AustLit
Compiled by Dr Catriona Mills and Dr Arti Singh
- Australians and Adaptations
- Adaptations on Australian Screens: A Brief Introduction
- Adaptations on the Australian Screen in the Silent Era, 1900-1929
- Australian Writers Adapted Internationally
- Adaptations on Television
-
Data Visualisation: Adaptations from 2010-2019
- Data Visualisation: Adaptations from 2010-2019
- —. Graph 1: All Adaptations by Form
- Performance Works
- —. Graph 2: Film and Television
- —. Graph 3: Drama
- —. Graph 4: Musical Theatre
- Spotlight: Comparing Film/TV, Drama, and Musical Theatre
- Written Works
- —. Graph 5: Novels
- —. Graph 6: Picture Books
- —. Graph 7: Graphic Novels
- Spotlight: Comparing Novels, Picture Books, and Graphic Novels
- The Frequently Adapted
- Acknowledgements
-
(Scheme : #e63636)
From its earliest stages, Australian television looked to other source material for inspiration, from overseas works to Australian-written texts.
In this section, explore works from early Australian television plays (based on both overseas material and Australian material) to the spectacular mini-series of the middle decades.
This exhibition offers a sampling of these materials. To explore Australian television more broadly, select one of the options below.
Mini-series Television plays Telemovies -
-
(Display Format : Landscape)(Scheme : #bee9d7)
Early Australian Television Plays
Much of the content originally shown on Australian television screens was drawn from overseas: some were simply bought and screened, some were Australian-made adaptations of European and American plays and operas, and some were new Australian productions of work written for television in other countries.
But Australian material began appearing early in proceedings, including adaptations of other Australian works.
This tile explores some of the adaptations of Australian works on early Australian television, but is only a sampling: for a full list of Australian television adaptations between 1957 and 1970, click here.
-
It is uncertain to what extent, if any, this work was altered for television broadcast, but it was the first Australian play to be produced on Australian television.
-
The ABC aired this television version of Barbara Vernon's play to mark their move from temporary quarters into Gore Hill studios.
-
Made five years after Max Afford's death, this television version was adapted from Afford's successful comedy-thriller.
-
Alan Seymour adapted his own radio play about two sisters living in a lonely house on the edge of a swamp.
-
Little is known of this Australian television adaptation of Peter Kenna's play, which was also adapted by the BBC around the same time.
-
Another George F. Kerr adaptation, this time of a radio play by Ruth Park and D'Arcy Niland.
-
Oriel Gray adapted her own radio play for this television version.
-
Adapting musical theatre for the screen was a brave new endeavour for the ABC when they produced Lola Montez.
-
Noel Robinson's television adaptation of this Broadway play set in French Guiana starred Murray Rose, in his television debut.
-
This 1963 television version of John D. Gordon 's opera was adapted for television by Gordon.
-
George Landen Dann appears to have adapted his own play to the screen for this 1965 version.
-
Tony Morphett based this television play about conscription on his own short story of the same name.
-
Pat Flower adapted her own novel to the screen, where it aired as part of the six-episode anthology series Australian Plays: three of the six instalments were adaptations.
-
Hal Porter's play had only premiered on stage the year before he adapted it for television.
-
-
(Display Format : Landscape)(Scheme : #bee9d7)
Spotlight on International Works
Early Australian television relied heavily on overseas material, usually from the US and the UK.
Overseas programs tended to fall into one of two categories: overseas programs bought for direct screening or Australian productions of classic European or American plays, not necessarily adapted in any way.
But sometimes, Australian television staged its own adaptations of overseas plays or novels. A selection of these adaptations are included on this tile.
-
longjohnsilvercast_C[hash]kRM.jpgThe Adventures of Long John Silver Martin Rackin , Kay Keavney , 1954-1955 series - publisher film/TV
The first television program ever made in Australia was an adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island, with some (myriad) alterations of the text. It couldn't actually be screened in Australia, which didn't get television for another three years, and there's nothing particularly Australian about either themes or setting, but it retains the distinction of being the first Australian-made television series.
-
The author of this adaptation has not been traced, but contemporary reports indicated that the work was specially adapted for TV in both words and camera shots.
-
Possibly the first work of science fiction to appear on Australian television screens, this was adapted by Alan Seymour from a work by English playwright John Coates.
-
Andra was based on a 1971 novel by English novelist Louise Lawrence.
-
Peter Yeldham adapted this series from a novel by Hammond Innes.
-
Another Hammond Innes, again from the pen of Peter Yeldham, The Levkas Man was an Australian-German co-production.
-
fivemilecreekcast_C[hash]kPj.jpgFive Mile Creek Sarah Crawford , David William Boutland , Keith Thompson , Gwenda Marsh , Robert Caswell , Graham Foreman , Greg Millin , Tom Hegarty , Denise Morgan , Peter A. Kinloch , Michael Joshua , 1985 series - publisher film/TV
It might be surprising to find Five Mile Creek called an adaptation, but it was based on Louis L'Amour's 1982 novel The Cherokee Trail, with the action moved wholesale to Australia.
-
Flight into Hell, another work from the pen of Peter Yeldham, was based on the 1936 autobiography of a German pilot who crashed in one of Australia's most remote and inhospitable areas.
-
Adapted from the biography of the same name by English writer Garry O'Connor, Darlings of the Gods was reviewed in the Canberra Times as a 'dreary story about Pommy whingers' (2 October 1989, p.26).
-
This extravagant mini-series was based on a novel by British writer Noel Barber.
-
This Australian-Canadian co-production (which used primarily overseas script-writers) was based (very loosely) on Andre Norton's 1959 novel The Beast Master, via the 1982 film The Beastmaster (itself already a loose adaptation).
-
9131812147990796629.jpgThe Saddle Club Graeme Farmer , John Reeves , Sam Carroll , Jutta Goetze , Shirley Pierce , Piers Hobson , Annie Beach , Kris Mrksa , Ian David , Everett de Roche , Helen Steel , Chris Roache , Giula Sandler , Gwenda Marsh , Barbara Bishop , Piers Hobson , 2001-2009 series - publisher film/TV
This long-running Australian children's television series was based on a series of books by American author Bonnie Bryant.
-
-
(Display Format : Landscape)(Scheme : #bee9d7)
Television Serials of the '60s and '70s
Even when Australian television broadened its scope past the one-off television play, they continued to look for other forms for source material.
-
One of the earliest serials on Australian television, Stormy Petrel was adapted by Rex Rienits from his own radio play.
-
This 1967 series (adapted again in 1969 as a standalone film) was adapted by Richard Lane from Jon Cleary's novel.
-
This six-part adaptation was one of the earliest television scripts for Eleanor Witcombe, who later wrote significant adaptations of The Getting of Wisdom, My Brilliant Career, Water Under the Bridge, Jonah, and The Harp in the South.
-
Dynasty Tony Morphett , Bob Ellis , Glyn Davies , Peter Schreck , John Dingwall , David Anthony , Ron Harrison , Alan Burke , Ben Blakeney , 1970 series - publisher film/TV
No relation to the American prime-time soap opera of the same name, Dynasty is doubly adapted: Tony Morphett adapted his novel into a one-off television play, which was then picked up for this series.
-
Eric Tayler and Harold Lander adapted D'Arcy Niland's novel for this ABC series, for which they won a Logie for Outstanding Creative Effort.
-
This series—while roundly criticised for using a white actor in blackface in the title role—adapted twenty six of Arthur W. Upfield's novels in two thirteen-episode seasons.
-
English script-writer David Whitaker (previously script editor for Doctor Who) adapted this series from Nevil Shute's novel of the same name.
-
sevenlittleaustralians_C{[semi]R.jpgSeven Little Australians Eleanor Witcombe , 1973 series - publisher film/TV
Witcombe followed Pastures of the Blue Crane with this adaptation of Ethel Turner's novel.
-
lastoftheaustralians_FUdp.jpgThe Last of the Australians Terry Stapleton , 1975 series - publisher film/TV
One of the more unusual adaptations in the first twenty years of Australian television is this sit-com based on Alan Seymour's play The One Day of the Year.
-
Power Without Glory Sonia Borg , Cliff Green , Howard Griffiths , Tom Hegarty , John Martin , Roger Simpson , 1976 series - publisher film/TV
Frank Hardy's sprawling novel became this 26-episode television series.
-
-
(Display Format : Landscape)(Scheme : #bee9d7)
Spotlight on Children's Television
This is only a sampling of television adaptations for children. To see a complete listing of Australia adaptations aimed at children, including both films and television series, click here.
-
Falcon Island was adapted by Joan Ambrose form her own play for children (also called Falcon Island): the play wasn't published until 1982, but contemporary newspaper articles indicate that it preceded the television series.
-
Hedgerow House started life as a children's novel by Gillian Barnett, called The Inside Hedge Story.
-
This adaptation is based on two novels by Margaret Paice: Colour in the Creek and Shadow of Wings. Both novels follow a Queensland family who uproot themselves during the Depression, after the father hears rumours that someone has struck gold. A third novel in the series was published the year after this series aired.
-
Max Fatchen's novel was published in 1978, to positive reviews (such as this one, from the Canberra Times). This short series (five episodes) was broadcast in 1985, with Nicole Kidman in the lead role of Petra.
-
Like many of these children's series, Five Times Dizzy is adapted from more than one work: Nadia Wheatley's books Dancing in the Anzac Deli and Five Times Dizzy.
-
Twenty-six years before this television series aired, Ivan Southall's novel Hills End was published.
-
The teenagers of Pugwall first got together to form their rock-and-roll band in Margaret Clark's novel Pugwall, first published in 1987.
Clark later wrote Pugwall's Summer, which was also adapted for television by Alan Hopgood.
-
Unusually, both the original novel and the television adaptation of Fergus McPhail were written by the same author: David McRobbie.
-
Wormwood Alex Burrows , Jutta Goetze , Piers Hobson , Sue Hore , David Rapsey , Maureen Sherlock , Meaghan Smith , James Beard , John Coulter , Elizabeth Huntley , 2007 series - publisher film/TV
The source material for the series Wormwood is scattered across Paul Jennings's many collections of short stories, from Unreal! (1995) to Unseen (1998).
-
lockieleonardimage_C[hash]GbW.jpgLockie Leonard Keith Thompson , Drew Proffitt , LeeAnne Innes , Sarah Rosetti , Matt Ford , Shelley Birse , Michael Miller , Ken Kelso , David Ogilvy , James Bogle , Tim Pye , Wayne Blair , Peter Templeman , Rhys Muldoon , Ellie Beaumont , Joshua Wakely , 2007- series - publisher film/TV
This multi-award-winning series is based on a series of books by Tim Winton.
-
myplacetitles_FQls.jpgMy Place Alice Addison , Beth Armstrong , Blake Ayshford , Nicholas Parsons , Jacquelin Perske , Leah Purcell , Tim Pye , Greg Waters , Brendan Cowell , Gina Roncoli , John Alsop , Samantha Lang , Wayne Blair , Dallas Winmar , Tony Briggs , 2009-2011 series - publisher film/TV
My Place is based on a picture book by Nadia Wheatley and Donna Rawlins , which follows the various inhabitants of a single location in Sydney.
-
conspiracy365image_C[hash]kCm.jpgConspiracy 365 Michelle Offen , Kristen Dunphy , Michael Miller , Kris Wyld , Michael Brindley , Mark Shirrefs , Julie Lacy , Sam Carroll , Shanti Gudgeon , 2012 series - publisher film/TV
Unfolding over the course of a year, Conspiracy 365 was based on a series of young-adult thrillers by the frequently adapted Gabrielle Lord.
-
-
(Display Format : Landscape)(Scheme : #bee9d7)
Sweeping Sagas of the 1980s
1980s: era of the mini-series.
This is only a sampling of 1980s' adaptations of Australian works: to see a complete listing, click here.
-
Despite the scale of this adaptation, it still required a ruthless cutting of Eleanor Dark's trilogy.
-
Originally discussed as a nine-part series, Water Under the Bridge aired instead on four consecutive Wednesday nights in massive, two-hour long episodes, a decision that perhaps had an effect on its ratings, which were, contemporary reports said, neither large nor even respectable.
-
morsealice_C[hash]dx}.JPGA Town Like Alice Tom Hegarty , Rosemary Anne Sisson , 1981 series - publisher film/TV
A Town Like Alice was first adapted in the 1950s, but the television mini-series allowed for a much broader scope.
-
A blockbuster mini-series of 'the year in which a country came of age', 1915 was adapted from a novel by Roger McDonald.
-
Based on Catherine Gaskin's novel, Sara Dane epitomises the broad scope and historical focus of 1980s' mini-series, covering years of Australian colonial history through the eyes of the eponymous heroine.
-
Eleanor Witcombe adapted this four-part mini-series about a larrikin's rise to fame and wealth from a 1911 novel by Louis Stone.
-
naturallifecast_C[hash]j}C.jpgFor the Term of his Natural Life Patricia Payne , Wilton Schiller , 1983 series - publisher film/TV
This sumptuous mini-series was also a relatively faithful adaptation of Marcus Clarke's grim novel.
-
allthriversruncast_C[hash]N@n.jpgAll the Rivers Run Peter Yeldham , Gwenda Marsh , Vince Moran , Colin Free , 1983 series - publisher film/TV
Nancy Cato's novel was adapted into one of the landmark mini-series of the 1980s.
-
boyinthebushcast_C[hash]JCu.jpgThe Boy in the Bush Hugh Whitemore , 1984 series - publisher film/TV
Starring Kenneth Branagh, this series was adapted from a novel co-written by D. H. Lawrence and M. L. Skinner, during Lawrence's time in Australia.
-
Adapted by Tony Morphett, The Shiralee is the second adaptation of D'Arcy Niland's novel, originally made into a film, starring Peter Finch, by the UK's Ealing Studios in 1957.
-
Another adaptation of a Sumner Locke Elliott novel, this mini-series was written by playwright Michael Gow.
-
Eschewing the more traditional fare of 1980s' mini-series–Australia's colonial past and the early post-Federation years–television turned to crime fiction with this adaptation of a Jennifer Rowe novel.
-
-
You might be interested in...
- Australians and Adaptations
- Adaptations on Australian Screens: A Brief Introduction
- Adaptations on the Australian Screen in the Silent Era, 1900-1929
- Australian Writers Adapted Internationally
- Adaptations on Television
- Data Visualisation: Adaptations from 2010-2019
- The Frequently Adapted
- Acknowledgements
- Australians and Adaptations
- Adaptations on Australian Screens: A Brief Introduction
- Adaptations on the Australian Screen in the Silent Era, 1900-1929
- Australian Writers Adapted Internationally
- Adaptations on Television
- Data Visualisation: Adaptations from 2010-2019
- The Frequently Adapted
- Acknowledgements