The Sundowner (radio series)

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The Sundowner
Genredrama
Running time30 mins (8:30 pm – 9:30 pm)
Country of originAustralia
Language(s)English
Home station2UE (Australia)
SyndicatesTower Productions
Hosted byShell (Australia)
StarringChips Rafferty
Written byPeter Finch
John Wiltshire
Directed byPeter Finch
John Wiltshire
Produced byHarry Alan Towers
Narrated byWilfrid Thomas
Recording studioSydney
Original release3 February 1950[1]
No. of series1
No. of episodes26
Opening themeSydney John Kay[2]
Other themesSydney John Kay

The Sundowner is an Australian radio series starring Chips Rafferty as a swagman.[3]

Production history[edit]

The series originated in 1947 as a vehicle for Chips Rafferty after his success with The Overlanders. It was devised by Peter Finch who wrote a pilot script in conjunction with Harry Alan Towers, who was visitng Australia at the time. The pilot was recorded in Sydney around August 1947, after which Towers took it back with him to London where he sold the series overseas in 1948 and ordered a batch of episodes.[4][5][6] Finch also directed the pilot.[7] When Finch went to London, John Wiltshire took over as director although Finch continued to contribute episodes as writer.

The series debuted in Australia on 1950. It was made by Towers of London.[8] Reviews were mixed.

The show was heard in Australia on a network of 60 stations, including 2UE, every Friday at 8.30 p.m., and on Mondays from SAD at 8.00 p.m., from 3DB, 4BK, and 7HT at 8.30 p.m.[9][10] According to one listener, "The sponsors are also to be congratulated on the acquisition of the really fine script. Chips Rafferty’s voice has rare qualities, being melodious, quiet, beautifully distinct, unhurried, unaffected, and utterly uncorrupted by any accent (“drawl” or “twang”). In short, Chips speaks good, unadulterated, pure Australian-English."[11]

The show was sponsored in Australia by Shell.[12]

It is not to be confused with another radio series starring Rafferty, Chips.

Premise[edit]

The Sundowner travels the Australian outback having adventures.

Cast[edit]

  • Chips Rafferty as The Sundowner
  • Marshall Crosby
  • Tom Lake
  • Alan Herbert
  • Frank Ransom

Select episodes[edit]

  • "Lasseter" - written by Finch[13]
  • "The Bushranger" (17 Feb) - "Old Eddie spent most of his time dreaming about the old bushrangers. They were his idols. Then he tried to emulate their exploits. At first his friends were able to hush things up, but finally he tried to stick up the bank, slipped on the polished linoleum and broke his hip. His final lament from his sick bed is that if they’d let him carry on he would have tied up Mrs. Thompson, the schoolteacher, and given all the kids a half-holiday, just as one of his heroes had done in the wild colonial days. "[14]
  • Ep 6 - "The Immigrant" (24 Feb) - Chips calls at a homestead, and meets an English immigrant who tells about his rivalry with a neighbour[15]
  • "The Drovers" (3 March) - three boys lead a cattle drive from north Queensland to Adelaide[16]
  • "On the Track" (10 March) - The Sundowner travels with a swagman called Andy and they wind up at a rodeo.[17]
  • Ep Seven "The Poet" (17 March) - On a big sheep station in Northern N.S.W., the shearing season is in full swing. The shearers tell stories in the evenings. [18][19]
  • Ep 10 pearling industry (24 March) - The Sundowner signs on as a member of the crew of a pearling lugger at Broome[20]
  • "Timber" (7 April) - The Sundowner and his mate find an ancient and majestic old Karri tree, about which they have heard strange stories. In his dream the Sundowner seems to hear the spirit voice of the tree.[21]
  • "Mercy on Wings" (21 April) - old timer Dogger Bails falls sick but insists on going on a drove - he refuses to allow The Sundowner to ride to the nearest wireless to call the Flying Doctor. Dogger's grandson rides, is injured. The Flying Doctor arrives to save him.[22][23]
  • "The Broken Hill" (May 12) - the Sundowner meets an American down on his life and an old timer who talks of the town Silverton near Broken Hill and a story of the old days[24]
  • (19 May) - The Sundowner stops at a wayside road show. One of the exhibits is a Wild Man of Borneo, in whom Chips recognises an old acquaintance, an aboriginal by the name of Fred Haynes. He tells of discrimination he has suffered.[25]
  • "Whiplash" (26 May) - On a cattle-drove in Queensland, Chips and Cracker Charlie are annoyed when the herd is stampeded by an inexperienced drover named Johnno, who cracks a whip in the night and frightens the animals. Johnny finds out why the head drover Ian never uses a whip.[26]
  • Diamond field (9 June) - The Sundowener meets Steve who he knew from the diamond fields near Inverell - Steve tells how his father Horrie looked for diamonds.[27]
  • Sheep station (23 June)[28]
  • Steel industry (30 June) - The Sundowner meets a boy who does not want to work in his father's steelworks[29]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "FRIDAY, February 3", ABC Weekly, vol. 12, no. 4, Sydney: ABC, 28 January 1950, nla.obj-1448112526, retrieved 13 September 2023 – via Trove
  2. ^ ""The Sundowner"". Warialda Standard And Northern Districts' Advertiser. Vol. 57, no. 3. New South Wales, Australia. 13 February 1950. p. 2. Retrieved 30 August 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ^ ""Chips" Rafferty on Station 2NZ". Glen Innes Examiner. New South Wales, Australia. 10 March 1950. p. 6. Retrieved 30 August 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ^ "Your radio". The Daily Telegraph. Vol. VIII, no. 39. New South Wales, Australia. 10 August 1947. p. 19. Retrieved 30 August 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ^ "Radio Roundabout", ABC Weekly, vol. 9, no. 34, Sydney: ABC, 23 August 1947, nla.obj-1425788923, retrieved 13 September 2023 – via Trove
  6. ^ "Radio Roundabout", ABC Weekly, vol. 10, no. 27, Sydney: ABC, 3 July 1948, nla.obj-1430470435, retrieved 13 September 2023 – via Trove
  7. ^ "George Mari's Radio Round-Up". The Sun. No. 11, 710. New South Wales, Australia. 7 August 1947. p. 6 (LATE FINAL EXTRA). Retrieved 30 August 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. ^ "RADIO ROUNDABOUT". News. Vol. 54, no. 8, 256. South Australia. 21 January 1950. p. 5. Retrieved 30 August 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ^ "The Sundowner is rich in talent", ABC Weekly, vol. 12, no. 4, Sydney, 28 January 1950, retrieved 30 August 2023 – via Trove
  10. ^ "My Radio diary". Sunday Mail. No. 1030. Queensland, Australia. 22 January 1950. p. 9. Retrieved 30 August 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  11. ^ "The Sundowner", ABC Weekly, vol. 12, no. 10, Sydney, 11 March 1950, nla.obj-1691286336, retrieved 13 September 2023 – via Trove
  12. ^ "What's This I Hear?". The Herald. No. 22, 673. Victoria, Australia. 21 January 1950. p. 4. Retrieved 30 August 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  13. ^ "ON THE AIR". Smith's Weekly. Vol. XXXI, no. 49. New South Wales, Australia. 4 February 1950. p. 30. Retrieved 30 August 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  14. ^ Australian Broadcasting Commission. (11 February 1950), "Radio Round & About", ABC Weekly, vol. 12, no. 6, Sydney: ABC, nla.obj-1691135619, retrieved 18 March 2024 – via Trove
  15. ^ "Clever Scripting of Real Australian Show", ABC Weekly, vol. 12, no. 7, Sydney, 18 February 1950, nla.obj-1691164213, retrieved 30 August 2023 – via Trove
  16. ^ "Radio Round & About", ABC Weekly, vol. 12, no. 8, Sydney, 25 February 1950, nla.obj-1691212110, retrieved 13 September 2023 – via Trove
  17. ^ "On the Wallaby", ABC Weekly, vol. 12, no. 9, Sydney, 4 March 1950, nla.obj-1691262872, retrieved 30 August 2023 – via Trove
  18. ^ "Hypnotist From 5 AD; A.B.C.'s Concert". The Advertiser (Adelaide). Vol. 92, no. 28, 524. South Australia. 11 March 1950. p. 12. Retrieved 30 August 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  19. ^ "Radio Round & about", ABC Weekly, vol. 12, no. 10, Sydney, 11 March 1950, retrieved 30 August 2023 – via Trove
  20. ^ "Radio Round & About", ABC Weekly, vol. 12, no. 11, Sydney, 18 March 1950, retrieved 30 August 2023 – via Trove
  21. ^ "Radio Round & About", ABC Weekly, vol. 12, no. 13, Sydney, 1 April 1950, retrieved 30 August 2023 – via Trove
  22. ^ "GEORGE HART'S RADIO NEWS". The Sun. No. 12, 549. New South Wales, Australia. 18 April 1950. p. 21 (LATE FINAL EXTRA). Retrieved 30 August 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  23. ^ "Radio Round & About", ABC Weekly, vol. 12, no. 15, Sydney, 15 April 1950, nla.obj-1692525913, retrieved 30 August 2023 – via Trove
  24. ^ "Radio Round & About", ABC Weekly, vol. 12, no. 18, Sydney, 6 May 1950, nla.obj-1692550140, retrieved 13 September 2023 – via Trove
  25. ^ "Radio Round & About", ABC Weekly, vol. 12, no. 19, Sydney, 13 May 1950, retrieved 14 September 2023 – via Trove
  26. ^ "Radio Round & about", ABC Weekly, vol. 12, no. 20, Sydney, 20 May 1950, nla.obj-1692562976, retrieved 30 August 2023 – via Trove
  27. ^ "Radio Round & About", ABC Weekly, vol. 12, no. 22, Sydney, 3 June 1950, nla.obj-1692575338, retrieved 30 August 2023 – via Trove
  28. ^ "Radio Round & about", ABC Weekly, vol. 12, no. 24, Sydney, 17 June 1950, nla.obj-1692587592, retrieved 30 August 2023 – via Trove
  29. ^ "Radio Round & About", ABC Weekly, vol. 12, no. 25, Sydney, 24 June 1950, nla.obj-1692593974, retrieved 30 August 2023 – via Trove
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