Seagulls Over Sorrento (TV play)

Seagulls Over Sorrento is a 1960 Australian television play. It was based on the popular stage play Seagulls Over Sorrento and was produced by Crawford Productions for Melbourne's HSV-7, airing on 1 May 1960 as an episode of "ACI Theatre".[4] It screened on TCN-9 in Sydney on Sunday 12 June.[5]

Seagulls Over Sorrento
Genrewar
Based onplay Seagulls Over Sorrento by Hugh Hastings
Written byDennis Webb
Directed byAlf Potter
Country of originAustralia
Original languageEnglish
Production
ProducerDorothy Crawford
Running time90 mins
Production companyCrawfords
Budget£3,500[1]
Release
Original release27 March 1960 (1960-03-27) (Melbourne)[2]
12 June 1960 (1960-06-12) (Sydney)[3]

It was the first full-length TV play made by an independent production company in Australia, in his case Crawfords.[6][7]

A kinescope recording of the production exists.[8]

Cast

Production

It was the second time live drama had appeared on HSV-7. The first was The Caine Mutiny Court Martial.[9]

Hodge, James, Taylor and Bleazby had appeared in the 1952 J. C. Williamson's production of the play.[10] Hodge came out of semi retirement to star. It was reportedly the 594th time he had played the part.[5][11]

The adaptation of the play was more faithful to its source material than the 1954 film version.[12]

Reception

A critic from the Sydney Morning Herald "thought it came off pretty well as a TV show" with an "excellent cast".[13]

The critic from The Age said "it was adequately presented but lacked atmosphere. The players were scared of the TV cameras for the first half hour."[14]

References
  1. Day, Christopher (1981). "TV Drama". In Peter Beilby (ed.). Australian TV: The First 25 Years. Thomas Nelson. p. 136.
  2. "Radio and TV". The Age. 3 March 1960. p. 15.
  3. "TV guide". Sydney Morning Herald. June 12, 1960. p. 75.
  4. "Green Guide: 'Seagulls Over Sorrento". The Age. 5 May 1960. p. 3.
  5. "Channel Spot". Sydney Morning Herald. June 6, 1960. p. 25.
  6. "IT'S A FAMILY VERDICT". The Australian Women's Weekly. Vol. 30, no. 5. Australia. 4 July 1962. p. 2 (Television). Retrieved 19 February 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. Vagg, Stephen (February 18, 2019). "60 Australian TV Plays of the 1950s & '60s". Filmink.
  8. "Title No: 19490, Title: 'Seagulls Over Sorrento'." National Film and Sound Archives. Retrieved: 21 April 2016.
  9. "Videotape of Seagulls". The Age. 29 April 1960. p. 32.
  10. "Advertisement: 'Seagulls Over Sorrento'." The Age', 18 June 1952, p. 20.
  11. "The Seagulls will Fly on TV". TV Times. 23 June 1960. p. 10.
  12. Vagg, Stephen (December 20, 2020). "Forgotten Australian TV Plays: Seagulls Over Sorrento". Filmink.
  13. Marshall, Valda (19 June 1960). "TV Merry Go Round". Sydney Morning Herald. p. 87.
  14. Janus (5 March 1960). "Seagulls Unworthy of Revival on TV". The Age. p. 27.
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