Geoffrey Atherden

Geoffrey John Atherden, AM, credited also as Geoff Atherden, is an Australian television screenwriter and playwright, especially of comedy. He is probably best known for creating and writing the sitcom Mother and Son^[1] and Grass Roots and the mockumentary BabaKiueria, and was a contributor to The Aunty Jack Show. He attended the University of Sydney in the 1960s.

Atherden has written a number of plays, prior to working in television he wrote Balloon Dubloon the revue in 1965 and theatre show in 1970; after which he concentrated on screenwriting, but continuing in writing for theatre from 1994 onwards. including Hotspur (1994) and Black Cockatoo (2020).^[2]

Atherden trained as an architect, and practiced in that profession until he was in his mid-thirties.^[3] He worked for the architectural firm of McConnel Smith & Johnson.^[4] Atherden designed the Commonwealth & State Law Courts building in Queens Square, Sydney.^[5] Atherden served as the former president of Australian Writers’ Guild and Australian Writers’ Foundation. In 2016, Atherden joined the screenrights board.^[6]

Honour[]

Atherden was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia on 26 January 2009.^[7]

Television scripts[]

Selected theatre[]

References[]

External links[]

• Geoffrey Atherden at IMDb
• Geoffrey Atherden Australian Screen, Australian Film Commission (2007)