Zelma Oakley Roberts (née Mason, 24 September 1915 – 9 February 1988) was a New Zealand-born writer who wrote several screenplays for T.O. McCreadie in the late 1940s.

Biography

Born in

Christchurch Christchurch ( ; mi, Ōtautahi) is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Canterbury Region. Christchurch lies on the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula on Pegasus Bay. The Avon River / ...

on 24 September 1915, Roberts was the daughter of William James Mason and his wife Eva Mason (née Oakley). She studied at

Victoria University College Victoria University of Wellington ( mi, Te Herenga Waka) is a university in Wellington, New Zealand. It was established in 1897 by Act of Parliament, and was a constituent college of the University of New Zealand. The university is well know ...

in Wellington, graduating

Master of Arts A Master of Arts ( la, Magister Artium or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA, M.A., AM, or A.M.) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Tho ...

in 1936. After her husband Wilfred died in the war while serving in the New Zealand 2nd Division, she turned to writing. Her novel ''Always Another Dawn'' was bought by McCreadie and filmed in 1948. In 1968, Roberts remarried Herbert Dineley in Scotland. She died in

Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...

, New South Wales, Australia, on 9 February 1988, and her ashes were buried at

Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park, Eastern Suburbs Crematorium and Botany General Cemetery (aka Botany Cemetery), is a cemetery and crematorium on Bunnerong Road in Matraville, New South Wales, in the eastern suburbs district of Sydney, Australia. ...

Matraville Matraville is located in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is approximately by road south-east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Randwick. History Ma ...

Writings

* ''The Black Spider'' (1945) – novel *''The Corpse Wore Wax'' (1947) – novel * ''Always Another Dawn'' (1948) – novel * ''

Always Another Dawn ''Always Another Dawn'' is a 1948 Australian wartime melodrama directed by T.O. McCreadie. It was the first leading role for Bud Tingwell. Synopsis Terry Regan, from Camden, New South Wales, is the son of Molly Regan and a naval officer who die ...

'' (1948) – screenplay * ''

Into the Straight ''Into the Straight'' is a 1949 Australian horse racing melodrama directed by T. O. McCreadie. Plot The Curzons, an Australian horse racing family, are visited by an English horse trainer, Hugh Duncan, and his playboy son, Paul. Both men fall fo ...

'' (1949) – screenplay *''The Search for Power'' (1954) – radio script

References

External links

* 1915 births 1988 deaths Writers from Christchurch Victoria University of Wellington alumni New Zealand screenwriters New Zealand women screenwriters New Zealand emigrants to Australia Burials at Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park 20th-century screenwriters {{NewZealand-writer-stub