Historically significant as the first musical comedy specially written for Australian television, Pardon Miss Westcott aired as part of an anthology series titled Shell Presents.
The production was broadcast live in Sydney on 12 December 1959. It was repeated a week later on 19 December for Melbourne audiences.
The story follows Elizabeth Westcott (Wendy Blacklock, who went on to fame as “Mummy” in the top-rated 1970s Aussie drama Number 96) as she is transported from England to Australia in 1809 to serve a five-year sentence for killing a pig and serving it to a pompous magistrate at her father’s inn.
During the sea journey to Botany Bay, Elizabeth befriends three fellow convicts – Mansfield (Chris Christensen), Harbutt (Michael Walshe), and Snark (Nat Levison) – and captures the heart of a politically liberal army officer, Lt. Richard Soames (Michael Cole), who is being transferred to the NSW Corps.
In Sydney, she is assigned to work for the acting governor, Colonel Paterson (Nigel Lovell), which sparks heavy jealousy from the governor’s wife, Lydia (Queenie Ashton).
Granted a ticket-of-leave, Elizabeth eventually opens her own tavern (The Silver Bottle), navigating drunken soldiers, chaotic convict friends, and high-society rivals before reaching a happy ending.
Elizabeth Westcott
Wendy Blacklock Lt Richard Soames
Michael Cole Colonel Patterson, acting Governor of NSW
Nigel Lovell Lydia Patterson
Queenie Ashton Mansfield
Chris Christensen Snark
Nat Levison Harbutt
Michael Walshe Mog McGuire
Joy Hill Corporal
Don Crosby Ensign Randall
Frank Sheldon Lt Collins
Don McIntyre Dancers
Joy Hill
Frank Sheldon
Margaret Abbie
Frank Salter
Paul Munro
Bruce Harris
Dawn Bowden
Don McIntyre
Judy Maxwell
Kevin Fruend
Chris George
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The story follows Elizabeth Westcott (Wendy Blacklock, who went on to fame as “Mummy” in the top-rated 1970s Aussie drama Number 96) as she is transported from England to Australia in 1809 to serve a five-year sentence for killing a pig and serving it to a pompous magistrate at her father’s inn.
