Terrence Anthony Stapleton (10 July 1933 – 23 April 1991) was an Australian writer, playwright and actor, best known for writing and producing television drama series for Crawford Productions.

[4] He worked for the public service as a designer and illustrator until 1960,[5] when he entered acting professionally, appearing in Alan Seymour's play The One Day of the Year,[4] which he would later adapt into the television sitcom The Last of the Australians.

[11] In 1975, after obtaining permission from friend Alan Seymour to adapt his play The One Day of the Year for television, Stapleton pitched the concept for a situation comedy to Hector Crawford.

Crawford liked the idea and funded Stapleton's trip to the United States and England to observe television comedy, particularly that performed in front of live audiences, in those countries.

Titled The Last of the Australians, Stapleton decided to explore the "generation gap" between a father and son, rather than their differing views on ANZAC Day as depicted in Seymour's play.

[6] Comparisons were drawn between Stapleton's series, the British sitcom Till Death Us Do Part and its American remake All in the Family.

[20] In 1985, Stapleton wrote his first stage play, Some Night in Julia Creek, which premiered in Sydney at the Ensemble Theatre in July 1985, to positive reception.

[1] At the time of his death in Melbourne on 23 April 1991,[2][23] Stapleton was writing a musical titled Favourite Son with composer David Reeves.