James Workman (writer)

James Workman (1912 – 28 March 2001) was a Scottish-born actor and writer who mostly worked in Australia.

A 1955 article called him "One of the finest scripters in the game, a writer with a hatred of the obvious, a constant seeker after new ideas."[1]

Biography

Workman was born in South Africa, and worked as a sailor and a policemen. He lived in South Africa, working for in radio before going to Australia for his wife's health. In Australia he worked as an actor at first, mostly on stage, before becoming a radio writer for Gordon Grimsdale.[2][3]

Workman died on 28 March 2001, at the age of 89.[4]

Films

  • Into the Straight (1948) - actor

Television

Novels

  • The Apologetic Tiger (1958)
  • Lucifer at Ponsfordville (1959)
  • Face of Fortune (1961)
  • Impact (1962)
  • the Mad Surgeon (1962)
  • Shock Stories (1962)
  • The Captain from Goondiwindi (1962)
  • Havoc (1962)
  • Sweet Taste of Venom (1963)
  • Cleopatra of Egypt (1963)
  • the Navy's here (1963)
  • Sodom and Gomorrah (1963)
  • The Witch Hunters (1963)
  • Sin in Hong Kong (1965)
  • Dragon Ships (1965)
  • Genghis Khan (1965)
  • Sin in Hong Kong (1965)
  • Charge of the Light Brigade (1966)
  • The Mad Emperor (1966)
  • Sex and the Soviet Spy (1966)
  • Attila the Hun (1967)
  • The Courtesans (1967)
  • Zenobia, Empress of Lust (1967)
  • The Beautiful Beast of Buchenwald James Workman (1968)
  • Shark Bait (1968)

Radio

  • Thirty Minutes to Go (1951–54) - various episodes
  • The Last Miracle (1953)
  • Mirror Mirror on the Wall (1954)[6]
  • L'innoue The innocent (1954)[7]
  • This is My Play (1954)[8]
  • A Moment of Peril (1956)
  • The Big Squeeze (1956) - series - writer, director
  • Deadline (1957) - series - writer, director
  • The Key (1958) - series - writer
  • Call Box (1959) - writer
  • Countdown - writer
  • Timber Ridge - writer
  • Odette - writer

Documentary

  • Finding Facts - writer

Stage

  • various plays as actor for the Globe Player in Sydney in 1949
  • various productions as actor for John Alden Company in 1951-1952 including Hamlet
  • Eternal Night (1954) - writer[9]
  • The Passion Play actor (1963)[10]
  • Cold Cure - writer
  • The Tichborne inheritance : a play in two acts - writer
  • Brain drain [manuscript] : a play in one act - writer
  • Shut-up and Strip [manuscript] : a play in one act - writer
  • See you at Philippi (1973) - writer
  • The old poisoner [manuscript] : a play in two acts - writer
  • Breadfruit for breakfast [manuscript] : a play in two acts - writer
  • Possession [manuscript] : a play in one act / - writer

References

  1. ^ "Tricks of the Game Writing For Radio", The Bulletin, 76 (3918 (16 Mar 1955)), Sydney, N.S.W: John Haynes and J.F. Archibald, nla.obj-688069409, retrieved 18 March 2024 – via Trove
  2. ^ James Workman interview at National Film and Sound Archive
  3. ^ Lane, Richard (2000). The Golden Age of Australian Radio Drama Volume 2. National Film and Sound Archive. pp. 65–68.
  4. ^ "Deaths". The Sydney Morning Herald. 30 March 2001. p. 28.
  5. ^ Vagg, Stephen (20 March 2021). "Forgotten Australian TV Plays: Reflections in Dark Glasses". Filmink. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  6. ^ "Mirror, Mirror on the Wall". Commercial. The ABC Weekly. Vol. 16, no. 24. 12 June 1954. p. 25. nla.obj-1677801556. Retrieved 1 May 2023 – via Trove.
  7. ^ "Worth hearing". The Herald. No. 24,027. Victoria, Australia. 31 May 1954. p. 8. Retrieved 1 May 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. ^ "AROUND THE DIAL". The Daily Telegraph. Vol. XIX, no. 227. New South Wales, Australia. 11 December 1954. p. 12. Retrieved 1 May 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ^ "Stark play at theatre". The Daily Telegraph. Vol. XIX, no. 106. New South Wales, Australia. 23 July 1954. p. 33. Retrieved 1 May 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. ^ "Audience Of 7,000 Sees Passion Play". The Canberra Times. Vol. 37, no. 10,481. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 11 March 1963. p. 19. Retrieved 1 May 2023 – via National Library of Australia.


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