Australian TV Plays: Thunder on the Snowy (9 Oct 1960) ITV

Peter Yeldham TV play about the Snowy Mountains Scheme.

Plot

A set in camps of the Snowy Mountains Scheme. Jan Redeck is a refugee who is sick of following orders. Nick Zafris is a Greek immigrant who has been "accepted" and who will not lightly jeopardise his new-found comradeship in the defence of principles.

The union goes on a strike. But Jan continues to work. The union turn on him.

An English waitress, Stella, finds her sympathy for Jan jeopardises her own job.

Cast

* Ray Barrett as Donnie
* Jill Bennett as Stella
* Harry H. Corbett as Jan Redeck
* Betty McDowall
* Gordon Boyd as David Christie Murray, the foreman
* Paul Stassino as Nick Zafris

Production

When Yeldham lived in Australia he said he was approached to write a musical about the Snowy Mountains Scheme. He went to Cooma to research, but when writing started, money for the project was lost. However he relied on the research to write the play. It also inspired him for a novel years later.

Yeldham says it took three months to write.

The play was commissioned by Ted Willis and Yeldham says its success greatly helped his career.

James Ormerod directed. Roy Stanndard did the sets.

ABC Rejection

The ABC (in the form of drama editor Philip Grenville Mann) was offered the script in November 1961 by Yeldham's agent Beryl Vertue but it knocked it back in May 1962 Mann saying "the migrant question is getting to be, out here, pretty old ground. Quite frankly we are not very anxious to touch upon it more. Together with another subject that would not interest you very much - the aboriginie question - it is getting to be very much worked over and not, alas, of very much interest to the local viewer."

Other adaptations

It was adapted for British radio in 1962, Yeldham's first play for British radio.

It was adapted for Australian radio in 1964.

Reception

Over 6 million people saw it in England. Reviews were not strong - something reported on by The Age.

The Stage called it "gripping in its all round understanding of human behaviour and emotions." The Times said "our hopes of illumination (of the Australian way of life) were not in the event justified." The Daily Telegraph called it "a slow seeming hour".

It was bought for US TV in 1963.