The Lawsons was an Australian radio serial broadcast by the ABC and created and written by Gwen Meredith that ran daily from 21 February 1944 to 25 February 1949. It was a forerunner to the better known Blue Hills.[2][3] The show began as a propaganda series to introduce modern farming methods.[4] Meredith researched it at a station near Gunnedah.[5] The serial was hugely popular immediately and ran for five years.[6] Meredith adapted the series into a play and a novel.[7]
Premise
The adventures of the Lawson family who live on a farm. Mr. and Mrs. Lawson, Sue and Jean and their four boys Wally, Chris, Ted and Brian. Described as the typical Australian country folk, they raise sheep and poultry and grow wheat and vegetables, but are not as burlesque as Dad and Dave or Doreen and Ginger Mick.[8]
Meredith wrote a stage play version of the radio serial. The theatre version was presented by J.C. Williamson's and produced by Vivian Edwards, who played the original John Lawson in the radio serial. The production toured New South Wales regional areas in 1950 with a cast including Ed Devereaux and Pamela Bygrave.[9] The scenery was designed and executed by J.C. Willamson's son William Constable.[10]