The characters of Dad and Dave are a well-known part of Australia’s cultural history, Created by Steele Rudd for his ‘On Our Selection’ novels, Dad, Dave, Mum and Mabel, were characters set against the backdrop of land selection in the late 19th century. The humour of the ‘On Our Selection’ novels struck a chord with readers, and the Dad and Dave characters formed the basis for a couple of silent films: On Our Selection (1920) and Rudd’s New Selection (1921).

Peterson based his characters on the popular Dad And Dave radio series, rather than the original ‘On Our Selection’ novels. The radio version updated the format to contemporary 1930’s, breaking away from the late 19th century selector on the land setting. Similarly, the television version was updated to contemporary 1971-72.