Jane Cook
Alyssa-Jane Cook is an Australian actress.She is best known for her regular role as Lisa Bennett on the Australian television soap opera E Street...
(Lisa), Marcus Graham
Marcus Graham
Marcus Graham is an Australian television and stage actor who has also starred in several films, including Mulholland Drive and Josh Jarman. He was known as a teenage heartthrob in the early 90s while starring in the Australian TV soap E Street as the character "Wheels"...
(Wheels), Leslie Dayman
Leslie Dayman
Leslie "Les" Dayman is an Australian actor best known for being the fighter of the Nightman.He starred in the crime series Homicide as Senior Detective Bill Hudson during the late 1960s. In the 1980s, he was a major cast member in the soap operas Sons and Daughters and Prisoner...
(George), Cecily Polsen (Martha) and Vic Rooney (Ernie) all flew to Britain to appear in advertisements promoting the launch of the soap. The Sun
The Sun (newspaper)
The Sun is a daily national tabloid newspaper published in the United Kingdom and owned by News Corporation. Sister editions are published in Glasgow and Dublin...
newspaper ran competitions based on the show, with first prize being a holiday to Sydney, Australia; runners-up received satellite dish
Satellite dish
A satellite dish is a dish-shaped type of parabolic antenna designed to receive microwaves from communications satellites, which transmit data transmissions or broadcasts, such as satellite television.-Principle of operation:...
es so they could watch Sky
Sky
The sky is the part of the atmosphere or outer space visible from the surface of any astronomical object. It is difficult to define precisely for several reasons. During daylight, the sky of Earth has the appearance of a pale blue surface because the air scatters the sunlight. The sky is sometimes...
- E Street had well-and-truly arrived in Britain. Indeed, during the first 12 months it aired in the UK, E Street became one of the highest rated programmes on Sky One
Sky One
Sky1 is the flagship BSkyB entertainment channel available in the United Kingdom and Ireland.The channel first launched on 26 April 1982 as Satellite Television, and is the fourth-oldest TV channel in the United Kingdom, behind BBC One , ITV and BBC Two...
averaging around 750,000-1 million viewers an episode. This was at a time when there was an available audience of only around 2.5 million, due to Sky only being available via the Astra
Australian Subscription Television and Radio Association
The Australian Subscription Television and Radio Association is the peak industry body for pay television in Australia.Formed in 1995, it was initially called the Confederation of Australian Subscription Television...
satellite and selected cable areas.
During the hard-hitting storyline involving extreme character Sonny Bennett (Richard Huggett), he killed three characters in a shocking car-bomb explosion (episodes 170-171). In the UK, where E Street aired in an earlier timeslot, these episodes were broadcast on 23–24 March 1993 and were preceded by a warning to viewers that the episode contained scenes that some may find upsetting. The 12.30pm repeat the following day was dropped entirely and replaced by The Simpsons. Similarly, heavy cuts were made during the "Mr Bad" storyline, particularly the murders of Virginia Travis and Michael Sturgess which were edited for UK screenings.
The end
Despite winning "Most Popular Serial" in the 1992 Australian Logies, plus actors Bruce SamazanBruce Samazan
Bruce Samazan is an Australian actor who appeared in several soap operas and drama series on Australian television, the only actor to have played regular roles in Australia's "Big Three" soap operas of the 1990s .-E Street:Samazan was a brickie's labourer, until 1989 when he accompanied his...
and Simon Baker
Simon Baker
Simon Baker is an Australian actor. Since 2008, he has starred in the CBS television series The Mentalist.-Early life:...
(then known as Simon Baker-Denny) both winning their respective categories in 1992 and 1993, it came as a blow to cast and crew that E Street had been cancelled by Network 10 early 1993. It was revealed by creator and Executive Producer Forrest Redlich on the recent DVD release The Best of Mr Bad Part 2 that the cancellation was more due to creative differences and the direction Network 10 wanted to take the show, than actual falling viewing figures. High-profile cast departures also damaged the show's reputation, with long-running and popular characters Wheels, Sheridan Sturgess, Stephen Richardson, Joey Valentine, Claire Fielding, Toni Windsor and Craig "C.J" Jones all exiting during the show's last 12 months. Viewer favourite and pivotal character from the start Reverend Bob Brown was then dramatically killed off when Tony Martin
Tony Martin (actor)
Tony Martin is an Australian actor. He married Rachael Blake on 21 December 2003. His son, Justin, is also an actor, with appearances in Somersault and Blue Water High to his credit....
quit the show, and it was announced soon after that E Street had been axed. In the final episodes (403 and 404), the remaining cast were placed in life-threatening or cliff-hanger situations: Jo-Jo (Kelley Abbey
Kelley Abbey
Kelley Abbey is an Australian actress, choreographer, singer and dancer. She has been a leading performer and choreographer in TV, film and musical theatre for more than 20 years....
) battled the attentions of a sleazy loan-shark, several characters were trapped inside the burning Patchetts Pacific pub and Max and Alice were lost in the outback as Bonnie relapsed and slipped into a coma. When the final episode began, time had moved on seven weeks and gradually it was revealed that all the characters are alive and well having survived the previous episodes' various cliff-hangers. The cast gathered around comatose Bonnie's hospital bedside and each read a line from a poem Max had found in recently deceased Rev Bob's prayer book. As the last line was read out by Max, Bonnie finally opened her eyes and said; "Max!". A final 10-minute montage of E Streets greatest moments was then played out to the closing credits, with Elly tearfully laying a single red rose on Rev Bob's grave as E Street's final scene, thus suitably signifying the end of the four-year series.
The final episode aired in Australia Thursday, 13 May 1993, with the UK run ending nearly two years later on Tuesday, 28 February 1995. A repeat run of the 1989 and 1990 seasons commenced on Ten in 2000, and was cancelled at the end of 2003. In the UK E Street has never been repeated.
Several cast members immediately went onto to star in other Australian soap operas and drama serials:
- Penny CookPenny CookPenny Cook is an Australian actress. She graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art in 1978.Cook first appeared in the 1970s Australian television soap opera The Restless Years...
is now in a recurring role in Neighbours as Prue Brown. - Bruce SamazanBruce SamazanBruce Samazan is an Australian actor who appeared in several soap operas and drama series on Australian television, the only actor to have played regular roles in Australia's "Big Three" soap operas of the 1990s .-E Street:Samazan was a brickie's labourer, until 1989 when he accompanied his...
became a huge star through his role as Max Simmons in E Street. He immediately went onto to star in NeighboursNeighboursNeighbours is an Australian television soap opera first broadcast on the Seven Network on 18 March 1985. It was created by TV executive Reg Watson, who proposed the idea of making a show that focused on realistic stories and portrayed adults and teenagers who talk openly and solve their problems...
as Mark Gottlieb until 1995, when his character famously jilted Annalise Hartman (played by Kimberley DaviesKimberley DaviesKimberley Davies is an Australian actress most famous for playing Annalise Hartman on the Australian soap opera Neighbours from 1993 to 1996...
) at the altar to become a priest. In 1996, he joined Home and AwayHome and AwayHome and Away is an Australian soap opera that has been produced in Sydney since July 1987 and is airing on the Seven Network since 17 January 1988. It is the second-longest-running drama and most popular soap opera on Australian television...
for a six-month stint as Brad Cooper. - Josephine MitchellJosephine MitchellJosephine Mitchell is an Australian actress, best known for her role as Jo Loveday in the television soap opera A Country Practice. She has subsequently appeared in Home and Away, E Street, Neighbours and All Saints....
immediately joined the cast of NeighboursNeighboursNeighbours is an Australian television soap opera first broadcast on the Seven Network on 18 March 1985. It was created by TV executive Reg Watson, who proposed the idea of making a show that focused on realistic stories and portrayed adults and teenagers who talk openly and solve their problems...
as Katerina Torrelli, who stalked Bruce Samazan's character Mark Gottlieb. - Tony MartinTony Martin (actor)Tony Martin is an Australian actor. He married Rachael Blake on 21 December 2003. His son, Justin, is also an actor, with appearances in Somersault and Blue Water High to his credit....
was immediately cast in gritty high-school drama Heartbreak HighHeartbreak HighHeartbreak High is an Australian television series that ran for seven years from 1994 to 1999. The series dealt with the students of Hartley High, a tough high school in a multi-racial area of Sydney, and proved to be a more gritty and fast-paced show than many of its contemporaries...
as pushy science teacher Bill Southgate, between 1994-95. - Diane CraigDiane CraigDiane Mary Craig is an actress born in County Down, Northern Ireland but who is best known for her performances on Australian television....
followed former co-star Tony MartinTony Martin (actor)Tony Martin is an Australian actor. He married Rachael Blake on 21 December 2003. His son, Justin, is also an actor, with appearances in Somersault and Blue Water High to his credit....
to Hartley High School, where she spent two years as Principal June Dyson between 1995-96. - Adrian Lee, Kate RaisonKate RaisonKate Raison is an Australian actress, best known for her roles on television, including Cathy Hayden in A Country Practice, Sheridan Sturgess in E Street and Georgina Ellis in Pacific Drive....
, Melissa TkautzMelissa TkautzMelissa Natalie Tkautz is an Australian-Maltese actress, singer, songwriter and model of Austrian and Maltese heritage. Tkautz was married on Friday 6 February 2009 to her partner of 5 years, Kwesi Nicholas.- Early career :...
, Malcolm Kennard and Virginia HeyVirginia HeyVirginia Hey is an Australian actress, known for her role as Pa'u Zotoh Zhaan on the science fiction TV series Farscape....
all starred in cultCultThe word cult in current popular usage usually refers to a group whose beliefs or practices are considered abnormal or bizarre. The word originally denoted a system of ritual practices...
mid-90s soap Pacific DrivePacific DrivePacific Drive is an Australian television series made by Village Roadshow in association with New World International for the Nine Network between 1996 and 1997....
. This soap also had a long-running serial-killer storyline – the first victim ironically being Kate Raison's character, Georgina Ellis. - Melissa TkautzMelissa TkautzMelissa Natalie Tkautz is an Australian-Maltese actress, singer, songwriter and model of Austrian and Maltese heritage. Tkautz was married on Friday 6 February 2009 to her partner of 5 years, Kwesi Nicholas.- Early career :...
enjoyed huge popularity during her time on E Street and even left the soap to concentrate on touring and promoting her album which had spawned three hit singles. She was even voted 'Hottest female on Earth' by a teen music magazine. She returned for the last few months of E Street in 1993. After E street Melissa went on to roles in Paradise BeachParadise BeachParadise Beach is an Australian television series made by Village Roadshow Pictures. It is associated with New World Television for the Nine Network that aired between 1993 and 1994...
, Pacific DrivePacific DrivePacific Drive is an Australian television series made by Village Roadshow in association with New World International for the Nine Network between 1996 and 1997....
, Echo PointEcho PointEcho Point was an Australian television soap opera produced by Southern Star Productions for Network Ten in 1995.The series was devised as an attempt by the Ten Network to rival the opposition soap Home and Away on the Seven Network...
, MedivacMedivac (TV series)Medivac was an Australian television drama series that ran on Network Ten from 1996 to 1998. There were 48 episodes produced. Medivac is an abbreviation of the term medical evacuation...
and All SaintsAll Saints (TV series)All Saints is an Australian medical drama which first screened on the Seven Network. The series debuted on 24 February 1998 and concluded its run on 27 October 2009...
. In 2005 she released new music and has since appeared in Swift and Shift CouriersSwift and Shift CouriersSwift and Shift Couriers is an Australian comedy television series that first screened on SBS TV in October 2008. The series is produced, directed and written by Paul Fenech, who was also responsible for the comedy series Pizza. It is set around the staff who work at the 'Swift and Shift' Courier...
on SBS. - Toni PearenToni PearenToni Pearen is an Australian actress, singer, songwriter and TV presenter born in Cronulla, Sydney on 5 June 1972. She initially became recognisable through her role on soap opera E Street from 1989 until 1992. She had a pop music career in the early 1990s which included the release of an album and...
released an album featuring two Top 10 hit singles in the early 90s, later worked on film and television in the US and most recently has found success as a TV presenter hosting Australia's Funniest Home Videos for five years from 2003 to 2008. She later appeared in the 8th series of Australia's Dancing With The StarsDancing with the StarsDancing with the Stars is the name of several international television series based on the format of the British TV series Strictly Come Dancing, which is distributed by BBC Worldwide – the commercial arm of the BBC. Currently the format has been licensed to over 35 countries...
(Sept 2008). - Briony BehetsBriony BehetsBriony Behets is a British-born actress who found fame acting in Australian soap operas of the 1970s.-Early life:...
immediately followed her guest stint in E Street as Margaret Bennett with a three-year run in UK-based soap Families, playing Diana Stevens between 1990 and 1993. - After E Street, Joan SydneyJoan SydneyJoan Sydney is a British actress best known for her work on Australian television, with more than 40 years experience mainly in the genres of soap operas and television serials, but also appearing in mini-series and theatre productions, including "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof", "Talking Heads" and "Dirty...
returned to Wandin Valley as Matron Maggie Sloane in the ill-fated Network 10 version of A Country PracticeA Country PracticeA Country Practice is an Australian television drama series. One of the longest-running of its kind, produced by James Davern of JNP Productions, it ran on the Seven Network for 1,058 episodes from 18 November 1981 to 22 November 1993. It was produced in ATN-7's production facility at Epping,...
in 1994. These days, she has been in the recurring role of Valda Sheergold in NeighboursNeighboursNeighbours is an Australian television soap opera first broadcast on the Seven Network on 18 March 1985. It was created by TV executive Reg Watson, who proposed the idea of making a show that focused on realistic stories and portrayed adults and teenagers who talk openly and solve their problems...
since 2002. - Richard Huggett's character Sonny Bennett killed four E Street favourites and then himself. He subsequently played the thoroughly decent character Glen Donnelly in NeighboursNeighboursNeighbours is an Australian television soap opera first broadcast on the Seven Network on 18 March 1985. It was created by TV executive Reg Watson, who proposed the idea of making a show that focused on realistic stories and portrayed adults and teenagers who talk openly and solve their problems...
, the long-lost son of Jim Robinson. Huggett also appeared in a few episodes of Blue HeelersBlue HeelersBlue Heelers is an Australian police drama series which depicted the lives of police officers stationed at the fictional Mount Thomas police station in a small town in Victoria.- Overview :...
as a boyfriend of Constable Maggie Doyle (played by Lisa McCuneLisa McCuneLisa McCune , is a four-time Gold Logie Award winning Australian actress, best known for her role as Senior Constable Maggie Doyle in Blue Heelers, and as Lt...
). Huggett is currently starring as DC Jeremy Piper in the BBC series Out Of The BlueOut of the Blue (2008 TV series)Out of the Blue is an Australian serial drama commissioned by the BBC, produced by Australia's Southern Star Entertainment. It began screening on BBC One on weekday afternoons on 28 April 2008. The programme attracted lower than desired ratings figures, prompting the broadcaster to shift it to its...
. - Melissa BellMelissa Bell (actress)Melissa Bell is an Australian actress and singer. She was the third actor to play Lucy Robinson in soap opera Neighbours....
spoke the final word in E Street, when she opened her eyes after several weeks in a coma, she looked up and said "Max!" as the rest of the cast looked on around her hospital bedside. She then immediately returned to her previous role as Lucy Robinson in NeighboursNeighboursNeighbours is an Australian television soap opera first broadcast on the Seven Network on 18 March 1985. It was created by TV executive Reg Watson, who proposed the idea of making a show that focused on realistic stories and portrayed adults and teenagers who talk openly and solve their problems...
. - Serge LazareffSerge Lazareff-Acting:Lazareff performed in many Australian television series from the late 1960s to the late 1980s and made numerous appearances in Crawford Productions police shows including Homicide, Division 4, Matlock Police and Chopper Squad. He had a featured part in the 1970 ABC-TV drama series Dynasty...
went on to become a script-writer on E Street, and later, as a writer on Heartbreak HighHeartbreak HighHeartbreak High is an Australian television series that ran for seven years from 1994 to 1999. The series dealt with the students of Hartley High, a tough high school in a multi-racial area of Sydney, and proved to be a more gritty and fast-paced show than many of its contemporaries...
, All SaintsAll Saints (TV series)All Saints is an Australian medical drama which first screened on the Seven Network. The series debuted on 24 February 1998 and concluded its run on 27 October 2009...
and Home and AwayHome and AwayHome and Away is an Australian soap opera that has been produced in Sydney since July 1987 and is airing on the Seven Network since 17 January 1988. It is the second-longest-running drama and most popular soap opera on Australian television...
. He also worked as script editor at NeighboursNeighboursNeighbours is an Australian television soap opera first broadcast on the Seven Network on 18 March 1985. It was created by TV executive Reg Watson, who proposed the idea of making a show that focused on realistic stories and portrayed adults and teenagers who talk openly and solve their problems...
.
Cast
Original Cast- Dr Elly Fielding #1 (Penny CookPenny CookPenny Cook is an Australian actress. She graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art in 1978.Cook first appeared in the 1970s Australian television soap opera The Restless Years...
) 1989-91 (pilot, episodes 1-209) (Diane CraigDiane CraigDiane Mary Craig is an actress born in County Down, Northern Ireland but who is best known for her performances on Australian television....
) (252-404) - Reverend Bob Brown (Tony MartinTony Martin (actor)Tony Martin is an Australian actor. He married Rachael Blake on 21 December 2003. His son, Justin, is also an actor, with appearances in Somersault and Blue Water High to his credit....
) 1989-93 (pilot-384) - Sarah McKillop (Katrina Sedgewick) 1989 (1-50)
- Lisa Bennett (Alyssa-Jane CookAlyssa-Jane CookAlyssa-Jane Cook is an Australian actress.She is best known for her regular role as Lisa Bennett on the Australian television soap opera E Street...
) 1989-92 (pilot-290) - Chris Patchett (Paul Kelman) 1989-91 (pilot-171)
- Sergeant George Sullivan (Leslie DaymanLeslie DaymanLeslie "Les" Dayman is an Australian actor best known for being the fighter of the Nightman.He starred in the crime series Homicide as Senior Detective Bill Hudson during the late 1960s. In the 1980s, he was a major cast member in the soap operas Sons and Daughters and Prisoner...
) 1989-93 (pilot-404) - Martha O'Dare (Cecily PolsonCecily PolsonCecily Polson is an Australian actress, known for her role as Martha O'Dare in the television series E Street having appeared for its four year run from the pilot in 1989 to 1994...
) 1989-93 (pilot-404) - Rhonda Berry (Melanie Solamon) 1989 (pilot-40)
- PC Paul Berry (Warren Jones) 1989-91 (pilot-198)
- Ernie Patchett (Vic Rooney) 1989-90, 1991-93 (pilot-200, 276-404)
- Claire Fielding (Brooke "Mikey" AndersonBrooke Mikey AndersonBrooke Paige "Mikey" Anderson is an Australian actress, who has acted in two episodes of the series Lost....
) 1989-91, 1991-92 (pilot-209, 235-320) †
Further Cast 1989-1993
- David Fielding (Noel HoddaNoel HoddaNoel Hodda is an Australian actor, writer, dramaturge, director and teacher.He is a graduate of The National Institute of Dramatic Art at the University of New South Wales in Sydney.-Stage Work:...
) 1989-91 (pilot-209, recurring until ep 90) - Miki Fallon (Peta ToppanoPeta ToppanoPeta Toppano is an actress who found success in Australian television. She is best known for her roles in popular television series such as The Young Doctors, Prisoner, and Home & Away, as well as Return to Eden in which she played a "superbitch".-Early life:Toppano was born in Finsbury Park,...
) 1989-90 (1-51) - Margaret Bennett (Briony BehetsBriony BehetsBriony Behets is a British-born actress who found fame acting in Australian soap operas of the 1970s.-Early life:...
) 1989-90 (11-66) - Sam Bulmer (Serge LazareffSerge Lazareff-Acting:Lazareff performed in many Australian television series from the late 1960s to the late 1980s and made numerous appearances in Crawford Productions police shows including Homicide, Division 4, Matlock Police and Chopper Squad. He had a featured part in the 1970 ABC-TV drama series Dynasty...
) 1989-90 (11-62) - Daniel Windsor (Chris Orchard) 1989-90 (50-106)
- Toni Windsor (Toni PearenToni PearenToni Pearen is an Australian actress, singer, songwriter and TV presenter born in Cronulla, Sydney on 5 June 1972. She initially became recognisable through her role on soap opera E Street from 1989 until 1992. She had a pop music career in the early 1990s which included the release of an album and...
) 1989-92 (52-368) - Tom Windsor (Andrew Ferguson) 1989-90 (52-106, 150-155)
- Simon Windsor (Trent Newman) 1989-90 (52-106)
- Sally Windsor (Emma Scanlon) 1989-90 (52-106)
- Jennifer St. James (Virginia HeyVirginia HeyVirginia Hey is an Australian actress, known for her role as Pa'u Zotoh Zhaan on the science fiction TV series Farscape....
) 1989-90 (54-105) - Stanley "Wheels" Kovak (Marcus GrahamMarcus GrahamMarcus Graham is an Australian television and stage actor who has also starred in several films, including Mulholland Drive and Josh Jarman. He was known as a teenage heartthrob in the early 90s while starring in the Australian TV soap E Street as the character "Wheels"...
) 1989 (55-86), 1991-92 (235-302) - Alice Sullivan (Marianne Howard) 1989-1992 (58-290), 1993 (400-404)
- Megan Patchett (née Bromley) (Lisbeth Kennally) 1989-90 (66-171)
- JoJo (Kelley AbbeyKelley AbbeyKelley Abbey is an Australian actress, choreographer, singer and dancer. She has been a leading performer and choreographer in TV, film and musical theatre for more than 20 years....
) 1989 (74-86), 1991-93 (254-404) - Harley Brown (Malcolm Kennard) 1989-92 (82-236)
- Abby Rossiter (Chelsea BrownChelsea BrownChelsea Brown, born , Chicago, Illinois, is an African-American actress who appeared as a regular performer in comedy series Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In.Guest roles include appearances in Marcus Welby, M.D., Ironside, Matt Lincoln...
) 1989-90 (89-171) - Auntie Vi Patchett (Bunney BrookeBunney BrookeBunney Brooke was an Australian actress best known for her television acting roles including the long-running role of Flo Patterson in soap opera Number 96 in the 1970s, and Vi Patchett in E Street in 1990.Brooke was adopted at an early age and had an unhappy early life...
) 1990-91 (98-220) - Sonny Bennett (Richard Huggett) 1989-90 (109-172)
- Kim Talbot (Rebecca SaundersRebecca Saunders-Biography:Saunders studied violin and composition at the University of Edinburgh. This was followed by a scholarship from the DAAD from 1991 to 1994 to study composition at the Hochschule für Musik Karlsruhe with Wolfgang Rihm, and in 1997 a doctorate in composition with Nigel Osborne.She has...
) 1990 (109-166) - PC Max Simmons (Bruce SamazanBruce SamazanBruce Samazan is an Australian actor who appeared in several soap operas and drama series on Australian television, the only actor to have played regular roles in Australia's "Big Three" soap operas of the 1990s .-E Street:Samazan was a brickie's labourer, until 1989 when he accompanied his...
) 1990-93 (114-404) - Nikki Spencer (Melissa TkautzMelissa TkautzMelissa Natalie Tkautz is an Australian-Maltese actress, singer, songwriter and model of Austrian and Maltese heritage. Tkautz was married on Friday 6 February 2009 to her partner of 5 years, Kwesi Nicholas.- Early career :...
) 1990-93 (160-404) - Zac Spencer (Daniel Knight) 1990-91 (160-272)
- Michael Sturgess (Graham HarveyGraham HarveyGraham Harvey is an Australian actor, best known for his roles in television soap operas.His credits include: The Sullivans , The Young Doctors , Return to Eden , E Street and Neighbours .-External links:...
) 1990 (141-148), 1990-91 (171-262) - Dr Susan Franklin (Anne TenneyAnne TenneyAnne Tenney is an Australian film and television actress, probably best known for her role as Molly Jones in the television drama A Country Practice and as Sal Kerrigan in The Castle.-Career:...
) 1990 (171-176) - Sheridan Sturgess (Kate RaisonKate RaisonKate Raison is an Australian actress, best known for her roles on television, including Cathy Hayden in A Country Practice, Sheridan Sturgess in E Street and Georgina Ellis in Pacific Drive....
) 1990-92 (178-302) - Craig "C.J." Jones (Adrian Lee) 1990-92 (186-368)
- Dr Virginia Travis (Julieanne NewbouldJulieanne NewbouldJulieanne Newbould is an Australian actress who first came to prominence in the 1970s.She was a popular original cast member in soap opera The Restless Years. The series started in late 1977; Newbould left the series in early 1979. She later played two roles in Prisoner. She appeared first in 1982...
) 1991 (203-254) - Joey Valentine (Lorry D'er Cole) 1991-92
- Mary Patchett (Joan SydneyJoan SydneyJoan Sydney is a British actress best known for her work on Australian television, with more than 40 years experience mainly in the genres of soap operas and television serials, but also appearing in mini-series and theatre productions, including "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof", "Talking Heads" and "Dirty...
) 1991-92 (224-276) - Stephen Richardson #1 (Vince MartinVince Martin (actor)Vince Martin or Vin Martin , born Vincent Markesteijn, is a television and film actor. He mostly acted in film and television productions in Australia, where he was raised and started his career....
) 1991-92 (248-290, Olav Evensen from episode 299-318) - Sergeant Roy Harrison (John ClaytonJohn Clayton (actor)John Clayton was an Australian actor.He was best known for his television work, with credits including: Division 4, Rush, The Outsiders, Chopper Squad, A Country Practice, The Flying Doctors, E Street, Police Rescue, Blue Heelers, Water Rats, Wildside, Farscape, Grass Roots and All...
) 1991 (265-270) - Jamie Newman (Scott McRae) 1992-93 (277-396)
- Penny O'Brien (Josephine MitchellJosephine MitchellJosephine Mitchell is an Australian actress, best known for her role as Jo Loveday in the television soap opera A Country Practice. She has subsequently appeared in Home and Away, E Street, Neighbours and All Saints....
) 1992-93 (284-404) - Charlie O'Brien (Prue McGuire) 1992-93 (286-404)
- PC Sam Farrell (Simon BakerSimon BakerSimon Baker is an Australian actor. Since 2008, he has starred in the CBS television series The Mentalist.-Early life:...
) 1992-93 (293-404) - Amy Preston (Rebecca RiggRebecca RiggRebecca Rigg is an Australian actress. She was once best known by Australian audiences as the bratty but troubled teenager, Gabrielle "Gabe" Baker, in the 1980s drama series A Country Practice.- Early life and career :...
) 1992 (299-320) - Jack Brown (Andrew Williams) 1992-93 (321-404)
- Bonnie Tate (Melissa BellMelissa Bell (actress)Melissa Bell is an Australian actress and singer. She was the third actor to play Lucy Robinson in soap opera Neighbours....
) 1992-93 (347-404) †† - Sally McKinnon (Joanna LockwoodJoanna LockwoodJoanna Lockwood is an Australian actress who has played regular roles in various television series. After completing a brief stint in the closing episodes of soap opera Number 96 in 1977 she played the on-going lead role of police officer's wife and former stripper Valerie Johnson in police drama...
) 1992-93 (369-404) - Laura Fielding (Antoinette Byron) 1993 (361-404)
† credited as Brooke 'Mikey' Anderson.
†† Melissa Bell also played a minor character called Janine in 1989, before joining Neighbours.
Broadcast History
AustraliaNetwork Ten
Network Ten
Network Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country...
Tuesday 24 January 1989 - Thursday 13 May 1993
Tuesdays and Thursdays 19.30
Repeated the first 184 episodes (1989 and 1990 seasons) during 2000 to 2001 at 05.00.
United Kingdom
Sky One
Pilot episode screened Sunday 5 April 1992 at 14.00 and 20.00.
From Monday 6 April 1992, E Street commenced with episode 47 and screened Monday to Friday at 18.30-19.00 with a repeat the following afternoon at 1pm.
11 September 1993, episode 252, E Street was moved to weekend daytime slots and was shown in hour-long episodes on Saturdays 18.00-19.00 and Sundays 13.00-14.00. This was briefly to accommodate Paradise Beach
Paradise Beach
Paradise Beach is an Australian television series made by Village Roadshow Pictures. It is associated with New World Television for the Nine Network that aired between 1993 and 1994...
in the 18.30 weekday slot but ultimately became an extremely unpopular scheduling decision.
On Tuesday, 4 January 1994, E Street returned to the 18.30 timeslot with the afternoon repeat now at 12.30p.m, thus creating an 'Aussie Soap Hour' with Paradise Beach
Paradise Beach
Paradise Beach is an Australian television series made by Village Roadshow Pictures. It is associated with New World Television for the Nine Network that aired between 1993 and 1994...
which aired 12.00/18.00.
E Street remained popular in the UK, despite its cancellation in Australia. During September 1994, a year and a half after it last aired Down Under, E Street was moved to the primetime 19.00 slot and the final episode 404 screened on Monday 27th-Tuesday 28 February 1995 as 2 half-hour episodes.
Sky One did not transmit Episodes 1 to 46 of E Street. Subsequent episodes were customised and heavily edited for transmission on Sky One. This included heavy soundtrack changes, major cuts of violent and unsuitable scenes (Episodes 170, 254 and 260 are examples) and a different closing sequence, removing advertising and music credits.
E Street has never been repeated in the UK.
Theme and Titles
The original episodes of E Street had a lengthy opening title sequence made up of clips from the pilot and first episodes and was accompanied by a slow, jazzy theme tune. However, when the series relaunched 6 months later at Episode 47, the entire sequence, including the E Street logo, was replaced by a specially compiled montage of the contract cast, cleverly linked together with a paint-brush wipe effect. Episode 51 introduced a more upbeat and funky theme tune, replacing the previous soulless version. These changes perfectly encapsulated the new image the programme was trying to convey and attract a wider audience.This design of opening titles and music lasted until Episode 134, featuring only minor alterations as characters came and went. From Episode 135, however, the opening title sequence was dropped and replaced with a re-cap of the previous episode, an aerial view of Eden Street with the E Street logo forming, followed by establishing shots of the area with writer and producer credits. Sometimes, the previous episode cliffhanger would be played after the short sequence and continue uninterrupted into the episode. This practice was common with Network Ten stable-mate Neighbours
Neighbours
Neighbours is an Australian television soap opera first broadcast on the Seven Network on 18 March 1985. It was created by TV executive Reg Watson, who proposed the idea of making a show that focused on realistic stories and portrayed adults and teenagers who talk openly and solve their problems...
, which similarly dropped its opening credits in 1990 in favour of a short re-cap, brief titles accompanied by a music sting. This opening to E Street remained until its final episodes, although Neighbours reinstated an opening sequence in 1992. More recently, Home and Away
Home and Away
Home and Away is an Australian soap opera that has been produced in Sydney since July 1987 and is airing on the Seven Network since 17 January 1988. It is the second-longest-running drama and most popular soap opera on Australian television...
now frequently open episodes with a re-cap, brief title screen and 5 second music sting, much like E Street in the early 1990s.
The end title sequence remained unchanged, with credits rolling over an aerial shot of Westside during nighttime. The original theme for the closing credits was 2 minutes in duration, and was changed from Episode 51 to the updated version, an extended mix of the music now used for the opening titles.
On the original Australian credits, there were several sponsorship credits that were removed from UK broadcasts. A different music soundtrack was also used on the international version of E Street, but can be heard uncut on the recent DVD release of the series.
Awards
E Street and the cast have won and been nominated for several Logies during the shows four year run.Logies won:
- Most Popular Series (in 1992)
- Most Popular Actor (to Bruce SamazanBruce SamazanBruce Samazan is an Australian actor who appeared in several soap operas and drama series on Australian television, the only actor to have played regular roles in Australia's "Big Three" soap operas of the 1990s .-E Street:Samazan was a brickie's labourer, until 1989 when he accompanied his...
in 1992) - Most Popular New Talent (to Richard HuggettRichard HuggettRichard John Huggett is a British citizen noted for standing in a variety of elections using descriptions which were similar, but not identical, to those of established political parties, leading to this practice being outlawed under the Registration of Political Parties Act 1998.Most notably he...
in 1991 and Simon BakerSimon BakerSimon Baker is an Australian actor. Since 2008, he has starred in the CBS television series The Mentalist.-Early life:...
in 1993)
Logies Nominated:
- Gold Logie (to Bruce SamazanBruce SamazanBruce Samazan is an Australian actor who appeared in several soap operas and drama series on Australian television, the only actor to have played regular roles in Australia's "Big Three" soap operas of the 1990s .-E Street:Samazan was a brickie's labourer, until 1989 when he accompanied his...
in 1993) - Most Popular Actor (to Marcus GrahamMarcus GrahamMarcus Graham is an Australian television and stage actor who has also starred in several films, including Mulholland Drive and Josh Jarman. He was known as a teenage heartthrob in the early 90s while starring in the Australian TV soap E Street as the character "Wheels"...
in 1992; Bruce SamazanBruce SamazanBruce Samazan is an Australian actor who appeared in several soap operas and drama series on Australian television, the only actor to have played regular roles in Australia's "Big Three" soap operas of the 1990s .-E Street:Samazan was a brickie's labourer, until 1989 when he accompanied his...
in 1993) - Most Popular Actress (to Kate RaisonKate RaisonKate Raison is an Australian actress, best known for her roles on television, including Cathy Hayden in A Country Practice, Sheridan Sturgess in E Street and Georgina Ellis in Pacific Drive....
in 1992; Toni PearenToni PearenToni Pearen is an Australian actress, singer, songwriter and TV presenter born in Cronulla, Sydney on 5 June 1972. She initially became recognisable through her role on soap opera E Street from 1989 until 1992. She had a pop music career in the early 1990s which included the release of an album and...
in 1993) - Most Popular Series (in 1993)
- Most Popular New Talent (to Marcus GrahamMarcus GrahamMarcus Graham is an Australian television and stage actor who has also starred in several films, including Mulholland Drive and Josh Jarman. He was known as a teenage heartthrob in the early 90s while starring in the Australian TV soap E Street as the character "Wheels"...
in 1990; Melissa TkautzMelissa TkautzMelissa Natalie Tkautz is an Australian-Maltese actress, singer, songwriter and model of Austrian and Maltese heritage. Tkautz was married on Friday 6 February 2009 to her partner of 5 years, Kwesi Nicholas.- Early career :...
in 1992)
Reunion
On 20 August 2006, several cast members were reunited on the Australian TV series Where Are They NowWhere Are They Now
"Where Are They Now" is a song recorded by English Oi!/punk rock band Cock Sparrer in 1982, from their album Shock Troops. The lyrics comment on the previous six years of the punk subculture. The song portrays the early years of the punk movement in a negative light, bemoaning the lack of...
, broadcast on Seven Network
Seven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
.http://au.blogs.yahoo.com/where-are-they-now/3/episode-2e-street The cast members that appeared on the programme were Marcus Graham
Marcus Graham
Marcus Graham is an Australian television and stage actor who has also starred in several films, including Mulholland Drive and Josh Jarman. He was known as a teenage heartthrob in the early 90s while starring in the Australian TV soap E Street as the character "Wheels"...
(Wheels), Alyssa-Jane Cook
Alyssa-Jane Cook
Alyssa-Jane Cook is an Australian actress.She is best known for her regular role as Lisa Bennett on the Australian television soap opera E Street...
(Lisa Bennett), Melissa Tkautz
Melissa Tkautz
Melissa Natalie Tkautz is an Australian-Maltese actress, singer, songwriter and model of Austrian and Maltese heritage. Tkautz was married on Friday 6 February 2009 to her partner of 5 years, Kwesi Nicholas.- Early career :...
(Nikki Spencer), Bruce Samazan
Bruce Samazan
Bruce Samazan is an Australian actor who appeared in several soap operas and drama series on Australian television, the only actor to have played regular roles in Australia's "Big Three" soap operas of the 1990s .-E Street:Samazan was a brickie's labourer, until 1989 when he accompanied his...
(Max Simmons), Melissa Bell
Melissa Bell (actress)
Melissa Bell is an Australian actress and singer. She was the third actor to play Lucy Robinson in soap opera Neighbours....
(Bonnie Tate) and Brooke Anderson
Brooke Anderson
Brooke Victoria Anderson is co-host of The Insider. Previously, she was a culture and entertainment anchor and producer for CNN and served as co-host for Showbiz Tonight on HLN. Based in CNN's Los Angeles, California bureau, Anderson joined the network in July 2000.Anderson graduated in 2000 with...
(Claire Fielding). The studio guests were joined via a satellite link-up to Vince Martin
Vince Martin (actor)
Vince Martin or Vin Martin , born Vincent Markesteijn, is a television and film actor. He mostly acted in film and television productions in Australia, where he was raised and started his career....
who starred as the show's most memorable character, Mr Bad.
DVD release
In August 2007, E Street was finally released on DVD, through Umbrella Entertainment, who have also released celebratory DVD sets of other Australian soap operas, The Young DoctorsThe Young Doctors
The Young Doctors is an Australian early evening soap opera. The series was set in the fictional Albert Memorial hospital and primarily concerned with romances between younger members of the hospital staff, screened on the Nine Network from Monday, 8 November 1976 until Wednesday, 30 March...
and Sons and Daughters
Sons and Daughters (Australian TV series)
Sons and Daughters was a Logie Award winning Australian soap opera created by Reg Watson and produced by the Reg Grundy Organisation between 1981 and 1987. The first episode aired in December 1981, during the Christmas/New Year non-ratings period, and the official broadcast date of the final...
. The first boxset called "The Best of Mr Bad Volume 1" is a 5-disc set and, unusually for this kind of release, features 20 consecutive episodes from 253 to 272, that originally aired in 1991 (1993-94 in the UK). The set tells the beginning of the notorious Mr Bad storyline which achieved massive viewing figures when they originally aired. Commentaries on episode 272 are provided by Bruce Samazan (Max) and Melissa Tkautz (Nikki) with Australian soap expert Andrew Mercado.
A second 5-disc DVD set, "The Best of Mr Bad Part 2" was released on 3 December 2007, and once again, contained consecutive episodes from 273 to 292, which continued the long-running Stephen Richardson/Mr Bad storyline. Episode 288 features revealing commentary provided by E Street creator and executive Producer, Forrest Redlich.
External links
- E Street - The Tribute. Comprehensive site. Complete episode guide for episodes aired in the UK, extensive photo gallery, up to date DVD information and links to clips of the series on YouTube.
- Aussie Soap Archive: E Street. A detailed feature documenting the E Street journey on and off screen.
- E Street at the National Film and Sound Archive