The Adventures of Long John Silver
| Company type | Television series |
|---|---|
| Industry | Entertainment, Television |
| Founded | 1954 |
| Headquarters | Sydney , Australia |
| Products | Television series |
The Adventures of Long John Silver is a television series produced in Australia in 1954, inspired by the character from Robert Louis Stevenson's 1883 novel Treasure Island. Designed primarily for audiences in the United States and the United Kingdom, the show was filmed in colour before Australian television commenced broadcasting.
Cast and characters
- Robert Newton portrayed Long John Silver
- Connie Gilchrist played Purity Pinker
- Kit Taylor took on the role of Jim Hawkins
- Grant Taylor appeared as Patch
- Eric Reiman acted as Trip Fenner
- John Brunskill featured as Old Stingley
- Harry Hambleton was cast as Big Eric
- Gordon Chater portrayed Alfredo
- Ray Barrett played Paul
Several actors, including Newton, returned to their roles from the 1954 Australian film Long John Silver.
Broadcast history
The initial US broadcast occurred on 22 September 1955, followed by a UK airing on ITV in 1957. In Australia, it was shown on ABC during the Children's TV Club afternoon programming in 1958 and subsequently aired on regional commercial stations throughout the mid to late 1970s. ITV later rebroadcast the series in a Saturday afternoon slot in 1985.
It is significant that a large portion of the international viewership experienced the series after Robert Newton's passing from a heart attack in Hollywood in March 1956.
Production
The series was produced by Joseph Kaufman, with distribution managed by CBS-TV Film Sales. Filming took place within a studio located in Sydney, Australia.
Director Lee Sholem emphasized the production's cost-efficiency and smooth operation, noting that aside from lead actor Robert Newton, performers earned approximately $200 per week. The local ensemble of eighteen actors delivered commendable performances, aided by advantageous currency exchange rates and comparatively low labor expenses in Australia.
See also
- List of live television plays broadcast on Australian Broadcasting Corporation (1950s)
- List of television plays broadcast on ATN-7
External links
- The Adventures of Long John Silver at Classic Australian Television
- Adventures of Long John Silver at AustLit
- Articles with short description
- Australian Broadcasting Corporation original programming
- 1958 Australian television series debuts
- 1958 Australian television series endings
- Black-and-white Australian television shows
- Australian children's television series
- Television shows set in Australia
- Australian adventure television series
- Television series based on Treasure Island