Gil Brealey
Gilbert John Brealey (9 April 1932 – 1 April 2018) was an Australian television and film director, producer and writer. Brealey was born in Melbourne, and studied at the University of Melbourne, where he made his first amateur films around the age of 20. He was a member of the Melbourne University film society and was a speaker at the Eisenstein Weekend organised by the WEA Film Study Group in October 1963.
Also recorded as Gilbert John Brealey
Gil Brealey
- Name
- Gil Brealey
- Born
- 9 April 1932
- Birthplace
- Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Died
- 1 April 2018
- Occupation
- Film producer, director
- Education
- University of Melbourne
- Nationality
- Australia
- Honours
- Officer of the Order of Australia
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
VALÉORINE documentary reading
Documentary summary
Gilbert John Brealey (9 April 1932 – 1 April 2018) was an Australian television and film director, producer and writer. Brealey was born in Melbourne, and studied at the University of Melbourne, where he made his first amateur films around the age of 20. He was a member of the Melbourne University film society and was a speaker at the Eisenstein Weekend organised by the WEA Film Study Group in October 1963.
Admitted source layer · organised and presented by VALÉORINE
Note VALÉORINE
No house-authored Note is published until its assertions and sources pass the VALÉORINE evidence contract. The documentary article remains available in full while that enrichment is being consolidated.
Documentary enrichment in progress · no unsupported statement published
Reference Check
Propose documentary evidence for Gil Brealey. A contribution is never written directly as fact: identity, source, rights and evidence gates still decide.
Sign in to contribute
Documentary evidence
Evidence Panel
not yet certified
- Identity
- unresolved
- Independent source families
- 0
- Admitted assertions
- 0
- Open conflicts
- 0
In this article
Biography
Biography
He began his directing career in television in the 1960s with the Australian Broadcasting Commission (later the Australian Broadcasting Corporation), where he worked for approximately eight years. His notable credits there include Australia's first science fiction TV series The Stranger (1964–65) and the 1965 TV miniseries adaptation of the George Johnston novel My Brother Jack. He wrote and directed a satire Say Bow Wow. He directed three films for the Intertel series on Japan, Israel, and Malta. He had a brief exchange visit with Universal Pictures in 1968, and in 1969 head of production Richard Mason approached him to join the Commonwealth Film Unit (later Film Australia, now Screen Australia) as a documentary film producer. His credits include the AFI Award-winning documentary short Bullocky and the three-part 'omnibus' film Three To Go (1971), which includes segments by emerging directors Peter Weir and Brian Hannett. In 1972 he was appointed founding director/chairman of the South Australian Film Corporation, a role he held until 1976. In this time Brealey co-produced the acclaimed Sunday Too Far Away (1975), the film that launched the career of actor Jack Thompson. In 1976 Brealey was appointed Officer of the Order of Australia for his services to the Australian Film Industry. In 1977, he completed a report on film production by the Tasmanian government, and was appointed founding chair of the Tasmanian Film Corporation. In this role he co-produced the film Manganinnie. In 1984, Brealey directed Annie's Coming Out (released in America as Test of Love) for Film Australia. The movie won the 1984 Australian Film Institute awards for best film, best female actor, and best adapted screenplay. In a career of 42 years in the Australian film industry he wrote, produced or directed one hundred productions and won the top prize at the AFI awards five times. Brealey died on 1 April 2018, aged 85.
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Gil Brealey • Born — 9 April 1932 • Birthplace — Melbourne, Victoria, Australia • Died — 1 April 2018 • Occupation — Film producer, director • Education — University of Melbourne
Select credits
Select credits
• Flashpoint (1972) • Sunday Too Far Away (1975) • Annie's Coming Out (1984)
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
Partially resolvedreference work
Partially resolved
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 27 September 2026.
Elsewhere in Film memorabilia
37,604 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- Gijs NaberPerson
- Gijs Scholten van AschatPerson
- Gil BellowsPerson
- Gil BirminghamPerson
- Gil GerardPerson
- Gil GreenPerson
- Gil KenanPerson
- Gilbert AdlerPerson
Best supported in this field
For owners
Own a work by Gil Brealey?
A specialist will read what you send and tell you what the house can establish, what it cannot, and whether the object is suited to sale. There is no charge and no obligation. The object stays with you throughout; nothing is shipped to us unless it is arranged in writing beforehand.