The Square Ring (1960 film)

The Square Ring
Ad in SMH 18 Apr 1960
Based on	play The Square Ring by Ralph Peterson
Directed by	Raymond Menmuir
Country of origin	Australia
Original language	English
Production
Running time	90 mins
Production company	ABC
Original release
Network	ABC
Release	20 April 1960 (1960-04-20) (Sydney, live)[1]
Release	10 August 1960 (1960-08-10) (Melbourne)[2]

The Square Ring is a 1960 Australian TV play based on a stage play by Australian Ralph Petersen which had been successful on the stage in England and been filmed in 1953.

It was recorded live in Sydney.[3]

Plot

The story of six fighters who wait for their turn in the ring one night at a boxing ring in England. Ex champ Docker Starkie is trying to make a comeback; Eddie Burke is a new boy on the way up; Harry Coombers is a certain future champion; Rick Martell is planning on throwing a fight; Sailor Johnson is a broken-down has-been; Rawlings likes to read books before a fight.

Mixing with them all is the dressing room attendant Danny Felton who has seen fighters come and go and understand them. There is also associated characters like a stadium manager.

Cast

• Don Barkham as Eddie Burke
• Guy Doleman as Harry Coombes[4]
• Jack Fegan as Docker Starkie
• Ken Goodlet as Sailor Johnson
• Joe Jenkins as Rowdie Rawling
• Owen Weingott as Rick Martell
• Edward Hepple as Danny Felton, the handler
• Al Thomas as the stadium manager
• Ben Gabriel Joe
• Louis Wishart as stadium doctor
• Max Osbiston as Watty
• John Unicomb as Ford

Production

Sydney boxing trainer Ern McQuillan was the technical advisor for the story. Joe Jenkins, who appeared often on television as a dancer, makes his acting debut as Rowdie Rawlings.[5] He would later go on to appear in several Australian TV dramas such as The Emperor Jones, Two-Headed Eagle and The End Begins.[6] [7]

References

1. "TV Guide". Sydney Morning Herald. 18 April 1960. p. 20.
2. "Highlights on TV". The Age. p. 5.
3. Vagg, Stephen (February 18, 2019). "60 Australian TV Plays of the 1950s & '60s". Filmink.
4. "Big TV cover of the Rome Olympics". The Australian Women's Weekly. Vol. 28, no. [?]. Australia. 3 August 1960. p. 55. Retrieved 18 February 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
5. "Drama of the Ring". Sydney Morning Herald. 18 April 1960. p. 19.
6. "Negro in "Live" Drama". Sydney Morning Herald. June 13, 1961. p. 30.
7. Vagg, Stephen (May 25, 2020). "The A to Z of Non-White Aussie Movies and TV in White Australia". Filmink.

External links

• The Square Ring at IMDb
• The Square Ring at Ausstage
• Information from 1960 TV production at National Archives of Australia