Ralph Foster Smart (27 August 1908 – 12 February 2001) was an English-born film and television producer, director and writer, who worked in the UK and Australia.

Early life

Smart was born in England to H. C. Smart, an Australian publicist, and his English wife, Hope Daisy Smart, née Foster.

Career

Smart found work in Britain with Anthony Asquith and later alongside the film director

Michael Powell Michael Latham Powell (30 September 1905 – 19 February 1990) was an English filmmaker, celebrated for his partnership with Emeric Pressburger. Through their production company Powell and Pressburger, The Archers, they together wrote, produced ...

, whom he assisted with 'quota quickies': low-budget "B" pictures made partly in order to exploit the advantageous position of the British film industry under the Cinematograph Films Act 1927. During the Second World War, Smart joined the

Royal Australian Air Force The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is the principal Air force, aerial warfare force of Australia, a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Australian Army. Constitutionally the Governor-Gener ...

in 1942 and served until 1945. Afterward he worked for the Rank Organisation and

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

, returning to Australia to direct several films beginning with '' The Overlanders'' and including '' Bitter Springs'' (1950), addressing the mistreatment of young Aborigines. Back again in Britain, he became an influential figure in ITC television, producing, directing or writing a number of television series and films, including the 1950s series ''

The Adventures of Robin Hood ''The Adventures of Robin Hood'' is a 1938 American Epic film, epic swashbuckler film from Warner Bros. Pictures. It was produced by Hal B. Wallis and Henry Blanke, directed by Michael Curtiz and William Keighley, and written by Norman Reilly Ra ...

'' and ''

The Invisible Man ''The Invisible Man'' is an 1897 science fiction novel by British writer H. G. Wells. Originally serialised in '' Pearson's Weekly'' in 1897, it was published as a novel the same year. The Invisible Man to whom the title refers is Griffin, a s ...

''. Later he created and produced the highly successful spy series '' Danger Man'' (known as ''Secret Agent'' in the United States). In 2000 he was awarded the

Order of Australia The Order of Australia is an Australian honours and awards system, Australian honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Monarch ...

Medal for "services to the development of the Australian film industry". He retired to Australia, and died on 12 February 2001, in Bowen, Queensland.

Selected filmography

* '' A Cottage on Dartmoor'' (1929) – uncredited writer * ''The Woodpigeon Patrol'' (short; 1930) – writer, director * '' The Star Reporter'' (1932) – writer * '' Hotel Splendide'' (1932) – writer * '' C.O.D.'' (1932) – writer * '' His Lordship'' (1932) – writer * '' Born Lucky'' (1933) – writer * '' The Murder Party'' (1935) – writer * '' The Phantom Light'' (1935) – writer * ''

Crime Unlimited ''Crime Unlimited'' is a 1935 British crime film that was made as a Cinematograph Films Act 1927, Quota quickie. It was directed by Ralph Ince. The film marked the English-language debut of Lilli Palmer. Plot The Maddick gang pull off a diamond ...

'' (1935) – writer * ''Sweet Success'' (short) – 1936) – director * ''For Dealers Only'' (

Ford Motor Company Ford Motor Company (commonly known as Ford) is an American multinational corporation, multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, United States. It was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. T ...

short) – (1937) – director * '' Convict 99'' (1938) – writer * '' Alf's Button Afloat'' (1938) – writer * '' The Good Old Days'' (1940) – story * '' Charley's (Big-Hearted) Aunt'' (1940) – writer *''Forgotten Men'' (1942) (documentary short) - director * '' South West Pacific'' (1943) – actor * ''

Island Target ''Island Target'' is a 1945 documentary commissioned by the Australian Government, Commonwealth Department of Information (Australia) during World War II. It tells the story of a Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, P-40 Kittyhawk squadron of the Royal Australia ...

'' (documentary; 1945) – director * '' The Overlanders'' (1946) – writer, associate producer * '' Bush Christmas'' (1947) – writer, director, producer * '' Eureka Stockade'' (1948) – writer (additional scenes) * '' Quartet'' (1948; anthology film, segment ''The Facts of Life'') – director * '' A Boy, a Girl and a Bike'' (1949) – director * '' Bitter Springs'' (1950) – story, director * '' Where No Vultures Fly'' (1951) – writer * '' Never Take No For an Answer'' (1951) – writer, director * '' Curtain Up'' (1952) – director * '' Always a Bride'' (1953) – writer, director * ''

'' (TV series; 1955–57) – writer, director * '' The Adventures of Sir Lancelot'' (TV series; 1956) – director * '' The Buccaneers'' (TV series; 1956) – director, producer * '' The Flying Scot'' (1957) – co-writer * ''The Adventures of Mr. Pastry'' (TV short; 1958) – director * '' William Tell'' (TV series; 1958–59) – executive producer, writer, director * ''

'' (TV series; 1958–59) – writer, director, producer * '' Danger Man'' (TV series; 1960–61) – co-creator, writer, director, producer * '' Danger Man'' (TV series; 1964–66, US title: ''Secret Agent'') – co-creator, writer, script editor, executive producer * '' Riptide'' (TV series; 1969) – writer, producer * '' My Partner the Ghost'' (TV series; 1969) – writer * '' The Protectors'' (TV series; 1972) – writer * '' Elephant Boy'' (TV series; 1972) – writer

Writing credits

References

External links

*
Ralph Smart
at AustLit: The Australian Literature Resource
Article linking three seminal TV shows

Ralph Smart & Hannah Weinstein & British TV
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smart, Ralph 1908 births 2001 deaths British emigrants to Australia Television producers from London English people of Australian descent English film directors People from Chingford Recipients of the Medal of the Order of Australia Royal Australian Air Force personnel of World War II British television show creators Writers from the London Borough of Waltham Forest