"Rugged Individualism― That's Us"

Radio Record, Volume VII, Issue 52, 5 July 1935, Page 19

"Rugged Individualism― That's Us"

Sir Benjamin Fuller on Stage and Films

; "RUGGED individualism-that's ,us,"" said Sir Benjamin Fuller, head of the famous theatrical concern, to a "Radio Record"-representa-tive in Wellington the other day in reply to the question as to’ whether the proposed amalgamations between various Australian and New Zealand theatre combines would affect Fullers. "I think the big companies in Australia have enough worries of their. own-financial and otherwise-without breaking in'on the New Zealand market." "Are you seriously considering putting legitimate shows back into your New Zealand theatres?" "I cannot tell you anything definite on that score, although it is highly improbable that we will run regular shows ‘as we-did in ‘the ‘main centres in pre-talkie days. Australia, theatrically speaking, is the dog, New Zealand is the tail-and you can’t have the tail wagging the dog. We are: keeping a close watch on the Australian market, and this country will experience the reaction, whatever it might be, sooner or later. But old-time vaudeville will not come back. © In the whole of New York there isn't a vaudeville theatre to-day, and in London there are about three. There’s nothing in the rumour that we are putting, flesh-and-blood into the Prince Edward Theatre in Auckland. "I’m more than satisfied with the way things are shaping in New Zealand. We are making several’ big forward moves-no, I’m not ready to discuss them yet, but they'll be interesting." ,