The Sundowners (radio serial)

The Sundowners is a 1953 Australian radio serial based on the novel of the same name by Jon Cleary. It was a 15-minute morning serial for the ABC starting in April 1953 and played as a night-time serial in November of that year (where episodes ran for 30 minutes).

Cleary returned to Australia to live in October 1953 after several years away.

Premise
The adventures of the Carmody family in outback Queensland: Paddy, Ida and their son Sean.

Cast

 * Rod Taylor as Paddy Carmody
 * Sheila Sewell as Ida Carmody
 * Kevin Brennan as Venneker
 * Ray Hartley as Sean
 * Fifi Banvard
 * Sidney Chambers
 * Ossie Wenban
 * John Meillon
 * Alma Butterworth
 * Alan Herbert
 * John Ewart

Reception
The Sunday Mail said the serial was inferior to the book, alleging "Cleary never hams his characters, prolongs his situations, or over dramatises his action. The radio version lavishly does all three and commits the further solecism of introducing Cockney speech and accent where Cleary never dreamt at it."