''Quiet Night'' is a 1941 Australian play by

Dorothy Blewett Dorothy Blewett (1898–1965) was an Australian writer and literary agent. She also wrote as Anne Praize or Ann Praize. Several of her plays were adapted for TV. She lived for a time in England. Life Dorothy Emilie Blewett was born at Northcot ...

. The play was popular with repertory and amateur theatre groups. It was also adapted for radio and television.

Plot

Doctors and nurses try to save the life of a 20-year-old. During the night the nurses have their own personal dramas.

1952 Radio Version

The play was adapted for radio by the BBC in 1952. The cast included several Australian actresses living in London.

1961 television play

''Quiet Night'' is an Australian television play which aired in 1961 on

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

at a time when Australian TV drama production was relatively rare. The writer and director had previously adapted another Blewett play ''

The First Joanna ''The First Joanna'' is a 1943 play by Dorothy Blewett that was adapted for radio and television. Plot An English girl called Joanna marries an Australian wine-grower and moves to his family home in South Australia. She does not like it and is abo ...

''. Originally broadcast live in Melbourne on 28 June 1961, it was recorded and also shown in Sydney (it is not known if it was also shown on ABC's stations in Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth). It was the 48th live play from ABV, the ABC's Melbourne arm.

Plot

Playboy Russell Keane crashes his sports car and is taken to the Memorial Wing of St Andrews' Hospital in Melbourne. Nurse Sinclair takes the call that there is an accident. Sister Murphy and Nurse Sparrow are also working on duty. Nurse Sinclair has five days to complete her training. Russell Keane drinks some whiskey and needs to be operated on. His blood group is rare and Nurse Sinclair offers up her own blood. Dr Macready is romantically involved with Nurse Sparrow. Dr Clayton is a patient. Russell Keane's parents arrive.

Cast

* Paul Karo as Russell Keane *Mary Disney as Nurse Sinclair * Mary Mackay as Sister Murphy *Elizabeth Goodman as Sister Rankin *

Fay Kelton Fay Kelton (Born in Tasmania between 1940–41), is an Australian former actress radio, stage and television, she relocated to Melbourne in her teens. She was a regular performer on the ABC radio serial '' Blue Hills'' (1949-1976), and also ap ...

as Nurse Sparrow * Nancy Cato as Nurse Curtain *

Sonia Borg Sonia Ingeborg Borg (20 February 1931 – 4 February 2016) was an Austrian-Australian writer and producer, one of the leading screenwriters of Australian films and TV in the 1960 and 70s. After extensive experience in theatre in Germany, India ...

as Nurse Teuber, a junior nurse *Mark Kelly as Doctor Macready *Elizabeth Wing as Leila Clayton *Michael Duffield as Doctor Clayton *Natalie Raine as Matron *Betty Eames as Mrs Keane *Charles Sinclaire as Mr Keane *Graham Hughes as the farmer *

Ken Goodlet Kenneth Edwin Goodlet (11 October 1921- 15 November 2006) was an Australian actor with extensive credits in film, radio, TV and theatre, known for Ned Kelly (1970), Bluey (1976) and The Long Arm (1970). Select Credits *''One Morning Near Trood ...

*Norman Brown *Lindell Rowe *

Agnes Dobson Agnes or Agness may refer to: People *Agnes (name), the given name, and a list of people named Agnes or Agness * Wilfrid Marcel Agnès (1920–2008), Canadian diplomat Places *Agnes, Georgia, United States, a ghost town * Agnes, Missouri, United ...

*Leon Liseek

Production

The program was mostly filmed at ABC's studios in Melbourne, apart from the crash sequence which was shot on a road outside the city. There was a cast of nineteen. Kevin Bartlett did the sets.

Reception

The ''Sydney Morning Herald'' said the show "proved that Australian productions can at times far outpace the imported variety... the play's principal charm lay in its warm and authentic hospital background."

References

External links

* * * * (subscription required) 1941 in theatre Australian plays 1961 television films 1961 films Australian television films Australian Broadcasting Corporation original programming English-language television shows Black-and-white Australian television shows Australian live television shows 1940s Australian plays {{Australia-tv-film-stub