Brian Syron - Television Career

Television Career

Syron was employed as Children's Dialogue Coach on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation ABC-TVs award winning television production Seven Little Australians (1974) a 10 × 30 minute series adapted from the Ethel Turner novel of the same name. In 1976 Syron was cast as Sweet William in the television adaptation of the Robert Merritt play The Cake Man (1977). Almost immediately after this production Syron was cast as Ray in "Ray's Story" a one hour episode of Pig in a Poke (1977) a 5 × 1 hour series screened on ABC-TV starring Justine Saunders, Athol Compton, Gary Foley and Paul Coe and described as the first modern urban Aboriginal drama screened on Australian television. Syron then played the leading role of "The Wife Abuser" in director Stephen Wallace's telemovie Women Who Kill (1983) which screened on ATN Channel 9.

In 1987 Syron was executive producer of the documentary-drama film production Karbara: First Born (1987), directed and produced by Richard Guthrie, during and following the 1987 Australian National Playwrights Conference. The film featured Lydia Miller and Ernie Dingo and screened at the Sydney Film Festival in 1987 and on ABC-TV.

Syron and Justine Saunders were co-presenters of the ABC-TV Aboriginal entertainment series The First Australians (1988–1990). This series of 18 × 1 hour programs featured leading Aboriginals in the fields of performance, music and art and presented Indigenous Australian political and commercial leaders in discussions on various topics important to Indigenous Australians. In September 1988 Syron became the first Aboriginal producer at ABC-TV when he was appointed to the position of Producer - Aboriginal Programs Unit.

"The appointment of Brian Syron by the ABC as producer of its new Aboriginal Programs Unit could very well precipitate further muttering and grumbling...is it just another Bi Centennial cringe and guilt or is there a need and a reason for an Aboriginal; Unit ... the unification of culture is the only way to ensure their survival"

Television

Production

• Seven Little Australians (1974) - Children's Dialogue Coach
• Karbara : First Born (1986) - Executive Producer
• ABC-TV Aboriginal Programs Unit - Producer

Acting

• The Cake Man (1977) - Sweet William
• Pig in a Poke (1977) - Ray
• Women Who Kill (1983) - The Wife Abuser
• The First Australians (1988–1990) Series Co-presenter with Justine Saunders