Joy Cavill (1923 – 1 March 1990) was an Australian screenwriter and TV and film producer.
Cavil worked in radio for a number of years before breaking into films as continuity person on King of the Coral Sea (1954)."Film Continuity Girl Took Notes Underwater." The Sydney Morning Herald 8 Apr 1954: 9 Section: Women's Section accessed 16 December 2011 This film started an association with Lee Robinson which went on for many years, and involved her working with him as a secretary, writer, associate producer and producer on a number of projects, notably Skippy the Bush Kangaroo, on which she was sole producer on the third season.Don Storey, 'Skippy', Classic Australian TV, 2008 She was also close to Chips Rafferty, who nicknamed her "Mother".
In 1964 she travelled to the Tokyo Olympics to film a special on Dawn Fraser. While there she suffered a heart attack. She spent several months recovering then moved to Canada, directing documentaries and TV commercials.David Stratton, The Last New Wave: The Australian Film Revival, Angus & Robertson, 1980 p111 In the late 60s she returned to Australia and resumed her association with Robinson.
Without Robinson, she wrote and produced the feature film, Dawn! (1979), a biopic of the Australian swimmer Dawn Fraser, with whom Cavill had a romantic relationship. She is considered one of the pioneer female producers of the Australian film industry.Jan Chapman, "Some Significant Women In Australian Film – A Celebration And A Cautionary Tale", Senses of Cinema, 28 August 2002
Among the filmmakers Cavill trained were Lyn McEncroe, Adrian Read, Sue Milliken and Jill Robb. As her obituary stated: Secretary, continuity girl, associate producer, writer, producer, filmmaker and "Mother:" Joy Cavill was many things to many people. Her outstanding contribution to the Australian film industry and her fine leadership qualities will be missed.Pat Gillespie, "Joy Cavill", Cinema Papers, May 1990 p79
Selected credits King of the Coral Sea (1954) – continuity Walk into Paradise (1956) – continuity Dust in the Sun (1958) – writer The Stowaway (1958) – associate producer The Restless and the Damned (1959) – associate producer No Man Is an Island (1962) – continuity The Dawn Fraser Story (1964, documentary) – producer, director In Song and Dance (1964) – producer Adventure Unlimited (1965) – writer, assoc producer The Intruders (1969) – producer Skippy the Bush Kangaroo (1968–70) – associate producer, writer Nickel Queen (1971) – producer Barrier Reef (1971–72) – producer, writer Boney (1972–73) – associate producer, writer Shannon's Mob (1975–76) – associate producer Dawn! (1979) – producer, writer – winner of 1978 Awgie for Best Original Feature Film scriptAwgie winners 1968–2006
References
External links
Joy Cavill at National Film and Sound Archive