Smugglers Beware

1950 Australian stage play

Smugglers Beware

Written by| Eleanor Witcombe
Date premiered| July 15, 1950 (1950-07-15)[1]
Place premiered| Anzac Hall, Mosman, Sydney
Original language| English
Genre| Children's
Setting| Sydney Harbour, 1818

Smugglers Beware is a 1950 Australian stage play by Eleanor Witcombe. It was widely performed and was published in book form. Witcome later adapted it into a 1963 Australian television series.

The play debuted in Sydney in 1950.[2] Like Witcombe's earlier Pirates at the Barn and The Bushranger it proved hugely popular.[3][4]

The play was presented in London in 1954.[5][6]

## Premise

[edit]

William gets involved with a group of smugglers.[7]

## 1963 television series

[edit]

The book was adapted for Australian television in 1963. It played over four episodes at thirty minutes each starting 11 January 1963.[8]

### Cast

[edit]

* Paddy Conroy
* Jack Allen as Croaker
* Brendon Lunney
* Ruth Cracknell
* Noel Brophy as Huggie
* Nigel Lovell
* Marcia Hathaway
* Anne Beecher
* Toby Conroy
* John Stocker

## External links

[edit]

* Smugglers Beware at IMDB
* Smugglers Beware at Ausstage

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "PLAY POSTPONED". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 35, 117. New South Wales, Australia. 10 July 1950. p. 5. Retrieved 16 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
2. ^ "Children's play enjoyed by capacity house". The Daily Telegraph. Vol. XI, no. 34\. New South Wales, Australia. 16 July 1950. p. 53. Retrieved 16 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
3. ^ "The Little Theatre – In Australia She Knows Her Children", ABC Weekly, 12 (31), Sydney, 5 August 1950, nla.obj-1503374223, retrieved 16 September 2023 – via Trove
4. ^ "News and Gossip – Children's Theatre... Two Musical Comedies TV Writers' Guild... A Pearling Film", ABC Weekly, 15 (30), Sydney, 25 July 1953, nla.obj-1549652894, retrieved 16 September 2023 – via Trove
5. ^ "PRODUCER SURVEYS THE THEATRE... Fervour, Warmth Needed In Stage Plays For Australians". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 36, 507. New South Wales, Australia. 23 December 1954. p. 2. Retrieved 16 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
6. ^ "Field Marshal as TV 'star'-talks on birds". The Herald. No. 24, 206. Victoria, Australia. 27 December 1954. p. 4. Retrieved 16 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
7. ^ ""Smugglers Beware!"". The Sunday Herald (Sydney). No. 78\. New South Wales, Australia. 23 July 1950. p. 1 (Playtime). Retrieved 16 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
8. ^ "Smuggling Serial". The Canberra Times. Vol. 38, no. 10, 764. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 6 February 1964. p. 31. Retrieved 16 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.