Efftee Studios was an early Australian film and theatre production studio, established by
F.W. Thring
Francis William Thring (2 December 1882 – 1 July 1936), better known as F. W. Thring, was an Australian film director, producer, and exhibitor. He has been credited with the invention of the clapperboard.
Early life
Francis William 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
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/ Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a metro ...
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''. Over the next five years, Efftee produced nine features, over 80 shorts and several stage productions, including the Australian musicals ''
Collits' Inn
Collits' Inn is a heritage-listed former inn and now functions, accommodation and restaurant at Hartley Vale Road, Hartley Vale, City of Lithgow, New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by Pierce Collits and built in 1823. It is also known ...
'' (1933) and ''
The Cedar Tree
''The Cedar Tree'' was a television serial that ran from 1976 to 1979 on ITV in the United Kingdom.
It involved the story of the upper class Bourne family before the turn of the Second World War. The main setting is Larkfield Manor, the famil ...
'' (1934). Notable collaborators include
C. J. Dennis,
George Wallace
George Corley Wallace Jr. (August 25, 1919 – September 13, 1998) was an American politician who served as the 45th governor of Alabama for four terms. A member of the Democratic Party, he is best remembered for his staunch segregationist a ...
and
Frank Harvey.
In 1934, Thring suspended Efftee's operations 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.
Efftee was also the first operator of
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/ Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a metro ...
radio station
3XY
Magic 1278 (official callsign: 3EE) is a commercial radio station in Melbourne, Australia owned by Nine Entertainment Co, and run under a lease agreement by Ace Radio.
History
1935–1991: 3XY
1935–1967
3XY began broadcasting on 8 Sept ...
which began broadcasting on 9 September 1935.
Thring traveled to Hollywood in March 1936 to look for scriptwriters and actors 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
''A Co-respondent's Course'' is a short 1931 Australian film. The screenplay was written by Montague Grover (1870–1943), an experienced journalist. The film was the first film made by Efftee Studios, a production company owned by F.W. Thring, ...
'' (1931)
*''
Diggers'' (1931)
*''
The Haunted Barn'' (1931)
*''
The Sentimental Bloke'' (1932)
*''
His Royal Highness
Royal Highness is a style used to address or refer to some members of royal families, usually princes or princesses. Monarchs and their consorts are usually styled ''Majesty''.
When used as a direct form of address, spoken or written, it t ...
'' (1932)
*''
Harmony Row
''Harmony Row'' is the third studio album by Scottish musician Jack Bruce, originally released in July 1971.
The album takes its title from a tenement street in Glasgow, near where Bruce grew up.Liner notes to the album's 2003 reissue, Polydo ...
'' (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
"Waltzing Matilda" is a song developed in the Australian style of poetry and folk music called a bush ballad. It has been described as the country's "unofficial national anthem".
The title was Australian slang for travelling on foot (waltzing) ...
'' (1933)
*''
Heritage
Heritage may refer to:
History and society
* A heritage asset is a preexisting thing of value today
** Cultural heritage is created by humans
** Natural heritage is not
* Heritage language
Biology
* Heredity, biological inheritance of physical c ...
'' (1935)
The 'Efftee Entertainers' Variety Shorts
*''Will Cade and his Regent Theatre Orchestra in Selections from '
The Desert Song
''The Desert Song'' is an operetta with music by Sigmund Romberg and book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, Otto Harbach and Frank Mandel. It was inspired by the 1925 uprising of the Riffs, a group of Moroccan fighters, against French colo ...
(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
George Corley Wallace Jr. (August 25, 1919 – September 13, 1998) was an American politician who served as the 45th governor of Alabama for four terms. A member of the Democratic Party, he is best remembered for his staunch segregationist a ...
*''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
Ada Reeve (born Adelaide Mary Reeves, 3 March 1874 – 5 October 1966) was an English actress of both stage and film. Reeve began to perform in pantomime and music hall as a child. She gained fame in Edwardian musical comedies in the 1890s.
Re ...
*''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
George Corley Wallace Jr. (August 25, 1919 – September 13, 1998) was an American politician who served as the 45th governor of Alabama for four terms. A member of the Democratic Party, he is best remembered for his staunch segregationist a ...
*''In the Future'' (1933) – 12-minute short
Theatre shows
*''
Collit's 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
''The Cedar Tree'' was a television serial that ran from 1976 to 1979 on ITV in the United Kingdom.
It involved the story of the upper class Bourne family before the turn of the Second World War. The main setting is Larkfield Manor, the famil ...
'' (1934)
*''Crazy Nights Revue'' (1935)
*''The Oojah Bird'' (1935)
*''Rope'' (1934)
*''Streets of London'' (1933) – later filmed
*''Clara Gibbings'' (1933) – later filmed
Unmade films
*adaptation of ''Ginger Murdoch'', a book by
William Hatfield, but it never eventuated
'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
''James! Don't be a Fool'' is an Australian humorous novel by E. V. Timms.
The novel led to a sequel, '' James! How Dare You''.
Plot
Two millionaire friends have plotted for years that their children, James and Elaine, should marry each other w ...
'' by E. V. Timms
Edward Vivian Timms (1895–1960), better known as E. V. Timms, was an Australian novelist and screenwriter. He was injured serving in the Gallipoli Campaign during World War I and was an unsuccessful soldier settler before turning to writing. He ...
with an adaptation by John P. McLeod
*adaptation of John P. McLeod's book ''Along the Road'' with a script to be done by McLeod
*''A Sweepin' the Deep'' with George Wallace
*adaptation of ''Redheap'' by Norman Lindsay – £1,000 reportedly paid for the rights["Counting the Cash in Australian Films"', ''Everyones'' 12 December 1934 pp. 19–21]
*'' Typhoon Treasure'' – later made by others
*adaptation of ''Robbery Under Arms'' as a stage musical then a film
See also
*Cinema of Australia
The cinema of Australia had its beginnings with the 1906 production of '' The Story of the Kelly Gang'', arguably the world's first feature film. Since then, Australian crews have produced many films, a number of which have received internat ...
References
{{reflist
Sources
Efftee Film Productions
at National Film and Sound Archive
The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA), known as ScreenSound Australia from 1999 to 2004, is Australia's audiovisual archive, responsible for developing, preserving, maintaining, promoting and providing access to a national co ...
*Chris Long, 'The Efftee Legacy', ''Cinema Papers'', December 1982 p 521
Efftee theatre productions
at AusStage
''Efftee Entertainers''
at Oz Movies
''Efftee's Australia''
at Oz Movies
''Efftee Entertainers''
at Australian Variety Theatre Archive
Film production companies of Australia