The Fortunes of Richard Mahony (radio play)

The Fortunes of Richard Mahony is a 1949 Australian radio drama by Edmund Barclay. The play, which ran for almost a year as a daily serial, was adapted by Barclay from the novel of the same name by Ethel Florence Lindesay Richardson under her pen name, Henry Handel Richardson.

Barclay was the leading Australian radio writer at the time. The production was one of the most prestigious of the year in Australian radio. Barclay described it as one of his favourite jobs but also his most difficult.

The production starred Howard Craven as Richard Mahony and Ida Osborne as Polly. It was broadcast at 6.40om on Monday to Thursday every week.

Premise
The story of Doctor Richard Mahony and his marriage to Polly while he works as a storekeeper on the Victorian goldfields.

1956 version
The ABC adapted the novel again for radio in 1956 using the Barclay scripts with Patricia Kennedy as Polly and John Bushelle as Mahoney.

ABC Weekly said "It is the story of a likable, even lovable but touchy and difficult man who did not "fit in"—perhaps a forerunner of a theme dear to many novelists today. Richard Mahony was at loggerheads not only with life and the world in general, but with himself. Constantly he sought peace of mind, but it proved elusive and he was always torn by inner conflict. Mary, his faithful and self-sacrificing wife, is also one of the best-drawn characters in Australian literature."