New Zealand writer (1940/1941 ? 2023)
Michael A. Noonan
|
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Born
| Michael Anthony Noonan
(
1940-12-04
)
4 December 1940
Ireland
|
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Died
| 11 June 2023
(2023-06-11)
(aged 82)
Auckland
, New Zealand
|
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Language
| English
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Genre
| Screenwriting, television
|
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Spouse
| Ros Noonan
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Michael Anthony Noonan
(4 December 1940 ? 11 June 2023) was a New Zealand writer, most often associated with his writing for television drama series. He is usually credited under either his full name or as
Michael A. Noonan
, so as to be distinguished from New Zealand-born Australian writer
Michael Noonan
.
Biography
[
edit
]
Born on 4 December 1940,
[1]
Noonan grew up in the southern South Island, in
Dunedin
and
Oamaru
.
[2]
After leaving school he began writing, notably drama such as
The Rattle
, whilst supplementing his income through work in radio and stage acting and as a regional television newsreader. He moved to
Auckland
in 1965, where he began writing for television. In 1969, he became the first script editor for the newly created television drama department of the
NZBC
. In this capacity he worked alongside and helped mentor a group of new writing talent including the likes of
Roger Hall
and
Fiona Kidman
. He left his editing position in the early 1970s, and in the proceeding years scripted several series, notable among them early children's television series
The Games Affair
.
[2]
In the following years, Noonan formed a close working relationship with director Tony Isaac.
[3]
In 1975 their collaboration won a
Feltex Award
for
The Longest Winter
, a
docu-drama
about the
Great Depression
. The same year saw the debut of
Close to Home
, for which Noonan and Isaac became a principal writer and director. This was to prove to be New Zealand's most successful soap opera until the launch of
Shortland Street
17 years later. In 1977, Noonan wrote the docu-drama
The Governor
, based on the life of
Sir George Grey
. This series, also directed by Isaac, too was to become a New Zealand television landmark.
[2]
In 1979, Noonan became the first scriptwriter to be awarded a
Robert Burns Fellowship
by the
University of Otago
. During this time he wrote two series which were cancelled before going into production, notably one based on
Bill Pearson
's novel
Coal Flat
. The cancellation was, in part, due to financial concerns, especially given that
The Governor
had proved controversial over its high production costs.
Television New Zealand
was approached again over the
Coal Flat
project in 2002, but funding was declined.
[4]
Noonan later successfully adapted
Roger Hall
's stage play
Glide Time
into a long-running television comedy series,
Gliding On
.
[2]
Noonan died in Auckland on 11 June 2023, at the age of 82.
[5]
Filmography
[
edit
]
Television
[
edit
]
The numbers in writing credits refer to the number of episodes.
References
[
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]
External links
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]