October 1944 (episode 672). Ida Jessup (Vivean Gray) was the Sullivans' English-born next-door neighbour, brought up in Battersea. Her late husband had served in the First World War before being gassed and invalided back to Britain. At times prone to meddling and puritanical gossip, Mrs Jessup's character mellowed to show great strength and understanding as the series progressed. Later in the series, she married Englishman Arthur Pike (Wallas Eaton) on 26 July 1946 (episode 908). Bert Duggan (Peter Hehir) and his neglected wife Lil (Noni Hazlehurst) appeared in the early seasons as lodgers taken in by Mrs Jessup. Bert, a devious womaniser, enlisted with Tom to escape arrest for illegal bookmaking; he matured whilst serving with Tom and Norm over the next two years of war, although he often had a money-making scheme on the go. He died from wounds received after stepping on a mine, in North Africa on 30 March 1942 (episode 292). The Kaufmans - father Hans (Leon Lissek), mother Lottie (Marcella Burgoyne) and daughter Anna (Ingrid Mason) were German-born immigrants who owned the local shop, the Universal Store. Although they opposed the Nazi German regime their German status created problems for them at the outbreak of war, and Hans and Lottie were eventually interned as enemy aliens (episode 76). Anna was saved from this fate by hastily marrying John Sullivan; however, she later fell ill and died. Critical and popular reception The Sullivans attracted critical acclaim and was also one of Australia's most popular drama series, screening in half-hour episodes at 7.00 p.m. In 1978 it was the third most popular show on Australian TV, after Are You Being Served? and Against the Wind. The show's popularity waned somewhat after 1979 following the departure of Lorraine Bayly. When she asked to leave the series the show's producers instead offered her six months' leave. Her character Grace was sent to London to care for her injured son John, and a series of pre-taped segments were used in her absence to maintain her presence. The London scenes featured actors imported from New Zealand so Australian viewers would not recognise familiar actors. When Bayly refused to return after six months, she was written out of the series and Grace was killed by a V1 bomb during a London air raid. Despite Bayly's departure ratings remained high enough for the series to remain in production. In 1981 the war ended