Don Battye
Encyclopedia
Donald "Don" Battye is an Australian born writer composer and television producer.
including soap opera The Box
in 1976 & 1977, The Sullivans and police procedural
drama series Division 4, Bluey
(1976) and Homicide.
Peter Pinne
and he wrote childrens musicals which premiered at the Alexander Theatre Monash University
, from 1973 to 1980. as well as the adult musicals All Saints' Day, Don't Tell Helena, A Bunch Of Ratbags, It Happened In Tanjablanca, Red White * Boogie, Sweet Fanny Adams, Caroline, The Computer & Love Travelling Salesman (2 folk operas) and Prisoner Cell Block H, the Musical.
He later worked for Reg Grundy Productions
, (later changed to the Grundy Organization) as Senior Vice President Drama Development which in that capacity made him producer and executive producer on such programmes as the action series Chopper Squad, which first took him to join the company, police procedural drama series Bellamy
(1981) and soap operas, The Restless Years
(1981), for which he also wrote over 100 episodes, Sons and Daughters
for which he also wrote over 150 episodes,(1982), Waterloo Station
(1983), Possession
(1985) and Neighbours
(also 1985). Battye was Executive Producer of Neighbours from 1988–1992. and wrote for the program until the year 2000. .
Battye co-composed the famous theme song to Sons and Daughters with Peter Pinne
, plus two songs for inclusion in 'Neighbours'.
He now produces and composes music from the Philippines
where he now resides. He has written a memoir which encompasses his life from being a childhood actor to a senior television executive.
He and Brian Kavanagh
wrote the screenplay City's Child.
Life
He was a writer, script editor, and producer on several Australian television series for Crawford ProductionsCrawford Productions
Crawford Productions is an Australian television production company founded by Hector Crawford; the present incarnation of the company, Crawfords Australia, is now a subsidiary of the WIN television corporation.-History:...
including soap opera The Box
The Box (TV series)
The Box was an Australian soap opera than ran on Network Ten from February 1974 until 1977.The Box was produced by Crawford Productions who at the time was having great success producing police procedural television series in Australia...
in 1976 & 1977, The Sullivans and police procedural
Police procedural
The police procedural is a subgenre of detective fiction which attempts to convincingly depict the activities of a police force as they investigate crimes. While traditional detective novels usually concentrate on a single crime, police procedurals frequently depict investigations into several...
drama series Division 4, Bluey
Bluey
Bluey is an Australian television series made by Crawford Productions for the Seven Network in 1976.The series was another crime TV series from Crawford Productions, but was different from previous series - Homicide, Division 4, Matlock Police - in that it focused on a single detective rather than...
(1976) and Homicide.
Peter Pinne
Peter Pinne
Peter Pinne is an Australian-born writer and composer.Pinne started working as a television executive for the Reg Grundy organisation. Firstly, as Head of Production from 1980, later rising to become a Senior Vice President of the company. During this period, he worked on numerous shows including...
and he wrote childrens musicals which premiered at the Alexander Theatre Monash University
Monash University
Monash University is a public university based in Melbourne, Victoria. It was founded in 1958 and is the second oldest university in the state. Monash is a member of Australia's Group of Eight and the ASAIHL....
, from 1973 to 1980. as well as the adult musicals All Saints' Day, Don't Tell Helena, A Bunch Of Ratbags, It Happened In Tanjablanca, Red White * Boogie, Sweet Fanny Adams, Caroline, The Computer & Love Travelling Salesman (2 folk operas) and Prisoner Cell Block H, the Musical.
He later worked for Reg Grundy Productions
Reg Grundy Productions
Reg Grundy Productions was the American wing of the worldwide television production company Grundy Worldwide, which was founded by Australian television producer Reg Grundy. Reg Grundy Productions was responsible for the production of two highly-successful daytime game shows on NBC during the...
, (later changed to the Grundy Organization) as Senior Vice President Drama Development which in that capacity made him producer and executive producer on such programmes as the action series Chopper Squad, which first took him to join the company, police procedural drama series Bellamy
Bellamy (TV series)
Bellamy is an Australian television series made by the Reg Grundy Organisation for the Ten Network in 1981.The series focused on a maverick cop named Steve Bellamy . His partner was Detective Mitchell...
(1981) and soap operas, The Restless Years
The Restless Years
The Restless Years is an Australian soap opera which followed the lives of several Sydney school-leavers and young adults. It was produced by the Reg Grundy Organisation for Network Ten. It debuted December 1977 and ran until late 1981. It was not renewed by the network due to declining ratings...
(1981), for which he also wrote over 100 episodes, Sons and Daughters
Sons and Daughters (Australian TV series)
Sons and Daughters was a Logie Award winning Australian soap opera created by Reg Watson and produced by the Reg Grundy Organisation between 1981 and 1987. The first episode aired in December 1981, during the Christmas/New Year non-ratings period, and the official broadcast date of the final...
for which he also wrote over 150 episodes,(1982), Waterloo Station
Waterloo Station (TV series)
Waterloo Station is an Australian television series produced by the Reg Grundy Organisation for the Nine Network in 1983.The cast included Ron Graham, Sally Tayler, Danny Roberts, John Bonney, Jenny Ludlam, Bartholomew John, Steven Grives and Andrew Clarke.Waterloo Station was an attempt by...
(1983), Possession
Possession (TV series)
Possession is an Australian television series screened in 1985 and made by the Reg Grundy Organisation for the Nine Network. It was the brainchild of the television producer, Reg Watson....
(1985) and Neighbours
Neighbours
Neighbours is an Australian television soap opera first broadcast on the Seven Network on 18 March 1985. It was created by TV executive Reg Watson, who proposed the idea of making a show that focused on realistic stories and portrayed adults and teenagers who talk openly and solve their problems...
(also 1985). Battye was Executive Producer of Neighbours from 1988–1992. and wrote for the program until the year 2000. .
Battye co-composed the famous theme song to Sons and Daughters with Peter Pinne
Peter Pinne
Peter Pinne is an Australian-born writer and composer.Pinne started working as a television executive for the Reg Grundy organisation. Firstly, as Head of Production from 1980, later rising to become a Senior Vice President of the company. During this period, he worked on numerous shows including...
, plus two songs for inclusion in 'Neighbours'.
He now produces and composes music from the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
where he now resides. He has written a memoir which encompasses his life from being a childhood actor to a senior television executive.
He and Brian Kavanagh
Brian Kavanagh
Brian P. Kavanagh is a member of the New York State Assembly representing the 74th Assembly District, which is located on the East Side of Manhattan and includes parts of the Lower East Side, Union Square, Gramercy Park, Stuyvesant Square, Stuyvesant Town, Peter Cooper Village, East Midtown Plaza,...
wrote the screenplay City's Child.