AustLit

In the year 4000AD, after suffering a terrible injury, Andra receives a brain transplant from a donor who died in 1987. With this new brain tissue, she realises for the first time how repressive her world's regime is, and leads a rebellion against the ruling powers.

Like many relatively short-lived programs from the 1970s, Andra is now extremely obscure: as with its predecessor Alpha Scorpio, rumours abound that the master tapes have been destroyed.

Andra is also subject to a number of misconceptions. Albert Moran, for example, notes that the program is a sequel to Alpha Scorpio. (Nor is Moran the only source for this statement.) Andra, which is based on a novel by British writer Louise Lawrence, is Alpha Scorpio's sequel only in that the ABC were seeking a science-fiction program aimed at young female viewers, just as Alpha Scorpio was aimed at young male viewers.

The continuing story of the Byrne family and their riding school outside Melbourne (begun in A Taste for Blue Ribbons).

'Within These Walls [...] presents an impressionistic picture of life in a prison.

'The feature does not pretend to be general account of life in prison as a whole: is a [sic] personal one-man view—the view of a particular prisoner. Through the eyes of this man we see the frustrations, the meannesses and evils that can arise 'within these walls.'

'Among the prisoners are Locky, a hardened type; Shorty, a defaulting maintenance victim; a lifer; an ex-bank teiler; Victor, who has wealthy parents. And in the background move the warders, the Judge - and the visiting magistrate, and all the voices from the past and present which make: up life 'within these walls' for this particular prisoner.'

Source:

'Powerful Feature on Aust. Prison Life', South Coast Times and Wollongong Argus, 22 September 1952, p.2 [supplement].

'This drama of the life story of Peter Flint runs parallel with the industrial history of Australia, from the time he is shipwrecked on the West Australian coast just before the turn of the century. A strong love story runs through the tale'.

Source:

'"Hour of Song" Shows', Advertiser, 19 April 1952, p.10.

'Bill Morrow is a middle-class Australian, an insurance investigator and assessor who usually knows the score and suspects everyone until proved innocent. He is asked to go down to a remote seaside pub with Sally Mears, who has just received a letter from her wealthy sister Anne, asking her to bring to the hotel a valuable diamond bracelet.

'What mystifies Sally in the letter is that “bracelet” is spelt correctly and not “bracelette,” as Anne would normally have spelt it, for she never could spell. Sally fears foul ploy. Morrow arrives at the hotel, with its unusual mural paintings, and is told that Anne has gone, her little daughter Janet with her. Then Anne, plainly frightened, is seen mysteriously about the hotel, wearing the expensive bracelet. It is Sally who has now disappeared.'

Source: 'The ABC Will Broadcast These Plays Next Week', ABC Weekly, 30 September 1950, p.26.

'Black Boy" is a champion (a favorite tor the Melbourne Cup) and surrounding this wonderful animal is a set of human characters intensely interested in him — as a horse and as a means of gaining wealth.'

Source:

'5AD's New Racing Serial', Advertiser, 26 August 1950, p.10.

'"Son of the Storm" is the story of a champion racehorse and the human conflict about him which shapes his destiny.'

Source:

'"Son of the Storm" from 5AD', Advertiser, 4 October 1947, p.12.