Maxwell Dunn (1916-1965) was born in Launceston, Tasmania, and began his working life as an insurance agent. Turning to writing, he wrote radio plays first for the ABC, beginning with Jungle Drums in 1937, and later for the Macquarie network where he became production manager. He wrote and adapted numerous plays, serials and documentaries for the Macquarie network and its subsidiary Artransa. In 1950 Dunn joined the United Nations Radio and Television department, working for ten years in New York and New Delhi. Dunn returned to Australia shortly before his death in 1965.