G K Saunders
Encyclopedia
George Kenneth "Ken" Saunders (born 1910) was a New Zealand writer, born in England, who had a substantial career in Australia.
After leaving Canterbury University, he secured a job writing scripts for radio 3ZD Christchurch
.
Hoping to expand his horizons, he emigrated to Australia in August 1939 with wife Mona.
Introduced by Peter Finch
to ABC
Federal Controller of Productions Frank Clewlow
, who was recruiting staff for the newly reconstituted Argonauts Club
and its companion program "The Children's Session", he was immediately put to work developing the on-air characters of 'Mac', 'Joe' and 'Elizabeth', and concocting humorous vignettes to brighten up the show.
He was also writing scripts for the Macquarie Network
's Lux Radio Theatre, but with Australia's entry into World War II, he was recruited into the CSIRO, leaving only Sundays for him to develop scripts for the ABC. Mona handled his correspondence as well as scripts and quizzes for the Argosy and Brains Trust, weekend programs associated with the Argonauts.
After the War, he was able to devote more attention to stories for the Children's Hour. The Moon Flower, a science fiction serial aired in 1953, was so successful he went on to write a dozen more; all highly speculative yet incorporating important principles of Science. One, The Stranger was sold overseas as a radio serial and also published as a novel.
Around 1957 he and Mona moved to England to gain experience writing for television but kept up his commitments with the ABC by writing a serial The Nomads about a family caravanning about Europe. In the end it ran for 400 episodes. It was not without its detractors however; in 1960 a politician named Sir Wilfred Kent Hughes MHR, saw the story as subtle Communist propaganda and made a vitriolic speech to the Ballarat
Young Liberals
to that effect.
Mona Saunders (1910–1994) wrote their joint autobiography Lucky Couple, published in 1998.
After leaving Canterbury University, he secured a job writing scripts for radio 3ZD Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
.
Hoping to expand his horizons, he emigrated to Australia in August 1939 with wife Mona.
Introduced by Peter Finch
Peter Finch
Peter Finch was a British-born Australian actor. He is best remembered for his role as "crazed" television anchorman Howard Beale in the film Network, which earned him a posthumous Academy Award for Best Actor, his fifth Best Actor award from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, and a...
to ABC
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
Federal Controller of Productions Frank Clewlow
Frank Clewlow
Frank Dawson Clewlow was an English actor-director who in 1936 became Federal Controller of Productions for the Australian Broadcasting Commission....
, who was recruiting staff for the newly reconstituted Argonauts Club
Argonauts Club
The Argonauts Club was an Australian children's radio program, first broadcast in 1933 on ABC Radio in Melbourne. Its format was devised by Nina Murdoch who had run the station's Children's Hour on 3LO and stayed on when that station was taken over by the Australian Broadcasting Commission...
and its companion program "The Children's Session", he was immediately put to work developing the on-air characters of 'Mac', 'Joe' and 'Elizabeth', and concocting humorous vignettes to brighten up the show.
He was also writing scripts for the Macquarie Network
Macquarie Radio Network
Macquarie Radio Network is the name of the company that owns and operates 2GB and 2CH in Sydney and MTR 1377 in Melbourne. It is a publicly listed company, majority owned by John Singleton. The Chief Executive is Angela Clarke....
's Lux Radio Theatre, but with Australia's entry into World War II, he was recruited into the CSIRO, leaving only Sundays for him to develop scripts for the ABC. Mona handled his correspondence as well as scripts and quizzes for the Argosy and Brains Trust, weekend programs associated with the Argonauts.
After the War, he was able to devote more attention to stories for the Children's Hour. The Moon Flower, a science fiction serial aired in 1953, was so successful he went on to write a dozen more; all highly speculative yet incorporating important principles of Science. One, The Stranger was sold overseas as a radio serial and also published as a novel.
Around 1957 he and Mona moved to England to gain experience writing for television but kept up his commitments with the ABC by writing a serial The Nomads about a family caravanning about Europe. In the end it ran for 400 episodes. It was not without its detractors however; in 1960 a politician named Sir Wilfred Kent Hughes MHR, saw the story as subtle Communist propaganda and made a vitriolic speech to the Ballarat
Ballarat, Victoria
Ballarat is a city in the state of Victoria, Australia, approximately west-north-west of the state capital Melbourne situated on the lower plains of the Great Dividing Range and the Yarrowee River catchment. It is the largest inland centre and third most populous city in the state and the fifth...
Young Liberals
Young Liberals (Australia)
The Young Liberal Movement is the youth division of the Liberal Party of Australia, and membership is open to those between 16 and 30 years of age. Members of Young Liberals have full party-membership, and have the choice of which part they join...
to that effect.
Mona Saunders (1910–1994) wrote their joint autobiography Lucky Couple, published in 1998.
Screen
- The Stranger 1964-65 ABCTV series (12 × 30min episodes)
- Wandjina 1966 ABCTV series (7 × 30min episodes)
Publications
- The Stranger Whitcombe & Tombs, Sydney 1978 ISBN 0723353042
- Wanganui Adventure Whitcoulls, Christchurch New Zealand 1977 ISBN 072330498X
- The Forest Rangers Whitcoulls, Christchurch New Zealand 1979 ISBN 0723353093
- Maggie Jackson's Kid Aboriginal Studies Press, Canberra 1998 ISBN 0855753188
- Lucky Couple (Mona Saunders and Ken Saunders), The Caxton Press 1998 ISBN 0908563795
- ABC Childrens Hour Annuals 1956 - Educational Press for ABC, Sydney 1956 -