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y separately published work icon On Our Selection! selected work   short story   humour  
Issue Details: First known date: 1899... 1899 On Our Selection!
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Exhibitions

8018483
8014658

Adaptations

On Our Selection Albert Edmunds , Beaumont Smith , 1912 (Manuscript version)9203238 9203232 1912 single work drama humour (taught in 1 units)
— Appears in: On Our Selection : A Dramatisation of Steele Rudd's Books 1984; (p. 71-152)
form y separately published work icon On Our Selection Raymond Longford , Lottie Lyell , ( dir. Raymond Longford ) Australia : Southern Cross Feature Film Company , 1920 Z819227 1920 single work film/TV

Mostly humorous with occasional farcical moments, the film focuses on the Rudd family and their trials and tribulations living on the land. Murtagh Joseph Rudd, known as Dad, and his son Dave finish a bark hut on their newly established selection. The rest of the family arrive and get to work, clearing the land by hand and planting a first crop of corn. The challenges include wildlife in their beds and no money to buy a horse, but their hard work pays off. In a year or two, the Rudds have a working farm and a more comfortable home, thanks to the domestic labours of Mrs Rudd. A bushfire and several years of drought impoverish them, but they hold on against all adversity. When Kate Rudd returns from her job teaching in the city, she falls for an eligible young farmer, Sandy Taylor. Dave and his sister Sarah also find sweethearts, although Dad tries to shoot one of them. Kate's wedding allows all grudges to be forgotten.

form y separately published work icon Rudd's New Selection Raymond Longford , ( dir. Raymond Longford ) Australia : Southern Cross Feature Film Company , 1921 7637072 1921 single work film/TV

'Much of the humor, and not a little of the pathos, of the outback settlers' life are depicted in the story. Dave and his wife set up housekeeping in a deserted hut, and Dave comes home three or four times a day to borrow' something, until the Rudd homestead is nearly denuded of furniture. There is an uproarious scene when the local band of hope calls on Mrs. Rudd, and Joe half-fills the teapot with rum, and the temperance advocates declare it to be the best tea they have ever tasted. The antics of Joe and the twins kept the audience in a simmer of mirth throughout. Some wonderful bush scenery is shown, and the whole production is a credit to the Australian artists engaged in it.'

Source:

'The Rudd's New Selection', Daily Herald, 8 August 1922, p.4 (via Trove Australia).

form y separately published work icon Grandad Rudd Vic Roberts , George D. Parker , ( dir. Ken G. Hall ) Sydney : Cinesound Productions , 1935 Z362149 1935 single work film/TV humour Dad Rudd is a grandfather and a prosperous grazier employing his sons Dave, Joe, and Dan at low wages.
Tired of being treated poorly the sons threaten to leave. Dad increases their wages but raises their rent by an equal amount. When eldest grandchild Betty announces her intention to marry Henry Cook, Dad supports suitor Tom Dalley in his efforts to expose Cook as a liar with a conviction in his past.

[Source: Australian Screen]

form y separately published work icon Dad and Dave from Snake Gully Maurice Francis , Lorna Bingham , 1937 Sydney : 2GB , 1937-1953 Z1768959 1937 series - publisher radio play humour
form y separately published work icon Dad and Dave Come to Town The Farmer Goes to Town Bert Bailey , Ken G. Hall , ( dir. Ken G. Hall ) Sydney : Cinesound Productions , 1938 8100251 1938 single work film/TV

Dad inherits a Sydney fashion shop from his brother, whom he hadn't seen in more than twenty years. He sends one of his daughters down to run the shop, but it soon becomes apparent that a corrupt manager is in league with a competitor, Pierre. In an attempt to counter the dirty tricks campaign being waged against him, Dad closes the shop for renovations and to prepare for a major fashion show. Pierre still has a trump card up his sleeve, however: a debt of £1,000 left by Dad's brother.

form y separately published work icon Dad Rudd, M.P. Bert Bailey , Frank Harvey , ( dir. Ken G. Hall ) Australia : Cinesound Productions , 1940 8100386 1940 single work film/TV

The fourth in the 'Dad and Dave' (On Our Selection) series, Dad Rudd, M.P. sees Dad clash with his neighbour Henry Webster over the need for a higher wall for a dam being constructed in the district. When the local member of the state parliament dies, Dad and Webster stand against each other for the seat. Webster's camp uses every dirty trick to stop Dad Rudd's campaign, but with the help of an old friend Mr Entwhistle, Dad responds with some tricks of his own. On polling day, a major flood threatens the dam wall, while a party of workman on the other side are trapped and certain to die if it collapses. Henry Webster's son Jim (who is in love with Ann Rudd) helps rescue the stranded workers. The emergency sees Dad Rudd vindicated, and he is elected. In his maiden speech to parliament, Dad gives a rousing speech that foreshadows the coming war.

Andrew Pike and Ross Cooper (1980) note that Dad Rudd, M.P. has almost nothing in common with the original Steele Rudd stories, and 'resembles instead the sort of small-town family comedy emphasised by Hollywood's Andy Hardy series. Dad Rudd [becomes] less a naive comic figure than a bastion of middle-class morality, and the story [turns] from the frivolity of the earlier films to an inherently more sober, if rudimentary, allegory on the war in Europe' (p. 249).

The narrative also sees the Rudds attempting to modernise their farm, with unpredictable (and comic) results. Dad Rudd, for example, sets off to buy a new car and returns with an ancient horse-drawn fire-engine. Dave installs a new gas-powered stove for Mum but almost blows the kitchen apart. Among the other comedy interludes scattered through what is essentially a serious plot is a scene in which a team of country fire fighters operate with all the efficiency of the Keystone Kops (Pike and Cooper, p. 249).

form y separately published work icon Snake Gully with Dad and Dave Ralph Peterson , Ken Shadie , ( dir. Hugh Taylor ) Sydney : Australian Television Network , 1972 Z1833052 1972 series - publisher film/TV

Reuniting script-writer Gordon Chater and Ralph Peterson (who had previously successfully worked together on the highly successful sit-com My Name's McGooley - What's Yours?), Snake Gully with Dad and Dave was a modernised and updated version of Steele Rudd's popular characters--albeit a version that, as Don Storey notes in his Classic Australian Television, was based more on the 1930s' radio version than on the original novels.

Just as the radio version had updated the setting to a contemporary 1930s, Peterson's television scripts updated the setting again to the early 1970s, moving Dad and Dave further away from the late nineteenth-century selector culture of Rudd's original narratives. In this version, then, Dad and Dave are farmers on a small, struggling farm.

Despite these alterations, Storey notes that 'ATN-7 held high hopes for the series. The same combination of Ralph Peterson and Gordon Chater that worked on the McGooley series, couple with well-known and liked traditional Australian characters should have guaranteed success.'

It did not. The series was poorly received by both critics and viewers. Storey concludes that 'Budget limitations notwithstanding, the fact remains that a major shortcoming of the series was that the characters did not work well in a modern setting. It can be argued that if the traditional setting could not have been maintained, then the series should not have been made at all.'

form y separately published work icon Dad and Dave : On Our Selection On Our Selection George Whaley , ( dir. George Whaley ) Sydney : Anthony Buckley Productions , 1995 Z331160 1995 single work film/TV humour Adapted by George Whaley from stories written by Steele Rudd in the late 1890s and early 1900s, Dad and Dave: On Our Selection concerns the trials and tribulations of rural life, in particular, those of the Rudd family. Dad Rudd moves his family out into the scrub to 'select' 150 acres of fly-blown land that would hardly grow a cabbage. Riley, his squatter neighbour and local MP, hates selectors and wants the Rudds' land. The family makes a go of it, however, and Dad decides to contest the local parliamentary seat, going up against his neighbour.

Notes

  • Epigraph: 'Pioneers of Australia! To you "Who gave Our Country Birth;" To the memory of you whose names, whose giant enterprise, whose deeds of fortitude and daring were never engraved on tablet or tombstone; To you who strove through the silences of the bush-lands and made them ours; To you who delved and toiled in loneliness through the years that have faded away; To you who have no place in the history of our country so far as it is yet written; To you who have done most for this land; To you for whom few, in the march of settlement, in the turmoil of busy city life, now appear to care; And to you particularly, Good Old Dad, This book is most affectionately dedicated "Steele Rudd".'
  • Percival Serle's Dictionary of Australian Biography (1949): 223 states that by 1940 250,000 copies had been sold.

Contents

* Contents derived from the Sydney, New South Wales,:Bulletin , 1899 version. Please note that other versions/publications may contain different contents. See the Publication Details.
Starting the Selection, 'Steele Rudd' , single work short story (p. 1-7)
Our First Harvest, 'Steele Rudd' , single work short story (p. 8-13)
Before We Got the Deeds, 'Steele Rudd' , single work short story (p. 14-22)
When the Wolf Was at the Door, 'Steele Rudd' , single work short story humour (p. 23-31)
The Night We Watched for Wallabies, 'Steele Rudd' , single work short story humour (p. 32-37)
Good Old Bess, 'Steele Rudd' , single work short story humour (p. 38-47)
Cranky Jack, 'Steele Rudd' , single work short story (p. 48-60)
A Kangaroo Hunt from Shingle Hut, 'Steele Rudd' , single work short story (p. 61-71)
Dave's Snake-Bite, 'Steele Rudd' , single work short story humour (p. 72-81)
Dad und die Donovans Dad and the Two Donovans, 'Steele Rudd' , single work short story (p. 82-91)
A Splendid Year for Corn, 'Steele Rudd' , single work short story (p. 92-101)
Kate's Wedding, 'Steele Rudd' , single work short story (p. 102-113)
The Summer Old Bob Died, 'Steele Rudd' , single work short story (p. 114-123)
When Dan Came Home, 'Steele Rudd' , single work short story (p. 124-131)
A Circus on Our Selection Our Circus, 'Steele Rudd' , single work short story humour (p. 132-138)
When Joe Was in Charge, 'Steele Rudd' , single work short story humour (p. 139-152)
Dad's Fortune, 'Steele Rudd' , single work short story (p. 153-159)
We Embark in the Bear Industry, 'Steele Rudd' , single work short story humour (p. 160-166)
Nell and Ned, 'Steele Rudd' , single work short story (p. 167-175)
The Cow We Bought, 'Steele Rudd' , single work short story humour (p. 176-186)
* Contents derived from the Sydney, New South Wales,:Angus and Robertson , 1992 version. Please note that other versions/publications may contain different contents. See the Publication Details.
On Our Selection : The Illustrated Tale of Australia's Unsung Pioneers : Introduction, Philip Butterss , single work criticism biography (p. v-xiii)
Starting the Selection, 'Steele Rudd' , single work short story (p. 1-7)
Our First Harvest, 'Steele Rudd' , single work short story (p. 8-13)
Before We Got the Deeds, 'Steele Rudd' , single work short story (p. 14-22)
When the Wolf Was at the Door, 'Steele Rudd' , single work short story humour (p. 23-31)
The Night We Watched for Wallabies, 'Steele Rudd' , single work short story humour (p. 32-37)
Good Old Bess, 'Steele Rudd' , single work short story humour (p. 38-47)
Jack or Cranky Jack, 'Steele Rudd' , single work short story (p. 48-60)
A Kangaroo Hunt from Shingle Hut, 'Steele Rudd' , single work short story (p. 61-71)
Dave's Snake-Bite, 'Steele Rudd' , single work short story humour (p. 72-81)
Dad und die Donovans Dad and the Two Donovans, 'Steele Rudd' , single work short story (p. 82-91)
A Splendid Year for Corn, 'Steele Rudd' , single work short story (p. 92-101)
Kate's Wedding, 'Steele Rudd' , single work short story (p. 102-113)
The Summer Old Bob Died, 'Steele Rudd' , single work short story (p. 114-123)
When Dan Came Home, 'Steele Rudd' , single work short story (p. 124-131)
A Circus on Our Selection Our Circus, 'Steele Rudd' , single work short story humour (p. 132-138)
When Joe Was in Charge, 'Steele Rudd' , single work short story humour (p. 139-152)
We Embark in the Bear Industry, 'Steele Rudd' , single work short story humour (p. 160-166)
Nell and Ned, 'Steele Rudd' , single work short story (p. 167-175)
The Cow We Bought, 'Steele Rudd' , single work short story humour (p. 176-186)

Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

Notes:
Abridgement of 1899 publication comprising chapters 1-16 of 1899 edition.
Notes:
Company editions had a total print run of 20, 200 so it is likely the 1909 edition had a print run of around 20,000.
    • Sydney, New South Wales,: N.S.W. Bookstall Company , 1909 .
      Printed by John Sands
      Extent: vii, 152, 12p.p.
      Description: illus. (b & w)
      Reprinted: 1910-1943 The 1909 edition was reprinted eighteen times to 1927 and 128,000 copies were produced. (Cover 1927 reprint). There were further reprints to 1943.
      Note/s:
      • Includes Selected List of N.S.W. Bookstall Publications.(12p.)
      Series: Bookstall Series New South Wales Bookstall Series N.S.W. Bookstall Company (publisher), 1904 series - publisher
    • Perth, Western Australia,: H.B. Albert , 1909 .
      Extent: vii, 152, 12 p., [4] p. of platesp.
      Description: illus., facsims
    • Melbourne, Victoria,: E. W. Cole , 1909 .
      Extent: vii, 152 p., [1] leaf of platesp.
      Description: illus.
  • Appears in:
    y separately published work icon On Our Selection. Our New Selection. Sandy's Selection. Back at Our Selection. 'Steele Rudd' , Hawthorn : Lloyd O'Neil , 1973 Z1384105 1973 selected work novel short story Hawthorn : Lloyd O'Neil , 1973 pg. 2-101
  • Appears in:
    y separately published work icon On Our Selection 'Steele Rudd' , St Lucia : University of Queensland Press , 1987 Z123051 1987 selected work short story humour Omnibus edition of four Rudd works. Illustrations of the original New South Wales Bookstall publications are reproduced. St Lucia : University of Queensland Press , 1987 pg. 1-114
    • Stepney, Norwood, Payneham & St Peters area, Adelaide - North / North East, Adelaide, South Australia,: Axiom , 2001 .
      image of person or book cover 4335206812277199263.jpg
      This image has been sourced from online.
      Extent: 266p.
      ISBN: 1864760788
      Series: Australian Experience Axiom (publisher), series - publisher

Other Formats

  • Large print.
  • Braille.
  • Sound recording.

Works about this Work

Steele Rudd On Our Selection : A View by Generation X Joshua Olsen , 2012 single work column
— Appears in: History Queensland , no. 3 2012; (p. 3-7)
Bert Bailey's Copy of On Our Selection Richard Fotheringham , 2010 single work criticism
— Appears in: Found in Fryer : Stories from the Fryer Library Collection 2010; (p. 68-69)
Rudd's Stories Gave Face to the Bush Battlers Richard Fotheringham , 2010 single work column
— Appears in: The Australian Literary Review , October vol. 5 no. 9 2010; (p. 13)
Inside the Killing Fields of Queensland Richard Fotheringham , 2010 single work criticism
— Appears in: The Australian Literary Review , October vol. 5 no. 9 2010; (p. 12-13)
The Ghost of Dad Rudd, on the Stump Julieanne Lamond , 2007 single work criticism
— Appears in: JASAL , vol. 6 no. 1 2007; (p. 19-32)
'This paper examines the cultural and political legacies of Dad Rudd, a fictional character who first appeared in short stories by 'Steele Rudd' (A. H. Davis) in the Bulletin in 1895 and has since appeared in popular fiction, theatre, film, television and radio adaptations throughout the twentieth century. It traces a set of national tropes - particularly that of the battler - through stump speeches made by Dad Rudd in On Our Selection! (1899), Dad in Politics (1908), the stage melodrama On Our Selection (1912), and Ken G. Hall's film Dad Rudd, M.P. (1940), and considers how they have continued to be used to create both political and cultural constituencies in Australia.'
On Our Selection 1899 single work review
— Appears in: The Queenslander , 9 December 1899; (p. 1143)

— Review of On Our Selection! 'Steele Rudd' , 1899 selected work short story
The reviewer praises on On Our Selection.
Untitled Corine Pearson , 1995 single work review
— Appears in: Fiction Focus : New Titles for Teenagers , vol. 9 no. 2 1995; (p. 39)

— Review of On Our Selection! 'Steele Rudd' , 1899 selected work short story
Short Views L. I. Howarth , 1954 single work review
— Appears in: Southerly , vol. 15 no. 2 1954; (p. 123-128)

— Review of Southern Steel Dymphna Cusack , 1953 single work novel ; A Long Way South Geoffrey Dutton , 1953 single work prose biography ; The Joyful Condemned Kylie Tennant , 1953 single work novel ; On Our Selection! 'Steele Rudd' , 1899 selected work short story ; I Fall on Grass Ian Gordon , 1953 single work novel
Untitled The Bookfellow , 1899 single work review
— Appears in: The Bulletin , 16 December vol. 20 no. 1035 1899; (p. 2)

— Review of On Our Selection! 'Steele Rudd' , 1899 selected work short story
The Seamy Side of Life Henry Gyles Turner , 1900 single work review
— Appears in: The Book Lover , January vol. 2 no. 9 1900; (p. 5)

— Review of On Our Selection! 'Steele Rudd' , 1899 selected work short story
Steele Rudd G. R. Reeve , 1930 single work column
— Appears in: All About Books , 18 November vol. 2 no. 11 1930; (p. 278)
Reeve reports on Davis' address 'How I Wrote On Our Selection' to the Henry Lawson Literary Society, Sydney . Davis also discusses choosing a pseudonym and his literary influences.
The Ghost of Dad Rudd, on the Stump Julieanne Lamond , 2007 single work criticism
— Appears in: JASAL , vol. 6 no. 1 2007; (p. 19-32)
'This paper examines the cultural and political legacies of Dad Rudd, a fictional character who first appeared in short stories by 'Steele Rudd' (A. H. Davis) in the Bulletin in 1895 and has since appeared in popular fiction, theatre, film, television and radio adaptations throughout the twentieth century. It traces a set of national tropes - particularly that of the battler - through stump speeches made by Dad Rudd in On Our Selection! (1899), Dad in Politics (1908), the stage melodrama On Our Selection (1912), and Ken G. Hall's film Dad Rudd, M.P. (1940), and considers how they have continued to be used to create both political and cultural constituencies in Australia.'
A Hard, Dry Humour for a Hard, Dry Land Keith Willey , 1988 single work criticism
— Appears in: Constructing a Culture : A People's History of Australia Since 1788 1988; (p. 156-169)
Australian Humourists III : Steele Rudd Alfred George Stephens , 1922 single work short story humour
— Appears in: The Home , (Autumn) 1 March vol. 3 no. 1 1922; (p. 23, 98, 100)
Inside the Killing Fields of Queensland Richard Fotheringham , 2010 single work criticism
— Appears in: The Australian Literary Review , October vol. 5 no. 9 2010; (p. 12-13)
Last amended 14 May 2020 07:39:00
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