With its outlandish plotlines, copious amounts of sex and nudity, and glamorous cast, Number 96 was absolute must-see TV in the 1970s.
Airing on Network 10 between 1972 and 1977, the Aussie soap opera made stars of Abigail, Lorrae Desmond, Pat McDonald, and Carlotta, who not only played a transgender character, but was the first trans actor to be cast on a TV show in the world!
Now, fans can revisit the wild series, as episodes are available on streaming service Brollie.
Cast member Jeff Kevin tells New Idea he is “thrilled” the series is making a comeback. He played Number 96’s loveable but hapless Arnold Feather in more than 300 episodes.
“It was a really amazing show for its time,” he says.
Number 96 famously tackled then-taboo topics such as racism, addiction and homo-sexuality.
But for the fictional residents of the Sydney apartment block where the series was set, there were plenty of laughs too.
“It was very entertaining,” Jeff says, adding that many of the storylines covered are “still relevant today”.
Despite – or perhaps because of – its raciness, Number 96 was an almost instant hit for Network 10. Jeff recalls being mobbed by fans wherever he went.
“One year, I caught the train from Sydney to Melbourne for the Logies,” he recalls.
“There were people lined up at every station along the way, all the way to Melbourne, and I’d get out to sign a few autographs en route.”
Once Jeff arrived in Melbourne, he says, “the crowd at the station was so enormous, mounted police were called in to control the fans. That was when I knew I was part of something huge.”
He adds that amid the intense fame and pressure, the cast always supported one another.
“One of the best things was the chemistry we shared,” Jeff says.
While Jeff is still close to Elisabeth Kirby, who played Number 96’s laundrette manager, Lucy, and is now 104, sadly, many from the show have passed away.
“Pat McDonald rang me out of the blue one day, in 1990,” Jeff recalls.
“We had a good chat. She died not long afterwards, and I realised then that she was calling to say goodbye.”
Jeff adds that Number 96’s arrival on Brollie serves as a reminder of how groundbreaking it was.
“It’s also a wonderful way to pay tribute to some incredible actors who are no longer with us,” he says.
Where can I watch Number 96?
Number 96 is now available to stream exclusively on Brollie.
