Zelma Oakley Roberts (née Mason, 24 September 1915 – 9 February 1988) was a New Zealand-born writer who wrote several screenplays for T.O. McCreadie in the late 1940s.

Biography

Born in Christchurch on 24 September 1915,[1] Roberts was the daughter of William James Mason and his wife Eva Mason (née Oakley). She studied at Victoria University College in Wellington, graduating Master of Arts in 1936.[2]

After her husband Wilfred died in the war while serving in the New Zealand 2nd Division,[3] she turned to writing. Her novel Always Another Dawn was bought by McCreadie and filmed in 1948.[4]

In 1968, Roberts remarried Herbert Dineley in Scotland. She died in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, on 9 February 1988, and her ashes were buried at Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park, Matraville.

Writings

  • The Black Spider (1945) – novel
  • The Corpse Wore Wax (1947) – novel
  • Always Another Dawn (1948) – novel
  • Always Another Dawn (1948) – screenplay
  • Into the Straight (1949) – screenplay
  • The Search for Power (1954) – radio script[5]

References

  1. ↑ "Zelma Roberts". AustLit. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
  2. ↑ "NZ university graduates 1870–1961: Ma". Retrieved 12 September 2016.
  3. ↑ Captain Wilfred Roberts – Commonwealth War Graves Commission
  4. ↑ "Interesting People". The Australian Women's Weekly. National Library of Australia. 26 April 1947. p. 10. Retrieved 2 November 2014.
  5. ↑ "Today's Radio Programmes". The Advertiser. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 25 August 1954. p. 26. Retrieved 2 November 2014.


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