Remembering the night Aussie television lost its virginity

March 13, 1972 marked a momentous time in Australian television history. Hailed by many of the country’s newspapers as the night television lost its virginity, the adults-only series Number 96 made its first appearance on screens and soon became the most talked about show on the box.

Set in an small four-storey inner city apartment block at 96 Lindsay Street, Paddington (actually Moncur Street, Woollahra), the show’s creators Don Cash and Bill Harmon produced the series for what was then known as the ATV0 station (the predecessor of Network Ten). The station had had requested a Coronation Street-type soap opera serial, and specifically one that explored adult subjects, in an effort to boost its ratings.

The premise, original story outlines, and the original characters were devised by David Sale, who also wrote the scripts for the first episodes and continued as script editor for much of the show’s run.

Number 96 certainly met the criteria.

It was controversial and ahead of its time. It was naughty and sexy, funny and daring.

Number 96 tackled many taboo subjects including, sex, nudity, murder, homosexuality, interracial relationships, pensioners, drug addicts, and backyard abortionists. It was considered truly revolutionary, and raced to the top of the ratings making its cast — and the characters they played — household names. Who could forget Abigail as Bev Houghton, or Johnny Lockwood as loveable deli owner Aldo Godolfus, or Pat McDonald as the building’s busybody, Dorrie.

So popular was Number 96 that is ran nightly, five days a week from 8:30pm from its launch in March 1972 until August 11, 1977. It spawned a feature film adaptation, filmed in December 1973, which became one of the most profitable Australian movies ever made.

The series was also known for its groundbreaking sex scenes and nudity, and for its comedy characters.

Number 96 included the first live-in gay lovers depicted on television anywhere in the world, Australian television’s first interracial couple, and a brief appearance from Carlotta as a pioneering transgender character.

There were regular cliffhangers and ongoing mysteries, including the notorious ‘Knicker Snipper’, and ‘Pantyhose Murderer’, storylines thanks to the clever combination of heightened drama and smart comedy.

When several of the show’s most loved characters were killed off in a bomb plot, Number 96 suffered. Ratings began to slide and the show was axed.

How old were you when Number 96 came to television screens? Did you enjoy watching the series?