Skyways is an Australian television soap opera drama series made by Crawford Productions for the Seven Network.
Production and casting The series, which aired from 1979 to 1981, was set at the fictional Pacific International Airport and dealt with the lives of the pilots, airline staff and management team who worked there.
Skyways was mainly taped in a television studio where, in many interior-set scenes, Colour Separation Overlay created the illusion of a bustling airport with taxiing planes outside the window. Many of the exterior scenes were shot on location at Melbourne Airport.
The show's regular cast members included Tony Bonner as airport manager Paul MacFarlane, later replaced by Gary Doolan (Gerard Kennedy). Tina Bursill played glamorous and ruthless assistant manager Louise Carter. Bill Stalker, played head of airport security Peter Fanelli, an ex-detective. When Skyways ended Fanelli was moved to Crawford police procedural Cop Shop, while Brian James' character George Tippett was transplanted to Holiday Island.
Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan roles In 1980, years before Neighbours and international pop stardom, Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan appeared together in one episode as siblings.
Storylines An early storyline featured a lesbian flight attendant (Judy Morris) unsuccessfully attempting to seduce a colleague (Deborah Coulls) who revealed she was heterosexual. Morris' character was soon afterwards stabbed to death in the shower as part of a murder-mystery storyline.
International broadcast The series screened across Europe and the UK during 1984-1986 on Sky Channel which would later become Sky One. It also aired in the UK on Astra Satellite channel, Lifestyle during 1990 at 1.00 p.m Monday to Friday.
Syndication During the first week of January 2006 the entire series was replayed Thursday early mornings, weekly at 2.00am, then at the later time-slot of 3.00am on WIN TV in Wollongong (South Coast NSW) as part of the early morning Crawfords Classics TV series.
DVD release On 4 November 2024 Crawfords announced the series will be released on DVD. The release consists of a seven volume set.
TitleFormatEpisodes Original Melbourne airdatesDiscsRegion 4 (Australia)Special Features Distributors Skyways (Volume 1) DVD Episodes A-28 8 12 December 2024 Episodes A&B released on separate solo disc on 27 February 2025 Crawford Productions Skyways (Volume 2) DVD Episodes 29-57 7 27 February 2025 None Crawford Productions Skyways (Volume 3) DVD Episodes 58-85 7 14 April 2025 None Crawford Productions Skyways (Volume 4) DVD Episodes 86-113 7 6 June 2025 None Crawford Productions Skyways (Volume 5) DVD Episodes 114-141 7 6 August 2025 None Crawford Productions Skyways (Volume 6) DVD Episodes 142-169 7 5 September 2025 None Crawford Productions Skyways (Volume 7) DVD Episodes 170-187 5 28 October 2025 None Crawford Productions
Cast Main / regular Tony Bonner as Paul MacFarlane Tina Bursill as Louise Carter Ken James as Simon Young Bruce Barry as Douglas Stewart Bill Stalker as Peter Fanelli Brian James as George Tippett Joanne Samuel as Kelly Morgan Deborah Coulls as Jacki Soong Kris McQuade as Faye Peterson Bartholomew John as Nick Grainger Andrew McKaige as Alan MacFarlane Gaynor Martin as Mandy MacFarlane Gerard Kennedy as Gary Doolan Kerry Armstrong as Angela Murray Maurie Fields as Chas Potter Kylie Foster as Belinda Phipps Carmen Duncan as Elaine MacFarlane Fred Parslow as David Rankin Kit Taylor as Tim Barclay / Peter O'Neill Susanna Lobez as Janet Patterson Jeff Kevin as Geoff Goodwin
Recurring / guests Actor Role Eps. Alan Hopgood Edward Fielding 2 Alex Menglet Mikhail Gosenko 1 Anna Hruby Sharon Webster 1 Anne Charleston Wendy Stewart 2 Anne Haddy 1 Anne Phelan Joan Hailey 1 Anne Tenney Eileen 1 Barry Creyton John Hunter 13 Barry Quin Jeremy Drake 1 Belinda Giblin Christine Burroughs 12 Billie Hammerberg Mamma Fanelli 2 Brian Wenzel Frank Richmond 1 Briony Behets Pam McKinnon 1 Bruce Spence David Howard 1 Catherine Wilkin Hanna Clayton 1 Cecily Polson Jocelyn Powell 3 Chantal Comtouri Lorraine Cruikshank 1 Charles Tingwell Harold Forbes 4 Christopher Milne Brent Clarke / Hank 2 Cornelia Frances Susan Winters / Wendy Kirk 2 Dannii Minogue Amy Danny Adcock Nigel Poulter 1 David Gulpilil Koiranha 1 Debra Lawrence Sheila Turner 1 Di Smith Meg Robinson 1 Diane Craig Catherine Tissot 1 Dina Mann Fiona Woods 6 Don Crosby Vincenzo Fanelli 1 Frank Gallacher Marcel Boussac / Alexandrow 6 George Mallaby District Attorney 2 Gerda Nicholson Joan Fitzgerald 1 Graham Harvey Greg Freeman 1 Grant Dodwell Clive Simpson 1 Gus Mercurio Willard Fry 1 Ian Smith Col. Garner 2 Irene Inescort Mrs. Young 15 Jackie Woodburne Marie Newman 1 Jane Clifton Shelley 1 Jason Donovan Adam / Trevor Kirk 2 Jodie Yemm Debbie Kennedy 1 John Frawley Judge Smith 2 John Hamblin Bob Kennedy 1 John Walton Bryan Johnson 3 Jon Finlayson Bruno 1 Judith McGrath Dr Mendelsohn / Mrs Mason / Zoe Lawrence 5 Judy Morris Robyn Davies 12 Judy Nunn Bessie Langhurst 2 Justine Saunders Helen Smith 6 Kylie Minogue Robin 1 Kerry McGuire Ann Driscoll 1 Lesley Baker Gladys Skinner 1 Lewis Fitz-Gerald Leslie Foy 6 Lorna Lesley Pippa Shaw 2 Mark Littie Jimmy McDonald 3 Martin Vaughan Charlie Dat 1 Marty Fields Mercia Deane-Johns Susan Masters 1 Michael Aitkens Frank Harper 2 Michael Duffield Sir Joseph Miles / Sir Godfrey Fox 9 Miles Buchanan Bert Simpson 1 Monica Maughan Mrs Jones 1 Nadia Tass Sarah McGregor 1 Penelope Stewart Barbie Beach / Jenny McKay 3 Penne Hackforth-Jones Lady Pamela Griff 1 Penny Cook Joanne Whicker 1 Penny Ramsey Judy Pinnington 1 Peta Toppano Sister Theresa 1 Peter Cummins Les Mitchell / Raymond Dixon 2 Peter Curtin David Kerridge / Roy Hamilton / Bob Marshall 3 Peter Whitford Nigel Forsythe 1 Queenie Ashton Mrs Fow 1 Ray Meagher Sgt Murphy 1 Reg Evans Errol Foote 1 Rod Mullinar Geoff Blake 3 Roger Oakley Joe D'Angelo 2 Ronald Falk Derek Powell 3 Rowena Wallace Ann Wallace 1 Sandy Gore Yvonne Deauville 1 Shane Porteous John Dermarney 1 Sigrid Thornton Olivia Baker 1 Stefan Dennis Richard 1 Sue Jones Sue Bennett / Sandy 8 Terry Gill Ed Sloane / Keith Shelton 2 Terry McDermott Fred Manning / Captain Gardner 3 Tim Robertson Bert Dyer 1 Tom Burlinson Jim Backwell 1 Tom Oliver Scott Honeyman 1 Tommy Dysart Paddy MacDonald 1 Tracy Mann Mickey Devine 1 Veronica Lang Sarah Blake 3 Vincent Ball Capt Fitzgerald 1 Wyn Roberts Barney Waters 2 Peter Sumner Bob Cusack 2
References
External links
Aussie Soap Archive: Skyways Crawford Productions Skyways at the National Film and Sound Archive