—Tornquist Studios Born 38 years ago, Mr. Thomas A. O’Brien earned his right to a prominent place among New Zealand theatrical managers and motion-picture exhibitors by combining hard work with farsighted enterprise and the rare ability to gauge the public taste. Sydney gave him his apprenticeship in the show business and, ten years ago, he came to Wellington, where, at one time or another, he occupied practically every executive position under the Fuller-Hayward banner. He launched out on his own in the Empire Theatre, Dunedin, and controls today a chain of upward of a dozen city and suburban theatres in various parts of the Dominion. He heads and guarantees the Civic Theatre Company.

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 852, 21 December 1929, Page 2 (Supplement)

—Tornquist Studios Born 38 years ago, Mr. Thomas A. O’Brien earned his right to a prominent place among New Zealand theatrical managers and motion-picture exhibitors by combining hard work with farsighted enterprise and the rare ability to gauge the public taste. Sydney gave him his apprenticeship in the show business and, ten years ago, he came to Wellington, where, at one time or another, he occupied practically every executive position under the Fuller-Hayward banner. He launched out on his own in the Empire Theatre, Dunedin, and controls today a chain of upward of a dozen city and suburban theatres in various parts of the Dominion. He heads and guarantees the Civic Theatre Company.