"Thunder on Sycamore Street" is a 1960 Australian television play directed by David Cahill. It was based on a script by

Reginald Rose Reginald Rose (December 10, 1920 – April 19, 2002) was an American screenwriter. He wrote about controversial social and political issues. His realistic approach was particularly influential in the anthology programs of the 1950s. Rose w ...

. It followed production of ''

The Grey Nurse Said Nothing "The Grey Nurse Said Nothing" is a television play written by Sumner Locke Elliott. It was based on elements of the Shark Arm case but is mostly fictitious. The play was screened in the US in 1959 as an episode of '' Playhouse 90''. It was perform ...

'' as part of ''General Motors Hour''. Like that production it starred Frank Waters.

Plot

The residents of Sycamore Street are upset when they discover a new neighbour has served a prison sentence.

Cast

Frank Waters Frank Waters (July 25, 1902 – June 3, 1995) was an American writer. He is known for his novels and historical works about the American Southwest. The Frank Waters Foundation, founded in his name, strives to foster literary and artistic achie ...

as Joseph Blake * Joe McCormick *

Muriel Steinbeck Muriel Myee Steinbeck (21 July 1913 – 20 July 1982) was an Australian actress who worked extensively in radio, theatre, television and film. She is best known for her performance as the wife of Sir Charles Kingsford Smith in '' Smithy'' (1946) ...

*John Brunskill *Richard Davies as the man of conscience *James Fallows *Brett Hart *Benita Harvey *Mary Hoskin *Therese Macrae *Verity Marina *Terry McDermott *Ida Newton *

Moya O'Sullivan Moya O'Sullivan Macarthur (8 June 1926 – 16 January 2018) was an Australian-born actress who worked both locally and briefly in the United Kingdom. She was best known for her long-running role as the popular character Marlene Kratz in the soap ...

Max Osbiston Maxwell Hamilton Osbiston (7 August 1914 – 12 March 1981) was an Australian actor, active in radio, stage, film and television. Biography Osbiston was born in Sydney, the son of Frank and Iolanthe Osbiston (née Margoliouth) of Cremorne, New So ...

*Ivor Bromley

Production

The drama was produced in ATN 7 Studio "A" at its Television Centre, Epping. This studio is the largest production studio for TV in Australia. The major set, representing the exteriors of three homes, covered 2,000 square feet. It was the largest single set ever installed at the ATN studios, and ATN production executives said it was the biggest single set ever made for Australian "live" TV. A further 600 feet was allowed for the roadway and for camera movement. As all three houses in which the action of the play was set were identical, a second basic set was used. This covered about 500 additional feet of studio space. It was one of the last appearances of

. The play had been performed on Australian radio in 1959.

Reception

The TV critic for the ''Sydney Morning Herald'' said the production "gave audiences something to think about" and was "careful enough, although evidences of pinch-pennyism were apparent... Frank Waters... stood head and shoulders over a comparatively indifferent cast."

References

External links

*
''Thunder of Sycamore Street''
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 ...