Joy Cavill (1923 – 1 March 1990) was an Australian screenwriter and producer.
Biography
editShe worked in radio for a number of years[1] before breaking into films as continuity person on King of the Coral Sea (1954).[2] This film started an association with Lee Robinson which went on for many years, and involved her working with him as a secretary, writer, associate producer and producer on a number of projects, notably Skippy the Bush Kangaroo, on which she was sole producer on the third season.[3] She was also close to Chips Rafferty, who nicknamed her "Mother".[4]
In 1964 she travelled to the Tokyo Olympics to film a special on Dawn Fraser. While there she suffered a heart attack. She spent several months recovering then moved to Canada, directing documentaries and TV commercials.[5] In the late 60s she returned to Australia and resumed her association with Robinson.
Without Robinson, she wrote and produced the feature film, Dawn! (1979), a biopic of the Australian swimmer Dawn Fraser, with whom Cavill had a romantic relationship.[6][7] She is considered one of the pioneer female producers of the Australian film industry.[8]
Among the filmmakers Cavill trained were Lyn McEncroe, Adrian Read, Sue Milliken and Jill Robb. As her obituary stated:
Secretary, continuity girl, associate producer, writer, producer, filmmaker and "Mother:" Joy Cavill was many things to many people. Her outstanding contribution to the Australian film industry and her fine leadership qualities will be missed.[4]
Selected credits
edit- King of the Coral Sea (1954) – continuity
- Walk into Paradise (1956) – continuity
- Dust in the Sun (1958) – writer
- The Stowaway (1958) – associate producer
- The Restless and the Damned (1959) – associate producer
- No Man Is an Island (1962) – continuity
- The Dawn Fraser Story (1964, documentary) – producer, director
- In Song and Dance (1964) – producer
- Adventure Unlimited (1965) – writer, assoc producer[9]
- The Intruders (1969) – producer
- Skippy the Bush Kangaroo (1968–70) – associate producer, writer
- Nickel Queen (1971) – producer
- Barrier Reef (1971–72) – producer, writer
- Boney (1972–73) – associate producer, writer
- Shannon's Mob (1975–76) – associate producer
- Dawn! (1979) – producer, writer – winner of 1978 Awgie for Best Original Feature Film script[10]
References
edit- ^ "Identify voice, win £370". Sunday Mail (Brisbane) (Qld. : 1926 – 1954). Brisbane) (Qld. 1 May 1949. p. 4. Retrieved 20 December 2014 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Film Continuity Girl Took Notes Underwater." The Sydney Morning Herald 8 Apr 1954: 9 Section: Women's Section accessed 16 December 2011
- ^ Don Storey, 'Skippy', Classic Australian TV, 2008
- ^ a b Pat Gillespie, "Joy Cavill", Cinema Papers, May 1990 p79
- ^ David Stratton, The Last New Wave: The Australian Film Revival, Angus & Robertson, 1980 p111
- ^ "Dawn sets the record straight.(Local)", The Australian (National, Australia): 003, 1 June 2001, retrieved 9 January 2012
- ^ Vagg, Stephen (29 September 2019). "Ten Stories About Australian Screenwriters You Might Not Know". Filmink.
- ^ Jan Chapman, "Some Significant Women In Australian Film – A Celebration And A Cautionary Tale", Senses of Cinema, 28 August 2002
- ^ Vagg, Stephen (6 May 2023). "Forgotten Australian TV Series: Adventure Unlimited". FilmInk. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
- ^ Awgie winners 1968–2006