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{{Short description|Australian film and theatre production studio}}
In [[1931]] the first commercially viable Australian made sound feature film, ''Diggers'', was produced by '''Efftee Films''' in [[Melbourne]] using optical sound equipment imported from the USA.
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Use Australian English|date=October 2011}}
'''Efftee Studios''' was an early Australian film and theatre production studio, established by [[F.W. Thring]] (the name 'Efftee' deriving from his initials, 'FT' for Francis Thring) in 1930. It existed until Thring's death in 1935. Initially '''Efftee Films''' was based in [[Melbourne]] and used optical sound equipment imported from the US.

==History==
In 1931, the company produced the first commercially viable Australian made sound feature film, ''[[Diggers (1931 film)|Diggers]]''. Over the next five years, Efftee produced nine features, over 80 shorts and several stage productions, including the Australian musicals ''[[Collits' Inn (musical)|Collits' Inn]]'' (1933) and ''[[The Cedar Tree (musical)|The Cedar Tree]]'' (1934). Notable collaborators include [[C. J. Dennis]], [[George Wallace (Australian comedian)|George Wallace]] and [[Frank Harvey (Australian screenwriter)|Frank Harvey]].

In 1934, Thring suspended Efftee's operations<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17048260 |title=AUSTRALIAN FILMS. |newspaper=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |date=14 February 1934 |accessdate=10 August 2012 |page=12 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> to pressure the government to establish a quota for Australian films, threatening to move production to London. He relocated production to Sydney to take advantage of the New South Wales Cinematograph Films (Australian Quota) Act 1935.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17103389 |title=EFFTEE FILMS. |newspaper=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |date=27 July 1934 |accessdate=10 August 2012 |page=7 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17336421 |title=EFFTEE FILMS. |newspaper=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |date=8 February 1936 |accessdate=10 August 2012 |page=17 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

Efftee was also the first operator of [[Melbourne, Australia|Melbourne]] radio station [[3XY]] which began broadcasting on 9 September 1935.

Thring traveled to Hollywood in March 1936 to look for scriptwriters and actors<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article47903687 |title=FILMS TO BE MADE FROM AUSTRALIAN STORIES. |newspaper=[[The Barrier Miner]] |location=Broken Hill, NSW |date=2 March 1936 |accessdate=22 January 2012 |page=4 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> and returned in June but died soon after.

Founder F.W. Thring was the father of the Australian and international actor, [[Frank Thring]].

==Selected filmography==

===Features===
*''[[A Co-respondent's Course]]'' (1931)
*''[[Diggers (1931 film)|Diggers]]'' (1931)
*''[[The Haunted Barn]]'' (1931)
*''[[The Sentimental Bloke (1932 film)|The Sentimental Bloke]]'' (1932)
*''[[His Royal Highness (1932 film)|His Royal Highness]]'' (1932)
*''[[Harmony Row]]'' (1933)
*''[[A Ticket in Tatts (1934 film)|A Ticket in Tatts]]'' (1934)
*''[[Sheepmates]]'' (1934) – abandoned during filming
*''[[The Streets of London (1934 film)|The Streets of London]]'' (1934)
*''[[Clara Gibbings]]'' (1934)

===Non-Efftee features shot in the Efftee Studio===
*''[[Diggers in Blighty]]'' (1933)
*''[[Waltzing Matilda (1933 film)|Waltzing Matilda]]'' (1933)
*''[[Heritage (1935 film)|Heritage]]'' (1935)

===The 'Efftee Entertainers' Variety Shorts===

[[File:Minnie Love.jpg|thumb|Actress [[Minnie Love]], circa 1914]]

*''Will Cade and his Regent Theatre Orchestra in Selections from '[[The Desert Song]]''' (1931)
*''Jack O'Hagan – Vocalist Composer'' (1931) – with [[Jack O'Hagan]]
*''Cecil Parkes' Strad Trio in Selections from Their Repertoire'' (1931)
*''Athol Tier as Napoleon'' (1931)
*''Keith Desmond in Recitations (No. 1)'' (1931)
*''Keith Desmond in Recitations (No. 2)'' (1931)
*''George Wallace, Australia's Premier Comedian'' (1931) – with [[George Wallace (Australian comedian)|George Wallace]]
*''Melody and Terpsichor'' (1931)
*''Stan Ray and George Moon Jnr, Speciality Dancers (No. 1)'' (1931)
*''Stan Ray and George Moon Jnr, Speciality Dancers (No. 2)'' (1931)
*''Melbourne's Chinese Orchestra in Selections'' (1931)
*''Minnie Love in Impressions of Famous Artists (No. 1)'' (1931)
*''Minnie Love in Impressions of Famous Artists (No. 2)'' (1931)
*''Minnie Love in Impressions of Famous Artists (No. 3)'' (1931)
*''The Sundowners – Harmony Quartette (No. 1)'' (1932)
*''The Sundowners – Harmony Quartette (No. 2)'' (1932)
*''Lou Vernon – Character Songs (No. 1)'' (1932)
*''Kathleen Goodall – Songs at the Piano (No. 1)'' (1932)
*''Kathleen Goodall – Songs at the Piano (No. 2)'' (1932)
*''Kathleen Goodall – Songs at the Piano (No. 3)'' (1932)
*''Peter Bornstein, Celebrated Violinist'' (1932)
*''George White'' (1932)
*''Miss Ada Reeve – Comedienne (No. 1)'' (1932) – with [[Ada Reeve]]
*''Miss Ada Reeve – Comedienne (No. 2)'' (1932)
*''Miss Byrl Walkley, Soprano'' (1932)
*''Somewhere South of Shanghai, Rendered by Marshall Crosby'' (1932)
*''Neil McKay, Scottish Comedian'' (1932) – with Neil McKay
*''Williamson Imperial Grand Opera Co. Orchestra – Overture from Carmen, by Bizet'' (1932)
*''Williamson Imperial Grand Opera Co. Orchestra – Overture from Gounod's Faust'' (1932)
*''Williamson Imperial Grand Opera Co. Orchestra – Selections from the Barber of Seville by Rossini'' (1932)
*''Signor Apollo Granforte and the Williamson Imperial Grand opera Company Orchestra'' (1932)
*''Lou Vernon – Character Songs (No. 2)'' (1932)

===Two-Reel Efftee shorts===
*''Oh, What a Night!'' (1932) – 14-minute short starring [[George Wallace (Australian comedian)|George Wallace]]
*''In the Future'' (1933) – 12-minute short

==Theatre shows==
*''[[Collits' Inn (musical)|Collit's Inn]]'' (1933)<ref>[http://www.ausstage.edu.au/indexdrilldown.jsp?xcid=59&f_event_id=16548 Melbourne production credits] at [[AusStage]]</ref>
*''The Beloved Vagabond'' (1934) – done in Melbourne<ref>[http://www.ausstage.edu.au/indexdrilldown.jsp?xcid=59&f_event_id=18894 Production credits] at [[AusStage]]</ref>
*''Mother of Pearl'' (1934) – done in Melbourne<ref>[http://www.ausstage.edu.au/indexdrilldown.jsp?xcid=59&f_event_id=26961 Melbourne production credits] at [[AusStage]]</ref>
*''Her Past'' (1934)
*''Jolly Roger'' (1934)
*''Children in Uniform'' (1934)<ref>[http://www.ausstage.edu.au/indexdrilldown.jsp?xcid=59&f_event_id=28885 Melbourne production credits] at [[AusStage]]</ref>
*''S.S. Sunshine'' (1935)
*''[[The Cedar Tree (musical)|The Cedar Tree]]'' (1934)
*''Crazy Nights Revue'' (1935)
*''The Oojah Bird'' (1935)
*''Rope'' (1934)<ref>[http://www.ausstage.edu.au/indexdrilldown.jsp?xcid=59&f_event_id=28879 Melbourne production credits] at [[AusStage]]</ref>
*''Streets of London'' (1933)<ref>[http://www.ausstage.edu.au/indexdrilldown.jsp?xcid=59&f_event_id=28888 Melbourne production credits] at [[AusStage]]</ref> – later filmed
*''Clara Gibbings'' (1933) – later filmed

==Unmade films==
*adaptation of ''Ginger Murdoch'', a book by [[William Hatfield (writer)|William Hatfield]], but it never eventuated<ref>[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17039526?searchTerm=%22streets%20of%20london%22%20thring&searchLimits=sortby=dateAsc|||l-category=Article%7Ccategory%3AArticle 'ENGLISH PLAYS To be Filmed in Melbourne', ''The Sydney Morning Herald'', Friday 12 January 1934 p 6]</ref>
*adaptation of ''Collitt's Inn''
*adaptation of the book ''[[James! Don't Be a Fool]]'' by [[E. V. Timms]] with an adaptation by [[John P. McLeod]]<ref name="prize"/>
*adaptation of John P. McLeod's book ''Along the Road'' with a script to be done by McLeod<ref name="prize">{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article130604653 |title=HAVE YOU READ?. |newspaper=[[The World's News]] |location=Sydney |date=27 August 1927 |accessdate=19 October 2014 |page=14 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
*''A Sweepin' the Deep'' with George Wallace
*adaptation of ''Redheap'' by Norman Lindsay – £1,000 reportedly paid for the rights<ref name="everyone">"Counting the Cash in Australian Films"', ''Everyones'' 12 December 1934 pp. 19–21</ref>
*''[[Typhoon Treasure]]'' – later made by others
*adaptation of ''Robbery Under Arms'' as a stage musical then a film

==See also==
*[[Cinema of Australia]]

==References==
{{reflist}}


==Sources==
==Sources==
*[http://colsearch.nfsa.gov.au/nfsa/search/summary/summary.w3p;adv=no;group=;groupequals=;page=0;parentid=;query=Organisation%3A%22%2FOrganisation%2Fkey%2F3475-1%22;querytype=;resCount=10 Efftee Film Productions] at [[National Film and Sound Archive]]
[http://www.screensound.gov.au/ Australian Government]
*Chris Long, 'The Efftee Legacy', ''Cinema Papers'', December 1982 p 521
*[http://www.ausstage.edu.au/indexdrilldown.jsp?xcid=59&f_org_id=9391&f_event_id=29712 Efftee theatre productions] at [[AusStage]]
*[http://www.ozmovies.com.au/movie/efftee-entertainers ''Efftee Entertainers''] at Oz Movies
*[http://www.ozmovies.com.au/movie/efftees-australia ''Efftee's Australia''] at Oz Movies
*[https://ozvta.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/efftee-entertainers-1931-33.pdf ''Efftee Entertainers''] at Australian Variety Theatre Archive


[[Category:Film production companies of Australia]]
{{Australia-company-stub}}
{{film-studio-stub}}
[[Category:Media companies of Australia]]
[[Category:Film production companies]]

Latest revision as of 19:09, 12 January 2024

Efftee Studios was an early Australian film and theatre production studio, established by F.W. Thring (the name 'Efftee' deriving from his initials, 'FT' for Francis Thring) in 1930. It existed until Thring's death in 1935. Initially Efftee Films was based in Melbourne and used optical sound equipment imported from the US.

History

[edit]

In 1931, the company produced the first commercially viable Australian made sound feature film, Diggers. Over the next five years, Efftee produced nine features, over 80 shorts and several stage productions, including the Australian musicals Collits' Inn (1933) and The Cedar Tree (1934). Notable collaborators include C. J. Dennis, George Wallace and Frank Harvey.

In 1934, Thring suspended Efftee's operations[1] to pressure the government to establish a quota for Australian films, threatening to move production to London. He relocated production to Sydney to take advantage of the New South Wales Cinematograph Films (Australian Quota) Act 1935.[2][3]

Efftee was also the first operator of Melbourne radio station 3XY which began broadcasting on 9 September 1935.

Thring traveled to Hollywood in March 1936 to look for scriptwriters and actors[4] and returned in June but died soon after.

Founder F.W. Thring was the father of the Australian and international actor, Frank Thring.

Selected filmography

[edit]

Features

[edit]

Non-Efftee features shot in the Efftee Studio

[edit]

The 'Efftee Entertainers' Variety Shorts

[edit]
Actress Minnie Love, circa 1914
  • Will Cade and his Regent Theatre Orchestra in Selections from 'The Desert Song' (1931)
  • Jack O'Hagan – Vocalist Composer (1931) – with Jack O'Hagan
  • Cecil Parkes' Strad Trio in Selections from Their Repertoire (1931)
  • Athol Tier as Napoleon (1931)
  • Keith Desmond in Recitations (No. 1) (1931)
  • Keith Desmond in Recitations (No. 2) (1931)
  • George Wallace, Australia's Premier Comedian (1931) – with George Wallace
  • Melody and Terpsichor (1931)
  • Stan Ray and George Moon Jnr, Speciality Dancers (No. 1) (1931)
  • Stan Ray and George Moon Jnr, Speciality Dancers (No. 2) (1931)
  • Melbourne's Chinese Orchestra in Selections (1931)
  • Minnie Love in Impressions of Famous Artists (No. 1) (1931)
  • Minnie Love in Impressions of Famous Artists (No. 2) (1931)
  • Minnie Love in Impressions of Famous Artists (No. 3) (1931)
  • The Sundowners – Harmony Quartette (No. 1) (1932)
  • The Sundowners – Harmony Quartette (No. 2) (1932)
  • Lou Vernon – Character Songs (No. 1) (1932)
  • Kathleen Goodall – Songs at the Piano (No. 1) (1932)
  • Kathleen Goodall – Songs at the Piano (No. 2) (1932)
  • Kathleen Goodall – Songs at the Piano (No. 3) (1932)
  • Peter Bornstein, Celebrated Violinist (1932)
  • George White (1932)
  • Miss Ada Reeve – Comedienne (No. 1) (1932) – with Ada Reeve
  • Miss Ada Reeve – Comedienne (No. 2) (1932)
  • Miss Byrl Walkley, Soprano (1932)
  • Somewhere South of Shanghai, Rendered by Marshall Crosby (1932)
  • Neil McKay, Scottish Comedian (1932) – with Neil McKay
  • Williamson Imperial Grand Opera Co. Orchestra – Overture from Carmen, by Bizet (1932)
  • Williamson Imperial Grand Opera Co. Orchestra – Overture from Gounod's Faust (1932)
  • Williamson Imperial Grand Opera Co. Orchestra – Selections from the Barber of Seville by Rossini (1932)
  • Signor Apollo Granforte and the Williamson Imperial Grand opera Company Orchestra (1932)
  • Lou Vernon – Character Songs (No. 2) (1932)

Two-Reel Efftee shorts

[edit]
  • Oh, What a Night! (1932) – 14-minute short starring George Wallace
  • In the Future (1933) – 12-minute short

Theatre shows

[edit]
  • Collit's Inn (1933)[5]
  • The Beloved Vagabond (1934) – done in Melbourne[6]
  • Mother of Pearl (1934) – done in Melbourne[7]
  • Her Past (1934)
  • Jolly Roger (1934)
  • Children in Uniform (1934)[8]
  • S.S. Sunshine (1935)
  • The Cedar Tree (1934)
  • Crazy Nights Revue (1935)
  • The Oojah Bird (1935)
  • Rope (1934)[9]
  • Streets of London (1933)[10] – later filmed
  • Clara Gibbings (1933) – later filmed

Unmade films

[edit]
  • adaptation of Ginger Murdoch, a book by William Hatfield, but it never eventuated[11]
  • adaptation of Collitt's Inn
  • adaptation of the book James! Don't Be a Fool by E. V. Timms with an adaptation by John P. McLeod[12]
  • adaptation of John P. McLeod's book Along the Road with a script to be done by McLeod[12]
  • A Sweepin' the Deep with George Wallace
  • adaptation of Redheap by Norman Lindsay – £1,000 reportedly paid for the rights[13]
  • Typhoon Treasure – later made by others
  • adaptation of Robbery Under Arms as a stage musical then a film

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "AUSTRALIAN FILMS". The Sydney Morning Herald. National Library of Australia. 14 February 1934. p. 12. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
  2. ^ "EFFTEE FILMS". The Sydney Morning Herald. National Library of Australia. 27 July 1934. p. 7. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
  3. ^ "EFFTEE FILMS". The Sydney Morning Herald. National Library of Australia. 8 February 1936. p. 17. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
  4. ^ "FILMS TO BE MADE FROM AUSTRALIAN STORIES". The Barrier Miner. Broken Hill, NSW: National Library of Australia. 2 March 1936. p. 4. Retrieved 22 January 2012.
  5. ^ Melbourne production credits at AusStage
  6. ^ Production credits at AusStage
  7. ^ Melbourne production credits at AusStage
  8. ^ Melbourne production credits at AusStage
  9. ^ Melbourne production credits at AusStage
  10. ^ Melbourne production credits at AusStage
  11. ^ 'ENGLISH PLAYS To be Filmed in Melbourne', The Sydney Morning Herald, Friday 12 January 1934 p 6
  12. ^ a b "HAVE YOU READ?". The World's News. Sydney: National Library of Australia. 27 August 1927. p. 14. Retrieved 19 October 2014.
  13. ^ "Counting the Cash in Australian Films"', Everyones 12 December 1934 pp. 19–21

Sources

[edit]
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