A UNIQUE KIND OF DESPERADO ae In Australia, perhaps more markedly than in any other country, outlawry exerted a powerful influence. In the history of the United States, the story of the outlaws is largely identified with the western regions of that country; and in duration it covered a brief thirty years or so. Bushranging in Australia was of a different pattern. It was rife during the greater part of the nineteenth century; and it was not confined to any one geographical area. Cities and large towns, outback hamlets and gold- diggings, camps and homesteads over most of the continent knew the taste of bushranging at one time or another. “Come all my hearties, we'll roam the mountains high, Together we will plunder, together we will die, We'll wander over valleys, and gallop over plains, And we'll scorn to live in slavery, bound down with iron chains.” Wild Colonial Boy (Ballad) Its origins, unlike those of American outlawry, were in a convict system which bred a unique kind of desperado, frequently with an Irish-political back- ground. Years after the convict system had disappeared, the traditions and political ideals that had inspired many of the convict-bushrangers were still in force among free-born outlaws of the ’sixties and ’seventies. It has often been said that many of the Australian bushrangers would, in other times and circumstances, probably have made positive and constructive contribu- tions to their country’s welfare. From “Tell ’em I Died Game” by Bill Wannan Notorious outlaw Daniel Morgan. as depicted by the contemporary pres:Port Melbourne 1862 Gold diggers 1857 “L beg to explain that the bushranger Morgan was an offender held in such abhorrence by all respected persons in this part of the Colony, adjacent as it is to the theatre of his almost unparalleled crimes, that he was scarcely regarded as human and not entitled to the consideration due to other men however criminal...” Superintendent Cobham (1865) MAD DOG is set against the tumultuous Gold Rush era of Australian history. A melting pot of racial, social and economic tensions, Australia in the 1850's and 1860's was experiencing the harsh transition from a penal colony to an independent nation. But the convict system would not die painlessly, and in its death throes produced embittered and wildly rebellious individuals. The terrible physical injustices of the Colo- nial prison system had created a deep- seated resentment and disdain for authority in large segments of the population. Contempt for the law was a contempt for punishment far out- weighing the crime. The Australian bushrangers, spurred on by this anti- authoritarian tradition became romantic and unique figures in the annals of outlawry. Most of them felt they had been forced into crime and violence by the Colonial establishment. The police discovered it was difficult to hang righteous indignation. But men were easier to catch. Between 1862 and 1867 twenty-three bushrangers were killed or hanged. Racial tensions in the new colonies often erupted into violence on the crowded soldfields. During the Lambing Flat Riot of 1861 over 1000 Chinese were rounded ‘up by white miners and brutally massacre.THE STORY In 1853 a 20-year-old youth named Daniel Morgan joins the fevered rush for gold in the British colonies of Victoria and New South Wales. Around him fabulous fortunes are made and squan- dered, but he has little luck. squatters. Badly injured, Morgan is discovered by an aboriginal boy, Billy, who nurses him back to health. To- gether they cross the Murray River into New South Wales and Morgan swears to return one day and revenge himself. Disillusioned and penniless, Morgan drifts into petty crime. In 1854 he holds up a shepherd, but is caught and sentenced to 12 years hard labour in the prison “Success”. Establishing hiding places in the rugged hills above the newly settled grazing lands of the Riverina, Morgan is taught how to survive in the wild by Billy and becomes an expert bushman. Morgan witnesses and experiences the horrors of the “Success” for six years until his release on parole in 1860. A seething hybrid of resentment and bitterness, he disappears into the bush and never reports back for parole. For three years Morgan gains a liveli- hood in Victoria as a horse thief, until he is shot at and wounded by angry 4 In 1863 Morgan and Billy hold up Police Magistrate Baylis but let him go when they discover he has no money. Return- ing days later to track them down, Baylis is shot and injured by Morgan. The New South Wales police offer a £200 reward for Morgan, dead or alive. The legend of the notorious outlaw begins. In the course of the next year Morganundertakes a series of hold ups of big sheep stations, gaining the support and admiration of local farm workers and shearers by humiliating unscrupulous landowners. Then in June 1864 he unintentionally shoots Sam Watson, a wealthy squatter, at Round Hill Station. Morgan sends a station-hand John McLean for a doctor but discovers that he has ridden for the police. Tracking him through the bush, he finds McLean and kills him. Local authorities are outraged and New South Wales police pour into the Riverina to hunt him. Morgan kills two police officers and the reward for his capture is increased to £1000. The New South Wales press become hysterical and throughout Australia his name becomes an infamous household word. Continually evading capture he makes a mockery of the New South Wales police and boldly appears in public places. Trusting no one except Billy he is never betrayed. The Victorian press and police publicly challenge Morgan to cross the Murray River into their Colony. If he does they claim he will be dead within twenty-four hours. Morgan accepts the challenge and crosses the Murray in April 1865 to settle old scores. But in Victoria he lacks support and sympathy. The Victorian police, led by Superintendent Cobham, mount a mass- ive hunt and Billy is captured. Morgan attempts to escape back across the border, but is ambushed by forty men led by Detective Manwaring at Peechelba Station, only half a day’s ride from New South Wales. Shot in the neck he takes five hours to die. The brutal Superintendent Cobham severs Morgan’s scrotum to make a tobacco pouch, and believing that Morgan is possibly half ape orders his head removed and sent to a Professor of Anatomy in Melbourne for examination. CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS Born Sydney, New South Wales. Joins the rush for gold in Victoria. Commits first robbery. Captured and sentenced to 12 years hard labour in Melbourne. Released from jail on parole. Shot by Edmund Bond and Evan Evans. Crosses from Victoria into New South Wales. Holds-up Magistrate Henry Baylis. ‘Holds-up Thomas Gibson. Shoots John MeL san, ots Sergeant McGinnity. Shoots Sergeant Smith. Crosses from New South Wales into Victoria. Shot and killed at Peechelba.“Members of the cast during a break in shooting. From left to right: John Hargreaves, Chuck Faulkner, Michael Pate, Martin Harris, Robin Ramsay, Christopher Pate, Frank Thring and Kurt Beimel Dennis Hopper .. Daniel Morgan Jack Thompson... Detective Manwaring David Gulpilil pilot eaha yh, chiBilly Frank Thring.. Superintendent Cobham Michael Pate... ‘Superintendent Winch Wallas Eaton, ry Macpherson Bill Hunter... Sergeant Smith John Hargreaves vases Baylis Martin Harris ‘ ‘Wendlan Robin Ramsay. snetaeeeRoget Graeme Blundell ‘oltalian Jack Gregory Apps... Arthur Liza Lee-Atkinson.. Barmaid Elaine Baillie .. Farm Girl Don Barkham, Morrow Kurt Beimel.... Dr Dobbyn David Bracks McLean Liddy Clark Alice Peter Collingwood. Judge Barry Peter Gummins.....sscssnsenveon +: Gibson John Derum .sccccsnn a Evans Gerry Duggan. Martin Max Fairchild - Prisoner Chuck Faulkner... Sergeant Moneford Judith Fisher... Mrs Warby ‘Alan Hardy Hf Bob Isobel Harley Mis Macpherson David John. John Evans ‘Norman Kaye, wagman Hugh Keays-Bymne. Simon Kevin Leslie... eveeess Easy Rider (also directed) ‘The Last Movie (also directed) Kid Blue Tracks Mad Dog u2 PROFILES David Gulpilil Billy Born Maningrida, Northern Territory 1953. Australian actor, dancer and singer. Film credits include: 1971 Walkabout 73 Boney (television series) 74 Rush (television series) 76 Mad Dog Jack Thompson Detective Manwaring Born Sydney 1940. Credits include: 1969 Girl From Peking 70 Wake in Fright (Outback) 72 The Boys DB Libido 74 Sunday Too Far Away 75 Petersen (Campus) 75. Scobie Malone 76 Mad Dog Frank Thring Superintendent Cobham ‘Noted Australian stage and screen actor. Film credits include: 1958 The Vikings 59 A Question of Adultery 59 Ben Hur 61 King of Kings 61 ElCid 68. Age of Consent 70 Ned Kelly 76 Mad Dog{ “If this were played upon a stage now, I could condemn it as an improbable fiction.’ 9 Fabian Twelfth Night ass ee bee Bpendace hee Litirl und these meereb0S Ao file afBe OB Capede Vise Sle meagl Circe Lune Leen ok Ce ee we tice ComlennetonS Hin’ HPae cPiome a lcm cxlowenattioe foe Btau Cy tide “re tect hace, rected tema! EGE DOL a Documents unearthed by Margaret Came; during her research for Mad Dog: Above an account of the search foe, cod spprehension of Morgan vatten oy Deteetve Willem Manwaring 1865) nd Below description of ‘the murilaion of Morgan's body by Police Superintendent Martin Brennan The screenplay for MAD DOG was written by Philippe Mora, whose script- ‘writing credits include his earlier films, Swastika and Brother, an You Spares Based’ on a true story, the writing of MAD DOG involved extensive research into the life of its protagonist Daniel Morgan, and the turbulent era of Australian history in which Morgan lived. This research was conducted by Marga- ret Camegie, a writer, historian, and author of two books: Friday Mount, the story of the pioneer settlers of southern New South Wales; and Morgan the Bold Bushranger, a biography on the life of Daniel Morgan. Before Camegie's work on Morgan commenced, very little research had been conducted into the life of a man who is arguably a seminal figure in Australia’s outlaw history. While the exploits of Morgan's bushranging con- temporaries had long ago become popu. lar folk-lore, the true story of Daniel Morgan's life remained untold. ‘A. stigma surrounded Morgan's name which Camegie traced to the contempo- rary press, Terrified by Morgan's exploits they conducted an hysterical and sensa tionalistic campaign against_him for almost three years. Described variably as a monster, animal, maniac, rapist and ‘mad killer, Morgan developed a reputa- tion as “the most bloodthirsty of all highway robbers” ‘The scandalous events which followed Morgan's death reinforced his notoriety And although 14 years later the famous Ned Kelly would ride into battle erilderie shouting, “Hurrah for Dan Morgan”, little light was thrown on Morgan's infamous career for almost 100 years. ‘Working from her home in the centre of Morgan's old territory in southern New South Wales, Margaret, Camegie spent 12 years untangling the facts of Morgan’s life’ from the invention and heresay. Using handwritten records, newspaper reports and interviews conducted with descendents of Morgan's friends. and enemies, she discovered a wealth of new information coneeming Morgan's carly life, and the brutal conduct of the police force of the day. One such discovery was made only weeks before the final draft of Mora's screenglay was completed. Sorting through a collection of police records, Camegie came across a document describing the mutilation of Morgan's dead body. From other sources Camegie already knew that the Victorian Police Superintendent Cobham, had ordered Morgans beard flayed off for a souvenir — but what the new document revealed was that Cobham also ordered that Morgan's scrotum be removed, and fashioned into a tobacco pouch. While Margaret. Camegie's research. covered the 32. years of Morgan's life in. detail from his birth in 1833 to his death. in 1865, Mora's screenplay condensed the narrative and concentrated on the 12 years from 1853 to 1865.MORGAN COUNTRY ‘The seane of Daniel Morgans exlets his years as an outlaw was the ivedoe sitar ofsouora New Sour ‘Wales. This vast trac of fertile land frst attracted pioneers in the early nine- ‘teenth century, and by the time Morgan appeared there in 1860, settlements dotted the natural pastures and wealthy squatters ruled over large estates. In the course of her research for MAD DOG, Margaret Camegie searched the Riverina for evidence of Daniel Mor- gan's exploits and discovered that in ‘many of the isolated farming commu nities, buildings from Morgan's day still existed. Homesteads, hotels, shearing sheds and stores were found lying abandoned on farms and sheep stations, ‘many untouched for over 100 years. Anvious to use, authentic, locations, lirector Philippe Mora mounted a series of location surveys in an attempt to find the actual scenes of Morgan's exploits. Assisted by Margaret Camegie and local ‘esidents many of these were traced, and wherever possible restored for the shoot- ing of MAD DOG. Mora also searched for historic outdoor locations, and one of the most signifi- cane twat the discovery of Mona's cave hideout. Situated high in rugge hills, commanding an uninterrupted view for miles across the pasture lands below, the cave provided Morgan with a secure base from which to launch his forays. Discovered forthe first time since he last set foot there in 1865, Morgan’s cave was one of the many’ authentic ‘outdoor locations used in the filming of MAD DOG. NEW SOUTH WALES MORGAN COUNTRY ‘ownshipn The score for MAD DOG was. re- searched, arranged and conducted by Patrick Flynn, and consists mainly of pieces of music which are historicall felated to the period and story of MAD DOG. These include: CATHOLIC HYMNS Two catholic hymns played fequently in the church Morgan attended asa boy. They ote the Bl cer een cen pla Sfmusie Morae wrote beforchisdeaths 14 THE BOOLAVOGUE eae sotige aan teem Insh migrants in the nineteenth century. a MILITARY QUADRILLE ‘The fire piece of muse known to have been wc intl Cd Hs Shey Stall bs exert we by plc, regimen: THE DIDGERIDOO ‘The sound of this traditional aboriginal instrument ‘sted throughout MAD DOO. Blayd by David Gulp, he didgeridoo &¢ a gube Instrument fashioned fom wood, wally 45 fet in length, fnd23 inches in diameter, A resonating sound is froduced by blowing hough one end. Patrick Fyn awell known Austzalian composer, was bora in’ Birmingham in 1936." His, work Uncaes the seores for the films Sunday Too Far ‘Aways and Caddie.ie PANAVISION® CREDITS a film by Philippe Mora Producer... Jeremy Thomas Director... Philippe Mora Screenplay. Philippe Mora ors Bold Basia” ret Carnegie Associate Producer... Richard Brennan Director of Photography -Mike Molloy Ea John Scott Patrick Flynn as a David Gulpilil Production Supervisor. Pete: Beilby Art Director. "Bob Hilditch ‘Additional Resear Margaret Carnegie Assistant Director Michiel Lake Production Accountant. ‘Gefey Pollock Brace Finlayson John Seale Gilda Barachi Jenny Woods Liz Michie Monte Fieguth eeseee«Grant Page pet Ivan Durrant Sulls Photographer “Angus Forbes Focus Puller. sssePeter Rogers Clapper Loader... Robert Marden 2nd Unit Cameraman. -Ron Homer Assistant Editor Peter Whitmore Sound Recordist .... ‘Ken Hammond, ‘Supervising Dubbing Editor Bob Cogger Mieer.....- Peter Fenton, 2nd Assistant (Chris Maudson Fed Assistant Director ‘Wiliam Mora 1m Operator. Joe Spinelli Key Gri Graeme Mardell Gri \hoseeneeeNoel MeDonald Gafier. Brian Bansgrove Best Boy Paul Gantner Standby Props «.. -Robert Jones Property Buyer Barry Adler Construction Manager Danny Burnett .-David Munto ‘William Kenrick Assistant Wardrobe... Wendy Robinson 2nd Make-Up ‘Trish Cunliffe Assistant Dubbing Editor...... ‘André Fleuren Electricians ‘lan Plummer, Simon Purcin Wrangler... -Ken Grant Assistant Wrangler ‘Vicki Grant, Ruth Beazley Location Liaison, Neville Loy Secretary sens ‘enelope Wells, Negative Matching Margaret Cardin Titles... Optical & Graphic Title Backgrounds. S.T. Gill Traditional Songs. “-Danny Spooner Music Recording and Sound Mixing’. ee ae ‘United Sound Colorfilm (Australia) Copyright © MCMDXXVI Mad Dog Pty. Ltd. EASTMANCOLORAbove: Daniel Morgan shortly after his death in April 1865. These are the only photographs of Morgan ever taken. The photograph on the left depicts Dennis Hopper as Daniel Morgan in a scene from Mad Dog. PHOTOGRAPHS : ANGUS FORBES COVER ILLUSTRATION : GREG McALPINE