WRITER OF PLAYS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 31 August 1938, Page 7

WRITER OF PLAYS

SYDNEY’S EDGAR WALLACE REMARKABLE FIGURES OF PRODUCTION. RELATED TO WAIRARAPA FAMILY. The following article taken from a Sydney newspaper is of local interest as “Maurice Francis-” was well known in Masterton some years ago. His full name is Maurice Francis Harris and he is a grandson of the late Mr Myer Caselberg. His'mother, who was Miss Jennie Caselberg, was born and resided in Masterton until her marriage. (By Marjorie Wingate in “Century.”) The world’s most prolific playwright lives in Sydney. Halfway up the city’s skyline, he sits in his office dictating plays which are heard by more than a million people nightly. Matirice Francis, pen behind George Edwards productions, writes 1200 radio plays a year, and has written more than 6000 in the last six years. He has broken all stage and radio records by having such a variety of plays running at so many different places simultaneously.

If Maurice Francis were one fraction as well-known as his plays, he would need no introduction. “Dad and Dave,” “Mittens,” - “Every Walk of Life” and “Inspector Scott” have their votaries in every corner of Australasia.

He might be termed another Edgar Wallace, since he keeps four stenographers at top speed every day of the week. It takes his less than an hour to write an average-length radio play and, like the brook, his fluency seems to go on forever. Mr Francis is a very ordinaryyoung man. No long hair, sandals, or accents for him. He hates all forms of hyprocisy and eccentricity. I was a little disappointed when I met him, for I expected at the very least, a beard. Blit there wasn’t anything at all to brand him. He might have been a young office clerk, sitting there in his room, drawing on the four walls for inspiration. LISTENS TO PEOPLE. His personal secretary couldn’t dispel this impression, either. “No, there’s nothing funny about him,” she said, sympathising with my disappointment. “He’s not even bad-tempered, except when he’s interrupted. We are trained not to speak when taking dictation. If Mr Francis dictates too quickly and we miss some of the dialogue, we leave a blank and ask about it afterwards.” But there is more than imagination behind his genius. This 33-year-old playwright gets in among the people, listens to the way they speak, and studies every revelation of their character. He walks down town with one ear picking up stray pieces of conversation, and one'eye studying types. From an idle phrase or a line of a song comes inspiration for a play. Plot and dialogue follow when he gets back to Studio 2UW. Just-over six years ago Mr Francis had his first radio play accepted. Prior to this, he just knocked around Australia and New Zealand looking for that elusive signpost, opportunity. When he left Melbourne University his parents sent him over to New Zealand as a disciplinary measure. They were tired of his restlessness.

So he went to Pahiatua, an outpost of the Wairarapa sheep and dairy industries. In this small New Zealand town he assimilated the impressions which were later to become “Dad and Dave” of the air. Over there he wrote and produced some plays, taking a troupe of amateur actors around Woodville, Eketahuna and other neighbouring districts. Since earliest memories, Maurice Francis has had a pen in his hand at every opportunity. At school he edited magazines. Later, he developed a quizzical interest in human nature, and was always trying to get under people’s skin or inside their brain, to discover their hidden thoughts. STILL DOES IT. He still does this, discusses his observations with George Edwards, and when the two men have hit upon a formula for entertainment, the. ideas become radio sketches to be heard by a million pairs of ears each night. “Mr Edwards and I are proud to feel that we are pioneers of the transcription business in Australia, which has certainly been built into a great enterprise,” he says. “I realise that I cannot please everyone all the time, but when I have so many different shows on each night, I must be pleasing all the million listeners at various times, and this gives me immense satisfaction.” Besides being broadcast over New Zealand national stations, “Dad and Dave” runs on 31 Australian stations four night a week, “Mittens” on 14 stations four night a week, “Every Walk of Life” on 20 stations four nights a week, and “Inspector Scott” on 28 stations five night a week. These are all original sessions, recorded by Columbia. MORE TO COME. No,' even after writing 6000 plays, Mr Francis doesn’t show any signs of reaching the end of his tether. The pageant of life is so vast, he says,, and there are many stones unturned. “I do not regard it as work —I don’t think anything creative can be called work.” He shuts his eyes when he is dictating, and sees his characters moving about. His health is an important factor, but he has no fancy ideas on diet or exercise.

Doubless your own particular job of work is no sinecure. You might have to go like a scalded cat before you can call the rest of the day your own. Take heart! A typical 9.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. routine for Maurice Francis is: Two half-hour sketches of “His Lordship’s Memoirs” —the adventures of a foreign diplomat. Five episodes of “Mittens.” THE GREEKS HAD. It reads rather like a shopping list. Well, I call it sheer abnormality, but probably the Greeks had a better name for it. Maurice Francis confesses he could not break these records without his wife’s assistance. She is extremely placid and, like her husband, lacks temperament. Mrs Francis and their Jittle daughter just move about quietly and keep out of his way when Maurice is working at high pressure. Mr Francis has a large “fan” mail and gets liberal doses of criticism. Someone will write and say: “There

was a split infinitive in such-and-such a session last Thursday week.” Maurice replies, saying he is very sorry, but promises it won’t occur again. He plays golf and bridge for relaxation ... is extremely .gregarious and hates being left, alone anywhere ... as a child was afraid of the dark. And he has a radio home!