Full Frontal

History

The series began screening shortly after the similar sketch comedy program Fast Forward (from which Full Frontal derived) ended. Full Frontal retained the same general format of Fast Forward. It was formatted in a way such as to create the effect of someone continuously channel surfing; after the punchline of each sketch, it would abruptly switch to the next as if the viewer had switched channels. However, the new show had an all-new regular cast. Initially, some members of the Fast Forward cast made guest appearances in occasional Full Frontal sketches, easing the transition into the new series. Several members of the new cast had appeared in the earlier The Comedy Company, including Kym Gyngell and Glenn Butcher.

The show first aired on the Seven Network on 13 May 1993, and finished on 15 September 1997.

DVD releases

Full Frontal - Series 1: Vol. 1 (2 Disc Set) - 23 May 2005

Full Frontal - Series 1: Vol. 2 (2 Disc Set) - 20 June 2005

Full Frontal - Series 2: Vol. 1 (2 Disc Set) - 25 October 2006

Full Frontal - Series 2: Vol. 2 (3 Disc Set) - 5 December 2006

Full Frontal - Series 3: Vol. 1 (3 Disc Set) - 20 February 2007

Full Frontal - Series 3: Vol. 2 (3 Disc Set) - 20 February 2007

Full Frontal - Series 1 (4 Disc Set) - 10 February 2010

Full Frontal - Series 2 (5 Disc Set) - 10 February 2010

Full Frontal - Series 3 (6 Disc Set) - 10 February 2010

Full Frontal - Series 4 (6 Disc Set) - 1 June 2011

Full Frontal - Series 5 (4 Disc Set) - 1 June 2011

Totally Full Frontal - Series 1 (4 Disc Set) - 29 June 2011

Totally Full Frontal - Best of Series 2 – 30 November 2011

Totally Full Frontal - Series 2 (3 Disc Set) - 7 March 2012

Series Cast

Seven Network

Years: 1993, Episodes 1-18; 1994, Episodes 19-40; 1995, Episodes 41-66; 1996, Episodes 67-92; 1997, Episodes 93-112.

Matt Parkinson (1993)

Matthew Quartermaine (1993)

Greg Fleet (1993, Episodes 1–9)

Michael Veitch (1993, Episodes 10–18)

Jennifer Ward-Lealand (1993–94)

Rima Te Wiata (1993–94)

Eric Bana (1993–96)

Glenn Butcher (1993–97)

Kym Gyngell (1993–97)

Ross Williams (1993–97)

Denise Scott (1994)

Sue Yardley (1994)

John Walker (1994–97)

Francis Greenslade (1995, Episodes 49–66)

Julia Morris (1995–96)

Kitty Flanagan (1995–96, Episodes 41–81)

Daina Reid (1995–97)

Shaun Micallef (1995–97, Episodes 41–105)

Jackie Loeb (1996)

Darren Gilshenan (1997)

Gabby Millgate (1997)

Ursula Brooks (1997, Episodes 93–99)

Network Ten

Years: 1998, Episodes 1-16; 1999, Episodes 17-32.

Ross Williams (1998–99)

John Walker (1998–99)

Darren Gilshenan (1998–99)

Gabby Millgate (1998–99)

Julia Zemiro (1998–99)

Paul McCarthy (1998–99)

Vic Plume (1998–99, Episodes 7-32)

Guest appearances

Seven Network

Alan Pentland (1993)

Gina Riley (1993)

Glenn Robbins (1993)

Jane Turner (1993)

Jimeoin (1993)

Magda Szubanski (1993)

Sue Yardley (1993)

Greg Fleet (1993 (Episode 10), 1994 (Episode 40))

Jane Borghesi (1993, Episodes 10-18)

Cherise Donovan (1993, 1994–1995, 1997)

Geoff Brooks (1993, 1994)

Marg Downey (1993, 1994)

Michael Veitch (1993 (Episodes 1–6), 1994 (Episodes 36-40))

Steve Blackburn (1993, 1994)

Denise Scott (1993, 1995)

Gabriel Gaté (1993 (Episode 13), 1995 (Episode 62))

Peter Moon (1993, 1996)

Steve Vizard (1993, 1996)

Shaun Micallef (1994)

Wayne Hope (1994)

Jake Kirov (1994)

Naomi Wright (1994)

Ben Georgiou (1994)

Michael Edward Stevens (1994)

Network Ten

Ryan Moloney (1998, Episode 1)

Michael Carman (1998, Episode 1)

Daina Reid (1998, Episode 1)

Vic Plume (1998, Episodes 1-6)

Gerard McCulloch (1998)

Tania Lacy (1998, Episodes 2 & 4)

Jarrod Choong (1998, Episode 7)

Bill Charles (1998, Episode 7)

Matylda Buczko (1998, Episode 9)

Melanie Lockman (1998, Episode 10)

Tim Chambers (1998, Episode 10)

Fernanda Ramos (1998, Episodes 11 & 14)

Robin Bissett (1998, Episode 12)

Julie McKay (1998, Episode 13)

Ron Kamoen (1998, Episode 14)

Vanessa Sim (1998, Episode 14)

Ryan White (1998, Episode 14)

Michael Ward (1998, Episodes 13-15)

Alicia Missen (1998, Episode 16)

Bud Tingwell (1999)

Carrie Baker (1999, Episode 26)

Geoff Paine (1999, Episode 32)

Kynan Barker (1999, Episode 32)

Notable characters

Full Frontal

Peter (or as he pronounces it "Poida" often correcting people by saying "hey it's Poida, not Poida");

An Australian bogan, played by Eric Bana. Poida was originally a TV host on Community Television's Channel 31. Peter enjoys to drink VB and carries an esky around wherever he goes. He has a blond mullet and dresses in a velvet suit. Most of the time he is seen smoking in sketches. Poida works for Channel 31 but is usually the stand-in host for many TV shows on other networks (such as Channel 9, 10, and the ABC) when the real host fails to appear. He has stood in for Ray Martin on A Current Affair and Kerry O'Brien on The 7.30 Report, as well as being the host of Storytime and an episode of Playschool. He takes an esky into the studio and smokes while interviewing guests. Instead of sitting on the set furniture, he prefers to make himself comfortable on a bean bag.

Impact on Eric Bana's Career

Poida was probably Eric Bana's most well known character and was thought to really have helped Bana's acting career. The director of the Australian film Chopper says he cast Bana because of his performance in Full Frontal. Bana has gone on to a successful acting career, starring in movies both in and out of Australia.

Eddie

Eastern European migrant, whose famous line was "It's a complete shemozzle" (also played by Eric Bana). In an interview in TV Week Bana said the character was born when he was around 10 or 12 whilst playing on his CB Radio. "Eddie is the sort of guy who could walk through the Mardi Gras and not realise it was gay. He would just see it as coincidental that there were so many men there."

Ron

A stage janitor who wears overalls and is always trying to either apply for a job or scam money introducing himself as "uh, Ron". When he is caught out, he will often leave, saying "Fair enough". (Played by Ross Williams)

Neville and Beulah

Elderly nudists who love doing things "totally nude" (played by Glenn Butcher and Daina Reid).

Totally Full Frontal

Mister Camouflage

A man dressed heavily in military camouflage who has a hard time being noticed in day-to-day life (played by Darren Gilshenan)

Sophie

A French woman who works as a Passenger Check-In Officer for Air France. She used to work as a flight attendant for the airline, but was demoted after she got into a drunken fight with the French President. (Played by Julia Zemiro)

Noeline Buxworth

A bogan who was always seen at a poker machine and was always and smoking and drinking. She would often tell stories to strangers about her life. (Played by Paul McCarthy)

Famously satirized celebrities include:

Pauline Hanson

Played by Julia Zemiro in a 1950s style sitcom called I love Pauline

the cast of Seinfeld

Jerry Seinfeld (played by Paul McCarthy), Elaine Benes (played by Julia Zemiro), Cosmo Kramer (played by Darren Gilshenan), George Costanza (Played by Ross Williams)

Liz Hayes

Journalist and one of the hosts of the Show 60 Minutes (Played by Julia Zemiro)

Jana Wendt

A prominent journalist of the 90s (played by Julia Zemiro)

Awards

Full Frontal has won several Logie Awards in its time. It has been nominated for several as well.

It has won:

Most Popular Comedy Program (1995, 1996, 1997, 1998)

Most Popular Personality to Eric Bana

Nominated for:

Most Popular Comedy Program (1999)