Tony Morphett

Writing

Tony Morphett

Born March 10, 1938 · Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Died June 2, 2018 · aged 80

Anthony David Morphett (10 March 1938 – 2 June 2018), known under the professional pen name Tony Morphett, was an Australian screenwriter, who created or co-created many Australian television series, including Dynasty, Certain Women, Sky Trackers, Blue Heelers, Water Rats, Above the Law and Rain Shadow. Morphett wrote or co-wrote seven feature films, ten telemovies, twelve mini-series, and hundred…

Known For

The Last WaveThe Last Wave · 1977
The Last Wave
★ 6.71977
MovieDramaMystery
A Sydney lawyer defends five Aboriginal people in a ritualised taboo murder and in the process learns disturbing truths about himself and premonitions.
The Riddle of the StinsonThe Riddle of the Stinson · 1988
The Riddle of the Stinson
★ 7.21988
MovieDramaTV Movie
A true story. In 1937, a routine passenger and mail flight crashes during bad weather on a flight between Brisbane and Sydney. A local bushman begins his own search, and finds the wreckage and two survivors ten days after the crash.
CrimeBrokerCrimeBroker · 1993
CrimeBroker
★ 5.71993
MovieActionCrime
High court judge Holly McPhee devises blueprints for criminal operations and offers them for sale to the crime world. Her scrupulous operation falls apart when she takes part in a multi-million dollar bank robbery and becomes an accessory to murder.
Boys in the IslandBoys in the Island · 1989
Boys in the Island
★ 8.01989
MovieDrama
A teenage boy from Tasmania is drawn into a petty crime gang in Melbourne.
13 Gantry Row13 Gantry Row · 1998
13 Gantry Row
★ 5.21998
MovieHorrorTV Movie
When newlyweds Peter and Julie purchase an old house with plans to renovate it, they begin to discover the strangest things. First, they find one of the living room walls covered with iron plates that reveal an expanding sepia stain. Afterwards, they realize that the stain is beginning to take the shape of a man climbing from the darkness under the house. Whenever they paint over the stain, it reappears. The evil events that took place in the house 100 years prior, are becoming the cause of strange occurrences. Soon, the couple is directly threatened by the evil history of their home.
The Distant HomeThe Distant Home · 1992
The Distant Home
★ 5.71992
MovieFamilyFantasy
Government authorities incarcerate a girl whose extraterrestrial origin is discovered after an accident with a car.
Sky TrackersSky Trackers · 1990
Sky Trackers
★ 6.01990
MovieScience Fiction
NASA's Tidbinbilla Tracking station in Australia prepares for the re-entry of a decaying satellite containing a dangerous biological experiment. It is decided to bring it down near the station, for which job Dr Tony Masters has been brought in to assist Dr Spencer. At the same time, and unknown to her, Dr Spencer's daughter Ali has been using her computer to hack in to the station and reprogram the dish to communicate with a decommissioned satellite. Meanwhile, an unscrupulous industrial espionage agent, has penetrated the station and is preparing to take charge of the re-entry process, causing havoc and a chase through the Australian countryside to find the potentially deadly satellite.
Don't Look Behind YouDon't Look Behind You · 1999
Don't Look Behind You
★ 6.21999
MovieActionThriller
Jeff Corrigan has to enter the witness protection program with his family when he gives up his former boss to the FBI after discovering that he is a drug lord. Relocating his wife and kids causes trouble for them, as they are very dissatisfied with their new lives. Unfortunately, the protection program also fails, as the gang tracks down the family and Jeff is forced to protect them from attack.

Filmography

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A Country PracticeA Country Practice · 1981
A Country Practice
★ 5.91981
SeriesSoapDrama
A Country Practice was an Australian television drama series. At its inception, one of the longest-running of its kind, produced by James Davern of JNP Productions, who had wrote the pilot episode and entered a script contest for the network in 1979, coming third and winning a merit award. It ran on the Seven Network for 1,058 episodes from 18 November 1981 to 22 November 1993. It was produced in ATN-7's production facility at Epping, Sydney. After its lengthy run on the seven network it was picked up by network ten with a mainly new cast from April to November 1994 for 30 episodes, although the ten series was not as successful as its predecessor . The Channel Seven series was also filmed on location in Pitt Town, while, the Channel Ten series was filmed on location in Emerald, Victoria.

Writer

The Flying DoctorsThe Flying Doctors · 1986
The Flying Doctors
★ 6.61986
SeriesDrama
The Flying Doctors is an Australian drama series produced by Crawford Productions that revolved around the everyday lifesaving efforts of the real Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia. It was initially a 1985 mini-series based in the fictional outback town of Cooper's Crossing starring Andrew McFarlane as the newly arrived Dr. Tom Callaghan. The success of the mini series led to its return the following year as an on-going series with McFarlane being joined by a new doctor, Chris Randall, played by Liz Burch. McFarlane left during the first season and actor Robert Grubb came in as new doctor Geoff Standish. The series' episodes were mostly self-contained but also featured ongoing storylines, such as Dr. Standish's romance with Sister Kate Wellings. Other major characters included pilot Sam Patterson, mechanic Emma Plimpton, local policeman Sgt. Jack Carruthers and Vic and Nancy Buckley, who ran the local pub/hotel, The Majestic. Andrew McFarlane also later returned to the series, resuming his role as Dr. Callaghan. The popular series ran for nine seasons and was successfully screened internationally.

Writer