Efftee Studios

Efftee Studios was established by F.W. Thring (the name 'Efftee' deriving from his initials, 'FT') in 1930.

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.

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

Selected filmography

Features

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

Non-Efftee Features Shot in the Efftee Studio

• Diggers in Blighty (1933)
• Waltzing Matilda (1933)
• Heritage (1935)

The 'Efftee Entertainers' Variety Shorts

• 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

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

Theatre Shows

• Collits' Inn (1933)
• The Beloved Vagabond (1934) - done in Melbourne
• Mother of Pearl (1934) - done in Melbourne
• Her Past (1934)
• Jolly Roger (1934)
• Children in Uniform (1934)
• S.S. Sunshine (1935)
• The Cedar Tree (1934)
• Crazy Nights Revue (1935)
• The Oojah Bird (1935)
• Rope (1934)
• Streets of London (1933) - later filmed
• Clara Gibbings (1933) - later filmed

Unmade Films

It was announced Efftee would make a film of Ginger Murdoch, a book by William Hatfield, but it never eventuated.

Sources

• Efftee Film Productions at National Film and Sound Archive
• Chris Long, 'The Efftee Legacy', Cinema Papers, December 1982 p 521
• Efftee theatre productions at Ausstage