Bob Ellis

Writing

Bob Ellis

Born — Died

1942-05-10 — 2016-04-03

Place of birth

Lismore, New South Wales, Australia

Known for

Writing

Credits

28 titles

Bob Ellis (10 May 1942 - 3 April 2016) was an Australian writer, director and actor.

Known for

E Street poster
6.7

An Australian television soap opera, set in a tough fictional inner-city district called Westside. The stories revolve around the local community there. Created by Forrest Redlich and produced by Network Ten from 24 January 1989 to 13 May 1993.

E Street

1989

Water Rats poster
6.2

Water Rats is an Australian TV police procedural broadcast on the Nine Network from 1996 to 2001.

Water Rats

1996

Rafferty's Rules poster
8.0

Rafferty's Rules was an Australian television drama series which ran from 1987 to 1990 on the Seven Network. Rafferty's Rules was one of the first programs undertaken by the Seven Network's then new in-house drama unit, going into production in May 1985 as "a 15-part courtroom drama". The program had started out as a pilot episode, recorded in early 1984 with the actor Chris Haywood in the lead role. When the pilot episode was remounted later in 1984, Chris Haywood wasn't available and the lead role was re-cast to John Wood. This second recording was eventually broadcast as the program's first episode.

Rafferty's Rules

1987

Good News Week poster
8.3

Good News Week was an Australian satirical panel game show hosted by Paul McDermott that aired from 19 April 1996 to 27 May 2000, and 11 February 2008 to 28 April 2012. The show's initial run aired on ABC until being bought by Network Ten in 1999. The show was revived for its second run when the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike caused many of Network Ten's imported US programmes to cease production. Good News Week drew its comedy and satire from recent news stories, political figures, media organisations, and often, aspects of the show itself. The show opened with a monologue by McDermott relating to recent headlines, after which two teams of three panellists competed in recurring segments to gain points. The show has spawned three short-lived spin-off series, the ABC's Good News Weekend, Ten's GNW Night Lite and Ten's skit-based Good News World.

Good News Week

1996

Where the Green Ants Dream poster
6.9

The Australian Aborigines (in this film anyway) believe that this is the place where the green ants go to dream, and that if their dreams are disturbed, it will bring down disaster on us all. The Aborigines' belief is not shared by a giant mining company, which wants to tear open the soil and search for uranium.

Where the Green Ants Dream

1984

Not Quite Hollywood poster
6.8

As Australian cinema broke through to international audiences in the 1970s through respected art house films like Peter Weir's "Picnic At Hanging Rock," a new underground of low-budget exploitation filmmakers were turning out considerably less highbrow fare. Documentary filmmaker Mark Hartley explores this unbridled era of sex and violence, complete with clips from some of the scene's most outrageous flicks and interviews with the renegade filmmakers themselves.

Not Quite Hollywood

2008

Film credits

1980s · 5 titles

Series credits

E Street poster
6.7

An Australian television soap opera, set in a tough fictional inner-city district called Westside. The stories revolve around the local community there. Created by Forrest Redlich and produced by Network Ten from 24 January 1989 to 13 May 1993.

E Street

1989

Water Rats poster
6.2

Water Rats is an Australian TV police procedural broadcast on the Nine Network from 1996 to 2001.

Water Rats

1996

Rafferty's Rules poster
8.0

Rafferty's Rules was an Australian television drama series which ran from 1987 to 1990 on the Seven Network. Rafferty's Rules was one of the first programs undertaken by the Seven Network's then new in-house drama unit, going into production in May 1985 as "a 15-part courtroom drama". The program had started out as a pilot episode, recorded in early 1984 with the actor Chris Haywood in the lead role. When the pilot episode was remounted later in 1984, Chris Haywood wasn't available and the lead role was re-cast to John Wood. This second recording was eventually broadcast as the program's first episode.

Rafferty's Rules

1987

Good News Week poster
8.3

Good News Week was an Australian satirical panel game show hosted by Paul McDermott that aired from 19 April 1996 to 27 May 2000, and 11 February 2008 to 28 April 2012. The show's initial run aired on ABC until being bought by Network Ten in 1999. The show was revived for its second run when the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike caused many of Network Ten's imported US programmes to cease production. Good News Week drew its comedy and satire from recent news stories, political figures, media organisations, and often, aspects of the show itself. The show opened with a monologue by McDermott relating to recent headlines, after which two teams of three panellists competed in recurring segments to gain points. The show has spawned three short-lived spin-off series, the ABC's Good News Weekend, Ten's GNW Night Lite and Ten's skit-based Good News World.

Good News Week

1996

Behind the camera

...Maybe This Time poster
4.2

Fran, the assistant to university professor Paddy, is about to turn 30. She is having an affair with a married minister's aide, Stephen. She returns home to the country town she grew up in and has a fling with an old flame, Alan. She also begins sleeping with Paddy.

...Maybe This Time

1981

The Nostradamus Kid poster
4.9

When he discovers the world is about to end, a lovestruck teen makes it his mission to bed the girl he has fallen for.

The Nostradamus Kid

1993

The Nostradamus Kid poster
4.9

When he discovers the world is about to end, a lovestruck teen makes it his mission to bed the girl he has fallen for.

The Nostradamus Kid

1993

Warm Nights on a Slow Moving Train poster
5.3

A convent teacher spreads a little happiness and makes enough money to support her crippled brother's habit by selling her favours regularly on a cross-country night sleeper. She makes sure she is in control of each encounter until one client reaches her more than she expects.

Warm Nights on a Slow Moving Train

1987

Warm Nights on a Slow Moving Train poster
5.3

A convent teacher spreads a little happiness and makes enough money to support her crippled brother's habit by selling her favours regularly on a cross-country night sleeper. She makes sure she is in control of each encounter until one client reaches her more than she expects.

Warm Nights on a Slow Moving Train

1987

Man of Flowers poster
5.4

An eccentric elderly man tries to enjoy the three things in life that he considers real beauty: collecting art, collecting flowers, and watching pretty women undress.

Man of Flowers

1983

My First Wife poster
4.5

My First Wife is about the dramatic collapse of the marriage between John and Helen. It is also a film about our children and the future we offer them. Helen has decided to leave, and it is John who lacks the inner resources to cope with the impending tragedy. Slowly he is sucked into a tunnel of despair – fighting his conservative nature and the romantic memories of his married life.

My First Wife

1984

Fatty Finn poster
6.0

The 10-year-old Hubert Finn, known as "Fatty", lived in poor conditions in Australia in the 1930s. He and his friends stick together as they often have to defend themselves against the villain Bomer and his gang. Fatty wants a detector radio, but can't afford it. He has to raise money for it within a week, otherwise he won't get the radio ...

Fatty Finn

1980

Ebbtide poster
7.0

Lawyer Jeff Warren takes over a compensation case after the sudden death of one of his legal partners. His subsequent investigations, and growing obsession with the enigmatic Ellen Fielding, compromise his values and his view of himself as a winner. His attempts to solve the complex intrigues lead him to be accused of the murder of Ellen's husband, Harry, and even his longtime partner and friend, Alison, finds it difficult to believe that he is innocent. His moral dilemma leads him into a final graphic confrontation, with unexpected results.

Ebbtide

1994

Three to Go poster
7.5

This anthology film brings together three stories—"Michael", "Judy", and "Toula"—each centered on a young Australian confronting personal and social choices about their future. Produced by the Commonwealth Film Unit, the film explores themes of identity, independence, and cultural tension through distinct perspectives from directors Brian Hannant, Oliver Howes, and Peter Weir.

Three to Go

1971

Cactus poster
5.0

A woman who injured her eyes in car accident and a young blind man fall for each other.

Cactus

1986

The Winds of Jarrah poster
7.0

Australia 1946. A young woman escapes from an unhappy affair to become tutor to three children who are being raised by their uncle.

The Winds of Jarrah

1983

Unfinished Business poster
3.8

Maureen's biological clock is ticking, and she wants a baby. Her husband George is unable to oblige. When Maureen bumps into Geoff, a former lover from years ago she decides he might be able to supply the wanted seed. But the scientific controls on their weekend encounter soon give way to natural urges and the consummation is concluded with tenderness.

Unfinished Business

1985

Unfinished Business poster
3.8

Maureen's biological clock is ticking, and she wants a baby. Her husband George is unable to oblige. When Maureen bumps into Geoff, a former lover from years ago she decides he might be able to supply the wanted seed. But the scientific controls on their weekend encounter soon give way to natural urges and the consummation is concluded with tenderness.

Unfinished Business

1985

Goodbye Paradise poster
5.4

The plot centres on Queensland's Gold Coast in the early 1980s, when a disgraced former cop, Michael Stacey writes a book exposing police corruption, does an investigation resulting in 2 murders, exposes a religious cult and watches the army begin a military coup.

Goodbye Paradise

1983