Joy Cavill

Joy Cavill (1923 – 1 March 1990) was an Australian screenwriter and producer.

Biography

She worked in radio for a number of years^[1] before breaking into films as continuity person on King of the Coral Sea (1954).^[2] This film started an association with Lee Robinson which went on for many years, and involved her working with him as a secretary, writer, associate producer and producer on a number of projects, notably Skippy the Bush Kangaroo, on which she was sole producer on the third season.^[3][4] She was also close to Chips Rafferty, who nicknamed her "Mother".^[5]

In 1964 she travelled to the Tokyo Olympics to film a special on Dawn Fraser. While there she suffered a heart attack. She spent several months recovering then moved to Canada, directing documentaries and TV commercials.^[6] In the late 60s she returned to Australia and resumed her association with Robinson.

Without Robinson, she wrote and produced the feature film, Dawn! (1979), a biopic of the Australian swimmer Dawn Fraser, with whom Cavill had a romantic relationship.^[7][8] She is considered one of the pioneer female producers of the Australian film industry.^[9]

Among the filmmakers Cavill trained were Lyn McEncroe, Adrian Read, Sue Milliken and Jill Robb. As her obituary stated:

Secretary, continuity girl, associate producer, writer, producer, filmmaker and "Mother:" Joy Cavill was many things to many people. Her outstanding contribution to the Australian film industry and her fine leadership qualities will be missed.^[5]

Selected credits

• King of the Coral Sea (1954) – continuity
• Walk into Paradise (1956) – continuity
• Dust in the Sun (1958) – writer
• The Stowaway (1958) – associate producer^[10]
• The Restless and the Damned (1959) – associate producer
• No Man Is an Island (1962) – continuity
• The Dawn Fraser Story (1964, documentary) – producer, director
• In Song and Dance (1964) – producer
• Adventure Unlimited (1965) – writer, assoc producer^[11]
• The Intruders (1969) – producer
• Skippy the Bush Kangaroo (1968–70) – associate producer, writer
• Nickel Queen (1971) – producer
• Barrier Reef (1971–72) – producer, writer
• Boney (1972–73) – associate producer, writer
• Shannon's Mob (1975–76) – associate producer
• Dawn! (1979) – producer, writer – winner of 1978 Awgie for Best Original Feature Film script^[12]