Ralph Smart
Encyclopedia
Ralph Smart was a film and television producer, director, and writer, born in England to Australian parents in 1908. He found work in Britain with Anthony Asquith
and later alongside the film director Michael Powell
, whom he assisted with "Quota quickies": low-budget B-pictures to fill production quotas.
During the Second World War he joined the Royal Australian Air Force
in 1942 and served until 1945. Afterwards he worked for the Rank Organisation
and Ealing Studios
, returning to Australia to direct several films including Bitter Springs
(1950), addressing the mistreatment of young Aborigines
.
Back again in Britain, he became an influential figure in television, remembered as the creator and producer of Danger Man
, also known as Secret Agent. He produced, directed or wrote a number of television series and films, including the 1950s series The Adventures of Robin Hood and The Invisible Man
.
He retired to Australia, and died 12 February 2001, in his nineties, in Bowen, Queensland.
Anthony Asquith
Anthony Asquith was a leading English film director. He collaborated successfully with playwright Terence Rattigan on The Winslow Boy and The Browning Version , among other adaptations...
and later alongside the film director Michael Powell
Michael Powell (director)
Michael Latham Powell was a renowned English film director, celebrated for his partnership with Emeric Pressburger...
, whom he assisted with "Quota quickies": low-budget B-pictures to fill production quotas.
During the Second World War he joined the Royal Australian Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
in 1942 and served until 1945. Afterwards he worked for the Rank Organisation
Rank Organisation
The Rank Organisation was a British entertainment company formed during 1937 and absorbed in 1996 by The Rank Group Plc. It was the largest and most vertically-integrated film company in Britain, owning production, distribution and exhibition facilities....
and Ealing Studios
Ealing Studios
Ealing Studios is a television and film production company and facilities provider at Ealing Green in West London. Will Barker bought the White Lodge on Ealing Green in 1902 as a base for film making, and films have been made on the site ever since...
, returning to Australia to direct several films including Bitter Springs
Bitter Springs (film)
Bitter Springs is a 1950 Australian-British film directed by Ralph Smart. An Australian pioneer family buy a piece of land from the government in the Australian outback and hire two inexperienced British men as drovers...
(1950), addressing the mistreatment of young Aborigines
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
.
Back again in Britain, he became an influential figure in television, remembered as the creator and producer of Danger Man
Danger Man
Danger Man is a British television series that was broadcast between 1960 and 1962, and again between 1964 and 1968. The series featured Patrick McGoohan as secret agent John Drake. Ralph Smart created the program and wrote many of the scripts...
, also known as Secret Agent. He produced, directed or wrote a number of television series and films, including the 1950s series The Adventures of Robin Hood and The Invisible Man
The Invisible Man (1958 TV series)
The Invisible Man was a 1958 ITP Production/Official Films Inc. presentation for Associated TeleVision. The series was networked on CBS in the United States. It ran for 26 half-hour monochrome episodes across two seasons and was nominally based on the novel by H.G...
.
He retired to Australia, and died 12 February 2001, in his nineties, in Bowen, Queensland.
Select Filmography
- Island Target (1945) - documentary
- The OverlandersThe Overlanders (film)The Overlanders is a 1946 Australian-British film about drovers droving a large herd of cattle 1600 miles overland from Wyndham in Western Australia through the Northern Territory outback of Australia to pastures north of Brisbane, Queensland during World War II.The film was one of several produced...
(1946) - associate producer - Bush ChristmasBush Christmas (1947 film)Bush Christmas is a 1947 Australian-British comedy film directed by Ralph Smart. The plot concerns a group of bush children set off to recover a missing mare that has been stolen by some horse thieves....
(1947) - director, producer, writer - Bitter SpringsBitter Springs (film)Bitter Springs is a 1950 Australian-British film directed by Ralph Smart. An Australian pioneer family buy a piece of land from the government in the Australian outback and hire two inexperienced British men as drovers...
(1950) - director