The Mary Jane

The Mary Jane is a 1954 Australian radio serial by Henry and Beatrice Howlett. It was directed by Max Afford.

The Howletts were farmers with extensive experience in radio. They researched the scripts by travelling in a truck along the Murray River interviewing people.

Premise
Life on the Murray River in the 1880s. According to ABC Weekly "he Mary Jane is owned by old Brummy, an easy-going Cockney, who is  happy to make a reason-able living from carrying freight up and down the river. He has a daughter, Belle, who is engaged to a member of his crew, Jami£ Burns, an ambitious young man who hopes to own a whole fleet of ships.  A rival paddle steamer is run by the Stever family. In' a race an engine explodes, and one of the Stever sons is killed. Old. man Stever viciously blames Brummy, and determines to run him off the river.  "

Cast

 * Henry Howlett as Bummy
 * John Tate as Stever
 * Rod Taylor as Jamie
 * Wendy Playfair as Belle
 * Roger Climpson as Phil
 * Ray Harley as Willie
 * Walter Sullivan as Dick
 * June Salter as Elizabeth
 * Rupert Chance as Murph
 * Alan Herbert as Deadeye
 * Queenie Asheton as Mrs May
 * Ethel Gabriel as Mrs. Jones

Episodes

 * Ep 1 - 7 Feb
 * Ep 2 - 14 Feb
 * Ep 3 - 21 Feb
 * Ep 4 - 28 Feb
 * Ep 5–7 March
 * Ep 6–14 March
 * Ep 7–21 March
 * Ep 8–28 March
 * Ep 9–4 April