We had some after work drinks last week – trying to establish a work GLBTI initative. We had quite a respectable tunout at the inaugural “Southern Cross Stars” networking event at Hotel Chambers.
I can’t precisely recall (actually I can but I’m not in a position to repeat it) but we got on to the subject of Australia’s most notorious soap of the 1970s, Number 96. Not many people at the table remember the show – however, I remember it being only a young whippersnapper myself. It was lewd, crude and one of those utterly adorable shows that you had to ’sneak’ a viewing of – especially if you were a young person. “Officially” it was banned in our house – so my sister used to pretend to go to bed then try to view if over our parents lounge chairs.
One of the things I DO recall quite fondly was local gossip Dorrie Evans, shamelessly and totally played OTT by veteran Aussie actress Pat McDonald. She really was the grandmother of Kath Day Knight – her most common phrase being;
“Why wasnt I told”
This expression since became the lightning rod for every local gossip on the planet. She also had a variety of malopropisms, the most famous of which were;
“It’s enough to drive a body beresk.”
“I am quite ardamant about that.”
“Speaking for myself, personally, alone…”
“I prefer to remain ambiguous.”
“It is a well-known fact.”
“That is all my eye and Mary Martin.”
“Life is not always a bowl of cherubs.”
“That is a horse of an entirely different colour.”
“Pardon me for protruding…”
“We’ve passed a lot of water under that bridge”
Thanks to Ian McLean for Dorrie’s sayings and photos.
