Seagulls Over Sorrento is a 1960 Australian television play. It was based on the popular stage play Seagulls Over Sorrento and was produced by Crawford Productions for Melbourne's HSV-7, airing on 1 May 1960 as an episode of "ACI Theatre".[4] It screened on TCN-9 in Sydney on Sunday 12 June.[5]
| Seagulls Over Sorrento | |
|---|---|
| Genre | war |
| Based on | play Seagulls Over Sorrento by Hugh Hastings |
| Written by | Dennis Webb |
| Directed by | Alf Potter |
| Country of origin | Australia |
| Original language | English |
| Production | |
| Producer | Dorothy Crawford |
| Running time | 90 mins |
| Production company | Crawfords |
| Budget | £3,500[1] |
| Original release | |
| Release | 27 March 1960 (Melbourne)[2] |
| Release | 12 June 1960 (Sydney)[3] |
It was the first full-length TV play made by an independent production company in Australia, in his case Crawfords.[6][7]
A kinescope recording of the production exists.[8] It was an early depiction of homosexuality in Australian television drama.[9]
Cast
edit- Bill Hodge as Badger
- Brian James as Petty Officer Herbert
- Stuart Wagstaff
- Frank Taylor as AB Haggis MacIntosh
- Peter Anderson as Lofty
- Carl Bleazby
- Don Crosby as AB Hudson
- Mark Kelly
- John Norman
Production
editIt was the second time live drama had appeared on HSV-7. The first was The Caine Mutiny Court Martial.[10]
Hodge, James, Taylor and Bleazby had appeared in the 1952 J. C. Williamson's production of the play.[11] Hodge came out of semi retirement to star. It was reportedly the 594th time he had played the part.[5][12]
The adaptation of the play was more faithful to its source material than the 1954 film version.[13]
Reception
editA critic from the Sydney Morning Herald "thought it came off pretty well as a TV show" with an "excellent cast".[14]
The critic from The Age said "it was adequately presented but lacked atmosphere. The players were scared of the TV cameras for the first half hour."[15]
References
edit- ^ Day, Christopher (1981). "TV Drama". In Peter Beilby (ed.). Australian TV: The First 25 Years. Thomas Nelson. p. 136.
- ^ "Radio and TV". The Age. 3 March 1960. p. 15.
- ^ "TV guide". Sydney Morning Herald. June 12, 1960. p. 75.
- ^ "Green Guide: 'Seagulls Over Sorrento". The Age. 5 May 1960. p. 3.
- ^ a b "Channel Spot". Sydney Morning Herald. June 6, 1960. p. 25.
- ^ "IT'S A FAMILY VERDICT". The Australian Women's Weekly. Vol. 30, no. 5. Australia. 4 July 1962. p. 2 (Television). Retrieved 19 February 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ Vagg, Stephen (February 18, 2019). "60 Australian TV Plays of the 1950s & '60s". Filmink.
- ^ "Title No: 19490, Title: 'Seagulls Over Sorrento'." National Film and Sound Archives. Retrieved: 21 April 2016.
- ^ Vagg, Stephen (14 June 2021). "Forgotten Australian TV Plays: A Season in Hell". Filmink.
- ^ "Videotape of Seagulls". The Age. 29 April 1960. p. 32.
- ^ "Advertisement: 'Seagulls Over Sorrento'." The Age', 18 June 1952, p. 20.
- ^ "The Seagulls will Fly on TV". TV Times. 23 June 1960. p. 10.
- ^ Vagg, Stephen (December 20, 2020). "Forgotten Australian TV Plays: Seagulls Over Sorrento". Filmink.
- ^ Marshall, Valda (19 June 1960). "TV Merry Go Round". Sydney Morning Herald. p. 87.
- ^ Janus (5 March 1960). "Seagulls Unworthy of Revival on TV". The Age. p. 27.