Ralph Smart

Ralph Foster Smart (27 August 1908 – 12 February 2001) was an English-born film and television producer, director and writer, who worked in the UK and Australia.

Early life Smart was born in England to H. C. Smart, an Australian publicist, and his English wife, Hope Daisy Smart, née Foster.

Career Smart found work in Britain with Anthony Asquith and later alongside the film director Michael Powell, whom he assisted with 'quota quickies': low-budget "B" pictures made partly in order to exploit the advantageous position of the British film industry under the Cinematograph Films Act 1927.

During the Second World War, Smart joined the Royal Australian Air Force in 1942 and served until 1945. Afterward he worked for the Rank Organisation and Ealing Studios, returning to Australia to direct several films beginning with The Overlanders and including Bitter Springs (1950), addressing the mistreatment of young Aborigines.

Back again in Britain, he became an influential figure in ITC television, producing, directing or writing a number of television series and films, including the 1950s series The Adventures of Robin Hood and The Invisible Man. Later he created and produced the highly successful spy series Danger Man (known as Secret Agent in the United States).

In 2000 he was awarded the Order of Australia Medal for "services to the development of the Australian film industry".

He retired to Australia, and died on 12 February 2001, in Bowen, Queensland.

Selected filmography A Cottage on Dartmoor (1929) – uncredited writer The Woodpigeon Patrol (short; 1930) – writer, director The Star Reporter (1932) – writer Hotel Splendide (1932) – writer C.O.D. (1932) – writer His Lordship (1932) – writer Born Lucky (1933) – writer The Murder Party (1935) – writer The Phantom Light (1935) – writer Crime Unlimited (1935) – writer Sweet Success (short) – 1936) – director For Dealers Only (Ford Motor Company short) – (1937) – director Convict 99 (1938) – writer Alf's Button Afloat (1938) – writer The Good Old Days (1940) – story Charley's (Big-Hearted) Aunt (1940) – writer Forgotten Men (1942) (documentary short) - director South West Pacific (1943) – actor Island Target (documentary; 1945) – director The Overlanders (1946) – writer, associate producer Bush Christmas (1947) – writer, director, producer Eureka Stockade (1948) – writer (additional scenes) Quartet (1948; anthology film, segment The Facts of Life) – director A Boy, a Girl and a Bike (1949) – director Bitter Springs (1950) – story, director Where No Vultures Fly (1951) – writer Never Take No For an Answer (1951) – writer, director Curtain Up (1952) – director Always a Bride (1953) – writer, director The Adventures of Robin Hood (TV series; 1955–57) – writer, director The Adventures of Sir Lancelot (TV series; 1956) – director The Buccaneers (TV series; 1956) – director, producer The Flying Scot (1957) – co-writer The Adventures of Mr. Pastry (TV short; 1958) – director William Tell (TV series; 1958–59) – executive producer, writer, director The Invisible Man (TV series; 1958–59) – writer, director, producer Danger Man (TV series; 1960–61) – co-creator, writer, director, producer Danger Man (TV series; 1964–66, US title: Secret Agent) – co-creator, writer, script editor, executive producer Riptide (TV series; 1969) – writer, producer My Partner the Ghost (TV series; 1969) – writer The Protectors (TV series; 1972) – writer Elephant Boy (TV series; 1972) – writer

Writing credits Production Notes BroadcasterThe Woodpigeon Patrol Feature film (co-written and directed with F.R. Lucas, 1930)N/AThe Star Reporter Short film (co-written with Philip MacDonald, 1932)N/AHotel Splendide Short film (co-written with Philip MacDonald, 1932)N/AC.O.D Feature film (co-written with Philip MacDonald, 1932)N/AHis Lordship Feature film (1932)N/ABorn Lucky Feature film (1933)N/AThe Night of the Party Feature film (co-written with Roland Pertwee, 1935)N/AThe Phantom Light Feature film (co-written with J Jefferson Farjeon and Austin Melford, 1935)N/ACrime Unlimited Feature film (co-written with Brock Williams, 1935)N/AConvict 99 Feature film (co-written with Cyril Campion, Jack Davis Jr., Marriott Edgar and Val Guest, 1938)N/AAlf's Button Afloat Feature film (co-written with Marriott Edgar and Val Guest, 1938)N/AThe Good Old Days Feature film (co-written with Austin Melford and John Dighton, 1940)N/ACharley's (Big-Hearted) Aunt Feature film (co-written with Marriott Edgar and J. O. C. Orton, 1940)N/ABush Christmas Feature film (also directed, 1947)N/AEureka Stockade Feature film (co-written with Walter Greenwood and Harry Watt, 1949; additional scenes)N/ABitter Springs Feature film (co-written with Monja Danischewsky and W. P. Lipscomb, 1950)N/AWhere No Vultures Fly Feature film (co-written with W. P. Lipscomb and Leslie Norman, 1951)N/ANever Take No for an Answer Feature film (co-written and -directed with Maurice Cloche, 1951)N/AAlways a Bride Feature film (co-written with Peter Jones, 1953)N/AThe Adventures of Robin Hood 8 episodes (1956–1957)ITVThe Flying Scot Feature film (co-written with Norman Hudis and Jan Read, 1957)N/AThe Adventures of William Tell 12 episodes (also producer, 1958–1959)ITVThe Invisible Man 6 episodes (also producer, 1959)ITVDanger Man 27 episodes (1960–1962)ITVDanger Man (Secret Agent) 14 episodes (also executive producer, 1964–1966)ITVKoroshi Television film (1968)N/AThe Champions "To Trap a Rat" (1968) "Get Me Out of Here!" (1969)ITVRiptide 8 episodes (1969)Seven NetworkRandall and Hopkirk (Deceased) "My Late Lamented Friend and Partner" (1969) "But What a Sweet Little Room" (1969)ITVThe Protectors "The Numbers Game" (1972)ITVElephant Boy 13 episodes (co-written with Tony Morphett, Ted Roberts, David Whitaker and Ian Stuart Black, 1973)Seven Network