The Sundowners (radio serial)

The Sundowners is a 1953 Australian radio serial based on the novel of the same name by Jon Cleary.[2] It was a 15-minute morning serial for the ABC starting in April 1953[3] and played as a night-time serial in November of that year (where episodes ran for 30 minutes).[4][5]

The Sundowners
The Age 5 Nov 1953
Genreserial drama
Running time15 mins (8:45 am – 9:00 am)
Country of originAustralia
Language(s)English
Home station2FC
AnnouncerJohn Morgan[1]
Written byColin Roderick
Produced byMax Afford
Recording studioSydney
Original releaseApril 20 (1953-04-20) –
May 22, 1953 (1953-05-22)
No. of series1
No. of episodes27

Cleary returned to Australia to live in October 1953 after several years away.[6]

Premise

The adventures of the Carmody family in outback Queensland: Paddy, Ida and their son Sean.

Cast
  • Rod Taylor as Paddy Carmody
  • Sheila Sewell as Ida Carmody[7]
  • Kevin Brennan as Venneker
  • Ray Hartley as Sean
  • Fifi Banvard
  • Sidney Chambers
  • Ossie Wenban
  • John Meillon
  • Alma Butterworth
  • Alan Herbert
  • John Ewart

Reception

The Sunday Mail said the serial was inferior to the book, alleging "Cleary never hams his characters, prolongs his situations, or over dramatises his action. The radio version lavishly does all three and commits the further solecism of introducing Cockney speech and accent where Cleary never dreamt at it."[8]

References
  1. "Women's Interests On The Air: Work-and-Study Plan At U.S. Varsity". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 35, 980. New South Wales, Australia. 16 April 1953. p. 7 (Women's Section). Retrieved 30 August 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  2. "McGilvray for 2UE test broadcasts". The Sun. No. 13, 474. New South Wales, Australia. 17 April 1953. p. 12 (LATE FINAL EXTRA). Retrieved 30 August 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. Australian Broadcasting Commission. (1939), "THE SUNDOWNERS NEW MORNING SERIAL", ABC weekly, Sydney: ABC (Vol. 15 No. 16 (18 April 1953)), nla.obj-1687586201, retrieved 30 August 2023 – via Trove
  4. Australian Broadcasting Commission. (1939), "Jon Cleary Tale on Air", ABC weekly, Sydney: ABC (Vol. 15 No. 45 (7 November 1953)), nla.obj-1549830477, retrieved 30 August 2023 – via Trove
  5. "Studio News Brevities". The Age. No. 30, 738. Victoria, Australia. 5 November 1953. p. 19. Retrieved 30 August 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. "Women's News Fashions and Gossip". The Sun. No. 13, 641. New South Wales, Australia. 29 October 1953. p. 43 (LATE FINAL EXTRA). Retrieved 10 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. "Sundowner". South Coast Times and Wollongong Argus. Vol. LIII, no. 90. New South Wales, Australia. 16 November 1953. p. 2 (Women's Magazine). Retrieved 10 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. "Roy Connolly's LOOK at a BOOK: Radio version unfair to "The Sundowners"". Sunday Mail. Queensland, Australia. 29 November 1953. p. 23. Retrieved 30 August 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
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