The Skin of Our Teeth (film)
| The Skin of Our Teeth | |
|---|---|
 Advertisement from SMH 21 Feb 1959 | |
| Based on | play The Skin of Our Teeth by Thornton Wilder |
| Written by | Philip Albright |
| Directed by | Alan Burke |
| Country of origin | Australia |
| Original language | English |
| Production | |
| Running time | 90 mins[1] |
| Original release | |
| Release | 25 February 1959 (Sydney)[2] |
| Release | 6 May 1959 (Melbourne)[3] |
The Skin of Our Teeth is a 1959 Australian television play based on the play by Thorton Wilder. It starred John Ewart.[4]
Premise
[edit]The story of life on Earth as lived by Mr and Mrs Antrobus, and their two children - and their maid, Sabina.
Cast
[edit]- John Ewart as Henry
- Leonard Teale as Mr Antrobus/Mr Everyman
- Aileen Britton as Mrs Antrobus/Mrs Everyman
- Diana Davidson as Sabina the maid
- Beryl Marshall as Gladys
- Robert Hunt as Fortune Teller
- Nick Tate as Telegraph Boy
Production
[edit]The film was directed by Alan Burke who had directed a production of Skin of Our Teeth on stage in Canberra in 1953[5] and had spent a day talking to Wilder in the US at the latter's New Haven home.[6] Burke had met him through a letter of introduction while on a UNESCO scholarship. Burke considered the meeting with Wilder one of the most important of his life.[7]
"He is the most knowledgeable man I've ever met," said Burke. "He is a great humanist and has great faith in mankind."[8]
Two sets were used, one for the Antrobus house the other for Atlantic City boardwalk.[9]
Reception
[edit]Burke said although the play had "tiny ratings... it represented the big break-through in the production of television plays."[10]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Tv Guide". Sydney Morning Herald. 25 February 1959. p. 10.
- ^ "All the TV Programmes". ABC Weekly. 25 February 1959. p. 31.
- ^ "TV Guide". The Age. 6 May 1959. p. 5.
- ^ Vagg, Stephen (18 February 2019). "60 Australian TV Plays of the 1950s & '60s". Filmink.
- ^ ""THE SKIN OF OUR TEETH" BY REPERTORY". The Canberra Times. Vol. 28, no. 8, 174. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 7 November 1953. p. 4. Retrieved 9 February 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "CANBERRA DIARY". The Canberra Times. Vol. 28, no. 8, 171. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 10 March 1954. p. 4. Retrieved 9 February 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ Oral interview with Alan Burke
- ^ "Cast of 30 in New Live Show". Sydney Morning Herald. 23 February 1959. p. 13.
- ^ "Untitled". The Age. 30 April 1959. p. 23.
- ^ Interview with Alan Burke at ABCTV Gore Hill
External links
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