Brass Monkeys (Twelve Below)

1 9 8 0 (Australia)
1 x 30 minute pilot episode
1 9 8 3 – 1 9 8 4 (Australia)
13 x 30 minute episodes

The Australian comedy series Brass Monkeys from the Seven network was based on a 1980 pilot called Twelve Below, starring amiable theatrical ham Noel Ferrier, who described the show as “M*A*S*H on ice”.

Ferrier played the officer in charge, affectionately known as “OIC” (pronounced “oik”). His residence, naturally enough, was “the Oikery”.

The series revolved around a group of men working at the Australian Mawson base in Antarctica who are suddenly joined by a pretty female doctor.

The cast of the pilot also included Colin McEwan as a mad Russian, Jeff Ashby as a character called the Ferret, and Cornelia Frances (formerly Sister Scott of The Young Doctors), promoted here to doctor.

Only McEwan remained for the series. The new cast included Aussie comedy stalwarts Graeme ‘Alvin Purple‘ Blundell and Paul Chubb.

SERIES

Noddy
Graeme Blundell
Big Eye
Paul Chubb
OIC
Kev Golsby
Rex
Ross Hohnen
Dr Sally Newman
Margie McCrae
Nick
Colin McEwan
Cookie
Doug Scroope
Martin Lightfoot
Bill Young

PILOT

OIC
Noel Ferrier
Noddy
Robert Hughes
Dr Sally Newman
Cornelia Frances
Nick
Colin McEwan
Ferret
Jeff Ashby