00:00
/
00:00
Richard Pearse
Television (Full Length) – 1975
Around 31 March 1903, eccentric farmer Richard Pearse climbed into a self-built monoplane and flew for about 140 metres, before crashing into a Waitohi gorse bush. The amount of control he maintained and exact date (before the Wright brothers?) has been oft-debated. This award-winning TV film (an early script for Hunter's Gold's Roger Simpson) dramatises the life of the reclusive young inventor and his flying machine, from his youth up until the flight itself. Actor Martyn Sanderson captures 'Mad Dick's' obsession in a Feltex-winning performance.
Hey Dicky Bird show us your wings — show us how you can fly!– A mob of local teenagers taunt Pearse (Martyn Sanderson)
Key Cast & Crew
See all 21 credits
Produced by
NZ Broadcasting Corporation
Acknowledgements
NZ On Screen acknowledges the talent and creatives for allowing NZ On Screen to reproduce this title on this website.
Categories
More from the Kiwi Ingenuity Collection...
Good Taste Made Bad Taste
This documentary showcases some of the tricks of the...
Country Calendar - Spoofs Special
Ask Country Calendar viewers which shows they...
Britten - Backyard Visionary
In the late 1980s, Kiwi John Britten developed and...
Richard Pearse
Around 31 March 1903, eccentric farmer Richard Pearse...
The Adventure World of Sir Edmund Hillary - The Kaipo Wall
Aotearoa New Zealand's place as an adventure sport...
This is Your Life - AJ Hackett
Paul Henry surprises bungy jumping entrepreneur Alan...
Forgotten Silver
An epic documentary chronicling the extraordinary life...
Landmarks - A Land Apart
Presented by Kenneth Cumberland, Landmarks...
The World's Fastest Indian
Inspired by the ageing Burt Munro — who took his...
Peter Snell, Athlete
This NFU classic tells Peter Snell's story, up until...
Rutherford of Nelson
This National Film Unit film follows Nobel...
Let's Get Inventin'
This multi-awarded show provided a launch pad for...
Kaikohe Demolition
Director Florian Habicht's follow-up to his offbeat...
Seven Black Robins
By 1976 there were only seven Chatham Islands black...
Flip & Two Twisters
Flip & Two Twisters is Shirley Horrocks'...
Fast Forward
This Christchurch-based TVNZ science and technology...
Pioneer Women - Ettie Rout
The Feltex-winning series Pioneer Women...
Cowboys of Culture
Cowboys of Culture is director Geoff Steven's...
Three New Zealanders: Sylvia Ashton-Warner
Visionary educationalist and novelist Sylvia...
Jet Boats in New Zealand
In the 1950s, driven by a desire to power around the...
Architect Athfield
Before he achieved worldwide fame as an actor, Sam...
Deer Wars
This documentary tells the epic story of helicopter...
Inventions from the Shed
Jim Hopkins presents this documentary — based on...
Shearing Technique
In the 1940s and 50s sheep shearers Godfrey and Ivan...
Bigger, Better, Faster, Stronger
With a large helping of Kiwi ingenuity and a hint of...
Allan Wilson: Evolutionary
Allan Wilson was the Pukekohe-raised scientist who...
Flight of Fancy
This whimsical documentary follows Kiwi artist Michael...
Behind the Bull
When Forgotten Silver
Jack Brown Genius
Jack Brown Genius explores an obsessive...
The New Adventures of Black Beauty - The Birdman
A continuation of the British television series...