AustLit
Adaptation of
Smiley : A Novel
1945
single work
children's fiction
Issue Details:
First known date:
1956...
1956
Smiley
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Film Details - London Film Productions ,
Producers:
Anthony Kimmins
Production Companies:
London Film Productions
Finance Organisations:
20th Century Fox
Director of Photography:
Edward Scaife
Editors:
Gerald Turney-Smith
Production Designers:
Stan Woolveridge
Composer:
William Alwyn
Cast:
Inc. Colin Petersen (Smiley Greevins), Bruce Archer (Joey), Ralph Richardson (Reverend Lambeth), John McCallum (q.v., Jim Rankin), Chips Rafferty (Sergeant Flaxman), Jocelyn Hernfield (Miss Workman), Reg Lye (Bill Greevins), Margaret Christensen (Mrs. Greevins), Charles 'Bud' Tingwell (q.v., Mr Stevens), Marion Johns (Mrs. Stevens), Gavin Davies (Fred Stevens), Toni Hansen (Jean Holt), William Rees (Mr Johnson), John Fegan (Nobby), Guy Doleman (Bill McVitty), Letty Craydon (Lady at christening), Chow Sing (Ah Too), Bob Sunin (King Billy), Reggie Weigand (Jackie), Leonard Teale (q.v., Doctor - uncredited).
Release Dates:
1. World premiered held on 28 June 1956 in London (England). Later release dates include: UK (23 July 1956); Australia (18 October 1956 - Australian premiere held in Brisbane); USA (12 June 1957); Sweden (6 January 1958); Finland (31 October 1958).
2. Released on videocassette format by London Films/Alexander Korda (n. yr.). Re-released on DVD format in 2005 by Twentieth Centry Fox Home Entertainment.
Location:
- Filmed on location at Camden, Gundy and Rossgole (New South Wales). The township of Murrumbilla was specially built on the grounds of Camden Park Estate.
Post Production:
Post-production was completed at Pagewood Studios, Sydney.
Notes:
1. Also known as: Äventyr i Vildmarken (Sweden); Hymy-Pekka (Finland).
2. The budget of £250,000 was partially provided through an accumulation of 20th Century Fox revenue that had been frozen by the Australian government's restrictions on dollar exports (Pike and Cooper, 1980, p. 289). The film went on to become an enormous box-office hit, both in Australia and the UK. This success was in part helped by the song, 'A Little Boy Called Smiley.' Released by Brisbane singer/songwriter Clyde Collins shoorlty after the Australian premiere, 'A Little Boy Called Smiley' went on to become more popular than the film's title song, and was subsequently used as the theme for the sequel, Smiley Gets a Gun.
3. Colin Peterson was unable to play the lead role in the sequel, Smiley Gets a Gun (1958) and the role of Smiley in that film was played by Keith Calvert. Peterson's career later turned to music, first as a pianist and later as a drummer. While in England in 1966 he was recruited by his former Brisbane schoolmates Barry, Maurice and Robin Gibb as the Bee Gees' first permanent drummer, and subsquently played on all the groups releases up until 1970.
4. Further reference: Andrew Pike and Ross Cooper. Australian Film 1900-1977, A Guide to Feature Film Production (1980, q.v.), pp. 289-290.
5. A comprehensive critique of the transfer quality of the 2005 DVD release, along with other details, can be accessed at Michael D's Region 4 DVD Info Page (q.v.).
