Ron McLean (1943–1983) was an Australian screenwriter, producer and executive producer, best known for his work on TV. He wrote most of the episodes for ''

Spyforce ''Spyforce'' is an Australian television series that aired from 1971 to 1973 on Nine Network. The series was based upon the adventures of Australian Military Intelligence operatives in the South West Pacific during World War II. It was produced ...

'', which he helped create. He had a long collaboration with producer

Roger Mirams Roger Eastgate Holden Mirams (16 April 1918 – 26 February 2004) was a New Zealand-born film producer and director, whose career extended over 60 years. Mirams co-directed ''Broken Barrier'', the only local dramatic feature film made in New Zeala ...

Biography

McLean was running a woman's shoe shop in Double Bay, Sydney when he read an article about a TV series being made in Australia, ''

Riptide A rip tide, or riptide, is a strong offshore current that is caused by the tide pulling water through an inlet along a barrier beach, at a lagoon or inland marina where tide water flows steadily out to sea during ebb tide. It is a strong tidal fl ...

'' (1969). He sent them a couple of stories which the show liked and he taught himself how to adapt them into scripts. He wrote some episodes of '' Skippy the Bush Kangaroo'' and did sketches for ''

The Mavis Bramston Show ''The Mavis Bramston Show'' was a weekly Australian television satirical sketch comedy revue series which aired on the Seven Network from 1964 to 1968. Inspired by the British TV satirical revue TV shows of the period (notably ''That Was The Week ...

''. He came much in demand in the early 70s, writing a number of shows for

Crawford Productions Crawford Productions is an Australian media production company, focused on radio and television production. Founded in Melbourne by Hector Crawford and his sister, actress and voice artist Dorothy Crawford, the company, also known as Crawfor ...

. McLean met Roger Mirans when working on ''

Woobinda, Animal Doctor ''Woobinda (Animal Doctor)'' was an Australian children's television series about a veterinarian in a fictitious town in rural New South Wales.Classic Australian TV/ref> Cast Main cast * Don Pascoe as John Stevens * Lutz Hochstraate as Peter Fi ...

''. The two formed a company, South Pacific Films, which made ''Spyforce''. McLean was also one of a team of four people who wrote children's books under the name of Mary Elliott. In the early 1980s he set up Ron McLean Productions which produced ''Airhawk'', ''The Little Fella'' and ''Outbreak of Hostilities''. The company went into liquidation in 1982.

Personal life

McLean Married to, Elizabeth, and together they have three daughters, Sara, Sallie Samantha and son Steven.

Select credits

*'' Skippy the Bush Kangaroo'' (1969) (TV series) – writer *''

'' (1969) (TV series) – writer *''

'' (TV series) – writer *'' Good Morning Mr Doubleday'' (1969) (TV series) – writer *''

'' (1969–70) (TV series) – writer *''

The Galloping Gourmet Graham Kerr (born 22 January 1934) is an English cooking personality who is best known for his television cooking show ''The Galloping Gourmet'' from December 30, 1968 to September 14, 1973. Early life Kerr was born in Brondesbury, London. H ...

'' (TV series) – writer *'' The Rovers'' (1969–70) (TV series) – writer, script editor *'' Homicide'' (1970–71) (TV series) – writer – episodes include "The Cat", "Flash Johnny", "Juliet" *''

'' (1971–72) (TV series) – co-creator, associate producer, writer *''

Barrier Reef A coral reef is an underwater ecosystem characterized by reef-building corals. Reefs are formed of colonies of coral polyps held together by calcium carbonate. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, whose polyps cluster in groups. Co ...

'' (1972) (TV series) – writer *'' Ryan'' (1973) (TV series) – writer *''

Division Four The Football League Fourth Division was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season. Whilst the division disappeared in name ...

'' (1973) (TV series) – writer *'' Silent Number'' (1974–76) (TV series) – creator, writer, co-producer, director of episode *'' Certain Women'' (TV series) – writer *'' The Evil Touch'' (1974) (TV series) – writer *''

Human Target The Human Target is the name of two fictional characters in American comic books published by DC Comics. The first is Fred Venable, while the second is private investigator and bodyguard Christopher Chance who assumes the identities of clients tar ...

'' (1974) (TV movie) – writer, producer *''

Number 96 96 (ninety-six) is the natural number following 95 and preceding 97. It is a number that appears the same when turned upside down. In mathematics 96 is: * an octagonal number. * a refactorable number. * an untouchable number. * a semiperfe ...

'' (TV series) – writer *''

Delta Delta commonly refers to: * Delta (letter) (Δ or δ), a letter of the Greek alphabet * River delta, at a river mouth * D ( NATO phonetic alphabet: "Delta") * Delta Air Lines, US * Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19 Delta may also ...

'' (TV series) – writer *''

Case for the Defence ''Case for the Defence'' is a 1978 Australian legal TV series.Albert Moran, ''Moran's Guide to Australian TV Series'', AFTRS 1993 p 102 It starred John Hamblin as Sydney defence lawyer John Case and Judith Arthy as Winsome Blake. Supporting cast ...

'' (1978) (TV series) – writer, co-producer *'' Secret Doors'' (TV series) – writer *'' King's Men'' (1976–79) (TV series) – creator, writer *''

Glenview High ''Glenview High'' is an Australian television drama series produced by the Reg Grundy Organisation for the Seven Network between 1977 and 1978. Story English teacher Greg Walker (Grigor Taylor) transfers from the country to Glenview High, a to ...

'' (1977–79) (TV series) – writer, producer *'' Night Nurse'' (1978) (TV movie) – writer *'' Chopper Squad'' (1978) (TV series) – writer *'' Prisoner: Cell Block H'' (1979) (TV series) – writer *''

The Young Doctors ''The Young Doctors'' is an Australian early-evening soap opera originally broadcast on the Nine Network and produced by the Reg Grundy Organisation, it aired from Monday, 8 November 1976 until Wednesday, 30 March 1983. The series is prima ...

'' (TV series) – writer *''

Airhawk ''Airhawk'', also known as ''Star of the North'', is a 1981 Australian television action film directed by David Baker and starring Eric Oldfield and Louise Howitt.Ed. Scott Murray, ''Australia on the Small Screen 1970-1995'', Oxford Uni Press, 1 ...

'' (1981) (aka ''Star of the North'') (TV movie) – writer, co-producer *'' Bellamy'' (1981) (TV series) – creator, writer *'' Island Trader'' (1982) (TV movie) – writer *''

Outbreak of Hostilities ''Outbreak of Hostilities'' is a 1981 Australian film set prior to the beginning of World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the ...

'' (1983) (TV movie) – writer, co-producer *'' The Little Feller'' (1983) (TV movie) – writer, co-producer *'' Innocent Prey'' (1984) – writer

Books as "Mary Elliot"

*''Clare Carson and the Sheep Duffers : Bush Nurse in the Australian Outback'' Hawthorn : Lloyd O'Neil, 1970 *''Clare Carson and the Gold Rush : Bush Nurse in the Australian Outback'' Adelaide : Rigby, 1970 *''Clare Carson at Wilga Junction : Bush Nurse in the Australian Outback'', Adelaide : Rigby, 1970 *''Clare Carson and the Runaways : Bush Nurse in the Australian Outback'' Adelaide : Rigby, 1970

References

External links

Ron McLean
at National Film and Sound Archive *
Ron McLean
at AustLit * {{DEFAULTSORT:McLean, Ron 1983 deaths Australian screenwriters 1943 births 20th-century Australian screenwriters