With Australia at war in Vietnam in 1967, suddenly Prime Minister Harold Holt disappeared without a trace—an event unparalleled in the history of western democracy. The nation was in shock and disbelief at the shattering news, hoping for a miracle for the man who famously declared it was “all the way with LBJ”.
Police led a ‘softly softly’ investigation and concluded accidental drowning. But at the height of Cold War paranoia, persistent doubts about his disappearance fuelled rumour and wild speculation.
Why did Holt go into such violent surf that day? Had he chosen a bizarre way out of a difficult situation? Why were police withholding crucial facts? What had they overlooked?
Holt himself left tantalising clues that challenged the official explanation. This is the story of the Prime Minister’s secret world in the months before he disappeared, a world of betrayal, blackmail, political treachery, a poisonous feud, mounting physical and mental strain, and near-death experiences.
Reconstructed from eyewitness accounts, this dramatised documentary examines the political implications of the Prime Minister’s disappearance and reveals explosive new aspects of the case.
A Screen Australia Making History Production in association with Blackwattle Films. Developed and produced in association with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
Click to see production stills
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The Prime Minister is Missing Launch Screening
Old Parliament House, Canberra
Wednesday 15 October, 2008
Click to see launch stills
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More about The Prime Minister is Missing
See our other showcases
Executive Producer
Anna Grieve
Producers
Peter Butt, Sally Regan
Director
Peter Butt
Writer
Peter Butt
Classification
Exempt from classification – for educational purposes only.
Duration
55 minutes
Year
2008
Press Kit
The Prime Minister is Missing Press Kit 
For Teachers
Curriculum links include English, Media Studies, SOSE/HSIE, History and Politics.
Related links
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What the Critics Have Said
"This remarkable story of betrayal, blackmail, political treachery, a poisonous feud, mounting physical and mental strain and near death experiences set in a time of Cold War paranoia and social upheaval will astonish even those familiar with the case." Pick Of The Day.
Canberra Times, 20 October 2008
4 out of 5 Stars.
Sun Herald, 19 October 2008
"This isn't just about Holt's disappearance. The great achievement here is that it brings to life the era, giving us all kinds of information about Australia in the 1960s, creating a detailed picture of the political times, and bringing us to a satisfying if not absolute conclusion."
Melinda Houston, Sunday Age 19 October 2008
Miss it and miss out.
Sunday Mail Adelaide, 19 October 2008
"... a fabulous piece of political and social history. (Normie) Rowe is perfect as Holt, hale and statesmanly, with an old fox twinkle."
Tim Elliot, Sydney Morning Herald, 20 October 2008
"(The Prime Minister is Missing) works best as a piece of political history, bolstered by its stylish re-enactments. Normie Rowe is superb as the affable Holt, a decent man out of his depth in more ways than one. Nicholas Hope as treasurer Billy McMahon and Tony Llewellyn-Jones as deputy PM John McEwen are also excellent - two enemies whose feud made Holt's job nearly impossible." Show of the Week
Sydney Morning Herald, 20 October 2008
"The best historical documentaries will uncover something new and startling in a subject that has been examined countless times before and this excellent dramatic documentary goes a long way towards that."
Daily Telegraph, 22 October 2008
"... evocative, cleverly constructed and weaves a convincing mix of blend and speculation."
Kit Galer, Herald Sun, 23 October 2008