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Lee Robinson (director)

January 01, 1970

Lee Robinson OAM (22 February 1923 – 22 September 2003) was an Australian producer, director and screenwriter who was Australia's most prolific filmmaker of the 1950s and part of the creative team that produced the late 1960s international hit television series Skippy the Bush Kangaroo.

Lee Robinson
Born22 February 1923 (1923-02-22)
Petersham, New South Wales, Australia
Died22 September 2003 (2003-09-23) (aged 80)
Sydney, Australia
Occupations
  • Producer
  • director
  • screenwriter
  • studio executive

Biography edit

Robinson was born in Petersham, New South Wales and left school aged 12. He worked at the Daily Telegraph has a copy boy, and wrote short stories prior to the war. He first entered film as a member of the Australian Army History Unit[1] where he filmed Australian troops in Rabaul and East Timor.[2] His commanding officer in the History Unit was the author and screenwriter Jon Cleary.[3]

After the war he was going to work for the ABC as a scriptwriter when he received an offer to join the Australian Information Service film unit (later Film Australia) where he directed a film on Albert Namatjira called Namatjira the Painter (1946). Robinson made several films in the Northern Territory such as Outback Patrol, The Pearlers and Crocodile Hunters as well as a short film with actors in a studio called Double Trouble (1951).[4] The high quality and Australian subject matter of these films led them to be released theatrically as support for main features.[5]

Robinson was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the 1985 Australia Day Honours for "service to the Australian film and television industry".[6]

Association with Chips Rafferty edit

Robinson had known actor Chips Rafferty from writing radio serials for him. Together with George Heath they formed a company called Platypus Productions with the goal of producing Australian films that Robinson would direct and Rafferty could appear in. The Australian Government put a £10,000 limit on any non-essential Australian company, forcing them to make their first film The Phantom Stockman (1953) for that amount.[5] The movie was a success, launching the career of Robinson discovery Victoria Shaw and Robinson found out that modestly made films with good advertising made their money back.[7] He also felt that a film with an unconventional setting should have a conventional story line.

Rafferty and Robinson then formed a new company, Southern International Productions, and made the popular King of the Coral Sea (1954), which marked the feature film debut of Rod Taylor. This was followed by Walk into Paradise (1956), an Australian/French international co-production which American showman Joseph E. Levine acquired for American release and shrewdly retitled Walk into Hell. The film became the most successful Australian film up to that time.[8]

He became involved with Waratah Productions making Adventure Unlimited.[9]

Fauna Productions edit

With feature film production drying up, Robinson moved from directing and writing to producing. In 1966 he formed Fauna Productions with John McCallum to produce the television series Skippy the Bush Kangaroo. Robinson had been advised that a children's show would sell well globally.[10] Robinson was inspired by Flipper, changing the dolphin into a kangaroo.[11] The series was filmed in colour before Australia had colour television. Robinson directed a feature film of the series called The Intruders (1969) or Skippy and the Intruders.[citation needed]

Throughout the 1970s he concentrated on television production. In the early 1980s he returned to feature films, producing two films based on the activities of Z Special Unit during World War II.[citation needed]

Personal life edit

Robinson and his wife, Gwenyth, remained together from their marriage in 1940 until her death in 1968. They had five children.[12]

Quotes edit

"To put an Australian tag on it [an Australian feature film] was the worst thing you could do."

Feature films edit

Documentaries edit

Radio edit

Television edit

Short stories edit

  • Square Off (1944)[15]
  • Railroad Out (1945)[16]
  • Suffer Little Children (1946)[17]

Notes edit

  1. ^ . Archived from the original on 10 December 2016. Retrieved 8 October 2011.
  2. ^ Geoff Mayer, 'Lee Robinson Obituary', Screening the Past
  3. ^ a b c d Robinson, Lee (15 August 1976). "Lee Robinson" (Oral history). Interviewed by Graham Shirley. National Film and Sound Archive.
  4. ^ Lee Robinson biography at Murdoch University
  5. ^ a b (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 February 2012. Retrieved 24 September 2009.
  6. ^ "ROBINSON, Lee". honours.pmc.gov.au. Retrieved 21 September 2018.
  7. ^ Reade, Eric History and Heartburn: The Saga of Australian Film 1896–1978 1981 Fairleigh Dickinson Univ Press p145
  8. ^ "Continuum".
  9. ^ Vagg, Stephen (6 May 2023). "Forgotten Australian TV Series: Adventure Unlimited". Filmink.
  10. ^ . Archived from the original on 26 June 2008. Retrieved 24 September 2009.
  11. ^ "InDaily | Adelaide News – Daily Independent News".
  12. ^ Tim Read, 'An Idea That Leapt Borders', The Sydney Morning Herald, 8 Oct 2003
  13. ^ "Burns to star in 208 rounds". Sunday Mail. Brisbane. 10 February 1952. p. 15. Retrieved 30 August 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  14. ^ "LOCAL NEWS". Gilgandra Weekly. NSW. 8 January 1953. p. 4. Retrieved 30 August 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  15. ^ "SHORT STORY BY AN AUSTRALIAN AUTHOR". The Sunday Times. Perth. 29 October 1944. p. 2 Supplement: SUPPLEMENT TO "THE SUNDAY TIMES". Retrieved 30 August 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  16. ^ "Railroad Out". The Sunday Times. Perth. 11 March 1945. p. 10 Supplement: SUPPLEMENT TO "THE SUNDAY TIMES". Retrieved 30 August 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  17. ^ "SHORT STORY BY AN AUSTRALIAN AUTHOR". The Sunday Times. Perth. 21 April 1946. p. 8 Supplement: The Sunday Times MAGAZINE. Retrieved 30 August 2015 – via National Library of Australia.

External links edit

  • Lee Robinson (III) at IMDb
  • Geoff Mayer, 'Lee Robinson Obituary', Screening the Past
  • Lee Robinson at the National Film and Sound Archive
  • 1950 article by Robinson on Big Game Safaris in the Northern Territory

January 01, 1970
robinson, director, robinson, february, 1923, september, 2003, australian, producer, director, screenwriter, australia, most, prolific, filmmaker, 1950s, part, creative, team, that, produced, late, 1960s, international, television, series, skippy, bush, kangar. Lee Robinson OAM 22 February 1923 22 September 2003 was an Australian producer director and screenwriter who was Australia s most prolific filmmaker of the 1950s and part of the creative team that produced the late 1960s international hit television series Skippy the Bush Kangaroo Lee RobinsonBorn22 February 1923 1923 02 22 Petersham New South Wales AustraliaDied22 September 2003 2003 09 23 aged 80 Sydney AustraliaOccupationsProducerdirectorscreenwriterstudio executive Contents 1 Biography 1 1 Association with Chips Rafferty 1 2 Fauna Productions 2 Personal life 3 Quotes 4 Feature films 5 Documentaries 6 Radio 7 Television 8 Short stories 9 Notes 10 External linksBiography editRobinson was born in Petersham New South Wales and left school aged 12 He worked at the Daily Telegraph has a copy boy and wrote short stories prior to the war He first entered film as a member of the Australian Army History Unit 1 where he filmed Australian troops in Rabaul and East Timor 2 His commanding officer in the History Unit was the author and screenwriter Jon Cleary 3 After the war he was going to work for the ABC as a scriptwriter when he received an offer to join the Australian Information Service film unit later Film Australia where he directed a film on Albert Namatjira called Namatjira the Painter 1946 Robinson made several films in the Northern Territory such as Outback Patrol The Pearlers and Crocodile Hunters as well as a short film with actors in a studio called Double Trouble 1951 4 The high quality and Australian subject matter of these films led them to be released theatrically as support for main features 5 Robinson was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia OAM in the 1985 Australia Day Honours for service to the Australian film and television industry 6 Association with Chips Rafferty edit Robinson had known actor Chips Rafferty from writing radio serials for him Together with George Heath they formed a company called Platypus Productions with the goal of producing Australian films that Robinson would direct and Rafferty could appear in The Australian Government put a 10 000 limit on any non essential Australian company forcing them to make their first film The Phantom Stockman 1953 for that amount 5 The movie was a success launching the career of Robinson discovery Victoria Shaw and Robinson found out that modestly made films with good advertising made their money back 7 He also felt that a film with an unconventional setting should have a conventional story line Rafferty and Robinson then formed a new company Southern International Productions and made the popular King of the Coral Sea 1954 which marked the feature film debut of Rod Taylor This was followed by Walk into Paradise 1956 an Australian French international co production which American showman Joseph E Levine acquired for American release and shrewdly retitled Walk into Hell The film became the most successful Australian film up to that time 8 He became involved with Waratah Productions making Adventure Unlimited 9 Fauna Productions edit With feature film production drying up Robinson moved from directing and writing to producing In 1966 he formed Fauna Productions with John McCallum to produce the television series Skippy the Bush Kangaroo Robinson had been advised that a children s show would sell well globally 10 Robinson was inspired by Flipper changing the dolphin into a kangaroo 11 The series was filmed in colour before Australia had colour television Robinson directed a feature film of the series called The Intruders 1969 or Skippy and the Intruders citation needed Throughout the 1970s he concentrated on television production In the early 1980s he returned to feature films producing two films based on the activities of Z Special Unit during World War II citation needed Personal life editRobinson and his wife Gwenyth remained together from their marriage in 1940 until her death in 1968 They had five children 12 Quotes edit To put an Australian tag on it an Australian feature film was the worst thing you could do Feature films editThe Phantom Stockman 1953 director writer King of the Coral Sea 1954 director writer Walk into Paradise 1956 director writer Dust in the Sun 1958 director writer The Stowaway 1958 director producer writer The Restless and the Damned 1959 producer Hula Hula 1959 French Italian film 3 The Intruders 1969 director producer writer Attack Force Z 1981 producer The Highest Honor 1983 producer Documentaries editDarwin Gateway to Australia 1946 Namatjira the Painter 1947 The Pearlers 1949 Problem Town 1949 a documentary about Broome that was shot but not released due to its subject matter 3 Crocodile Hunters 1949 Flight Plan 1950 Double Trouble 1951 Outback Patrol 1952 Bush Policeman 1953 The Power Makers 1957 Bring Out a Briton 1958 Rock n Roll 1959 Australia Today the District Commissioner 1963 The Dawn Fraser Story 1964 Radio editThe Winner 1952 series starring boxer Tommy Burns 13 The Bill Morris Story 1953 14 Television editHigh Adventure 1957 58 episodes Australian Outback Uncontrolled Territory Dewline Machete 1960 pilot for CBS series not picked up shot in Tahiti for Gil Ralston 3 Adventure Unlimited 1965 filmed 1963 ten episodes Skippy the Bush Kangaroo 1968 71 Barrier Reef 1971 72 Boney 1972 73 Shannon s Mob 1975 76 Bailey s Bird 1979 TV series Short stories editSquare Off 1944 15 Railroad Out 1945 16 Suffer Little Children 1946 17 Notes edit Australian Army History unit website Archived from the original on 10 December 2016 Retrieved 8 October 2011 Geoff Mayer Lee Robinson Obituary Screening the Past a b c d Robinson Lee 15 August 1976 Lee Robinson Oral history Interviewed by Graham Shirley National Film and Sound Archive Lee Robinson biography at Murdoch University a b Lee Robinson s biography at Film Australia PDF Archived from the original PDF on 22 February 2012 Retrieved 24 September 2009 ROBINSON Lee honours pmc gov au Retrieved 21 September 2018 Reade Eric History and Heartburn The Saga of Australian Film 1896 1978 1981 Fairleigh Dickinson Univ Press p145 Continuum Vagg Stephen 6 May 2023 Forgotten Australian TV Series Adventure Unlimited Filmink Skippy Archived from the original on 26 June 2008 Retrieved 24 September 2009 InDaily Adelaide News Daily Independent News Tim Read An Idea That Leapt Borders The Sydney Morning Herald 8 Oct 2003 Burns to star in 208 rounds Sunday Mail Brisbane 10 February 1952 p 15 Retrieved 30 August 2015 via National Library of Australia LOCAL NEWS Gilgandra Weekly NSW 8 January 1953 p 4 Retrieved 30 August 2015 via National Library of Australia SHORT STORY BY AN AUSTRALIAN AUTHOR The Sunday Times Perth 29 October 1944 p 2 Supplement SUPPLEMENT TO THE SUNDAY TIMES Retrieved 30 August 2015 via National Library of Australia Railroad Out The Sunday Times Perth 11 March 1945 p 10 Supplement SUPPLEMENT TO THE SUNDAY TIMES Retrieved 30 August 2015 via National Library of Australia SHORT STORY BY AN AUSTRALIAN AUTHOR The Sunday Times Perth 21 April 1946 p 8 Supplement The Sunday Times MAGAZINE Retrieved 30 August 2015 via National Library of Australia External links editLee Robinson III at IMDb Geoff Mayer Lee Robinson Obituary Screening the Past Robinson interview Lee Robinson at the National Film and Sound Archive 1950 article by Robinson on Big Game Safaris in the Northern Territory Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Lee Robinson director amp oldid 1216432144, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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