John Edwards (producer)

John Edwards (producer)
Robert John Edwards (born 4 March 1953) is an Australian television drama producer.
His series credits include Bump (Australian TV series) (Stan), Les Norton (ABC), Party Tricks, Puberty Blues, Offspring, Rush (Network Ten), Love My Way, Tangle, Dangerous (Foxtel), The Secret Life of Us (Network Ten, Channel 4 UK), Police Rescue (ABC, BBC), The Surgeon (Network Ten), Fireflies (ABC), Big Sky (Network Ten) and Stringer (ABC).
His mini-series include Australian Gangster, (Channel Seven), Romper Stomper (2017) (Stan), Blue Murder: Killer Cop (Channel Seven), The Beautiful Lie (ABC), Gallipoli, Power Games: The Packer-Murdoch Story, Howzat! Kerry Packer's War (Nine Network), Paper Giants: Birth of Cleo (ABC), Marking Time (ABC), On The Beach (Seven Network, Showtime USA), Do or Die (Network Seven, BSkyB) and Cyclone Tracy (Nine Network).
His telemovies include Beaconsfield (Nine Network), six Cody telemovies (Network Seven), pilots for Police Rescue, The Secret Life of Us, Hard Knox (New Line), Fireflies and the children's telemovie I Own The Racecourse (Network Seven).
In all, John Edwards' productions have won 31 Logie Awards, 30 Australian Film Institute Awards, 11 AACTA Awards, four People's Choice Awards (Australia), eight ASTRA Awards and more than a dozen Australian craft awards. Furthermore, On The Beach is the first Australian production to have received Golden Globe Award nominations.
Early life
John Edwards was born in Sydney Australia and has lived most of his life in the beachside suburb of Manly. He attended high school at Balgowlah Boys Campus, which turned out numerous other film and television identities including Academy Award winning cinematographer John Seale, actors Rick Carter and Callan Mulvey, director Ian Barry, writer Tim Pye and comedian Phillip Scott. His spent his final two high school years at The Shore School, before attending Sydney University and Jacksonville State University, Alabama.
He was a History teacher in Sydney's West for three years before making the switch into the film and television industry as a researcher then writer at Film Australia in 1981. He wrote a number of productions including Out of Time, Out of Place, The Bounty Experiment and co-writing the two-part telemovie, The Weekly’s War.
Career
After starting his career researching and writing at Film Australia, Edwards began producing, partnered with Tim Read, with the feature film The Empty Beach, starring Bryan Brown, followed by the telemovie I Own the Racecourse (1985) and the mini-series Cyclone Tracy (1986).
He followed this with the TV series Stringer in 1988 and then, partnering with Sandra Levy at Southern Star, the successful action crime drama Police Rescue from 1991 to 1996 which won Most Popular Drama at the Logies in 1994 and 1996, a swag of acting Logies, 5 AFI and a number of international awards. He went on to make Big Sky (1997–1999) with Levy but then the two separated. Edwards went on to produce Russell Mulcahy's mini-series On The Beach (2000), starring Armand Assante, Rachel Ward and Bryan Brown, and which won two AFI Awards and two Golden Globe nominations.
Then came the breakthrough series The Secret Life of Us (2001–2005), a 20-somethings drama series produced with Amanda Higgs which won six Logies, and the ABC mini-series Marking Time which won a record seven AFI Awards.
Edwards is perhaps best known for his award-winning drama series Love My Way (2004–2007), developed and produced specifically for pay television with actor Claudia Karvan and written with Jacquelin Perske, which won eight AFI Awards, six Logie Awards, and six ASTRA Awards. Love My Way was a tipping point for Australian TV not only in its bold portrayal of the complexities of contemporary adult life but its pioneering application of the HBO model of creating quality drama specifically for television. It won both the AFI Awards for Best Television Series three years running and the Silver Logie Award for Most Outstanding Drama Series three years running.
2008 saw the first season of the Channel 10 series Rush (produced with Mimi Butler), which eventually went to four seasons, and won the 2010 AFI Award for Best Television Drama Series. 2009 saw the launch of new pay television series Tangle (produced with Imogen Banks) (Showcase) which went to three seasons and the shooting of Spirited (W), the latter again collaborating with Claudia Karvan and Jacquelin Perske.
Edwards has also produced a number of miniseries and telemovies including the Golden Globe nominated miniseries On the Beach (Showtime USA/Seven Network); Marking Time (ABC), winner of a record 7 AFI awards, the NSW Premier's Literary Award, AWGIE Award and others; Do or Die (Seven Network, BskyB); Children of the Dragon (ABC and BBC1); Tracy (Nine Network); six telemovies in the Cody series (Seven Network) and telemovie pilots for Police Rescue, The Secret Life of Us, Hard Knox (the only Australian-initiated pilot to be picked up by a US major studio, New Line), Fireflies and Offspring (also produced with Imogen Banks) (series 1–4). More recently he produced Beaconsfield for the Nine Network and Paper Giants: The Birth of Cleo for the ABC, becoming their highest rating drama for many years.
In 2012, Edwards produced the new AFI Award-winning series Puberty Blues (also produced with Imogen Banks) for Network Ten, and the AFI and Logie Award-winning mini-series Howzat! Kerry Packer's War (produced with Mimi Butler) for the Nine Network. Puberty Blues was the winner of the 2nd AACTA Award for Best Television Drama Series, whilst Howzat! Kerry Packer's War was the recipient of the 2nd AACTA Award for Best Telefeature or Miniseries, the Silver Logie for Most Outstanding Miniseries or Telemovie, and Silver Logie for Most Popular Miniseries or Telemovie.
In 2013, Edwards produced the fourth and fifth series of Offspring, as well as the second series of Puberty Blues (both with Imogen Banks), for Network Ten. He also produced the television mini-series, Power Games: The Packer-Murdoch Story for the Nine Network with Jodi Matterson, which won several acting AACTA and Logie awards.
In 2014, Edwards produced Gallipoli (with Imogen Banks and Robert Connolly), for the Nine Network, as well as the Asher Keddie and Rodger Corser series, Party Tricks (with Imogen Banks), for Network Ten.
In 2015, Edwards produced The Beautiful Lie (with Imogen Banks), for the ABC. And in 2016, John joined forces with Village Roadshow to form ROADSHOW ROUGH DIAMOND, along with his son, former ITV Studios and Endemol executive, Dan Edwards.
In 2017, John and Dan Edwards produced Romper Stomper for Stan, in 2018, Australian Gangster for Channel Seven, in 2019, Les Norton for ABC, and in 2023, Year Of for Stan. Together with Claudia Karvan and Kelsey Munro, they've produced three series of Bump for Stan (2020-).
Edwards was granted an honorary master's degree from the Australian Film Television and Radio School in December 2011, gave the 2015 Hector Crawford Address at the Annual SPAA Conference, and was appointed a member of the Order of Australia in January 2017.
Partial filmography (as producer)
Year Of (2023-)
Bump (2020-)
Les Norton (2019)
Australian Gangster (2018)
Romper Stomper (2017)
Blue Murder: Killer Cop (2017)
The Beautiful Lie (2015)
Gallipoli (2014–2015)
Party Tricks (2014)
Power Games: The Packer-Murdoch Story (2013)
Puberty Blues (2012–2014)
Howzat!: Kerry Packer's War (2012)
Beaconsfield (2011)
Paper Giants: The Birth of Cleo (2011)
Offspring (2010–2014)
Spirited (2010–2011)
Tangle (2009–2012)
Rush (2008–2011)
Out of the Blue (2008)
Love My Way (2004–2007)
Dangerous (2007)
The Alice (2005–2006)
The Surgeon (2005)
Fireflies (2004)
Marking Time (2003)
The Secret Life of Us (2001–2005)
Do or Die'' (2001)On the Beach (2000)Big Sky (1997–1999)Cody (6 telemovies, 1994–6)Police Rescue (1991–1996)Children of the Dragon (1991)Wendy Cracked a Walnut (1990)Stringer (1988)Cyclone Tracy (1986)I Own the Racecourse (1986)The Empty Beach (1985)
Honours and awards
In 2011, Edwards was conferred an Honorary master's degree by the Australian Film Television and Radio School.
In 2015, Edwards gave the Hector Crawford Address at the Annual SPAA Conference.
In 2017, Edwards was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for significant service to the broadcast media industry as a television producer, and as a role model and mentor.Love My Way
Logie Awards
2005 Silver Logie for Most Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series | Claudia Karvan
2005 Silver Logie for Most Outstanding Drama Series
2006 Silver Logie for Most Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series | Dan Wyllie
2006 Silver Logie for Most Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series | Claudia Karvan
2006 Silver Logie for Most Outstanding Drama Series
2007 Silver Logie for Most Outstanding Drama Series
AFI Awards
2005 Best Guest or Supporting Actor in Television | Max Cullen
2005 Best Television Drama Series
2005 Best Direction in Television | Jessica Hobbs
2005 Best Screenplay in Television | Jacquelin Perske
2005 Best Lead Actress in Television | Claudia Karvan
2006 Best Television Drama Series
2007 Best Lead Actress in Television Drama | Claudia Karvan
2007 Best Television Drama Series
Astra Awards
2005 Most Outstanding Performance by an Actor - Female | Claudia Karvan
2005 Most Outstanding Performance by an Actor – Male | Dan Wyllie
2005 Most Outstanding Australian Drama Production
2006 Most Outstanding Performance by an Actor – Female | Asher Keddie
2006 Most Outstanding Performance by an Actor – Male | Dan Wyllie
2007 Most Outstanding Drama Program
Miscellaneous Awards
2005 AWGIE Award Best Script in a Television Series | Louise Fox
2005 APRA/AGSC Awards Best Music in a Television Series or Serial | Stephen Rae
2005 SPAA Awards Best Television Drama
2005 Henry Lawson Awards Best Drama Marking Time
AFI Awards
2004 Best Television Mini-Series or Telefeature
2004 Best Direction in Television | Cherie Nowlan
2004 Best Screenplay in Television | John Doyle
2004 Best Actor in a Leading Role in a TV Drama | Abe Forsythe
2004 Best Actress in a Leading Role in a TV Drama | Bojana Novakovic
2004 Best Actor in a Supporting Role in TV Drama | Matt Le Nevez
2004 Best Actress in a Supporting Role in TV Drama | Katie Wall
NSW Premier's Literary Award
2004 Script Writing Award | John Doyle
AWGIE Awards
2004 Mini Series Original | John Doyle The Secret Life of Us
Logie Awards
2002 Most Outstanding Drama Series
2002 Most Outstanding Actress | Deborah Mailman
2003 Most Outstanding Drama Series
2003 Most Outstanding Actress | Claudia Karvan
2004 Most Outstanding Drama Series
2004 Most Outstanding Actress | Deborah Mailman
AWGIE Awards
2001 Best Screenplay for Original Telemovie | Judi Mccrossin & Christopher Lee
2002 Best Screenplay for Drama Series | Andrew Kelly
AFI Awards
2001 Best Actor in a Leading Role | Sam Johnson
2001 Best Actress in a Guest Role | Catherine McClements
2002 Best Actor in a Leading Role | Joel Edgerton Do or Die
AFI Awards
2001 AFI Open Craft Award in TV Drama – Editing | Shawn Seet On the Beach
AFI Awards
2000 AFI Open Craft Award in TV Drama - Set Design | Sally Shepherd, Roger Ford
2000 AFI Best Television Mini-Series
Two Golden Globe NominationsPolice Rescue
Logie Awards
1993 Most Popular Actor | Gary Sweet
1993 Most Outstanding Actor | Gary Sweet
1994 Most Outstanding Drama
1994 Most Popular Actor | Gary Sweet
1994 Most Popular Actress | Sonia Todd
1996 Most Outstanding Drama
AFI Awards
1989 Best Director (Pilot) | Peter Fisk
1991 Best Screenplay in a TV Drama | Peter Schreck
1991 Best Actress in a Leading Role in TV Drama | Sonia Todd
1991 Best Actor in a Leading Role in TV Drama | Gary Sweet
1992 Best Actor in a Leading Role in TV Drama | Gary Sweet
1993 Best Direction in a TV Drama | Michael Carson
People's Choice Awards
1993 Favourite TV Drama or Serial
1993 Favourite Male Star in TV Drama or Serial | Gary Sweet
1994 Favourite Australian Movie Star | Gary Sweet
1994 Favourite Australian Film (Police Rescue – The Movie)
1994 Favourite Male Star in TV Drama | Gary Sweet
1995 Favourite TV Drama/Serial
Umbriafiction (Italy)
1992 Best Non-European Drama Serial
New York Festivals/Worldmedal
1995 International TV Programming Howzat! Kerry Packer's War
Logie Awards
2013 Silver Logie Most Outstanding Miniseries or Telemovie
2013 Silver Logie Most Popular Miniseries or Telemovie
AACTA Awards
2013 AACTA Award for Best Telefeature or Miniseries
2013 AACTA Award for Best Guest or Supporting Actress in a Television Drama | Mandy McElhinney
Puberty Blues
Logie Awards
2013 Silver Logie Most Popular New Female Talent | Brenna Harding
AACTA Awards
2013 AACTA Award for Best Television Drama Series (S1) Offspring S1, S2, S3
Logie Awards
2011 Silver Logie Most Popular Actress | Asher Keddie
2012 Silver Logie Most Popular Actress | Asher Keddie
2013 Silver Logie Most Popular Actress | Asher Keddie
2013 Gold Logie for Most Popular Personality on Television | Asher Keddie
2014 Silver Logie Most Popular Actress | Asher Keddie
2014 Silver Logie Most Outstanding Actress | Asher Keddie
AFI Awards
2010 AFI Award for Best Guest or Supporting Actress in a Television Drama | Deborah Mailman
AACTA Awards
2014 AACTA Award for Best Supporting Actress in a TV Drama | Kat Stewart
2014 Best Screenplay in Television | Debra Oswald Paper Giants" The Birth of CleoLogie Awards
2012 Silver Logie Most Popular Actress | Asher Keddie
2012 Silver Logie Most Outstanding Actor | Rob Carlton
AACTA Awards
2012 AACTA Award – Switched on Audience Choice Award for Best Performance in a Television Drama | Asher Keddie Tangle S1, S2, S3
AFI Awards
2010 AFI Award for Best Lead Actress in a Television Drama | Catherine McClements
ASTRA Awards
2013 Most Outstanding Drama
2011 Most Outstanding Performance by an Actor – Female | Justine Clarke
2010 Most Outstanding Performance by an Actor – Male | Ben Mendelsohn
2011 Most Outstanding Performance by an Actor – Female | Catherine McClements
2013 Most Outstanding Drama
2013 Most Outstanding Performance by an Actor – Female | Catherine McClements
2013 Most Outstanding Performance by an Actor – Male | Lincoln Younes Rush S1, S2, S3, S4
AFI Awards
2010 AFI Award for Best Television Drama Series
Spirited S1, S2
ASTRA Awards
2011 Most Outstanding Performance by an Actor - Male | Matt King
2011 Most Outstanding Drama Power Games: The Packer-Murdoch StoryAACTA Awards
2014 Best Direction in a Television Drama or Comedy | Geoff Bennett
2014 Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama | Lachy Hulme
2014 Best Guest or Supporting Actor in a Television Drama | Luke Ford The Beautiful Lie
AACTA Award
2016 Best Guest or Supporting Actress in a Television Drama | Celia Pacquola
Screen Music Awards
2016 Best Music for a Mini-Series or Telemovie | Alan John Romper Stomper''
Logie Awards
2018 Silver Logie Outstanding Miniseries or Telemovie
2018 Silver Logie Outstanding Supporting Actress | Jacqueline McKenzie
AACTA Award
2018 Best Sound in Television
References
External links
ROADSHOW ROUGH DIAMOND
1953 births
Living people
Australian television producers
Australian schoolteachers
People from Sydney
People educated at Sydney Church of England Grammar School
University of Sydney alumni
Jacksonville State University alumni
Members of the Order of Australia