Murder Story
1989 Australian television film
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Murder Story is a 1958 Australian television play.[4]
| Murder Story | |
|---|---|
 Newspaper ad 19 May 1958 | |
| Genre | thriller |
| Based on | play by Ludovic Kennedy |
| Written by | Alan Seymour |
| Directed by | Raymond Menmuir |
| Country of origin | Australia |
| Original language | English |
| Production | |
| Running time | 60 mins[1] |
| Production company | ABC |
| Original release | |
| Network | ABC |
| Release | 21 May 1958 (Sydney)[2] |
| Release | 15 July 1958 (Melbourne)[3] |
It was based on a script by Ludovic Kennedy based on the Croydon roof top murder and starred Neva Carr-Glynn, John Ewart and Douglas Kelly. It was directed by Raymond Menmuir.[5]
Plot
A 19-year-old, Jim Tanner is sentenced to death for the murder of Constable Albert Tomkins. In prison, Tanner is taught to read and write. But he is executed.[6]
Cast
- John Ewart as Jim Tanner
- Neva Carr Glyn as his mother
- Douglas Kelly as his father
- John Alden as prison chaplain
- Don Crosby as Warder Graves
- Deryck Barnes as Warder Barty
- Myrna Dodd as Cons Tomkins Widow
- Richard Meikle as Ted Clift, Jim's accomplice
- Frederick Powell as inspector
Production
Kennedy's play had been performed for British TV in 1958 as an episode of Armchair Theatre.[7] The show was filmed live at ABC's Sydney studios at Gore Hill.[8]
Reception
According to The Age after the show screened in Melbourne "viewers and ABV-2 staff were visibly upset by the realism created" and "ABV-2 hostess Corinne Kerby was too upset to introduce the succeeding feature."[9]
The production was well received critically, the Woman's Weekly reviewer saying "Murder Story" and its actors engrossed—indeed hypnotised—me."[10] The show was repeated in January 1960 - when announcing this The Sydney Morning Herald said the production "was regarded as one of the ABC's best TV productions."[11]
There was a production of Kennedy's original play put on at the Independent Theatre in Sydney shortly after the TV play aired.[12]
Raymond Menuir, John Edwart and Alan Seymour worked together again on Bodgie (1959).[13]
