John Edward Corby Appleton (20 October 1905 – 13 September 1990)Obituary in the Sydney Morning Herald, 18 September 1990 was an Australian theatre and radio director and actor prominent in the 1950s.

Early life Born in Walham Green, England the oldest of eight children of an English father and an Australian-born mother,Johnson, Rob Golden Age of the Argonauts Hodder and Stoughton 1997 Frank and Irene,SMH 28 January 1941 he was educated at Fort Street Boys' High School.SMH 25 June 1953 He joined the Sydney Evening News as a journalist but after six years was sacked for supporting striking workers. During this time he had been taking night classes at the Julian Ashton Art School and started a small business painting 24-sheet posters for billboards.

Amateur theatre In 1928 he joined the Sydney Players Club, of which his father Frank was an active member,SMH 14 July 1928 initially as an actor then producer, known as "Jack Appleton".

He then joined Doris Fitton's The Independent Theatre, where he gained further experience as actor and producer.

Professional and Wartime experience At least partly because of his horsemanship, he was engaged to play Dan KellySMH 5 January 1934 in the 1934 film "When the Kellys Rode", which failed to find a distributor.

In 1936 he joined radio 2GB's "B.S.A. Players" (from 1938 known as the "Macquarie Players"), which led to further employment with 2GB. There he teamed up with Jack Davey and together set up an independent production company as his producer and announcer.

In 1940 he was engaged to fellow Independent Theatre actor Sheila CarterSMH 27 June 1940 (1918–) They married and by war's end had one child. He spent the war years with the RAAF firstly with the American 19th Bomber Group, planning the secret Hobert (spelling?) airfield in Northern Australia, then as Intelligence Officer with 75 Squadron for 14 months. He was then involved in a group organising escape lines from New Britain, followed by a stint with MI9. His radio production company continued to grow. One notable client, from 1947 to 1949, was Robert Menzies' Liberal Party.

Australian Broadcasting Commission

He was appointed Supervisor of Children's Programmes for ABC Radio in 1952. By this time he was married with three daughters. He took a very hands-on approach to the running of the Children's Session, including persuading Ruth Park to write him a part, "Tabby Cat", in the Muddle-Headed Wombat serial. He was outspoken on the damaging effects of TV on children's minds.''SMH 7 October 1954 With his conservative outlook and RAAF demeanor, he was treated as an outsider by the governing clique of the ABC. He retired in October 1970.

Theatre He acted in a great number of amateur productions (aided by his very "proper" English accent) including: The School for Scandal (Sheridan) with Sydney Players' Club at St James' HallSMH Saturday 22 September 1928 Scrapped (Alma Brosnan) with Turret Theatre at their Milsons Point clubhouseSMH 14 June 1929 The Passion Flower (Benavente) with Turret TheatreSMH 5 August 1929 The Last Enemy (Frank Harvey – an Australian writer) with Sydney Players' Club at St James' HallSMH 3 November 1930 Dutch Courage (Mac Luker – an Australian writer) with Sydney Players' Club at St James' HallSMH 8 August 1932 Intruders (Mac Luker – an Australian writer) with Sydney Players' Club at St James' HallSMH 18 March 1935 Art and Mrs Bottle (Benn Levy) with Sydney Players' Club at St James' HallPlayers Club – Art and Mrs Bottle Sydney Morning Herald 16 April 1932 p.17 accessed 5 September 2011 The Shadow of a Gunman (Seán O'Casey) with Independent Theatre at its clubrooms 175 Pitt St.SMH 7 January 1939 The Importance of Being Earnest (Oscar Wilde) with Independent TheatreSMH 29 July 1940 Thunder Rock (Robert Ardrey) with Independent Theatre groupSMH 17 March 1941

As assistant producer Macbeth (Shakespeare) with Shakespearean Repertory CompanySMH 13 July 1929

He served as producer for the Junior Theatre League and acted as judge for several of its annual drama festivals.SMH 4 July 1936 and was producer for the Sydney Players Club based at St James's Hall: The Small Hour (Sidney Barrington Gates)SMH 6 August 1929 The Rivals (Sheridan)SMH 14 November 1932 Doctor Knock (Jules Romains trans. Harley Granville-Barker)SMH 6 October 1934 Jonah and the Whale (James Bridie)SMH 17 November 1934 Everyman of Everystreet (Mary D. Stocks)SMH 17 December 1934 Libel (Edward Wooll)SMH 27 April 1935 Peace and Quiet (Quintero brothers trans. Harley Granville-Barker)SMH 6 July 1935 Red Sky at Night (Dymphna Cusack – a member of SPC)SMH 28 September 1935 Dragon's Teeth (Shirland Quin)SMH 18 November 1935 Haunted Houses (Geoffrey Whitworth)SMH 16 March 1936 The Maitlands (Ronald MacKenzie)SMH 16 May 1936 A Sleeping Clergyman (James Bridie)SMH 13 July 1937 Bees on the Boat Deck (J. B. Priestley)SMH 14 August 1937 In Theatre Street (Henri-René Lenormand)SMH 13 October 1937 and: Judgment Day (Elmer Rice) assisting Doris Fitton for Independent Theatre at the Conservatorium of Music.SMH 21 May 1938 Two Gentlemen of Soho (A. P. Herbert) for Independent Theatre at its clubrooms 175 Pitt St.SMH 28 January 1939 There Is No Armour (by Australian writer Lynn Foster) for Independent Theatre at its clubrooms 175 Pitt St.SMH 10 July 1939 Misalliance (George Bernard Shaw) for John Alden at St James' Theatre, North SydneySMH 10 September 1951 It All Takes Time (by Australian writer John Watson) for Independent Theatre at St James' Theatre, North SydneySMH 17 May 1952 at the Mercury Theatre (St James's Hall renamed) Love in Albania (Eric Linklater)SMH 3 October 1952 Dragon's Mouth (Jacquetta Hawkes and J. B. Priestley)SMH 17 October 1953 Day's Mischief (Lesley Storm)SMH 6 December 1953 and at the Metropolitan (for whom?): Richard II (Shakespeare)SMH 7 August 1952 Jitta's Atonement (George Bernard Shaw)SMH 7 May 1954 Carnival of Thieves (Jean Anouilh)SMH 7 August 1954

Radio The Terrible Twins (2CH play) (actor)SMH 5 December 1934 Beau Geste (2CH serial) (as "Digby")SMH 29 May 1935 The New Adventures of Tiger Bryce (2CH serial)(as actor)SMH 20 June 1935 Adventure (2UW series) Dithering with Davey (2GB, 2UE series)ScreenSound Australia (prev. National Film and Sound Archives)SMH 21 May 1938 Dr Davey, the Happiest Man on Earth (2GB series)Melbourne Argus 27 January 1940 100 Years in Australia (2GB, 2CA series)SMH 6 March 1940 The Heroic Past (2UE series) These Old Homes (2GB, 2UE) series The Romance of Canada (2GB series)SMH 8 April 1947 Uncle Remus Hester's Diary (2CH serial)SMH 3 September 1950 Death Takes Small Bites (2UW series)17 September 1950 Death By Horoscope (2UW 3DB series)Melbourne Argus 8 June 1954 Three Roads to Destiny (3KZ serial) ABC Children's HourSydney Morning Herald 2 September 1954

Other interests He wrote a number of radio broadcasts for commercial radio on historic Australian homes, the scripts of which are held in the Mitchell Library.

He was active in the Pony Club movement.

Bibliography The Australian Horse & Pony Handbook (ill. Walter Stackpool) Angus & Robertson 1986 (a revised edition of his Horse & Pony Handbook first pub. 1972)

Sources Interview with Hazel de Berg ScreenSound Australia

References