The Wraith (1957 film)

(Redirected from The Wraith (1957 TV play))

The Wraith is a live television comedy play presented on Australian television in 1957. Broadcast on ABC, it was originally telecast in Sydney, and shown in Melbourne via a kinescope recording.[2] It was made at a time when Australian drama was rare.[3]

The Wraith
Based on1936 radio play by Graeme-Holder
Screenplay byW. Graeme-Holder
Country of originAustralia
Original languageEnglish
Production
Running time30 mins
Production companyAustralian Broadcasting Commission
Original release
Release23 April 1957 (1957-04-23) (Sydney, live)[1]
Release24 May 1957 (1957-05-24) (Melbourne, recording)[2]

Duration was 30 minutes, in black and white. It was written by W. Graeme-Holder, and had previously been presented on radio during the 1930s. It is not known if the kinescope recording of the television version is still extant.

Premise edit

"The Wraith" is the name of a mysterious burglar.

Two gentlemen, John and James, are burgling the London flat of Madeleine Bloom, a wealthy actor. They are interrupted by a lady who accuses them of trespass.[4]

Cast edit

  • Leonard Bullen - John
  • Normal Cull - James
  • Joan Lord - Lady

Production edit

The play was based on a 1936 radio play that was often performed in the late 1930s.[5][6] It had been performed on the BBC radio in 1939.[7]

Joan Lord had been in earlier TV plays Twelve Pound Look and Elizabeth Refuses.[8]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Looking A head on Channel 2 (ABN)". ABC Weekly. 20 April 1957. p. 20.
  2. ^ a b "Mystery-Comedy on Kinescope". The Age. 23 May 1957. p. 12.
  3. ^ Vagg, Stephen (18 February 2019). "60 Australian TV Plays of the 1950s & '60s". Filmink.
  4. ^ "All the TV Programmes". ABC Weekly. 20 April 1957. p. 36.
  5. ^ "POLL RESULTS OVER AIR". The Advertiser (Adelaide). South Australia. 16 October 1937. p. 21. Retrieved 18 February 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ "5CL—411 Metres". The Advertiser (Adelaide). South Australia. 20 October 1937. p. 20. Retrieved 18 February 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ The Wraith at BBC
  8. ^ Lane, Richard (2000). The Golden Age of Australian Radio Drama Volume 2. National Film and Sound Archive. p. 41.

External links edit