Ralph Wilton Peterson (21 February 1921 – 2 November 1996) was an Australian writer (dramatist and playwright), actor and producer of film, theatre, radio and TV. He went to London and achieved fame with the success of his play ''

The Square Ring ''The Square Ring'' is a 1953 British tragi-comic drama, directed by Basil Dearden and made at Ealing Studios. It stars Jack Warner, Robert Beatty and Bill Owen. The film, based on a stage play by Ralph Peterson, centres on one night at a fa ...

'', which was turned into a film of the same name in 1953. He married the Australian actress

Betty Lucas Betty Helen Lucas (31 May 1924 – 7 April 2015), also known as Betty Lucas Peterson, was an Australian character actress and theatre director, known for her numerous roles on stage and television, starting from the post-WWII years in 1945. Biog ...

in 1946; their son, Joel Patterson (1957–2017), became a cinematographer.

Biography

Peterson was born in Adelaide, the only son of Ralph A. and Daphne (née Coulter) Peterson, and became involved in theatre and journalism in his teens. He got work on radio playing one of the students on the show ''

Yes, What? ''Yes, What?'' is an Australian radio comedy first broadcast in 1936 and one of the best known examples of Australian radio drama. Originally called ''The Fourth Form at St Percy's'', it was a comedy set in a school classroom. The program ran for ...

'' (1937–41) which became very popular. Peterson started writing episodes. When the show ended Peterson moved to Sydney and worked as an announcer on 2UE before joining the army. He served as an artillery officer and in the First Australian Broadcasting Control Unit. He appeared in plays at the Metropolitan Theatre and the Independent Theatre, including the original production of ''

Rusty Bugles ''Rusty Bugles'' was a controversial Australian play written by Sumner Locke Elliott in 1948. It toured extensively throughout Australia between 1948–1949 and was threatened with closure by the New South Wales Chief Secretary's Office for obscen ...

''. After the war, Peterson began writing regularly for Sydney radio including comedy material for

Roy Rene Roy Rene (born Henry van der Sluys, 15 February 189122 November 1954) was an Australian comedian and vaudevillian. As the bawdy character Mo McCackie, Rene was one of the most well-known and successful Australian comedians of the 20th century. ...

Jack Davey John Andrew Davey (8 February 190714 October 1959), known as Jack Davey, was a New Zealand-born singer and pioneering star of Australian radio as a performer, producer, writer and host from the early 1930s into the late 1950s. Later in his caree ...

and

Dick Bentley Charles Walter "Dick" Bentley (14 May 1907 – 27 August 1995) was an Australian-born comedian and actor of radio, stage and screen. He starred with Jimmy Edwards in ''Take It From Here'' for BBC Radio. He was a staple of and pioneer of radio, ...

. He wrote a comedy serial for him and his wife

, ''Ralph and Betty'' (1947). A radio feature about an Aboriginal child, ''The Problem of Johnny Flourcake'' (1950) was narrated by

Anthony Quayle Sir John Anthony Quayle (7 September 1913 – 20 October 1989) was a British actor and theatre director. He was nominated for an Oscar and a Golden Globe for his supporting role as Thomas Wolsey in the film ''Anne of the Thousand Days'' (1969). ...

who recommended Peterson to the BBC. Peterson moved to London in 1951, writing scripts for

Benny Hill Alfred Hawthorne "Benny" Hill (21 January 1924 – 20 April 1992) was an English comedian, actor, singer and writer. He is remembered for his television programme ''The Benny Hill Show'', an amalgam of slapstick, burlesque and double ente ...

and

Tony Hancock Anthony John Hancock (12 May 1924 – 25 June 1968) was an English comedian and actor. High-profile during the 1950s and early 1960s, he had a major success with his BBC series ''Hancock's Half Hour'', first broadcast on radio from 1954, ...

. His stage play ''

'' (1952), based on his radio serial ''Come Out Fighting'', was such a success at

Frank Thring Francis William Thring (11 May 1926 – 29 December 1994) was an Australian character actor in radio, stage, television and film; as well as a theatre director. His early career started in London in theatre productions, before he starred in Ho ...

's Arrow Theatre that the production was transferred to the much larger

Princess Theatre, Melbourne The Princess Theatre, originally Princess's Theatre, is a 1452-seat theatre in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Established in 1854 and rebuilt in 1886 to a design by noted Melbourne architect William Pitt, it is the oldest surviving entertain ...

. It was the basis of the

Ealing Studios Ealing Studios is a television and film production company and facilities provider at Ealing Green in West London. Will Barker bought the White Lodge on Ealing Green in 1902 as a base for film making, and films have been made on the site ever s ...

film ''

''. Peterson returned to Australia in 1954, the year his second play, ''

The Night of the Ding Dong ''Night of the Ding-Dong'' is a 1954 stage play by Ralph Peterson. It was this second play, following ''The Square Ring''. It is a comedy set in Adelaide just after the Crimean War about the locals fearing a Russian invasion. It is based on a rea ...

'', premiered. He continued to work in radio and wrote for film and TV. He had a success with ''

My Name's McGooley, What's Yours? ''My Name's McGooley, What's Yours?'' is a popular Australian situation comedy series produced by ATN7 from 1966 to 1968. Premise The situation involved a young couple, Wally and Rita Stiller (John Meillon and Judi Farr), living in Balmain wi ...

'' (1966–68).

Personal

Peterson married

Betty Helen Lucas Betty Helen Lucas (31 May 1924 – 7 April 2015), also known as Betty Lucas Peterson, was an Australian character actress and theatre director, known for her numerous roles on stage and television, starting from the post-WWII years in 1945. Biog ...

of Clovelly road,

Clovelly, New South Wales Clovelly is a small beach-side suburb in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Clovelly is located 8 kilometres south-east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Ran ...

, on 8 November 1946.

Selected writing credits

*''Yes, What?'' (1937–41) – comedy radio series *'' Come Out Fighting'' (1950) – radio serial *''The Problem of Jonny Flourcake'' (1950) – radio feature *''

'' (1952) – play, later turned into a

1953 film The year 1953 in film involved some significant events. Top-grossing films (U.S.) The top ten 1953 released films by box office gross in North America are as follows: Events * January 16 – A new Warner Bros. Pictures Inc. is incorporated ...

, 1954 novel and 1959 TV movie and 1960 TV play *''Greater the Truth'' (1956) – novel *'' Three in One'' (1957) – film – segment "The City" *''

Whiplash Whiplash may refer to: * The long flexible part of a whip * Whiplash (medicine), a neck injury ** Whiplash Injury Protection System (WHIPS), in automobiles Film and television * ''Whiplash'' (1948 film), a US film noir about a boxer * ''Whiplas ...

'' (1961) – TV series *''The Mating of Ulich Dooley'' (1965) – play *''

'' (1966–68) – TV series – also producer *'' Rita and Wally'' (1968) – TV series – also producer *'' The Rovers'' (1969–70) – TV series *''

Snake Gully with Dad and Dave ''Snake Gully with Dad 'N' Dave'' is a Seven Network 1972 television series, comprising 13-episodes based on characters created by Steele Rudd. It was adapted from the radio series ''Dad and Dave from Snake Gully'' rather than Rudd's original st ...

'' (1972) – TV series – also producer *''

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 ...

'' (1972) – TV series *''The Third Secretary (1972) – play *''The Big Boat'' – play

References

External links

*
Ralph Peterson
at

National Film and Sound Archive The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA), known as ScreenSound Australia from 1999 to 2004, is Australia's audiovisual archive, responsible for developing, preserving, maintaining, promoting and providing access to a national co ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Peterson, Ralph Australian male dramatists and playwrights 20th-century Australian dramatists and playwrights 20th-century Australian novelists Australian television writers Australian screenwriters 1921 births 1996 deaths Australian male novelists Australian male television writers 20th-century Australian screenwriters