Dad and Dave from Snake Gully was an Australian radio drama series based on the On Our Selection stories of Steele Rudd. The series is more often referred to simply as Dad and Dave. It was hugely popular and ran for 2276 episodes, almost 17 years. The first episode was broadcast on 1 April 1937'Broadcasting Programmes for Week' Adelaide Mail, 29 May 1937 p. 24 and the last on 29 December 1953.'Nearing End: Dad and Dave' Maryborough Chronicle 24 November 1953 p. 6
The show was created, and for most of its existence starred, George Edwards whose company, the George Edwards Production Unit, created it. Its sponsor for its entire run was the Wrigley Company. The show's cast was not made public so that (the Barrier Daily Truth told its readers in 1951) 'the characters may stand in their own right.''Dad and Dave - Australia's Longest Running Serial' Barrier Daily Truth 16 August 1951 p. 1 Edwards died in 1953, and the show ceased production at the end of that year.
The theme tune was "The Road to Gundagai". The standard accent used by actors and announcers in Australian broadcasting at the time was typically "Southern English", an upper class British version that emulated the BBC. The actual Australian accent was however acceptable only in low comedy productions such as this series.John Rickard, Australia: A Cultural History (1988) p. 141
The program's popularity meant it resonated with the general population in a variety of ways, particularly during the Second World War, such as when:
One unique element of the show was the annual 'Snake Gully Cup'. In 1953 the Maryborough (Queensland) Chronicle reported:
This famous Australian radio drama series can still be heard on Melbourne's Golden Days Radio 95.7FM (GDR95.7fm) every Saturday morning at 8.30am. The program is streamed around the world on www.goldendaysradio.com at that time. Dad and Dave is also heard on Vintage FM (87.6 Hawkesbury, 87.8 Penrith and 88.7 Camden) weekdays at 4am, 10:30am and 9pm & in Newcastle Newy 87.8 FM daily at 2am.
Cast George Edwards and Lou Vernon as Dad Max Osbiston and John Saul as Dave Nell Stirling and Margaret Christensen as Mabel Lorna Bingham as Annie Morton Loris Bingham and Hope Suttor as Mum George Edwards and Tom Farley as Alf Morton George Edwards and Rodney Jacobs as Ted Ramsay Dorothy Whitely as Rita Ramsay Eric Scott as Bill Smith Ethel Gabriel as Mrs. Smith Lyndall Barbour as Madame Deemer Warren Barry and Ken Fraser as Ernie Crossley Hannah Coulter as Pearl Timothy Coulter as Mick
References
External links Dad and Dave from Snake Gully at Australian Screen Online Dad and Dave from Snake Gully at National Film and Sound Archive Copies of early episodes at Internet Archive