First Light Fraser

{{Short description|1942 Australian radio serial by Maurice Frances}}

{{Infobox radio show

| name = First Light Fraser

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| format = serial

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| country = Australia

| language = English

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| starring = John Nugent-Hayward

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| creator = Maurice Francis

| writer = Max Afford
Maurice Francis

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| first_aired = 1942

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First Light Fraser was a popular Australian radio serial created by Maurice Francis. It began in 1942 and concerned a British secret agent who worked behind enemy lines, played by John Nugent-Hayward.{{Citation

| author1=Australasian Radio Relay League.

| title=THRILLS IN 2GB SERIES

| journal=The Wireless Weekly: The Hundred per Cent Australian Radio Journal

| volume = 37 | issue =30 | date = August 1, 1942

| location=Sydney

| publisher=Wireless Press

| url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-722516714

| id=nla.obj-722516714

| access-date=27 August 2023

| via=Trove

}} The series was one of the most popular in Australia in its day.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article46937508 |title=Fraser's 200th adventure |newspaper=The Australian Women's Weekly |volume=11 |issue=7 |location=Australia, Australia |date=17 July 1943 |accessdate=27 August 2023 |page=18 |via=National Library of Australia}} Several actors played Fraser.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article47217423 |title=Fraser's new adventure |newspaper=The Australian Women's Weekly |volume=12 |issue=14 |location=Australia, Australia |date=9 September 1944 |accessdate=27 August 2023 |page=11 |via=National Library of Australia}}

Max Afford wrote many episodes when Francis went into the army.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article129884471 |title=PASSING BY |newspaper=The News |volume=43 |issue=6,671 |location=South Australia |date=15 December 1944 |accessdate=27 August 2023 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}}Michael J. Tolley, 'Afford, Malcolm (Max) (1906–1954)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/afford-malcolm-max-9315/text16349, published first in hardcopy 1993, accessed online 26 August 2023.

It was adapted into a 1945 book by Francis.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article156635894 |title=BOOK REVIEWS |newspaper=The Newcastle Sun |issue=8535 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=5 May 1945 |accessdate=27 August 2023 |page=8 |via=National Library of Australia}} Francis assigned his royalties to the official receiver when he went bankrupt.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article161368839 |title=SHORT OF CASH |newspaper=National Advocate |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=18 December 1947 |accessdate=27 August 2023 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia}}