Leslie Rees | |
|---|---|
 Rees in 1944 | |
| Born | George Leslie Clarke Rees 28 December 1905 Perth, Western Australia |
| Died | 17 August 2000 (aged 94) Sydney, New South Wales |
| Occupation | writer |
| Language | English |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Years active | 1929-1997 |
| Notable works | The Story of Karrawingi the Emu |
| Notable awards | Children's Book of the Year Award: Older Readers 1946 |
| Spouse | Coralie Clarke Rees |
George Leslie Clarke Rees AM (28 December 1905 – 17 August 2000) was an Australian writer for children who was born and raised in Perth, Western Australia.[1]
He attended Perth Modern School and then the University of Western Australia, where he edited the student magazine, Black Swan. He then worked for The West Australian as a journalist before travelling to London to study at University College on a scholarship. It was while there that he married fellow Western Australian, Coralie Clarke, who had been a sub-editor during his time on the Black Swan.[1]
Rees returned to Australia in 1936 to become the Australian Broadcasting Commission's first federal drama editor in Sydney. In 1938 he helped establish the Playwrights' Advisory Board.
He was also President of PEN (Sydney) for a number of years.
As a writer, Rees is best known as a prolific author of children's books as well as written travel books, plays and an autobiography.
He wrote the first Australian-written drama to air on Australian television, The Sub-Editor's Room.[2]
He died in Sydney on 17 August 2000.[1]
