Dorothy Blewett Explained

Dorothy Blewett (1898–1965) was an Australian writer and literary agent. She also wrote as Anne Praize or Ann Praize.^[1] Several of her plays were adapted for TV. She lived for a time in England.^[2]

Life

Dorothy Emilie Blewett was born at Northcote in Victoria on 23 July 1898.^[3] Her father was John Blewett, who worked with the Victorian Railways for almost 50 years. She was a student at the Methodist Ladies' College, Melbourne where she was editor of the school magazine in her final year.^[4]

Blewett's earliest published works were written under the pseudonym, Anne Praize. They included short stories published by Table Talk and the novel, Vision, described as "besides being a vividly written romance, it breathes the open air freedom and spaciousness of a great country."

Two of her plays were filmed by the ABC.^[5]

Her writings have recently received critical re-appraisal.^[6]

Blewett died in Melbourne on 17 September 1965.^[7]

Selected works

Plays

• The First Joanna^[8]
• Quiet Night (1941)
• It Has Happened Before (1943)
• I Have Taken a Prisoner

Novels

• Vision (1931)
• Pattern for a Scandal (1948)

Short stories

• "A Voice on the Telephone" (1931)^[9]
• "Alured the Assured" (1931)^[10]
• "April and October" (1931)^[11]
• "This Girl Came to Our School" (1949)^[12]

Awards

• Westralian Drama Festival Award, 1941, for Quiet Night
• Playwrights' Advisory Board Competition, 1947, for The First Joanna

External links

• Dorothy Blewett at IMDb
• Dorothy Blewett at Ausstage
• Dorothy Blewett at Austlit

Notes and References

1. Book: Adelaide, Debra. Australian women writers: a bibliographic guide. Pandora. 1988. 978-0-86358-148-9. 16. Debra Adelaide.
2. Web site: Dorothy Blewett. Playlab Theatre.
3. Web site: Dorothy Blewett. 2020-09-14. AustLit: Discover Australian Stories. en.
4. News: 12 March 1931. MELBOURNE GIRL'S FIRST NOVEL PRAISED. 10. The Herald. 16,792. Victoria, Australia. 14 September 2020. National Library of Australia.
5. Filmink. 3 Forgotten Australian Television Plays. Stephen. Vagg. 27 August 2022.
6. https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/12838777 Dorothy Blewett in the Australian Drama Archive
7. Web site: Dorothy Blewett [Record]]. 2020-09-14. Trove – National Library of Australia. en.
8. Filmink. 3 Forgotten Australian Television Plays. Stephen . Vagg. August 27, 2022. August 8, 2024.
9. News: 16 April 1931. A VOICE ON THE TELEPHONE. 10. Table Talk. 3284. Victoria, Australia. 14 September 2020. National Library of Australia.
10. News: 4 June 1931. Little dreaming of the trick Fate was to play her, Sybil accepted Dave's wager of £10 to a penny that she could not shake the self-assurance of Alured the Assured. 13. Table Talk. 3291. Victoria, Australia. 14 September 2020. National Library of Australia.
11. News: 10 September 1931. April and October. 23. Table Talk. 3305. Victoria, Australia. 14 September 2020. National Library of Australia.
12. Blewett. Dorothy. 2016. 1949. This Girl Came to Our School. Hecate. 42. 2. 62–65.