Ronald Hugh Morrieson
Encyclopedia
Ronald Hugh Morrieson of Hawera
, Taranaki was a novelist and short story writer in the New Zealand vernacular. He earned his living as a
musician and music teacher and played in dance bands throughout south Taranaki. He lived in Hawera
all his life and this town appears (under other names) in his novels. He was a heavy drinker throughout his life and this contributed to his early death.
He wrote four novels: The Scarecrow 1963, Came A Hot Friday 1964, Predicament 1975 and Pallet on the Floor 1976. Three of his novels were adapted for the cinema, Predicament being the odd one out until 2009 when it was filmed. The movie stars Jemaine Clement
from Flight Of The Conchords
and Peter Mochrie
from Shortland Street
. Two short stories were published posthumously; Cross My Heart And Cut My Throat and The Chimney, both in 1974.
Morrieson enjoyed some success with his first novel which received good reviews in Australia
but he struggled to publish his later novels.
He lamented to Maurice Shadbolt
in early 1972, “I hope I’m not another one of these poor buggers who get discovered when they’re dead” , only to die in obscurity in his small home town of Hawera
, several years before The Scarecrow
(1982), Came a Hot Friday
(1984) and Pallet on the Floor (1986) became successful movies in the 1980s. The filming of Predicament in the small Taranaki towns of Hawera and Eltham was completed during 2009, which means that all Morrieson's novels have been made into movies.
During the early 1990s, Morrieson's house on the corner of Regent St and South Road, Hawera was pulled down to make way for a Kentucky Fried Chicken outlet. A protest group from within Hawera who called themselves 'The Scarecrow Committee' after the name of one of Morrieson's novels tried in vain to prevent the author's house being pulled down. However there was little support from townsfolk, local identities or the town council to have Morrieson's historic house stand in the way of KFC.
Following the unsuccessful campaign to save Morrieson's house, one of the 'Scarecrow committee's supporters, Mark Burt,created a cafe/bar in Hawera
in honour of Morrieson and fittingly named it 'Morriesons' The instigator of the 'Scarecrow Committee', Hawera artist and writer Tim Chadwick
along with author and friend of Morrieson, Maurice Shadbolt
officially cut the ribbon at the official opening of Morrieson's bar on Victoria Street, Hawera
The annual Ronald Hugh Morrieson Literary Awards take place during the third school term each year. This is open to secondary school students whose parents are South Taranaki District Council
ratepayers. Since 2009, the short story competition also included an open section for persons over the age of 15 and living in Taranaki.
A fictional meeting between Morrieson and poet James K. Baxter
is detailed in Horseplay, a play by award winning playwright Ken Duncum
. The play was staged by Auckland Theatre Company in May 2010 as part of the Auckland Readers and Writer's Festival. It featuredJohn Leigh
as Morrieson and Tim Balme
as Baxter. The play was sponsored by New Zealand Post
. Duncum was the 2010 winner of the New Zealand Post Katherine Mansfield Prize
Hawera
Hawera is the second-largest town in the Taranaki region of New Zealand's North Island, with a population of . It is near the coast of the South Taranaki Bight, 75 kilometres south of New Plymouth on State Highway 3 and 20 minutes' drive from Mount Taranaki/Egmont.It is also on State Highway 45,...
, Taranaki was a novelist and short story writer in the New Zealand vernacular. He earned his living as a
musician and music teacher and played in dance bands throughout south Taranaki. He lived in Hawera
Hawera
Hawera is the second-largest town in the Taranaki region of New Zealand's North Island, with a population of . It is near the coast of the South Taranaki Bight, 75 kilometres south of New Plymouth on State Highway 3 and 20 minutes' drive from Mount Taranaki/Egmont.It is also on State Highway 45,...
all his life and this town appears (under other names) in his novels. He was a heavy drinker throughout his life and this contributed to his early death.
He wrote four novels: The Scarecrow 1963, Came A Hot Friday 1964, Predicament 1975 and Pallet on the Floor 1976. Three of his novels were adapted for the cinema, Predicament being the odd one out until 2009 when it was filmed. The movie stars Jemaine Clement
Jemaine Clement
Jemaine Clement is a New Zealand comedian, actor and musician, best known as one half of the musical comedy duo Flight of the Conchords along with Bret McKenzie.-Early life:...
from Flight Of The Conchords
Flight of the Conchords
Flight of the Conchords are a New Zealand-based comedy duo composed of Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement. The duo's comedy and music became the basis of a BBC radio series and then an American television series, which premiered in 2007 on HBO, also called Flight of the Conchords.They were named...
and Peter Mochrie
Peter Mochrie
Peter Mochrie is an actor who has appeared in various Australian television programs during his 25-year career. Since 2006 Mochrie has starred in the New Zealand soap Shortland Street as Dr Callum McKay....
from Shortland Street
Shortland Street
Shortland Street is a New Zealand prime-time soap opera, first broadcast on Television New Zealand's TV2 on 25 May 1992. It is the country's longest-running drama and soap opera, being broadcast continuously for over 4500 episodes and 19 years, and is one of the most watched television programs in...
. Two short stories were published posthumously; Cross My Heart And Cut My Throat and The Chimney, both in 1974.
Morrieson enjoyed some success with his first novel which received good reviews in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
but he struggled to publish his later novels.
He lamented to Maurice Shadbolt
Maurice Shadbolt
Maurice Francis Richard Shadbolt CBE was a New Zealand writer and playwright. He was born in Auckland, and educated at Te Kuiti High School, Avondale College and Auckland University College...
in early 1972, “I hope I’m not another one of these poor buggers who get discovered when they’re dead” , only to die in obscurity in his small home town of Hawera
Hawera
Hawera is the second-largest town in the Taranaki region of New Zealand's North Island, with a population of . It is near the coast of the South Taranaki Bight, 75 kilometres south of New Plymouth on State Highway 3 and 20 minutes' drive from Mount Taranaki/Egmont.It is also on State Highway 45,...
, several years before The Scarecrow
The Scarecrow (1982 film)
The Scarecrow is a 1982 New Zealand film, also known as Klynham Summer in America. It was directed by Sam Pillsbury based on the 1963 horror novel by New Zealand author Ronald Hugh Morrieson.-Plot:...
(1982), Came a Hot Friday
Came a Hot Friday
Came a Hot Friday is a 1985 New Zealand made comedy film starring some of New Zealand's best-known actors and comedians, based on the 1964 novel by Ronald Hugh Morrieson.-Plot:...
(1984) and Pallet on the Floor (1986) became successful movies in the 1980s. The filming of Predicament in the small Taranaki towns of Hawera and Eltham was completed during 2009, which means that all Morrieson's novels have been made into movies.
During the early 1990s, Morrieson's house on the corner of Regent St and South Road, Hawera was pulled down to make way for a Kentucky Fried Chicken outlet. A protest group from within Hawera who called themselves 'The Scarecrow Committee' after the name of one of Morrieson's novels tried in vain to prevent the author's house being pulled down. However there was little support from townsfolk, local identities or the town council to have Morrieson's historic house stand in the way of KFC.
Following the unsuccessful campaign to save Morrieson's house, one of the 'Scarecrow committee's supporters, Mark Burt,created a cafe/bar in Hawera
Hawera
Hawera is the second-largest town in the Taranaki region of New Zealand's North Island, with a population of . It is near the coast of the South Taranaki Bight, 75 kilometres south of New Plymouth on State Highway 3 and 20 minutes' drive from Mount Taranaki/Egmont.It is also on State Highway 45,...
in honour of Morrieson and fittingly named it 'Morriesons' The instigator of the 'Scarecrow Committee', Hawera artist and writer Tim Chadwick
Tim Chadwick
Tim Chadwick was a New Zealand artist, motoring enthusuast and author. His mixed media paintings have been exhibited at the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery, New Plymouth, the Manawatu Art Gallery in Palmerston North, and dealer galleries in Auckland and Wellington, as well as at the Lincoln Center,...
along with author and friend of Morrieson, Maurice Shadbolt
Maurice Shadbolt
Maurice Francis Richard Shadbolt CBE was a New Zealand writer and playwright. He was born in Auckland, and educated at Te Kuiti High School, Avondale College and Auckland University College...
officially cut the ribbon at the official opening of Morrieson's bar on Victoria Street, Hawera
Hawera
Hawera is the second-largest town in the Taranaki region of New Zealand's North Island, with a population of . It is near the coast of the South Taranaki Bight, 75 kilometres south of New Plymouth on State Highway 3 and 20 minutes' drive from Mount Taranaki/Egmont.It is also on State Highway 45,...
The annual Ronald Hugh Morrieson Literary Awards take place during the third school term each year. This is open to secondary school students whose parents are South Taranaki District Council
ratepayers. Since 2009, the short story competition also included an open section for persons over the age of 15 and living in Taranaki.
A fictional meeting between Morrieson and poet James K. Baxter
James K. Baxter
James Keir Baxter was a poet, and is a celebrated figure in New Zealand society.-Biography:Baxter was born in Dunedin to Archibald Baxter and Millicent Brown and grew up near Brighton. He was named after James Keir Hardie, a founder of the British Labour Party. His father had been a conscientious...
is detailed in Horseplay, a play by award winning playwright Ken Duncum
Ken Duncum
Ken Duncum is a leading New Zealand playwright and screenwriter. His scripts have won awards in theatre and television. His plays Cherish and Trick of the Light won best new New Zealand play at the Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards in 2003 and 2004...
. The play was staged by Auckland Theatre Company in May 2010 as part of the Auckland Readers and Writer's Festival. It featuredJohn Leigh
John Leigh
John Leigh is an actor in New Zealand. He has had roles in New Zealand TV shows such as Shortland Street, Mercy Peak and as Sparky in Outrageous Fortune. He is a voice actor, and worked for the Power Rangers franchise since 2003...
as Morrieson and Tim Balme
Tim Balme
Timothy Guy Balme is an actor and screenwriter from New Zealand. He's most famous for his roles on the long-running soap opera Shortland Street and Mercy Peak, as well as lead roles in the cult favorites Braindead and Jack Brown Genius...
as Baxter. The play was sponsored by New Zealand Post
New Zealand Post
New Zealand Post, commonly referred by its acronym, NZPost is a State owned enterprise responsible for providing postal service in New Zealand.-History:...
. Duncum was the 2010 winner of the New Zealand Post Katherine Mansfield Prize
New Zealand Post Katherine Mansfield Prize
The New Zealand Post Katherine Mansfield Prize, formerly known as the Katherine Mansfield Menton Fellowship and then the Meridian Energy Katherine Mansfield Memorial Fellowship, is one of New Zealands foremost literary awards...
Further reading
- Ronald Hugh Morrieson: A Biography. Millen, Julia. 1996. David Ling, Auckland.
- Ronald Hugh Morrieson: New Zealand Writers and Their Work. Simpson, Peter. 1982. Oxford University Press, Auckland.