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The Mavis Bramston Show – Series 1 Episode 1 (1964)

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clip Introducing Mavis Bramston

This clip chosen to be G

Clip description

A glimpse of the British performer’s ‘audition tape’ shows why Mavis Bramston (Noeline Brown) will not be the star of The Mavis Bramston Show after all.

Curator’s notes

In this clip the joke in Mavis Bramston’s title is revealed. The alleged star of the show turns out to parody the tendency at the time to import performers from America and the UK to star in local productions. Mavis is a C-grade ‘star’ with a decidedly lacklustre career behind her. Her audition tape reveals a vapid, arrogant and flamboyantly talentless creation. Nonetheless, the audience must sit through her excruciating rendition of ‘I could have danced all night’ (from My Fair Lady, 1956).

After co-host Gordon Chater declares that this is one ‘terrible naff imported artist we don’t have to cope with’, the show continues with Chater, Carol Raye and Barry Creyton and regular guest star June Salter at the helm. Despite her ‘sacking’, Mavis continued to make occasional appearances throughout the series run to reinforce the joke.

Curiously, she was also very popular with the show’s sponsors and often made live promotional appearances. Mavis was initially played by Noeline Brown, then a series of other performers, including Maggie Dence, stepped into her shoes. Bramston’s over the top ‘60s glamour also gave the show its look. Each segment is introduced with an illustrated still of Mavis in a different pose, with titles like ‘Mavis Bramston’s Viewpoint’.

The mention of Judy Garland is a tongue-in-cheek reference to Garland’s disastrous 1964 Melbourne concert, in which she was booed and heckled by the audience after arriving on stage late and apparently drunk.

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australianscreen is produced by the National Film and Sound Archive. By using the website you agree to comply with the terms and conditions described elsewhere on this site. The NFSA may amend the 'Conditions of Use’ from time to time without notice.

All materials on the site, including but not limited to text, video clips, audio clips, designs, logos, illustrations and still images, are protected by the Copyright Laws of Australia and international conventions.

When you access australianscreen you agree that:

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  • You may embed the clip for non-commercial educational purposes including for use on a school intranet site or a school resource catalogue.
  • The National Film and Sound Archive’s permission must be sought to amend any information in the materials, unless otherwise stated in notices throughout the Site.

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ANY UNAUTHORISED USE OF MATERIAL ON THIS SITE MAY RESULT IN CIVIL AND CRIMINAL LIABILITY.

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