Frederick Joseph Thwaites (23 May 1908 - 13 August 1979) was an Australian novelist best known for his first work The Broken Melody, which was adapted into a 1938 film

The Broken Melody (1937 film)

The Broken Melody is a 1938 Australian drama film directed by Ken G. Hall and starring Lloyd Hughes, Diana Du Cane and Rosalind Kennerdale. It was based on a best-selling novel by F.J. Thwaites.-Production:...

.

Born in the inner Sydney suburb of Balmain

Balmain

Balmain can refer to:Places:* Balmain, New South Wales, a suburb of Sydney, Australia* Electoral district of Balmain, an electoral division in New South Wales, Australia* Balmain East, New South Wales, a suburb of Sydney, Australia...

, Thwaites left school at the age of 13 and originally worked in the clothing industry. The Broken Melody was originally self published but soon became a best seller, launching his career. He was one of the most popular Australian authors of the 1940s and 1950s, with many of his works being adapted for radio, selling over four million copies. He helped found two publishing companies, F.J. Thwaites Publishing Company and Harcourt Press and wrote a number of travel books. He was married to actor Jessica Harcourt.

Writings

• The Broken Melody (1930)
• Hell's Doorway (1932)
• Flames of Convention (1933)
• Where Gods Are Vain (1934)
• Broken Wings (1934)
• The Melody Lingers (1935) - sequel to The Broken Melody
• The Mad Doctor (1935)
• The Defender (1936)
• The Redemption (1936)
• Rock End (1937)
• A Man of Destiny (1938)
• The Mad Doctor in Harley Street (1938)
• Fever (1939)
• Whispers in Tahiti (1940)
• Wind in the Bracken (1941)
• Shadows Over Rangoon (1941)
• Out of the Dawn (1945)
• They Lived That Spring (1946)
• The Night Closed Down (1948)
• Oasis of Shalimar (1950)
• The Dark Abyss (1951)
• Roof Over Heaven (1953)
• That Was the Hour (1956)
• White Moonlight (1957)
• Husky Be My Guide (1957)
• No Rainbow in the Sky (1959)
• Press on Regardless (1960)
• Beyond the Rainbow (1961)
• Destination Spain (1962)
• A Mountain for Monique (1964)
• Shall Come a Time (1967)
• Sky Full of Thunder (1968)
• No Love to Give (1969)
• Tracks I Knew Not (1973)

External links

• Frederick Thwaites at Australian Dictionary of Biography
  Australian Dictionary of Biography
  The Australian Dictionary of Biography is a national, co-operative enterprise, founded and maintained by the Australian National University to produce authoritative biographical articles on eminent people in Australia's history....
  
  
• F.J. Thwaites biography at AustLit (subscription required)