James Workman (1912-2001)

 James Workman was educated in England and trained as a naval cadet. He spent three years in the London Metropolitan Police. 

Moving to South Africa, Workman enlisted with the Witwatersand Rifles and later joined a touring theatre company. He worked for the South African Broadcasting Commission as an announcer, scriptwriter and producer, occupations he continued to pursue after his move to Australia.

When TV came in radio wiped out so went to London. Wrote novels and TV scripts. Said a lot of people dropped out.

1958 was working in London - was meant to meet Lloyd Berrell when the later arrived but Berrell died see here.

In 1963 at the Senate hearing Brett Porter said Workman had written 18 one hour plays for US and British TV see here.p 126

D Underhill says wrote three scripts for Malabou Productions - 1963 - see here p 637.

1968 he came up with the idea for Motel.

Pseudonym of J.E. Macdonnell, R. Wilkes-Hunter and James Workman

 IMDB page is here

Jan 1966 report he's writing a sitcom for Gordon Chater as a man running an island (I think Phiddlers Three which is in readings) see here

Also working  

Oct 1966 Charles Higham mentions that Workman complained about the lot of Oz writers in Hollywood see here.

Ausstage listing here

Credits

*Always Another Dawn (1949) - actor

*Rhythem of Life (1954) - radio play

*Eternal Night (1954) - stage play - set in Antarctic Station

*2000 Minus 60 (1958) - TV play in UK 

*The Apologetic Tiger (1958) - novel 

*Press Gang (1959) - TV revue - writer

*Reflections in Dark Glasses (1959)

*Cold Fury (1960) - UK TV Play 

*Face of Fortune (1961) - novel 

*In Writing (1961) - actor in TV play

*Apex - ep of Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1962) - US TV Play

*Passion Play (1963) - acted as Pontius Pilate see here - in front of huge crowd including PM Menzies

 *Contrabandits (1967) - won awgie for script Target Smokehouse see here

*Motel (1968)

*Skippy (1968)

*The Long Arm

*Kill and Cune (1970) - pilot for thriller anthology series for ATN 7 see here

 

SMH 24 Jan 1966

NAA Neil Hutchison