A Thousand Skies

A Thousand Skies is a 1985 Australian mini series about the life of Sir Charles Kingsford Smith.

It was based on the novel The Empty Sky by Tasman Beattie and was partly financed by Film Victoria. The budget was $4.5 million.

Film Victoria invested $120,000 in script development and $400,000 to the production.

Writer-director David Stevens was best known for directing the mini series of A Town Like Alice. When offered the film he was reluctant to make it until he read The Empty Sky and he became intrigued by the character of Keith Anderson.

Stevens said "It is about the nature of greatness and the nature of friendship. It is also a love story - an eternal triangle between three men." The series was shot at 144 different locations. The only sets built were the planes which cost $500,000.

Cast

 * John Walton as Charles Kingsford Smith
 * Andrew Clarke as Charles Ulm
 * Joss McWilliam as Keith Anderson
 * Jane Menelaus as Thelma McKenna
 * Geoff Parry as Bob Hitchcock
 * Celine O'Leary as Mary Powell-Kingsford Smith
 * Helen Jones as Bon Hilliard
 * Phyllis Burford as Kate Kingsford Smith
 * Richard Hutson as William Kingsford Smith
 * Judith Massey as Mrs. Hilliard
 * Paul Karo as English director
 * Harold Baigent as Swampy Dawkins
 * Nick Holland as Bert Day
 * Hardy Stow as Harry Lyon
 * David Arnett as Jim Warner
 * Denzil Howson as Mr. Hilliard
 * Alan Fletcher as John Stannage
 * David Frezza as Announcer in San Francisco
 * Reg Gorman as Joe the Fireman

Reception
The Age called it "emotionally unvinvolving" but said "the series is well worth pursuing."

Another reviewer from the same paper called it "television excellence".

The series rated in the low twenties, which was relatively disappointing.