Susan Bower

{{Short description|Australian television producer and screenwriter}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}} {{Infobox person |image =  | name = Susan Bower | birth_name = | birth_date = | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | occupation = Television producer, Television writer | yearsactive = 1992–present}} '''Susan Bower''' is an Australian television producer and television writer best known for her work on the soap opera ''Neighbours''. Bower is also the founder of the production company ''Bower Bird Productions''.<ref name="Ausfilm Television Week">{{cite news | url=http://www.wallstreet-online.de/nachricht/6368133-ausfilm-television-week-london-october-14th-to-16th-2013 | title=Ausfilm Television Week – London – October 14th to 16th 2013 | work=wallstreet:online | date=11 October 2013 | accessdate=14 October 2016}}</ref>

==Career== Bower is a former nurse who worked at The Alfred Hospital for 20 years before getting her scriptwriting breakthrough on ''A Country Practice'', where she provided the show's medical information.<ref name="Dark City"/> She later progressed to trainee script editor where she wrote the episode "A Virtuous Woman" in 1992, eventually becoming the story editor of the show.<ref name="A Country Practice">{{cite web|url=http://www.australiantelevision.net/acp/acp.html|title=Australian Television: A Country Practice|publisher=Australian Television Information Archive|accessdate=11 January 2010|location=Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1161514/#writer1990|title=Susan Bower|publisher=IMDB|accessdate=10 January 2010}}</ref>

She also wrote for ''Big Sky'', for ''Neighbours'' in 1994 and 1996, and for ''Home and Away'' in the early 1990s.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/new-look-for-neighbours/2007/12/20/1197740469164.html|title=New Look For Neighbours|work=The Age |accessdate=10 January 2010 | location=Melbourne, Australia| date=21 December 2007}}</ref>

Bower became an executive producer in 2004, producing ''McLeod's Daughters''.<ref name="Perfect Blend">{{cite web|url=http://www.perfectblend.net/features/interview-bower.htm|title=Neighbours: The Perfect Blend: Susan Bower Interview|publisher=Perfect Blend|accessdate=10 January 2010|location=United Kingdom}}</ref> From this she went on to produce various productions including ''Little Oberon''<ref name="Idato">{{Cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/tv--radio/magic-mountain/2005/09/10/1125772732933.html|title=Magic Mountain|last=Idato|first=Michael|date=17 September 2005|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|accessdate=10 January 2010|location=Australia}}</ref> in 2005 and ''Sea Patrol'' in 2007 before becoming executive producer of ''Neighbours'' in 2008. On 25 October 2011, it was announced Bower would be leaving ''Neighbours'' in December 2011 to move into a new international role with FremantleMedia.<ref name="CV">{{cite news|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainment/tv-radio/producer-waves-goodbye-to-neighbours/story-e6frf9ho-1226176386781|title=Producer waves goodbye to Neighbours|last=Vickery|first=Colin|date=25 October 2011|work=Herald Sun|accessdate=25 October 2011}}</ref>

In 2013, Bower was mentioned in a lawsuit by Kym Valentine. Valentine alleged that Bower, former producer Neal Kingston, legal director Stephen Tosser and FremantleMedia Australia engaged in unlawful discrimination when Valentine was off sick with pneumonia.<ref name="sued">{{cite web | url=http://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/neighbours/news/a501127/neighbours-star-kym-valentine-sues-producers-over-alleged-discrimination/#~oEvP6l5rYmFnEX | title='Neighbours' star Kym Valentine sues producers over alleged discrimination | publisher=Digital Spy | date=25 July 2013 | accessdate=14 October 2016 | author=Dainty, Sophie}}</ref> The lawsuit was later dropped by Valentine after an undisclosed settlement was reached with FremantleMedia.<ref name="Lawsuit">{{cite web | url=http://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/neighbours/news/a532129/neighbours-actress-kym-valentine-drops-sex-discrimination-lawsuit/#~oEvS1fVTNBq5e5 | title='Neighbours' actress Kym Valentine drops sex discrimination lawsuit | publisher=Digital Spy | date=19 November 2013 | accessdate=14 October 2016 | author=Klompus, Jack}}</ref>

===Criticism and controversy=== In 2008, Bower attracted criticism when ''Neighbours'', among other television programmes, was accused of being "too white".<ref name="Daily Telegraph">{{cite web|url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/neighbours-tv-show-too-white/story-e6freuy9-1111116943998|title=Neighbours TV show 'too white'|date=17 July 2008|work=The Daily Telegraph|accessdate=11 January 2010|location=Australia}}</ref> In defence, Bower said that the core cast were from a variety of ethnic backgrounds including French, Italian, South African, Maltese, Danish, Portuguese and Swedish (despite all the actors originating from those nationalities being ethnically white).<ref name="Knox">{{cite web|url=http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2008/07/too-white-neighbours-defends-casting.html|title="Too White" Neighbours defends casting|last=Knox|first=David|date=19 July 2008|publisher=TV Tonight|accessdate=11 January 2010|location=Australia}}</ref> She said that the soap's characters have a wide variety of backgrounds, including Tibetan and Belarusian (the Kinski siblings) and that a Greek character would be joining the cast. She also stated she would like more ethnic characters in the main cast. Around the time of this criticism, Bower introduced the character of Sunny Lee, portrayed by Korean Australian actress Hany Lee, on a temporary contract to ''Neighbours''.<ref name=autogenerated2>{{cite web|url=http://perfectblend.net/features/interview-bower2.htm|title=Neighbours: The Perfect Blend: Interview with Susan Bower|publisher=Perfect Blend|accessdate=11 January 2010|location=United Kingdom}}</ref>

Bower also received criticism in 2008 for an incest storyline between Riley Parker and his aunt Nicola West.<ref name="Lawson">{{Cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/tv--radio/drama-without-borders/2008/09/14/1221330650247.html|title=Drama without borders|last=Lawson|first=Annie|date=15 September 2008|work=The Age |accessdate=13 January 2010|location=Australia}}</ref> The Australian Family Association accused Bower of using the news event of a South Australian father and daughter revealing they had a child between them to attract viewers. Bower has defended the storyline saying that "it is controversial but all our storylines are carefully handled".<ref name="Davies">{{Cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,23675959-7642,00.html|title=Uproar over incest storyline|last=Davies|first=Hannah|date=10 May 2008|work=The Courier Mail|accessdate=13 January 2010|location=Australia}}</ref>

In 2008, Kym Valentine, who had played Libby Kennedy in ''Neighbours'' for over a decade, was taken seriously ill and had to take a break from filming for five weeks. Rather than writing Libby out of the series during that time, Bower decided to recast her with Michala Banas. Bower defended the decision by saying "A recast was the only option. The stories for her character were very big. It would have been ridiculous for the show to stop them."<ref name=autogenerated3>{{cite web|url=http://perfectblend.net/features/interview-bower2.htm|title=Neighbours: The Perfect Blend: Interview with Susan Bower|publisher=Perfect Blend|accessdate=24 June 2010|location=United Kingdom}}</ref>

Bower again attracted criticism in 2009 for Neighbours being "too white". Bower's response was that she was working to get more ethnic diversity into the cast,<ref name=autogenerated1>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2009/01/casting-a-call-for-diversity.html|title=Casting a call for diversity: TV Tonight|last=Knox|first=David|date=18 January 2009|publisher=TV Tonight|accessdate=11 January 2010|location=Australia}}</ref> but she also stated that she was angry that ''Neighbours'' had been singled out as Australian advertising also had a lack of ethnic actors.

In March 2009, she was criticised over a teenage pregnancy storyline which saw the character of 17-year-old Bridget Parker (Eloise Mignon) give birth to India Napier. Critics said that it was inappropriate for a G-rated show to cover this type of storyline, Bower has defended the storyline saying that it did not glamourise teenage pregnancy.<ref name="Vickery">{{Cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,,25182012-5003422,00.html|title=Neighbours teen pregnancy 'could cause promiscuity'|last=Vickery|first=Colin|date=13 March 2009|work=The Courier Mail|accessdate=13 January 2010|location=Australia}}</ref>

As an April Fools'' joke in 2010, Bower released a statement on the official ''Neighbours'' website, claiming that Ramsay Street would be renamed 25th Avenue to mark the 25th birthday of the soap.<ref name="Metro">{{cite web|url=http://www.metro.co.uk/showbiz/820105-neighbours-plays-april-fools-prank|title=Neighbours plays April Fool's prank |date=1 April 2010|work=Metro|accessdate=30 June 2011}}</ref> The joke was met with widespread hostility from fans.<ref name="Green">{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s14/neighbours/news/a211820/neighbours-exec-renames-ramsay-street.html|title=Soaps – News – 'Neighbours' exec renames Ramsay Street? – Digital Spy|last=Green|first=Kris|date=31 March 2010|work=Digital Spy|publisher=Digital Spy|accessdate=24 June 2010}}</ref>

In 2010, Bower was criticised for re-casting the part of Declan Napier to Erin Mullally when James Sorensen announced that he was leaving ''Neighbours''. Sorensen had been training to join the Australian army for over a year. Some fans called the move "daft", others called it "ridiculous" and "a really awful decision". This decision was defended by ''Neighbours'', saying that the character was recast because of storylines already planned.<ref name="Five TV">{{cite web|url=http://holysoap.five.tv/neighbours/news/dawn-of-a-new-declan-5207|title=Dawn of a new Declan|date=30 January 2010|publisher=Five TV|access-date=7 March 2010|location=United Kingdom|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100208183234/http://holysoap.five.tv/neighbours/news/dawn-of-a-new-declan-5207|archive-date=8 February 2010}}</ref>

In November 2010, Bower denied speculation that ''Neighbours'' would be "sexed up" when it moves to Eleven in 2011. Of the speculation, she said "There's this bloody rumour going around that because we're on Eleven it's going to be raunchy. I'm not going to do that. Why would I do that? England loves us the way we are. Australia loves us the way we are. Yes, we've taken a hit in the ratings, but so has everybody else."<ref name="Kilkelly">{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s14/neighbours/news/a287390/neighbours-boss-denies-cast-crisis.html|title=Soaps – News – 'Neighbours' boss denies cast crisis – Digital Spy|last=Kilkelly|first=Daniel|date=25 November 2010|work=Digital Spy|publisher=Digital Spy|accessdate=28 December 2010}}</ref> She also denied that there was low cast morale and denied that the recent batch of cast departures were related to the channel change.<ref name="Kilkelly" />

==Personal life== On 25 January 2010, it was announced that Bower's sister Lynn Bayonas had died from cancer.<ref name="Lynn Bayonas Tribute">{{cite web|url=http://tributes.heraldsun.com.au/obituaries/heraldsun-au/obituary.aspx?n=lynn-bayonas&pid=138925572 |title=Lynn Bayonas Tribute |date=25 January 2010 |publisher=Herald Sun |access-date=25 January 2010 |location=Australia |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706104741/http://tributes.heraldsun.com.au/obituaries/heraldsun-au/obituary.aspx?n=lynn-bayonas&pid=138925572 |archive-date=6 July 2011 }}</ref><ref name="Vale: Lynn Bayonas">{{cite web|url=http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2010/01/vale-lynn-bayonas.html|title=Vale: Lynn Bayonas: TV Tonight|last=Knox|first=David|date=26 January 2010|publisher=TV Tonight|accessdate=25 January 2010|location=Australia}}</ref> Bayonas was the producer of ''A Country Practice'' when Bower got her scriptwriting breakthrough by providing the show with medical information. ''Neighbours'' paid tribute to her death by displaying a title card as the credits rolled.

==Filmography==

===Television=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- " ! Role !! Production !! Duration |- | Writer || ''A Country Practice'' || 1992 |- | Writer || ''A Country Practice'' || 1994 |- | Writer || ''Home and Away'' || 1994<ref name="Australian Writers Guild">{{cite web|url=http://www.awg.com.au/cgi-bin/dbman/db.cgi?db=default&uid=default&view_records=1&sb=1&so=ascend&ID=*&nh=19&mh=1 |title=Australian Writers Guild Directory |publisher=Australian Writers Guild |access-date=12 January 2010 |location=Australia |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091112012933/http://www.awg.com.au/cgi-bin/dbman/db.cgi?db=default&uid=default&view_records=1&sb=1&so=ascend&ID=*&mh=1&nh=19 |archive-date=12 November 2009 }}</ref> |- | Writer || ''Neighbours'' || 1994 |- | Producer/Script Editor/Writer || ''Echo Point'' || 1994–95<ref name="Australian Writers Guild"/> |- | Writer || ''Mirror Mirror 2'' || 1996<ref name="Australian Writers Guild"/> |- | Script Editor || ''Sweat'' || 1996<ref name="Australian Writers Guild"/> |- | Writer || ''Neighbours'' || 1996<ref name="Australian Writers Guild"/> |- | Writer || ''Big Sky'' || 1997 |- | Storyliner || ''Crocadoo'' || 1997<ref name="Australian Writers Guild"/> |- | Writer || ''All Saints'' || 1998 |- | Script Producer/Story Editor || ''All Saints'' || 1998 |- | Producer/Writer || ''McLeod's Daughters'' || 2000–05 |- | Story Producer || ''Sea Patrol'' || 2007–08 |- | Co-Producer || ''Canal Road'' || 2008<ref name="Dark City">{{Cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2008/04/09/1207420400339.html|title=Dark City|work=The Age |accessdate=10 January 2010 | location=Melbourne, Australia| date=10 April 2008}}</ref> |- | Executive Producer || ''Neighbours'' || 2008–11<ref name="CV"/> |}

===Film===

{| class="wikitable sortable" |- " ! Role !! Production !! Duration |- | Producer || ''Little Oberon'' || 2005 |}

==Awards== Bower has been nominated for two awards. In 2004, she was nominated for an AFI Award for 'Best Television Drama Series' for ''McLeod's Daughters''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.urbancinefile.com.au/home/view.asp?a=9478&s=Features|title=AFI Awards 2004 Nominations|publisher=Urban Cine File|accessdate=10 January 2010}}</ref> In 2005, she was nominated again for an AFI award, this time for 'Best Telefeature or Mini Series' for ''Little Oberon''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.altfg.com/blog/awards/australian-film-institute-awards-2005/ |title=Australian Film Institute Awards – 2005 |publisher=Alt Film Guide |access-date=10 January 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080808113337/http://www.altfg.com/blog/awards/australian-film-institute-awards-2005/ |archive-date=8 August 2008 }}</ref> Neither were won.

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * {{IMDb name|1161514}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bower, Susan}} Category:Soap opera producers Category:Living people Category:Australian television producers Category:Australian women television producers Category:Australian television writers Category:Place of birth missing (living people) Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Writers from Victoria (state) Category:Australian women nurses Category:Australian nurses Category:Australian women television writers Category:Television controversies in Australia