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Jon Cleary
Jon Stephen Cleary (22 November 191719 July 2010) was an Australian writer and novelist. He wrote numerous books, including '' The Sundowners'' (1951), a portrait of a rural family in the 1920s as they move from one job to the next, and '' The High Commissioner'' (1966), the first of a long series of popular detective fiction works featuring Sydney Police Inspector Scobie Malone. A number of Cleary's works have been the subject of film and television adaptations. Early life and war service Early life Cleary was born in Erskineville, Sydney and educated at Marist Brothers College, Randwick. When he was ten his father spent six months in Long Bay Gaol for stealing five pounds. Debt collectors took everything in the Cleary household "except a piano and my mother's double bed", said Cleary. "I remember sitting on the steps with Mum, who was weeping bitterly, and she said, 'Don't ever owe anything to anybody.' That sticks with you, and it's why I gained a justifiable reputation ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Erskineville, New South Wales
Erskineville is an inner-city suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located 6 kilometres south west of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of the City of Sydney. Erskineville is a diverse suburb homing to a wide variety of ethnicity from its varying Southeast Europe and Aboriginal community. Erskineville is colloquially known as ''Erko''. Erskineville is bordered by the suburbs of Newtown to the west, Redfern to the north, St Peters to the south, and Alexandria to the east. The locality of Macdonaldtown sits over the north-west border. Erskineville is a residential suburb. Erskineville Oval is located on the eastern border of the suburb. History The suburb was originally called after an earlier subdivision in 1846 in the south of Erskineville owned by Stephen Macdonald. The streets around the early Macdonaldtown subdivision are named after relations of the Macdonald family - Amy, Flora, Eve, Coulson ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Long Shadow (Cleary Novel)
''The Long Shadow'' is a 1949 novel from Australian author Jon Cleary. Cleary had just written his debut work, ''You Can't See 'Round Corners'' and was unsure what to do as a follow-up. His editor Graham Greene suggested he try his hand at a thriller "because it will teach you the art of narrative and it will teach you the uses of brevity." Plot The plot revolves around Martin Brown, an educated man who is living as a swagman. He is falsely accused of murder of a woman called Ruth Taylor, and is pursued through the Australian countryside by police and other men. He falls in love with a woman who believes his innocence. Reception Reviews were not as strong as that for Cleary's first novel. Proposed film In 1968 it was announced that a movie version was to be made starring Rod Taylor for Ajax Films Ajax Films was an Australian production company and studio that operated in the 1960s and 1970s. It was crucial to the revival of the Australian film and TV industry in the 1970s bec ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Country Of Marriage
''The Country of Marriage'' is a 1962 novel written by Jon Cleary Jon Stephen Cleary (22 November 191719 July 2010) was an Australian writer and novelist. He wrote numerous books, including '' The Sundowners'' (1951), a portrait of a rural family in the 1920s as they move from one job to the next, and '' The .... It concerns the marriage between Adam Nash and his wife Belle and their decision whether to leave England, where they have lived for seventeen years and raised two young children, and go back to Belle's country, Australia, where they had met during World War II. Cleary wrote a number of screen versions of the novel but it has never been filmed.Jon Cleary Interviewed by Stephen Vagg ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
North From Thursday
''North from Thursday'' is a 1960 novel from Australian author Jon Cleary. It is set in New Guinea and concerns the eruption of a volcano, forcing a group of survivors to flee across the country. The story is based on the 1951 eruption of Mount Lamington In early January 1951, a series of minor explosions and earthquakes rocked Mount Lamington, a volcano in Oro Province, Territory of Papua and New Guinea. Prior to the eruption, Mount Lamington was not recognized as a volcano due to the absence of .... Cleary was motivated to write the novel because he was interested in exploring the concept of Australia as a colonial power and researched the book by visiting New Guinea with his wife. He went on a patrol in the Highlands. Reception The novel was not a big seller in Australia but did well in other countries. It was optioned for the movies but a film version proved too expensive to raise finance. [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Strike Me Lucky (novel)
''Strike Me Lucky'' is a 1959 novel written by Jon Cleary in collaboration with his wife Joy. The plot concerns an Australian family who discover gold and the effect this has on their small town. Background Cleary originally wrote it as a short story for the ''Saturday Evening Post''. Later while the Clearys were living in Spain, Joy was at a loose end and decided to adapt the story into a novel, which Jon then rewrote. It was published under her name and enjoyed minor success. It was based on a story "Trumpets of Home" which was based on a true story. Marlon Brando optioned the film rights for his production company Pennebaker, intending to make it as a co-production in England, but no movie was made. [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Back Of Sunset
''Back of Sunset'' is a 1959 Australian novel from Jon Cleary. Premise It is about Dr Stephen McCabe, Sydney doctor who takes a working holiday with the Royal Flying Doctor Service in Western Australia. When the doctor who runs the practice is injured, McCabe must step up in his absence as he deals with a variety of crises. Reception The book received good reviews abroad. The ''Canberra Times'' called it a "potboiler". ''The Age'' called it "a bad novel but it will make excellent film". The ''Bulletin'' called it "a most adroitly dramatised story... Cleary has become pretty well faultless in the contrivances which push a novel on easily and smoothly", adding that it was, "a first-rate novel in the field of fictional journalism, in which characteristic types are photographed against a carefully-studied background which has value as news. When the job is done as successfully as this is, it is hard to say what more could be required — less of the feeling, perhaps, that the author i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Sundowners (1960 Film)
''The Sundowners'' is a 1960 Technicolor comedy drama film that tells the story of a 1920s Australian outback family torn between the father's desires to continue his nomadic sheep-herding ways and the wife's and son's desire to settle down in one place. ''The Sundowners'' was produced and directed by Fred Zinnemann, adapted by Isobel Lennart from Jon Cleary's 1952 novel of the same name, and starring Deborah Kerr, Robert Mitchum and Peter Ustinov, with a supporting cast including Glynis Johns, Mervyn Johns, Dina Merrill, Michael Anderson Jr. and Chips Rafferty. The screenplay was adapted by Isobel Lennart from Jon Cleary's 1952 novel of the same name; it was produced and directed by Fred Zinnemann. In 2019, FilmInk cited it among “50 meat pie Westerns”. At the 33rd Academy Awards, it was in the running for Best Picture, while Kerr was nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role, Johns for Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Zinnemann for Best Director, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Siege Of Pinchgut
''The Siege of Pinchgut'' (released in the US as ''Four Desperate Men'') is a 1959 British thriller filmed on location in Sydney, Australia, and directed by Harry Watt. It was the last film produced by Ealing Studios, and was entered into the 9th Berlin International Film Festival where it was nominated for the Golden Bear Award. Plot An ambulance drives through Sydney, having been hijacked by escaped convict Matt Kirk and his three accomplices, Matt's brother Johnny, Italian Luke and Bert. The four men manage to avoid detection at Sydney Hospital, and head out through Sydney Harbour in a purchased vessel, intending to go north. However the boat breaks down before they can get through Sydney Heads and the men decide to take refuge in Fort Denison (also known as Pinchgut), unaware it is occupied by caretaker Pat Fulton, his wife and daughter Ann. Kirk and the others take the Fultons hostage and decide to wait until the following night before leaving again. A boatload of touris ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Green Helmet
''The Green Helmet'' is a 1961 British drama film directed by Michael Forlong starring Bill Travers, Ed Begley and Sid James. The film is centred on a British motor racing team. It is based on a 1957 novel by Australian author Jon Cleary. Plot outline The novel starts at France's 24-hour Le Mans race when British champion racing driver Greg Rafferty crashes his car. The plot then follows Rafferty as he continues to race while also concealing his fears. Cast * Bill Travers as Rafferty * Ed Begley as Bartell * Sid James as Richie Launder * Nancy Walters as Diane * Ursula Jeans as Mrs. Rafferty * Megs Jenkins as Kitty Launder * Jack Brabham as himself * Sean Kelly as Taz Rafferty * Tutte Lemkow as Carlo Zaraga * Gordon Tanner as Hastrow * Ferdy Mayne as Rossano * Peter Collingwood as Charlie * Roland Curram as George * Diane Clare as Pamela * Harold Kasket as Lupi Original novel It was based on a novel which had been published in 1957. Background Cleary had written a book about ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dust In The Sun
''Dust in the Sun'' is a 1958 Australian mystery film adapted from the 1955 novel '' Justin Bayard'' by Jon Cleary and produced by the team of Lee Robinson and Chips Rafferty. The film stars British actress Jill Adams and an indigenous-Australian actor Robert Tudawali as Emu Foot. Synopsis Justin Bayard, a Northern Territory policeman, is escorting an aboriginal warrior, Emu Foot, to Alice Springs to be tried for a tribal killing. They are attacked by some Aborigines and forced to take refuge at an isolated cattle station. Julie, the bored wife of the station owner Tad Kirkbridge, sets Emu Foot free and is later murdered. Bayard romances stockman's daughter Chris. Emu Foot is killed by aboriginals and Bayard exposes Julie's murderer. Cast * Jill Adams as Julie Kirkbride * Ken Wayne as Justin Bayard * Maureen Lanagan as Chris Palady * Robert Tudawali as Emu Foot * James Forrest as Tad Kirkbride * Jack Hume as Ned Palady * Henry Murdoch as Spider * Reg Lye as Dirks * Alan Light ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Justin Bayard
''Justin Bayard'' is a 1955 novel by Australian author Jon Cleary about a policeman working in the Kimberley region. It was Cleary's sixth novel. Plot Justin Bayard is a mounted policeman in the Kimberley escorting an aboriginal warrior, Emu Foot, back to headquarters at Fitzroy Crossing for murdering another aboriginal. Emu Foot is being pursued by warriors from the Kapunda tribe seeking revenge. Bayard is attacked by Kapundas and is badly injured, despite killing several of them. He takes refuge at an isolated cattle homestead Kootapatamba, owned by Tad Kirkbridge. Bayard soon realises he has walked into a tense domestic situation: Kirkbridge is unhappily married to the neurotic Julie, who is cheating on him with their neighbour, Crispin, and encouraging him to sell Kootapatamba. The head stock manager is Ned Palady whose mixed race daughter Blanche takes a shine to Bayard. Crispin is trying to persuade Kirkbridge to join him in a new method of transporting cattle. Emu Foot is k ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Climate Of Courage
''The Climate of Courage'' is a 1954 novel by Australian writer Jon Cleary. It was his fifth published novel. It is set during World War II and involves a group of Australian soldiers who have returned from service in the Middle East. Premise The novel falls into two parts: the soldiers on leave in Sydney, where they engage in various romantic entanglements and experience the famous submarine attack on Sydney, then taking part in a patrol during the New Guinea Campaign. Background The book was based on Cleary's experiences in the army during World War Two, where he served in the Middle East and New Guinea. He said it took him ten years to write the book. He admitted that he made some alternations to make the book more appealing to international audiences, as he felt it was more difficult for them to understand Australian culture: It means, for one thing, using dialogue that is more universal than the parochial slang your characters would natural ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
