Robert Bruning (27 May 1928 – 4 March 2008) was an Australian actor and film producer, who was the founder of film production firm Gemini Productions Biography Bruning was born as Robert Bell in Dongara, Western Australia in 1928. He worked as an amateur actor at the New Theatre in the Sydney suburb of Newtown in the 1940s and 1950s. Bruning also was a regular guest performer in Homicide, Division 4, The Sullivans and A Country Practice. He also had substantial roles on Australian films such as 1970's Ned Kelly and his production credits, on sitcoms, variety, and drama add up to more than 200 hours of television. He headlined the short-lived Ten Network produced police series The Long Arm.

Of his production career, he is notable for his creation of Australia's first telemovie, Is There Anybody There?, of which 21 more were made.

Gemini Productions Bruning set up Gemini Productions in 1971; others in the company were Bill Huges (director), David Hannay (production manager), Michael Lawrence (director) and Alister Smart (director). Its first production was the TV series The Godfathers at $5,600 an episode. They then made the variety show True Blue Show. When both shows ended, Bruning had to return to acting.Beilby p 517

Bruning felt there would be a market for Australian TV movies like the ones Aaron Spelling made in the US. He succeeded in selling Paradise (1975) to Channel 9. Although he was unhappy with the end result, it enabled Bruning to make Is There Anybody There? which he sold to Channel Seven, and was well received. The network agreed to buy three more TV movies from Bruning, Mama's Gone A-Hunting (1977), The Alternative (1977) and Gone to Ground (1977) all made for around $90,000 each. The film was shot in Sydney.

Although the films rated well, they were deficit financed which meant Gemini was losing money. (Around this time the networks would pay $70–$84,000 for a TV movie which usually cost $105–125,000. The Australian Film Commission covered the deficit.) Bruning realised he needed the protection of a bigger company and sold Gemini to Reg Grundy, agreeing to run Gemini for Grundy for two years.Beilby p 517-518

Gemini made seven TV movies in 1977 which he later felt was too many. Six were made for a cost of $750,000 and followed Gemini's initial four films. "It's the largest order of locally made product ever," said Greg Brown of Seven "and we are sure viewers will be impressed."

The films were usually shot over three six-day weeks with a week lay off in between using many of the same crew. Costs were kept down by using urban settings and locking down scripts.Beilby p 518

Bruning died suddenly on 4 March 2008, in Wellington, New Zealand, aged 79. He was survived by his third wife, Anne, a line producer, their son Nic and three daughters from previous marriages: Ariane, Lucie and Sophie.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Type 1969 That Lady from Peking Karl Feature film 1970 Ned Kelly Sergeant Steele Feature film 1975 Sunday Too Far Away Tom West Feature film 1976 Polly Me Love TV movie 1979 Snapshot Elmer Feature film

Television Year 1969 Title Skippy Role Guest star! Type Tv episode. 1970 The Long Arm TV series 1971-72 The Godfathers Chris Johnson TV series Homicide TV series Division 4 TV series The Sullivans TV series A Country Practice TV series

As crew Year Title Role Type 1971-72 The Godfathers Producer TV series 1972 Crisis Producer TV movie 1972 The Spoiler Producer TV series 1972 Jesus Christ Superstar Producer Documentary 1973 The People Next Door Producer TV series 1975 Paradise Producer TV movie 1976 Is There Anybody There? Producer TV movie 1977 Mama's Gone A-Hunting Producer, Story TV movie 1977 The Alternative Producer TV movie 1977 Gone to Ground Producer TV movie 1977 Death Train Producer TV movie 1977 Roses Bloom Twice Producer TV movie 1978 The Night Nurse Producer TV movie 1978 The Newman Shame Producer TV movie 1978 Image of Death Producer TV movie 1978 Plunge Into Darkness Producer TV movie 1978 Demolition Producer TV movie 1984 The Settlement Producer Feature film 1988-91 Rafferty's Rules Producer TV series 1991 The Time Game Executive producer TV movie 1992 The Distant Home Executive producer TV movie 1993 You and Me and Uncle Bob Producer TV movie 1993 Big Ideas Producer TV movie 1994 Blue Heelers Supervising producer TV series 1996 The Territorians Producer TV movie 1996 13 Gantry Row Producer TV movie

References

Notes

External links

Obituary at Urban Cinefile