Director likes children's show

The Press, 5 October 1981

The director of Sea Urchins is the American-born “but raised all over the world"

This show runs on Monday afternoons on One. It is written by Julian Dickon and produced by John Whitwell. Mark DeFriest, who has been in New Zealand for four years and is married to the entertainer, Bridgette Allen, spent his early years in Africa, Australia and New Zealand, where his father worked for an oil company.

Mark went to the University of Los Angeles, and to earn extra money, he worked as a stage hand in Hollywood on such big glossy American television productions as “Sonny and Cher." “Sanford and Son." and “Maude." Later, in Melbourne, he was offered work with Crawford Productions and directed such shows as “The Box," “Homicide." “Division Four." “Matlock" and “The Sullivans." 

In New Zealand he worked on such productions as “Close to Home," "High Country'" and “Jocko." 

He is also working on a documentary featuring the construction of a Māori migrationary canoe, which the young builders plan to freight to Tahiti next year and then sail back to New Zealand, tracing the route taken by Māori migrationary canoes so long ago. 

DeFriest plans to go part of the way with them, filming their voyage. His most recent production to date is the four-part children's series "Sea Urchins." It was his first children’s show, but not. he hopes, the last. “I’ve never had so much fun in my life!" he said.