The Shark Fishers

The Shark Fishers is a 1955 Australian radio play by Colin Thiele.

It aired on the ABC in 1955 under the direction of Leslie Rees and starring Denys Burrows.

It was very popular and was repeated it 1955, then recorded again in 1958 and 1962. It is probably Thiele's best known radio play.

Unlike Thiele's previous well known radio plays Burke and Wills and The Edge of Ice it was written in prose not verse.

Plot
According to ABC Weekly "Alex Hastings has given up the shark-fishing life because his young wife, Doris, who is about to have a baby, fears the sea. But when the news comes of the presence of schools of edible shark, Alec is drawn back to the family boat. Also in the rush is Ike, an embittered old fisherman, suspected of dubious practices. The inevitable hurricane arises, and the fleet of tiny craft is thrown in chaos. Every movement, every  danger, is followed by those on shore by means of two-way coast radio patrol run by Tom Green. From his base Tom sends instructions to the boats, and the boats transmit to Tom, and one another, their positions. But the situation is complicated by man-made foul play."

Cast of 1955 production

 * Alan Herbert as Alec Hastings
 * Ben Gabriel as Harry Hastings
 * Denys Burrows as Tom'Green
 * Ethel Lang as Mrs. Hastings
 * Coralie Neville as Doris Hastings
 * Pat Pearson as Helen Bellamy
 * Ken Warren as Sergt. Hodge
 * Matron Sibley as Mrs. Freeman

Cast of 1958 production

 * Jeffrey Hodgson as Alec Hastings
 * Sydney Conabere as Harry Hastings
 * Agnes Dobson as Mrs. Hastings
 * Beltine Kaitffmann as Doris Hastings
 * Wynn Roberts as Tom Green
 * Margaret Cruicksbank as Helen Bellamy
 * John Morgan as Sgt Hodge
 * Beryl Walker as Mrs. Freeman