Two weeks ago I had never heard of this series. While checking out a U.S. auction site I found a couple of Australian 16" Transcription Discs offered for sale. One was a Disc of George Edwards Marco Polo series, not the missing disc containing the two missing episodes unfortunately. The other was Gus Gray - Special Correspondent episodes 13 & 14. I hadn't heard of it, but I checked our database and found it was an Artransa quarter hour serial of 52 episodes and first broadcast in Australia in 1942. We had no representative episode held.
I checked the NFSA database and found that they had all 52 scripts, but no audio. I knew I had found something special, but I had to keep my mouth shut until the auction finished. A good friend and collector in the U.S.emailed me and pointed out the auction and asked about Gus Gray - Special Correspondent. I told him I was already onto it. He told me there were another four episodes in mp3 format in circulation (11,12,15,16). Once the auction finished and I was successful, I sent out emails to the other collectors as well as researchers in the U.S. asking if anybody had or knew of any further episodes. I found episodes 3 and 4 listed on Dave Goldin's U.S. website.
I checked the NFSA database and found that they had all 52 scripts, but no audio. I knew I had found something special, but I had to keep my mouth shut until the auction finished. A good friend and collector in the U.S.emailed me and pointed out the auction and asked about Gus Gray - Special Correspondent. I told him I was already onto it. He told me there were another four episodes in mp3 format in circulation (11,12,15,16). Once the auction finished and I was successful, I sent out emails to the other collectors as well as researchers in the U.S. asking if anybody had or knew of any further episodes. I found episodes 3 and 4 listed on Dave Goldin's U.S. website.
One of the U.S. researchers I contacted was Jack French, Author and tireless researcher with a lot of contacts. Jack immediately sent an email out to his contacts. One of those contacts, Dave Siegel, another author, researcher and collector also proved to be a big help.
Meanwhile the other Australian collectors confirmed they had no episodes either. I sent Craig and Jamie copies of the 4 mp3 episodes. Jamie Kelly then contacted me and we started working together to try and locate more episodes through our various contacts.
I had been in contact with Dave Goldin a number of years back and still had his email address so I wrote to him and explained the situation. He checked me out with Dave Siegel and then generously, sent a wav copy of his episodes 3 & 4 to Jamie and I. A copy is also being donated to NFSA in his name, for future Australians to enjoy.
Despite all the hard work and effort. No other episodes have surfaced. The originals of the 4 episodes in circulation in mp3 haven't shown up either. Hopefully this blog will assist in bringing the search to more people who may have discs or knowledge. Meanwhile we have episodes 03, 04, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 to enjoy and copies are being supplied to NFSA.
Meanwhile the other Australian collectors confirmed they had no episodes either. I sent Craig and Jamie copies of the 4 mp3 episodes. Jamie Kelly then contacted me and we started working together to try and locate more episodes through our various contacts.
I had been in contact with Dave Goldin a number of years back and still had his email address so I wrote to him and explained the situation. He checked me out with Dave Siegel and then generously, sent a wav copy of his episodes 3 & 4 to Jamie and I. A copy is also being donated to NFSA in his name, for future Australians to enjoy.
Despite all the hard work and effort. No other episodes have surfaced. The originals of the 4 episodes in circulation in mp3 haven't shown up either. Hopefully this blog will assist in bringing the search to more people who may have discs or knowledge. Meanwhile we have episodes 03, 04, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 to enjoy and copies are being supplied to NFSA.
I guess you are wondering what the serial is about and who was in it? I have found articles and cast lists and include them here for you to read. NFSA pulled the scripts and advised me that the 52 episodes were divided into two stories of 26 episodes.
Case No 1. The Nine Ivory Buddha's episodes 01 - 26
Case No 2. The Green Cross episodes 27 - 52
Obviously, the surviving episodes we have are from the first story, The Nine Ivory Buddha's.
Scriptwriter Maxwell Dunn was responsible for the story and the lead cast was Arundel Nixon as Gus Gray and Neva Carr Glyn as his wife Pat. Other cast members include Hilda Scurr, John Tait, Lloyd Lamble, Ronald Morse, Ward Leopold, John Bushelle, Fred Bluett, John Nugent-Haywood, Rodney Jacobs and Vivian Edwards.
This is a top line cast with many famous names. It is no wonder it was successfully sold to the U.S. for broadcast. In fact, reading through the newspapers, the series was rebroadcast in Australia several times and the last time I found it broadcast was in 1957. But that may just be the limitation in availability of Newspapers online, beyond that date and the lack in my own collection.
Case No 1. The Nine Ivory Buddha's episodes 01 - 26
Case No 2. The Green Cross episodes 27 - 52
Obviously, the surviving episodes we have are from the first story, The Nine Ivory Buddha's.
Scriptwriter Maxwell Dunn was responsible for the story and the lead cast was Arundel Nixon as Gus Gray and Neva Carr Glyn as his wife Pat. Other cast members include Hilda Scurr, John Tait, Lloyd Lamble, Ronald Morse, Ward Leopold, John Bushelle, Fred Bluett, John Nugent-Haywood, Rodney Jacobs and Vivian Edwards.
This is a top line cast with many famous names. It is no wonder it was successfully sold to the U.S. for broadcast. In fact, reading through the newspapers, the series was rebroadcast in Australia several times and the last time I found it broadcast was in 1957. But that may just be the limitation in availability of Newspapers online, beyond that date and the lack in my own collection.
Still wondering what type of serial Gus Gray - Special Correspondent actually is? Mystery Drama is probably close, how about deciding for yourself. Thanks to permission from Mr Reg James, here is an episode to wet your appetite. Thanks also to Amanda at NFSA for pulling the scripts and also to Jamie Kelly for working his contacts over the last week or so. Lets hope we find more episodes.
Ian Grieve
Ian Grieve
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