Fly by Night (TV play)

Fly by Night
Written by	G.C. Brown
Directed by	Bill Bain[1]
Country of origin	Australia
Original language	English
Production
Running time	60 mins[2]
Production company	Australian Broadcasting Commission
Original release
Release	27 June 1962 (1962-06-27) (live, Sydney)[3]
Release	15 August 1962 (1962-08-15)[4]

Fly By Night is a 1962 Australian TV play broadcast on the ABC and filmed in London. Written expressly for television, it starred Sophie Stewart who was also in The Little Woman.[5][6]

Plot

In London near the Thames, Miss Tyrell, an elderly vagrant, meets a middle aged suburban housewife and her husband, Mr. and Mrs. Dexter, in a dockside cafe. Miss Tyrell prompts the Dexters to rebel against their life.

Cast

• Dorothy Dunckley as Miss Tyrell
• Sophie Stewart as Mrs Dexter, suburban housewife
• Michael Duffield as her husband, Mr Dexter
• John Ewart as Taxi Driver
• Stewart Ginn
• Peter Morris
• Lou Vernon as Seamus
• James Elliott as Seaman
• Olive Walker
• Nat Levison

Production

The play had originally been filmed for British TV in 1961.[7]^[better source needed]

Reception

The Sydney Morning Herald wrote that "sensitive acting from a small but extremely competent cast triumphed... over rudimentary camera techniques to produce one of the most absorbing plays to appear on Channel 2 for a very long time.... Michael Dufficld's characterisation of the retired businessman, still haunted by youthful dreams of adventure, was a completely authentic... Dorothy Dunckley... gave an outstanding portrayal."[8]

The Australian Women's Weekly called it "a most enjoyable TV surprise. The surprise was its standard - miles above the general standard of A.B.C. live plays in acting,production, and story. The story, described as a comedy with a difference,was not so darned comic. It was too real."[9]

See also

• List of television plays broadcast on Australian Broadcasting Corporation (1960s)

References

1. "TV Guide". The Age. 9 August 1962. p. 35.
2. "Television". Sydney Morning Herald. 27 June 1962. p. 17.
3. "TV Guide". Sydney Morning Herald. 25 June 962.
4. "Sidewalk to Revolt". The Age. 9 August 1962. p. 27.
5. "Interview with Stage Star". Sydney Morning Herald. 5 November 1962. p. 19.
6. "Make-up Artist in "Live" Play". Sydney Morning Herald. 18 June 1962.
7. Fly By Night 1961 British TV version at IMDb
8. "Television Play Fine". Sydney Morning Herald. 28 June 1962. p. 10.
9. Musgrove, Nan (11 July 1962). "The Big Channel Switch". The Australian Women's Weekly. Vol. 30. Australia. p. 13. Retrieved 20 February 2019 – via National Library of Australia.