280:) although Thwaites was: "seen by critics as romantic and sentimental, his thirty-one adventure novels—characterized by themes of struggle and redemption—were immensely popular, particularly with lending libraries, and sold more than four million copies. Written in 'tempestuous prose', they were crammed with incident and swung between Australian and exotic settings."
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he wouldn’t hear of my being an actress any more, so with great regret I left the career I really loved... we travelled all over the world. I was his secretary and note-taker and diary keeper and so on. That was all excitng, but it didn’t do for me what I wanted. I wanted a career in movies... He
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I spent four months in
Hollywood but had bad luck with my novels because of copyright laws. It is absolutely essential that after publication of a book in Australia and before three months has passed it has been copyrighted in Washington. I failed to do that, and I have no doubt it cost me the loss
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In 1938, Thwaites and his wife left for
England via the Pacific Islands and Panama Canal, researching material for novels. They intended to stay in England for three years but World War II saw them return to Australia by the end of 1939.
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of the three pictures, for the picture folk only make pictures of stories that have been out twelve months on the
American market and are protected, whereas my stories were open for any American publisher to copy without paying a cent.
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In
February 1933 Thwaites left for England to write screen scenarios for Elstree Studios. He spent several months there, and several months in Hollywood, attempting to sell his work to movie producers. Thwaites said on his return:
218:, in all of which there was at least one imbecile or half-wit. People abroad viewing these pictures could not be blamed for coming to the conclusion that about one person in every four or five in Australia was sub normal. The
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On his return to
Australia in late 1933, Thwaites then toured the country looking for manuscripts to publish. In 1936 he founded his own publishing firm, The F. J. Thwaites Publishing Co.
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in
Australia were deserving of praise for their pioneering work, but surely it was possible to portray humour on the screen without associating it with lunacy.
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when he was 19; it was originally self-published but eventually became a best seller, selling 55,000 copies in
Australia and 25,000 in England.
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118:(23 May 1908 – 13 August 1979) was an Australian novelist whose books sold over four million copies. He was best known for his first work
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Thwaites was one of the most popular
Australian authors of the 1940s and 1950s, with many of his works being adapted for radio.
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Much of his work was set in the
Riverina region. His great-grandfather was Frederick Jenkins, who started Buckinbong Station.
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Thwaites was married to actor
Jessica Harcourt from 1938 until his death and together they had two sons.
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In May 1937 Thwaites joined Adelaide radio station 5KA as production manager. During this time he met
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1184:. Perth: National Library of Australia. 25 March 1945. p. 6 Section: The Sunday Times COMICS
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In late 1954 Thwaites set up a company in England, Harcourt Press, to publish his books there.
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1128:. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 30 January 1937. p. 5 Section: MAGAZINE
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685:. Perth: National Library of Australia. 5 December 1933. p. 5 Edition: LATE CITY
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Thwaites was no fan of the Australian film industry. According to a 1933 interview:
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2SER-FM (Radio station : Sydney, N.S.W.). (December 1984 – January 1985),
1100:. Rockhampton, Qld.: National Library of Australia. 24 October 1936. p. 6
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1044:. Darwin, NT: National Library of Australia. 11 December 1934. p. 7
629:. Brisbane: National Library of Australia. 11 September 1935. p. 17
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In the late 1960s Thwaites was financing and managing housing projects.
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1016:. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 13 February 1937. p. 3
988:. Sydney: National Library of Australia. 1 February 1935. p. 16
885:. Perth: National Library of Australia. 19 September 1939. p. 4
1156:. Vic.: National Library of Australia. 22 November 1941. p. 2
816:. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 1 March 1938. p. 1
716:. Perth: National Library of Australia. 6 December 1933. p. 7
345:(1935) – a doctor works in Africa and invents a cure for paralysis
744:. NSW: National Library of Australia. 26 January 1934. p. 4
657:. Sydney: National Library of Australia. 3 March 1933. p. 3
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were to be filmed in England but that did not happen. In 1937,
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Healesville and Yarra Glen Guardian (Vic. : 1900 – 1942)
960:. National Library of Australia. 10 September 1968. p. 3
913:. National Library of Australia. 23 December 1954. p. 7
1072:. National Library of Australia. 2 January 1936. p. 10
602:'BOY'S AMBITION REALISED How 'Broken Melody' Was Written',
772:. National Library of Australia. 21 May 1937. p. 13
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was turned into an Australian film in 1938, directed by
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Blaber, Ron, 'Thwaites, Frederick Joseph (1908–1979)',
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He deplored the presentation abroad of such films as
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170:was a marvellous husband and a marvellous writer.
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910:Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate
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797:, 22 May 1936, p. 4. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
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861:: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (
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155:He later estimated this cost him ÂŁ15,000.
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134:Born in the inner Sydney suburb of
937:Australian Dictionary of Biography
576:Australian Dictionary of Biography
277:Australian Dictionary of Biography
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1582:20th-century Australian novelists
980:"Australian Novels To Be Filmed"
808:"ACTRESS AND AUTHOR WED QUIETLY"
274:According to Ron Blaber (in the
266:, but that was not done either.
1357:The Mad Doctor in Harley Street
905:"Thwaites To Publish In London"
382:The Mad Doctor in Harley Street
250:In 1935, it was announced that
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16:Australian novelist (1908–1979)
677:"Travellers in the Strathaird"
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1008:"AUTHOR PUBLISHES OWN BOOKS"
952:"UNBROKEN MELODY OF SUCCESS"
580:F. J. Thwaites biography at
604:The Courier-Mail (Brisbane)
262:was going to be adapted by
122:, which was adapted into a
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1204:"Austlit — F. J. Thwaites"
1148:"State Emergency Services"
606:, Tuesday 5 July 1938 p 10
1577:Australian male novelists
1120:"CONTRACT BRIDGE KERNELS"
795:The Sydney Morning Herald
769:The Sydney Morning Herald
116:Frederick Joseph Thwaites
34:Frederick Joseph Thwaites
708:"AN AUSTRALIAN NOVELIST"
46:Balmain, New South Wales
584:(subscription required)
244:The Squatter's Daughter
216:The Squatter's Daughter
1477:A Mountain for Monique
1405:They Lived That Spring
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430:They Lived That Spring
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1461:No Rainbow in the Sky
1413:The Night Closed Down
1041:The Northern Standard
1036:"BOOKS AND MAGAZINES"
941:accessed 5 March 2012
736:"AUSTRALIAN NOVELIST"
494:No Rainbow in the Sky
438:The Night Closed Down
212:The Sentimental Bloke
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1285:Flames of Convention
1097:The Morning Bulletin
521:(1962) – travel book
505:(1960) – travel book
489:(1957) – travel book
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307:Flames of Convention
256:Flames of Convention
1528:Press on Regardless
1493:Sky Full of Thunder
1381:Wind in the Bracken
1293:Where Gods Are Vain
882:The West Australian
791:"Primitive Romance"
713:The West Australian
649:"NOVELS FOR SCREEN"
542:Sky Full of Thunder
502:Press on Regardless
406:Wind in the Bracken
334:(1935) – sequel to
315:Where Gods Are Vain
1469:Beyond the Rainbow
1373:Whispers in Tahiti
1309:The Melody Lingers
1064:"Plenty of Action"
957:The Canberra Times
572:Frederick Thwaites
510:Beyond the Rainbow
398:Whispers in Tahiti
331:The Melody Lingers
270:Critical appraisal
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1536:Destination Spain
1520:Husky Be My Guide
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1445:That Was the Hour
1421:Oasis of Shalimar
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851:– via Trove
558:Tracks I Knew Not
534:Shall Come a Time
518:Destination Spain
486:Husky Be My Guide
470:That Was the Hour
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1567:1908 births
1092:"BOOK TALK"
837:"WEDNESDAY"
233:Ken G. Hall
208:Harmony Row
194:Adaptations
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48:, Australia
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1561:Categories
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589:References
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130:Biography
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106:Children
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1261:Novels
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214:, and
81:Spouse
1365:Fever
390:Fever
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