The Henderson Kids
Encyclopedia
The Henderson Kids was an Australia
n television
series made by Crawford Productions
for Network Ten
between 1985 and 1987. It was created and storylined by Roger Moulton, who also wrote 5 episodes in the first series and 2 episodes in the second series.
The series follows a teenage brother and sister, Steve (Paul Smith
) and Tamara (Nadine Garner
). They are forced to leave the city and move to the country to live with their uncle Mike (Nicholas Eadie
) after their mother Alice (Diane Craig
) is hit by a truck and killed. Mike is a police officer in the fictional town of Haven Bay.
The Henderson kids making a new life in Haven Bay and making friends with the local gang. They were Ted Morgan (Ben Mendelsohn
), Colin "Cowboy" Clarke (Mark Hennessy), Charlotte "Char" Kernow (Kylie Minogue
) and Brian "Brains" Buchanan (Bradley Kilpatrick).
Steve and Tamara defend the family land, Hendersons' Point, against the schemes of ruthless businessman Ashley Wheeler (Peter Whitford). To compound matters, Steve falls in love with Wheeler's gorgeous daughter Sylvia (Annie Jones
).
Several well known actors played guest roles in the series. They included Tottie Goldsmith
, Kevin Harrington, Peter O'Brien, Stefan Dennis
, and Jane Hall
who, like Minogue, Kilpatrick and Jones, went on to appear in Neighbours
. Antoinette Byron also had a role in the series.
The Haven Bay set footage was filmed in Birregurra, Victoria
.
). They had a new gang of friends, including Vincent "Vinnie" Cerantonio (Alex Papps
), twins Carol (Anita Cerdic) and Marty Summers (Nathan Croft), and Brian "Brains" Buchanan, a holdover from the original series.
The Westport footage was filmed in Williamstown
, Melbourne
.
Nadine Garner won a TV Week Logie Award
in 1985, and a Television Society of Australia Penguin Award (1987) for her portrayal of Tamara ("Tam") Henderson.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
series made by Crawford Productions
Crawford Productions
Crawford Productions is an Australian television production company founded by Hector Crawford; the present incarnation of the company, Crawfords Australia, is now a subsidiary of the WIN television corporation.-History:...
for Network 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...
between 1985 and 1987. It was created and storylined by Roger Moulton, who also wrote 5 episodes in the first series and 2 episodes in the second series.
The series follows a teenage brother and sister, Steve (Paul Smith
Paul Smith (Australian actor)
Paul Smith is a former Australian actor, most known for his role as the original Simon in the television sitcom Hey Dad...!, and as Steve in the children's series The Henderson Kids....
) and Tamara (Nadine Garner
Nadine Garner
Nadine Lynette Garner is an Australian actress.-Biography:Garner first came to public attention in 1985, as Tamara Henderson in the Australian TV series, The Henderson Kids, and then in her debut film The Still Point...
). They are forced to leave the city and move to the country to live with their uncle Mike (Nicholas Eadie
Nicholas Eadie
Nicholas Eadie is an Australian television actor.Born in Sydney, New South Wales to actor and Australian Broadcasting Commission radio announcer Mervyn Eadie, he attended Waverley College from 1968 to 1976, studied Arts at University of New England for one year in 1977, and studied at the National...
) after their mother Alice (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....
) is hit by a truck and killed. Mike is a police officer in the fictional town of Haven Bay.
The Henderson kids making a new life in Haven Bay and making friends with the local gang. They were Ted Morgan (Ben Mendelsohn
Ben Mendelsohn
Paul Benjamin "Ben" Mendelsohn is an Australian actor.-Early life:Mendelsohn was born in Melbourne, Australia, the son of Carole Ann and Frederick Mendelsohn. He attended Heidelberg Primary School and Banyule High School. His father is a prominent medical researcher who heads the Howard Florey...
), Colin "Cowboy" Clarke (Mark Hennessy), Charlotte "Char" Kernow (Kylie Minogue
Kylie Minogue
Kylie Ann Minogue, OBE - often known simply as Kylie - is an Australian singer, recording artist, songwriter, and actress. After beginning her career as a child actress on Australian television, she achieved recognition through her role in the television soap opera Neighbours, before commencing...
) and Brian "Brains" Buchanan (Bradley Kilpatrick).
Steve and Tamara defend the family land, Hendersons' Point, against the schemes of ruthless businessman Ashley Wheeler (Peter Whitford). To compound matters, Steve falls in love with Wheeler's gorgeous daughter Sylvia (Annie Jones
Annie Jones (actress)
Annie Jones is an Australian actress who is best known for her role as Jane Harris in the soap opera Neighbours. She has won 2 Logie Awards.-Biography:...
).
Several well known actors played guest roles in the series. They included Tottie Goldsmith
Tottie Goldsmith
Tottie Goldsmith is an Australian actress and singer.-Biography:Goldsmith is the daughter of Melbourne restaurateur and nightclub owner Brian Goldsmith and British-born actress Rona Newton-John. Her great grandfather was German physicist and Nobel Prize winner Max Born...
, Kevin Harrington, Peter O'Brien, Stefan Dennis
Stefan Dennis
Stefan Dennis is an Australian actor, best known for playing the role of Paul Robinson in the soap opera, Neighbours, from its first episode in March 1985 to the present day...
, and Jane Hall
Jane Hall (actress)
Jane Hall is an Australian actress and comedian.-Biography:Born in Melbourne, Hall grew up in the Dandenong Ranges....
who, like Minogue, Kilpatrick and Jones, went on to appear in 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...
. Antoinette Byron also had a role in the series.
The Haven Bay set footage was filmed in Birregurra, Victoria
Birregurra, Victoria
Birregurra is a town in Victoria, Australia approximately 130 km south-west of Melbourne. At the 2006 census, Birregurra had a population of 688....
.
Series two
A second series, set in the fictional bayside suburb of Westport followed in 1987. This had Steve and Tamara living in the city again, with their father Walter "Wal" Mullens (Michael AitkensMichael Aitkens
Michael Aitkens is a British writer of drama scripts for movies, television, and the traditional stage. He is well known in the UK for the BAFTA nominated BBC situation comedy Waiting for God, first shown in 1990. He has written for many of the UK's favourite drama and comedy series.Michael...
). They had a new gang of friends, including Vincent "Vinnie" Cerantonio (Alex Papps
Alex Papps
Alex Papps is an Australian actor and television host, who is best known for his role on soap opera Home and Away and as a host of The Factory...
), twins Carol (Anita Cerdic) and Marty Summers (Nathan Croft), and Brian "Brains" Buchanan, a holdover from the original series.
The Westport footage was filmed in Williamstown
Williamstown, Victoria
Williamstown is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 8 km south-west from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Hobsons Bay. At the 2006 Census, Williamstown had a population of 12,733....
, Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
.
Nadine Garner won a TV Week Logie Award
Logie Award
The TV Week Logie Awards are the Australian television industry awards, which have been presented annually since 1959. Renamed by Graham Kennedy in 1960 after he won the first 'Star Of The Year' award, the name 'Logie' awards honours John Logie Baird, a Scotsman who invented the television as a...
in 1985, and a Television Society of Australia Penguin Award (1987) for her portrayal of Tamara ("Tam") Henderson.