Alexander Markey (1891–1958) was an American filmmaker and founder of Markey Films. He was born in Hungary and died in Switzerland. From 1928 to 1935 he was in New Zealand making films about the Māori people. In 1928 he was sent by Carle Laemmle of

Universal Studios Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal; common metonym: Uni, and formerly named Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-International Pictures Inc.) is an Americ ...

to make a film he called ''Taranga'', but did not keep to schedule or make any effective footage. So the film was made as Under the Southern Cross by Lew Collins. Two years later and described as "somewhat eccentric" Markey then returned for the making of '' Hei Tiki''; originally a silent film, which was released in 1935 with music and voice-over added in America. The film was shot in

Waihi Waihi is a town in Hauraki District in the North Island of New Zealand, especially notable for its history as a gold mine town. The town is at the foot of the Coromandel Peninsula, close to the western end of the Bay of Plenty. The nearby re ...

. When shooting was finished Markey left for America with “the film footage, many of the artifacts he had borrowed from Māori, a great many unpaid bills, and his partner Zoe Varney”. He had obtained £10,000 from New Zealand investors, and borrowed

taonga ''Taonga'' or ''taoka'' (in South Island Māori) is a Maori-language word that refers to a treasured possession in Māori culture. It lacks a direct translation into English, making its use in the Treaty of Waitangi significant. The current d ...

or cherished tribal artifacts from the Māori cast. He had fired

Alfred Hill Alfred Hill may refer to: * Alfred John Hill (1862–1927), British railway engineer * Alfred Hill (cricketer, born 1865) (1865–1936), English cricketer * Alfred Hill (politician) (1867–1945), British Member of Parliament for Leicester West 192 ...

who was to write the music, and Ted Coubray the original cameraman, but sold Coubray's camera to his rivals the Welsh brothers. A 1935 New York Time
review
of ''Hei Tiki'' says that Merkey had been a lecturer and editor. In 1944, Markey published a series of discourses titled "Silent Revelations of Meher Baba." Meher Baba had given Markey permission to rework a series of his discourses given in the 1930s, edited by C. D. Deshmukh.

References

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External links

*
''Adventures in Maoriland: The Making of Hei Tiki'' (documentary with extracts online by NZOnScreen)
American film directors Hungarian emigrants to the United States 1891 births 1958 deaths American expatriates in New Zealand {{US-cinematographer-stub