Chance Conversation On A Train

Radio Record, Volume XII, Issue 25, 2 December 1938, Page 12

Chance Conversation On A Train

WHY CINESOUND FILMS MADE "ON OUR SELECTION".

actor by the name of Bert Bailey-he was fairly well known throughout Australia at the time through his long association with the character of Dad in stage presentations of the Steele Rudd "classics" -happened to be travelling in an express between Sydney and Melbourne. On the same train was Stuart F. Doyle, then the biggest man in the Australian film business, and already making a tentative approach to the establishing of studios for the production of Australian talkies. Bert Bailey and Stuart Doyle were idly discussing, as travellers do, the problems associated with the infant industry. A picture centred round the Steele Rudd character of Dad should be popular in Australia, Stuart Doyle ventured. At first Bert Bailey didn’t think it would be, but finally agreed it might be worth trying. "Bunt what about a director?’ he asked. "f think I know the man," said Stuart Doyle. "His name is Ken Hail." The result of that conversation was that Cinesound studios made a fitm called "On Our Selection," later embarking on a prograrnme of moviemaking that has been almost continuous up to the present date} that Cinesound and Ken Hall became the most important. names in Australian films; and that Bert Bailey’s characterisations of Dad have become known to a wide public in Australia and New Zealand. | N 1981 a veteran Australian Some day the complete story of the growth of Australia’s movie industry will be written, and when it is, it will be found that a few men have played a big part-Ken Hall, Stuart Doyle, Charles Chauvel, F. W. ‘hring, Beaumont Smith and a very few others. The birth of the industry is already shrouded, if not in antiquity, at least in a_ certain amount of merciful oblivion. The First Ever

T IS interesting to note, though, that the first fulllength picture ever made was produced in Australia. It was called ‘‘The Kelly Gang.’’ Also that the second newsreel ever to appear was the Australasian Gazette. Alse that at one time Cinesount’s No. 2 studio at Rose Bay, Sydney, was rated the most up-to-date in the world. Again it is worthy of note that the current Australian idea of importing overseas stars is by no means a new one. Australasian Films, the firm from which grew Cinesound, produced silent pictures with full casts, directors, technicians and all, imported from America and England. But the modern phase of the industry commences approximately

with the production in 1930 of three pictures-semi-talkies they were-entitled "Fellers," . "Cheaters" and "Showsgirls’ Luck." None of them amounted to very much. Then in 1931 came "Diggers, which starred Pat Hanna (of Wanganui, New Zealand) and was produeed by F. W. Thring’s organisation Efftee, which that year also produced "Correspondent’s Course." Principal assets of Frank Thring, who was formerly generat manager of Hoyts Theatres, were modern studios at Melbourne, and’ a_fiveyear contract over comedian George Wallace. Thring died a year or two ago without reaping the reward of his enterprise. In 1932 eame LEfftee’s productions "The Sentimental Bloke" and "His Royal Highness," and "On Our Selection," Cinesound’s first venture into the full-length talkie field. The years 1930 and 19381 saw an industry which merely had growing pains; 1932 saw it beginning to grow up a Kittle. "On Our Selection" was produced, as Bert Bailey ruefully testifies, under extremely primitive conditions. Difficulties were overcome principally through the genius and good humour of director Ken Hali.

Record Breaker JHE completed film was released not without apprehension as to the welcome it would receive. But partly owing to the fact that Stuart Dovle, who controlled Cimesound, also controlled the Union Theatres circuit, "On Our Selection" did extremely well. In fact, it astounded those who knew the conditions under whick it had been produced, by breaking every record established by any picture in Australia, regardless of country of origin. It even broke the "colossal" figures established by "The Ten Commandments." After a temporary recess during which the studios concentrated on the Cinesound newsreel (Ken Hall editor) Cinesound decided to make "The Squatter’s Daughter," and the main studio was enlarged and an intensive search for an Australian heroine commenced. Four hundred girls of assorted shapes and sizes were examined by Ken Hall, and he had come to the conclusion that Australia was absolutely devoid of screen talent when a slight, fair-haired girl by the name of Jocelyn Howarth walked in. She was engaged on the spot, and a few years later was making front-page news in Hollywood.

Male lead was played. by Dick Fair, a young stage actor who was "resting" in New Zealand at the time, and assistant production manager was an enterprising young man by the name of Jack Gibhes. (Four years later he came to New Zealand, managed the Regent Theatre at Auckland, the Regent, Wanganui, and is now managing the De Luxe at Wellington.) "The Squatter’s Daughter" was also a success, and was a considerable improvement technically. Errol Flynn HE same year came ‘‘In the Wake of the Bounty," Charles Chauvel’s first production, which was chiefly notable for the fact that it starred Errol Fivnn, a gauche. rather wooden young man who had. never appeared on stage or screen in his life before, and who, immediately the picture was finished, sailed for New Guinea-and a series of adventures which finally deposited him in Hollywood. Only other Australian pictures of importance in 1933 were Pat Hanna’s "Diggers in- Blighty," and "The Hayseeds," Beaumont Smith’s first venture into talkies. Cecil Kelleway was Dad, Jack Gibbes was production manager, and the film was a great success. In 1984 came a spate of pictures, no fewer than 14 heing produced. Only ones which could he classed as even moderately successful, however, were Pat Hanna’s "Woltzing Matilda," Cinesonnd’s "Silence of Dean Maitland," Efftee’s "A Ticket in Tatts" (George Wallace), Cinesound’s "Strike Me Lucky" ("Mo") and Beaumont Smith’s "Splendid Fellows." Some of the others had oniy local releases; others, were barely released at all. Most interesting were "The Silence of Dean Maitland,’ which was not a tremendous success commercially, but which is still ranked technically as Cinesound’s best production yet, and "Splendid Fellows," which starred Eric Colman, brother of Ronald Colman, and featured a Centenary Air Race angle.

In 1935 only three films were produced in Australia, the two which mattered being Cinesound’s "Grand-dad Rudd" (Bert Bailey) and Chauvel’s "Heritage," which brought to light a promising little Brisbane girk named Mary Maguire. In order to encourage the growing young industry, the Australian Government awarded in 1935 three Commonwealth Film prizes for the most notable films produced during the past two years. First prize of £2500 was won by "Heritage," ‘ second of £625 by "The Silence of Dean Maitland," and third of £250 by . Eiftee’s "Gara Gibbings," which had only a limited release. a

The year 1936 saw the introduc-* tion of the New South Wales quota, the first importation of an American star, and another distinct advance in the industry. Cinesound made two films that year, "Thoroughbred," starring the American actress Helen Twelvetrees, and "Orphan of the Wilderness" (Chut the Kangaroo). New Company ATIONAL Productions, a new company with modern studios at Pagewood near Sydney also appeared on the scene in 1936, and made two pictures, ‘‘The Flying Doetor,"’ with Charles Farrell, and "Rangle: River" (in association with Columbia Pictures) with Victor Jory. Other pictures made during 1936 were Chauvel’s "Uncivilised" and Zane Grey’s fishing film ‘White Death." Next year saw Cinesound dominating the situation, producing "It Isn’t Done" and "Tall Timbers," two of the three worth-while pictures made that year. The other one was "Mystery Island," the fikm-. ing of which ended in tragedy for’ the lead, Brian Abbott, who was lost at sea with a companion while returning in a smail boat from location at Lord Howe Island. ‘It Isn’t Done" represented a considerable improvement in Cinesound’s treatment of light comedy, and was responsible for securing 2. Hollywood contract for Cecil Kel- leway, the star. This year has seen Cinesound go from strength to strength, and already four pictures have been released"Lovers and Luggers" and "The Broken Melody" (both with Lioyd Hughes), "Let George Do It" (George Walface) and "Dad and Dave Come To Tewn,"’ which again stars Bert Bailey, and is doing very good business in New Zealand at the present time.

Cinesound also has in production Cecil Kelleway’s latest picture "Mr. Chedworth Hits Out," while another pieture yet to be released. is "Show Business," made by A. R. Harwood, What Next? HAT heights Australian pictures will attain durmg the next few years is a matter for conjecture. Next move mary who are connected with the industry foresee is the production by Australian studios of a New Zealand film. Australian art- . ists and technicians, it is generally agreed, weuld have to be hrought to New Zealand, but the story, background and atmosphere would be eséentially tocal.