Bellbird was a daily soap opera screened for 15 minutes each night by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation before the evening news. The series followed the lives of the residents of the country town that gave the show's title. It ran from 1967 until 1977 and though ratings were moderate the show had a devoted following, especially in rural areas. The first TIME cover devoted to soap operas: Dated January 12, 1976, Bill Hayes and Susan Seaforth Hayes of Days of Our Lives are featured with the headline Soap Operas: Sex and suffering in the afternoon. A soap opera is an ongoing, episodic work of fiction, usually broadcast on television... The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) [1] is Australias national non-commercial public broadcaster. ... 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar (the link is to a full 1967 calendar). ... For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ...

Principle cast members included Maurie Fields, Carl Bleazby, Lynette Curran, Elspeth Ballantyne, Gerda Nicolson, Peter Aanensen, Carmel Millhouse, Moira Charleton, Terry Norris, Robin Ramsay, Penne Hackforth-Jones, Ian Smith, Anne Phelan, Dennis Miller, Michael Preston, Tom Oliver, Briony Behets, Brian James, John Stanton, Maggie Millar and Alan Hopgood. Maurie Fields (August 4th, 1925-December 18, 1995) is an Australian actor and a well-known face on television thanks to his appearances in Bellbird, Prisoner and The Flying Doctors amongst other productions. ... Elspeth Ballantyne, born April 20, 1939 died August 30, 2005 is an Australian actress best known for her portrayal of prison officer Meg Jackson in the popular Australian television soap opera, Prisoner. ... Gerda Nicolson, (November 11, 1937-June 12, 1992) was an Australian theatre and television actor possibly best known for her portrayal of governor Ann Reynolds in the popular Australian television soap opera Prisoner. ... Penne Hackforth-Jones (born in Greenwich, Connecticut, USA on August 5, 1943) is an Australian actress. ... Ian Smith as Harold Bishop in Neighbours. ... Anne Phelan (born 2 August 1944 in Australia) is an Australian actress. ... Michael Preston (b. ... Tom Oliver as Lou Carpenter in Neighbours. ... Briony Behets (born in 1952, United Kingdom) is a British-born actress who found fame acting in Australian soap operas of the 1970s. ... John Stanton (born October 28, 1944, in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia), is a well-known Australian actor. ... Maggie Millar (b. ... mum is in the building Alan Hopgood (born September 29, 1934 in Launceston, Tasmania) is an Australian writer and actor. ...

See also

• List of Australian television series
• List of Australian Broadcasting Corporation programs

This is a list of Australian television series and television programs. ... This is a list of Australian Broadcasting Corporation television programs. ...

External links

• Aussie Soap Archive: Bellbird — Overview and review
• Bellbird at the Internet Movie Database