I've been reading various memoirs of actors who appeared in Australian TV plays. Ones written by John Bell, June Salter, Reg Livermore and Ruth Cracknell.
All appeared in Australian TV plays.
The only one to mention them in their memoirs was Livermore, whose book is the most exhaustive, and who appeared the most on TV. He devotes a few pages to The Tempest and The Recruiting Officer.
Salter only really appeared in one, They Were Big They Were Blue They Were Beautiful and doesn't mention it.
Cracknell was in a few, eg Reflections in Dark Glasses, but doesn't seem to mention any.
Neither does John Bell despite playing Ned Kelly in Ballad of One Gun.
It's quite striking. I don't think there was malice in this, I think they just forgot. There are pages on their TV hits, theatre work, colourful friends... but, Livermore aside, not the old TV plays.
The books are all worth reading. Salter's is compelling because of its description of her marriage to John Meillon. Cracknell is no-nonsense and interesting because her career was so incredible. Ditto for Bell, especially his thoughts on Shakespeare. Livermore is the most colourful, with spectacular photographs throughout. The prose in all four tends to be on the dry side.
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