[1] The Box was a drama set in a fictional Melbourne television station, called UCV Channel 12, and explored the workings of the company and the professional and personal lives of its staff.
Aborted medical drama Mercy Flight seemed connected to early British series The Flying Doctor (1959).
Other programs produced by the station included children's show Holliday Farm and later, period drama Gully Rider.
The initial episodes of The Box emphasised sex, scandal, the political machinations of station personnel, and featured several nude scenes.
The first episode showed a sexy young woman named Felicity (played by 20-year-old Helen Hemingway) seducing Big Night Out host Gary Burke (Peter Regan).
Scheming bisexual television magazine journalist Vicki Stafford (Judy Nunn) exploited the situation and had Felicity pose for a nude centrefold with Tony Wild.
Vicki soon switched to working for the station, producing and presenting daytime chat show Girl Talk before hitting the big time with evening current affairs series Newsmakers.
The Box featured an openly gay television producer, the flamboyant Lee Whiteman (Paul Karo), and garrulous tea lady Mrs. Hopkins (Lois Ramsey).
For the 1976 season, Jock Blair returned as the program's producer and announced his plans to refocus the series to emphasise adult drama as it had done in its first year.
[5] The Crawford Productions series was created and written by Ian Jones and Tom Hegarty and commenced at the studios of Melbourne's ATV-0 in October 1973.
The series was put on hold then re-pitched to the 0-10 Network under new title The Box, and purchased in a deal by Ansett on 14 July 1973.
Colleen Hewett appeared as herself resident singer on 'Big Night Out' singing Roberta Flack song "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" in the TV pilot movie episode.
Key writers for the early episodes included Tom Hegarty (born c. 1934-1935 - 22 September 2023),[7] Don Battye and Jonathan Dawson.
George Mallaby won the Best Australian Actor-National Logie Award in 1975 for his portrayal of television executive Paul Donovan in The Box.
Paul Karo won the Best Australian Actor-National Logie Award in 1976 for his portrayal of gay producer Lee Whiteman.
The film also features Graham Kennedy playing himself, and Cornelia Frances in the key role of Dr. S. M. Winter, an efficiency expert brought in to improve operations at UCV-12.