Who Killed Dr Bogle and Mrs Chandler?
Who Killed Dr Bogle and Mrs Chandler? is an Australian documentary film about the mysterious deaths of Dr Gilbert Bogle and Mrs Margaret Chandler in Sydney, Australia in 1963. Although it was assumed the couple were murdered, police investigators could find or produce no evidence that it was actually murder. The documentary, directed and written by Australian documentary film maker Peter Butt, presents unique evidence to suggest the couple died from hydrogen sulphide poisoning emanating from a river.
| Who Killed Dr Bogle and Mrs Chandler? | |
|---|---|
 Promotional poster for Who Killed Dr Bogle and Mrs Chandler? | |
| Directed by | Peter Butt |
| Produced by | Peter Butt Kris Wyld |
| Starring | Nicholas Hope Rhys Muldoon Hugo Weaving Matthew O'Sullivan |
| Music by | Guy Gross |
| Distributed by | Australian Broadcasting Corporation Film Australia |
Release date | 7 September 2006 |
Running time | 55 minutes |
| Country | Australia |
| Language | English |
Summary
When the half-naked bodies of brilliant physicist, Dr Gilbert Bogle, and his lover, Mrs Margaret Chandler, were found in bizarre circumstances on a Sydney riverbank in 1963, it set into play an unprecedented forensic investigation.
Autopsies offered little clue as to how the couple died, only that there were signs of a rapidly acting poison. Despite assistance from the FBI and Scotland Yard, the poison was never identified. At the end of a long and controversial coronial inquest, no cause of death, killer or motive could be identified.
In the ensuing years, scores of tabloid theories have been put forward, from LSD to Cold War assassinations. But in the minds of many, including the police, Margaret Chandler’s husband, Geoffrey, was the likely culprit.
Four decades later, this explosive documentary reveals startling new scientific evidence - evidence so powerful the police gave filmmaker Peter Butt unprecedented access to their forensic records.
Cast
| Role | Actor |
|---|---|
| Dr Gilbert Bogle | Rhys Muldoon |
| Mrs Margaret Chandler | Octavia Barron Martin |
| Geoffrey Chandler | Nicholas Hope |
| Coroner | Matthew O'Sullivan |
| Narrator (voice) | Hugo Weaving |
Reception
Television
The film premiered on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation on 7 September 2006. 1.8 million people in the five major capitals tuned in, plus an estimated 700,000 viewers in the other cities and regional areas, making it the most-watched Australian documentary ever screened on the network, as well as the most-watched program in 2006 on the ABC.[1][2] It was the number one program in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth and Brisbane.
Awards and recognition
Who Killed Dr Bogle and Mrs Chandler? was well received by television critics, scientists, and politicians and won Most Outstanding Documentary in the 2007 TV Week Logies.[3][4]
References
- "Who Killed Dr Bogle and Mrs Chandler - Most watched ABC TV program of the year". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 8 September 2006. Retrieved 24 May 2010.
- "Who Killed Dr. Bogle and Mrs. Chandler?". New Zealand: Documentary Film Festival 2006. Retrieved 24 May 2010.
- "Media Release: Who Killed Dr Bogle and Mrs Chandler?" (MS Word .doc). Film Australia. 7 May 2007. Retrieved 24 May 2010.
- "Logie Awards". Australian Television Information Archive. 2007. Retrieved 24 May 2010.
External links
| Preceded by He's Coming South: The Attack on Sydney Harbour |
Australian Logie For Most Outstanding Documentary or Documentary Series 2007 |
Succeeded by Constructing Australia: The Bridge |