The Fortunes of Richard Mahony is a 1949 Australian radio drama by Edmund Barclay. The play, which ran for almost a year as a daily serial, was adapted by Barclay from the novel of the same name by Ethel Florence Lindesay Richardson under her pen name, Henry Handel Richardson.[2]
 ABC Weekly 9 July 1949 | |
| Running time | 20 mins (6:40 pm – 7:00 pm) |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Australia |
| Language(s) | English |
| Home station | ABC |
| Starring | Howard Craven |
| Written by | Edmund Barclay |
| Original release | 18 July 1949[1] – 1950 |
| No. of series | 1 |
Barclay was the leading Australian radio writer at the time.[3] The production was one of the most prestigious of the year in Australian radio.[4] Barclay described it as one of his favourite jobs but also his most difficult.[5][6]
The production starred Howard Craven as Richard Mahony and Ida Osborne as Polly. It was broadcast at 6.40om on Monday to Thursday every week.[7]
Premise
editThe story of Doctor Richard Mahony and his marriage to Polly while he works as a storekeeper on the Victorian goldfields.
1956 version
edit
The ABC adapted the novel again for radio in 1956 using the Barclay scripts with Patricia Kennedy as Polly and John Bushelle as Mahoney.
ABC Weekly said "It is the story of a likable, even lovable but touchy and difficult man who did not "fit in"—perhaps a forerunner of a theme dear to many novelists today. Richard Mahony was at loggerheads not only with life and the world in general, but with himself. Constantly he sought peace of mind, but it proved elusive and he was always torn by inner conflict. Mary, his faithful and self-sacrificing wife, is also one of the best-drawn characters in Australian literature."[8]
References
edit- ^ "Fortunes of Richard Mahony", ABC Weekly, 11 (29), Sydney, 16 July 1949, retrieved 25 August 2023 – via Trove
- ^ "Out-standing Women of Our Time: AUSTRALIA'S GREATEST NOVELIST", ABC Weekly, 11 (29), Sydney, 16 July 1949, nla.obj-1370760556, retrieved 24 August 2023 – via Trove
- ^ Marion Consandine, 'Barclay, Edmund Piers (Teddy) (1898–1961)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/barclay-edmund-piers-teddy-9425/text16569, published first in hardcopy 1993, accessed online 24 August 2023.
- ^ "Radio Film". Advocate. Vol. LXXXII, no. 4905. Victoria, Australia. 28 July 1949. p. 19. Retrieved 24 August 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Richard Mahony as A.B.C. Serial", ABC Weekly, 11 (29), Sydney, 16 July 1949, retrieved 24 August 2023 – via Trove
- ^ "Authors views on drama", ABC Weekly, 12 (52), Sydney, 30 December 1950, retrieved 24 August 2023 – via Trove
- ^ ""THE FORTUNES OF RICHARD MAHONY"". Centralian Advocate. Vol. III, no. 114. Northern Territory, Australia. 5 August 1949. p. 19. Retrieved 24 August 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Australian Classic is New A.B.C. Serial", ABC Weekly, 18 (50), Sydney, 15 December 1956, retrieved 24 August 2023 – via Trove
External links
edit- Fortunes of Richard Mahony at AustLit