People Next Door, The

1 9 7 3 (Australia)
20 x 30 minute episodes

This half-hour black & white comedy series from the Australian Nine Network was a spin-off from The Godfathers and featured two of the characters from that show – Social Worker Elizabeth Dent (Tina Grenville) and lodger Dave Milson (Harold Hopkins).

Elizabeth had now married Bill Dunstan (Alan Lander) and the couple had taken in Dave Milson as their boarder.

The “people next door” were the Penrose family, headed by eccentric vegetarian author Daniel (Deryck Barnes). He had three children, 23-year-old Meg (Tina Bursill), 19-year-old Martin (Kevin Wilson) and 11-year-old BJ (John Stanwell), through whose eyes much of the storyline was seen.

Daniel’s publisher and manager Joanna Church (Diana Davidson) also had designs on becoming the next Mrs Penrose.

The Nine Network commissioned 48 episodes but the show was cancelled after only 20 were made.

Daniel Penrose
Deryck Barnes
Meg Penrose
Tina Bursill
Martin Penrose
Kevin Wilson
BJ Penrose
John Stanwell
Elizabeth Dent/Dunstan
Tina Grenville
Bill Dunstan
Alan Lander
Dave Milson
Harold Hopkins
Kate Dunstan
Doreen Warburton
Joanna Church
Diana Davidson
Pete Fairhall
Michael Laurence

Episodes

Hands Across The Fence | One Small Match Maker | A Tiny Touch Of Tonsil Trouble | A Rabbit In Love | The Portrait | Foureyes | That’s Your Story | The Box And BJ | A Guru Loose | The Man Who Came To Dinner | Handing Down The Budget | I See A Long Journey | The Last Minute Waltz | Daniel And God | The Camping Trip | The Hair Raisers | The Terrifying Green-Eyed Monster | Just An Old Fashioned Wedding | Lark In The Dark | Please God, Send Me Muscles