Before emigrating to Australia in 1988, John Cundill was South Africa's most successful screenwriter (see awards and prizes). His film and television credits totalled over 130 hours of drama, comedy and teleplays including the long-running and still warmly remembered 'THE VILLAGERS'.
Highlights of his writing career in Australia include:
* JACKAROO - an original miniseries produced by Crawfords for Channel 7 and featuring Warren ('Till Death Us Do Part') Mitchell.
* AN UNNATURAL OFFENCE (JANUS ABC Television) was nominated in the 'Best Episode' category for the 1995 Australian Writers' Guild Awards.
* Episode 7 of HEARTLAND (starring Cate Blanchett and Ernie Dingo) was joint winner of the 1994 Australian Film Institute Awards for Best Episode in a TV series.
* A CRISIS OF CONFIDENCE, one of several episodes scripted by Cundill for ABC Television's EMBASSY series, was nominated for a 1992 AFI Award.
Other credits include the ABC drama series MERCURY(starring Geoffrey Rush), the feature film LOVE IN LIMBO, featuring a young and then unknown Russell Crowe, and NEVER TELL ME NEVER starring Claudia Karvan in the true life story of Janine Shepherd.
After settling in Maleny six years ago, Cundill turned his attention to writing and directing theatrical productions, entertaining local audiences with his Maleny Tennis Cub-inspired UNFORCED ERRORS, THE FULL MONTY WITH BELLES ON and ALASKAN INTERLUDE starring Joy Marshall.
He has twice been one of the three finalists in the prestigious Noosa National One Act Play Festival and won the 2009 AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD for his play THE EULOGY.His awards and prizes have included the following:
* 1957: Class Medal for Drama (University of Cape Town).
* 1979: Olive Schreiner Award (English Academy of Southern Africa) for DUET, a double bill of television plays.
* Three-time prize-winner (South African Academy for Arts and Science) for radio and television writing.
* Six-time winner of The Star 'Tonight' Award* for television series and one-off dramas.
John Cundill has been an Australian citizen since 1992.
*The Johannesburg Star's entertainment supplement.