MARION MCMULLEN

THE Thorn Birds was an epic period romance set against the backdrop of 1920s Australia.

It saw Richard Chamberlain as the ambitious Catholic priest Ralph de Bricassart who finds himself falling for Meggy Cleary, the young daughter of a farming family. Their story was told over seven hours and 40 minutes by a cast that included the Sound Of Music star Christopher Plummer and Jean Simmons as Fiona “Fee” Cleary.

Many actresses were considered for the part of Meggy, including Michelle Pfeiffer and Olivia Newton-John, but the role went to Britishborn Rachel Ward.

QUICK FACT

She later said of her co-star: “I was very green and Richard was less green and incredibly supportive and darling to me. I’d been in love with Richard actually for years.”

The American mini-series was based on the bestselling novel by Colleen McCullough and was broadcast 40 years ago on the BBC in the UK on January 8, 1984.

The emotional love story went on to pick up six

ROMANCE: Bryan Brown and Rachel Ward

Australian author Colleen McCullough enjoyed international success with the publication of her novel The

Thorn Birds in 1977. Originally a neurophysiologist, she founded the neurophysiology unit at the Royal

North Shore Hospital in Sydney and went on to work in hospitals in Birmingham, London and America before turning to writing full time. Her first novel, Tim, was turned into a movie starring Mel Gibson.

Emmy awards and

Globes.

Richard, who turns 90 in March, was once dubbed “king of the mini-series” and has said: “I consider myself a religious person. God is something very personal with me and I don’t flaunt religion in conversation with others.”

It proved too expensive to film The Thorn Birds on location in Australia so the ranch of Drohgeda featured in the novel was built in California instead. Bryan Brown, who played stockman Luke O’Neill, was the only Australian among the cast.

Filming The Thorn Birds also sparked a real-life romance as Bryan and Rachel fell in love on set and married in 1983.

Colleen McCullough four Golden

RANCH DRESSING:

Richard Chamberlain, Rachel Ward and Bryan Brown as Ralph, Meggy and Luke