Jonah

1 9 6 2 – 1 9 6 3 (Australia)
19 x 30 minute episodes

This Australian historical series from ATN7 told the story of Jonah Locke (Brian James), a shrewd merchant trader in the early days of the Australian colony.

Neil Fitzpatrick co-starred as Jonah’s headstrong nephew and junior partner, Brett Hamilton. Hilary Bamberger played Ann Parry, a 20-year-old convict girl who acted as Jonah’s housekeeper and formed a romantic attachment for Brett.

Living in Sydney between 1840 and 1850, Jonah encountered various historical figures of the time – including explorer Ludwig Leichhardt (Clement McCallin), merchant Ben Boyd (Colin Croft), feminist reformer Caroline Chisholm (Muriel Steinbeck) and NSW Governor Sir George Gipps (Ron Haddrick).

The self-contained storylines found Jonah mixed up in events including a gold strike in Sydney’s Blue Mountains; the construction of a railway line to the Hunter Valley; squatters battling with new settlers; a clash between William Wentworth (James Condon) and Henry Parkes; and assisting his old friend Lin Fong (Alan Tobin) – the head of the Chinese Community at Lambing Flat – in a clash between Chinese and white settlers.

Jonah was produced at the Artransa Park television centre in French’s Forest, Sydney. The series was also sold to ATV in England – a massive breakthrough for Australian television drama at the time.

Jonah Locke
Brian James
Ann Parry
Hilary Bamberger
Brett Hamilton
Neil Fitzpatrick
Governor Sir George Gipps
Ron Haddrick
Jamey
Vaughan Tracey
William Charles Wentworth
James Condon
Horton Depenn
John Faasen
James Brown
Tom Farley
Commodore Styles
Moray Powell
Dorothea Styles
Noeline Brown
Pockton
Owen Weingott
Rosa
Judith Arthy
Lady Jane Franklin
Gwen Plumb
Morgan
Wyn Roberts
Captain Zouch
Deryck Barnes
Reverend John Dunmore-Lang
Henry Gilbert
Black Henry O’Brien
Chris Christensen
William Light
John Barnard
Dr Ludwig Leichhardt
Clement McCallin
Wilkins
Walter Pym
Ben Boyd
Colin Croft
Kate Winslow
Brigid Lenihan
Captain Duff
Donald Phillips
Neil Fitzpatrick
Brett Hamilton
Ed Curr
Lionel Pearcey
Lin Fong
Alan Tobin
Count Strzelecki
Hans Farkash
Monahan
Robert McPhee
Caroline Chisolm
Muriel Steinbeck
Mathew Crawford
Richard Davies
Pompy
Moya O’Sullivan
Colonel Keck
Al Thomas
Captain Westcote
Denis Doonan
Fairy Mortimer
Lyndall Barbour
Chief Te Rauparaha
Harry Willis
John Tunstall
Alan Herbert
Purity Tunstall
Tanya Halesworth

Episodes

No Time for Despair | A Tale of Two Bees | A Ring Around Rosa | The Wrong Hands | Freedom for Port Phillip | A Nest of Hornets | The Hashemy | The Marquis of Mullambimbee | Black Henry | The Railroader | The Coal Mutiny | Where is Adelaide? | The Seekers | This Piece of Earth | The Damned of Darlinghurst | A Plague on Both Your Houses | The Treaty of South Island | Ship of Fame | The Man from Myall Creek