Anne Deveson
Encyclopedia
Anne Barbara Deveson AO
(born 19 June 1930, Kuala Lumpur
, Malaya
) is an Australia
n writer
, broadcaster
, filmmaker and social commentator.
During World War II
, Deveson's family moved to Western Australia
from Malaya as refugees. She attempted a Science degree
in England
, but dropped out to pursue other interests. Deveson was one of many broadcasters who opposed non-communist involvement in Vietnam.
Anne Deveson was broadcaster
Ellis Blain's (1914–1979) second wife.
Deveson's son developed schizophrenia
and ultimately died of a drug overdose. She wrote about her experience, in the book Tell Me I'm Here, and then translated her work into the film
, Spinning Out.
She helped establish the NSW Schizophrenia Fellowship and the national body, Schizophrenia Australia.
Deveson's book, Resilience, was written after the sudden death of her partner, the English economist Robert Theobald
in 1999 and draws on her own emotions and feelings.
Anne Deveson was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 1983 for services to the media and an Officer of the Order of Australia
in 1993 for her work in community health and for increasing the public awareness of schizophrenia.
She chaired the South Australian Film Corporation
from 1984–1987 and was Director of the Australian Film, Television and Radio School from 1985-1988.
In 1991 Deveson was presented with the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission
Non - Fiction Award for Tell Me I'm Here.
The writer
Georgia Blain
is her daughter.
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
(born 19 June 1930, Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
, Malaya
British Malaya
British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries...
) is an Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, broadcaster
Presenter
A presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show...
, filmmaker and social commentator.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Deveson's family moved to Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
from Malaya as refugees. She attempted a Science degree
Academic degree
An academic degree is a position and title within a college or university that is usually awarded in recognition of the recipient having either satisfactorily completed a prescribed course of study or having conducted a scholarly endeavour deemed worthy of his or her admission to the degree...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, but dropped out to pursue other interests. Deveson was one of many broadcasters who opposed non-communist involvement in Vietnam.
Anne Deveson was broadcaster
Presenter
A presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show...
Ellis Blain's (1914–1979) second wife.
Deveson's son developed schizophrenia
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by a disintegration of thought processes and of emotional responsiveness. It most commonly manifests itself as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking, and it is accompanied by significant social...
and ultimately died of a drug overdose. She wrote about her experience, in the book Tell Me I'm Here, and then translated her work into the film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
, Spinning Out.
She helped establish the NSW Schizophrenia Fellowship and the national body, Schizophrenia Australia.
Deveson's book, Resilience, was written after the sudden death of her partner, the English economist Robert Theobald
Robert Theobald
Robert Theobald was a private consulting economist and futurist author. In economics, he was best known for his writings on the economics of abundance and his advocacy of a Basic Income Guarantee...
in 1999 and draws on her own emotions and feelings.
Anne Deveson was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 1983 for services to the media and an Officer of the Order of Australia
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
in 1993 for her work in community health and for increasing the public awareness of schizophrenia.
She chaired the South Australian Film Corporation
South Australian Film Corporation
South Australian Film Corporation is a South Australian Government statutory corporation established in 1972. Former State Premier Don Dunstan played an instrumental role in the foundation of the Corporation and its early film production activities....
from 1984–1987 and was Director of the Australian Film, Television and Radio School from 1985-1988.
In 1991 Deveson was presented with the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission
Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission
The Australian Human Rights Commission is a national human rights institution, a statutory body funded by, but operating independently of, the Australian Government. It has the responsibility for investigating alleged infringements under Australia’s anti-discrimination legislation...
Non - Fiction Award for Tell Me I'm Here.
The writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
Georgia Blain
Georgia Blain
Georgia Blain is a contemporary Australian novelist, journalist and biographer.She is the daughter of journalist Anne Deveson. Her first novel was Closed for Winter. Her most recent work is Births, Deaths and Marriages, a memoir of her childhood which has been short-listed for the Nita Kibble...
is her daughter.
Filmography
- Who Killed Jenny Langby? (South Australian Film Corporation, 1974, acted as herself), a docudrama written by Greg Barker and Donald Crombie (producer).
- Do I Have to Kill My Child? (C.I.D. Productions, 1976, co-writer with Donald Crombie, producer)
- Achieving (Pilgrim International Films, 1979, writer) TV show produced by Betty Wood
- Spinning Out (Australian Film Commission, 1991, writer, director and producer)