Tomorrow's Child is an Australian television film, or rather a live one-off television play, which aired in 1957 on ABC. Directed by Raymond Menmuir, it is notable as an early example of Australian television comedy and was Australia's first live hour long drama.[3][4][5][6] It was setin the future making it technically Australia's first science fiction drama.[7]
Tomorrow's Child | |
---|---|
![]() Ad from 9 April 1957 | |
Based on | play by John Coates |
Screenplay by | Alan Seymour |
Directed by | Raymond Menmuir |
Country of origin | Australia |
Original language | English |
Production | |
Running time | 60 mins |
Production company | ABC |
Original release | |
Network | ABC |
Release | 9 April 1957[1] | (Sydney) (live)
Release | 26 April 1957[2] | (Melbourne) (taped)
Synopsis
editPromoted as A satirical comedy of the future,[8] it was set in a fictional police state.
Cast
edit- James Condon as John Worthing
- Janette Craig
- Queenie Ashton
- Mayne Lynton
- Tom Farley
- Bernard Barber
- Lola Brooks
Craig and Ashton later were regulars on Autumn Affair (1958-1959), the first Australian-produced television soap opera.
Production
editIt was based on a 1947 play by John Coates, and written by Alan Seymour.[9]
Broadcast
editIt aired on Sydney station ABN-2 on 9 April 1957. A kinescope was made of the broadcast and shown in Melbourne on ABV-2 on 26 April 1957, it is not known if the kinescope recording still exists.
See also
edit- Shell Presents - 1959–1960 series of one-off plays for Australian television
- Ending It - 1957 Australian one-off television play, based on a 1939 BBC TV one-off play
- The Passionate Pianist - 1957 Australian one-off television play
- List of live television plays broadcast on Australian Broadcasting Corporation (1950s)
References
edit- ^ "Advertisement". Sydney Morning Herald. 9 April 1957. p. 7.
- ^ "Police State Satire on TV". The Age. 25 April 1957. p. 15.
- ^ "SEEN ON CHANNEL 2-". ABC Weekly. 6 April 1957. p. 19.
- ^ "Looking A head on Channel 2 (ABN)". ABC Weekly. 4 May 1957.
- ^ "Television news". Sydney Morning Herald. 3 April 1957. p. 6.
- ^ Vagg, Stephen (18 February 2019). "60 Australian TV Plays of the 1950s & '60s". Filmink.
- ^ Vagg, Stephen (2021). "Forgotten Australian TV plays: The Astronauts". Filmink. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
- ^ Sydney morning Herald 9 April 1957
- ^ "U.K. NOT KEEN ON VICTORY PARADE". The Telegraph. Queensland, Australia. 20 March 1946. p. 2. Retrieved 11 June 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
External links
edit