John Dingwall (died 3 May 2004) was an Australian writer of film and television, best known for his screenplay Sunday Too Far Away (1975). Dingwall should not be confused with the Scottish journalist of the same name.
Career Dingwall was born in Rockhampton, Queensland, where he commenced his career as a journalist with a cadetship at the city's daily newspaper, The Morning Bulletin.Newton, Ken (18 September 2020) Death of a Bully boy, The Morning Bulletin. Retrieved 19 September 2020. He then moved to Sydney, where he worked as a police reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald.
His experience with the courts and police kickstarted a career in television drama, when he began writing for television production house Crawford Productions, working on police procedural series such as Homicide and Division Four.Simpson, Roger (20 May 2004) A nose for the stories that define us, The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 19 September 2020. He won a 1970 Australian Writers' Guild Award (AWGIE) for writing the episode “Johnny Reb” of Homicide.
He moved into features with 1975 Australian New Wave film Sunday Too Far Away, which was based on his brother-in-law's experiences as a sheep shearer.
In 1977, Dingwall co-created and co-wrote the award-winning television series Pig in a Poke. In 1983, he penned the Australian Film Institute Award-winning screenplay for the comedy adventure film Buddies. Faced with distribution difficulties, he took the film on the road, touring it around regional Queensland cinemas. He later mortgaged his house to finance the 1988 cult horror film Phobia, which he wrote and directed.
Personal life Dingwall had five children, including his son Kelly Dingwall, and former actor, best known for his roles as Brian 'Dodge' Forbes in the soap opera Home and Away and a rookie reporter Tony Reynolds in the 1993 mystery thriller film The Custodian.
Death Dingwall died of cancer in Murwillumbah, northern New South Wales, just south of the Gold Coast on 3 May 2004, at the age of 63. His partner at the time of his death was Dimitra Meleti.
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes 1975 Sunday Too Far Away WriterFeature film 1983 Buddies Writer / Producer 1987 PhobiaDirector / Writer 1993 The Custodian
Television Year Title Role Notes 1968–1974 HomicideWriter 13 episodes 1970 Dynasty Season 1, episode 6: "Paper of the People" 1970–1972 Division 4 9 episodes 1972 Matlock Police Season 2, episode 59: "The Cow Hand" 1973 The Comedy Game Season 2, episode 2: "Catch What I Mean?" 1975 The Seven Ages of Man Director/ Writer Miniseries, episode 3: "The Lover" 1977 Pig in a Poke Writer / Creator 1980 Spring & FallWriter Anthology series, episode: "Winner" 1998 Wildside Season 1
References
External links
"John Dingwall" at AustLit