Henry C. James Explained

Henry C James (1902-1989), real name William Henry Constable James^[1] was an Australian writer who wrote films, books, radio, stage plays, musicals and documentaries. He moved from Melbourne to London in the 1930s where his play The Golden Gander was produced on stage. This was a rare Australian written play set in Australia to be presented on the West End.^[2]

Among James' achievements was The Bunyip, the first television play on an Australian theme.^{[3] [4]}

He returned to Australia in 1950 and worked in Australian radio as well as writing books.^[5]

Selected works

Theatre

• The Golden Gander (1936) – play^[6]
• No Sky So Blue (1938) – stage musical^[7]
• The Silver Swan (1939) – stage musical^[8]
• A Woman of Forty

Films

• The First of the Few (1942) – writer
• Waltz Time (1945) - writer
• Late at Night (1946) - writer
• Swiss Honeymoon (1947) - writer, director
• Nickel Queen (1971) – original story^[9]

Short stories

• The Man Who Came Back (1944)^[10]

Novels

• Gold is where you find it (1946)
• The Madness of Charlie Pierce (1952) – novel^[11]
• The Green Opal (1953)
• Coast of the Sun (1956)

Non fiction books

• Children of the Hidden Valley (1959)
• Children of the Barges (1959)
• Children of the Fishing Boats (1960)
• Children of the Highlands (1961)
• Children of the Island Town (1962)
• Children of Down Under (1962)
• Children of Olympus (1962)^[12]

TV plays

• The Bunyip (1947) – writer
• Crock of Gold (1948) - writer

Radio features

• Dutchmen in Australia (1951)
• Living at a Price (1952)
• Traveller's Tales (1959)

External links

• Henry C James at IMDB
• Henry C James at AustLit

Notes and References

1. Web site: Henry C. James . 2024-03-27 . AustLit: Discover Australian Stories . The University of Queensland.
2. News: AUSTRALIAN PLAY IN LONDON. . . 52 . 15,490 . Western Australia . 15 February 1936 . 28 March 2024 . 5 . National Library of Australia.
3. See June Averill, ‘Obituaries: Joy Nichols’, Independent, 6 July 1992, https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituaries-joy-nichols-1531655.html accessed 1 January 2024.
4. Web site: Australian Television Turns 60. Darren. Gray. 15 September 2016.
5. News: SYDNEY DIARY . The Sun . 12,601 . New South Wales, Australia . 17 June 1950 . 29 March 2024 . 7 (FINAL FOOTBALL LASTRACE) . National Library of Australia.
6. News: "THE GOLDEN GANDER" . The Telegraph . Queensland, Australia . 8 January 1936 . 27 March 2024 . 10 (SECOND EDITION) . National Library of Australia.
7. News: PERSONAL ... COLUMN . The Sun . 1842 . New South Wales, Australia . 17 July 1938 . 27 March 2024 . 2 (Second News Section) . National Library of Australia.
8. News: Our Stars In London . The Daily Telegraph . III . 113 . New South Wales, Australia . 1 August 1938 . 27 March 2024 . 2 (Home Magazine and Film News) . National Library of Australia.
9. Web site: Henry C James - The Screen Guide . 2024-03-27 . Screen Australia . en.
10. News: "THE MAN WHO CAME BACK" . . 25,293 . Queensland, Australia . 4 November 1944 . 27 March 2024 . 6 . National Library of Australia.
11. News: A JUDGMENT ON THE MIDDLE EAST . The Herald . 23,430 . Victoria, Australia . 28 June 1952 . 27 March 2024 . 10 . National Library of Australia.
12. News: YOUNG GREEKS . . 36 . 10,223 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 12 May 1962 . 27 March 2024 . 14 . National Library of Australia.