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Ernest Higgins
Ernest Henry Higgins (1871–1945) was an Australian cinematographer during the days of silent film. He was the eldest brother of Arthur and Tasman Higgins. He shot the film '' The Throwback'' (1920) for director Arthur Shirley which resulted in Shirley unsuccessfully suing Higgins for breach of contract. Life and career In 1900, Higgins rigged up a projector from his father's shop's balcony with a screen on a building across the street. Higgins was working as a bioscope operator by 1903. The following year, he purchased a motion picture camera and began capturing Hobart streetscapes. Eventually Higgin's fascination with photography and cinema took him to Sydney where he found work at Spencer's Pictures filming newsreels and travelogues. Higgins was involved in a train crash at Richmond Station in 1906 while filming a newsreel. In 1908, Higgins filmed a boxing match between Tommy Burns and Jack Johnson. The film, ''The Burns-Johnson Fight'' became a box office sensation ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hobart
Hobart ( ; Nuennonne/Palawa kani: ''nipaluna'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Home to almost half of all Tasmanians, it is the least-populated Australian state capital city, and second-smallest if territories are taken into account, before Darwin, Northern Territory. Hobart is located in Tasmania's south-east on the estuary of the River Derwent, making it the most southern of Australia's capital cities. Its skyline is dominated by the kunanyi/Mount Wellington, and its harbour forms the second-deepest natural port in the world, with much of the city's waterfront consisting of reclaimed land. The metropolitan area is often referred to as Greater Hobart, to differentiate it from the City of Hobart, one of the five local government areas that cover the city. It has a mild maritime climate. The city lies on country which was known by the local Mouheneener people as nipaluna, a name which includes surrounding features such as ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Bathurst Times
''The Bathurst Free Press and Mining Journal'', also published as ''The Bathurst Free Press'', ''Bathurst Times'', ''Bathurst Argus'', ''Bathurst Daily Argus'', ''Western Times'' and ''Western Advocate'', was a semiweekly English language broadsheet newspaper published in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia. History ''The Bathurst Free Press'' took over from ''The Bathurst Advocate'' and was first published on 6 October 1849 by William Farrand. It sought to differentiate itself from the Advocate by changing its title and "being permitted to speak for ourselves in the plural, rather than the singular number". The paper changed its title again on 28 May 1851 to ''Bathurst Free Press and Mining Journal'' alongside an increase in its subscription rate due to the "pressing demands for early intelligence from the Gold Country". In 1859, John Charles White took over the publication over the newspaper and it remained in the family's occupation until it ceased distribution in March 1 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Woman Suffers
''The Woman Suffers'' is a 1918 Australian silent film directed by Raymond Longford. It is a melodrama starring Lottie Lyell. Two-thirds of the movie still survives.Merv Wasson, "The Woman Suffers: Why Ever Was She Banned?", ''Cinema Papers'', July 1984 p158-160, 196 Plot The movie consists of eight acts. In Echuca, a woman, Marion Masters (Connie Martyn) is unhappily married to Philip, a former war hero turned abusive drunk. She runs away from her husband with her baby son. Her husband falls on a knife and dies, their home is destroyed in a fire and she collapses in the bush. By the time she is rescued her son has been found by another family who run the station "Kooringa". Marion is taken to a station "Willaroon" owned by widowed Stephen Manton (Charles H Francis), who has two children, Ralph and Marjory. Marion believes her son perished in the bush. She marries Manton and becomes stepmother to his children. Her missing son grows up as Philip Stockdale (Brian Lawrence as a ch ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Church And The Woman
''The Church and the Woman'' is a 1917 Australian silent film directed by Raymond Longford set against the background of sectarianism in Australia. It is considered a lost film. Synopsis Eileen Shannon falls in love with Dr Burton . However he is a Protestant and her strongly Catholic father John refuses to give his consent to marriage between them. Eileen pleads to her brother Darcy, a Catholic priest, for his help, but he does not support mixed marriages either. John is murdered and Dr Burton is arrested for the crime and sentenced to death. The real murderer confesses to Darcy in the confessional. Unable to break the confidence of the confessional, Darcy admits to the murder and Dr Burton is freed. The murderer eventually confesses and Eileen marries Dr Burton. Cast *Lottie Lyell as Eileen Shannon *Boyd Irwin as Dr Sidney Burton *Nada Conrade as Helen Burton *J.P. O'Neill as Mike Feeney *Harry Roberts as Father Darcy Shannon * Percy Walshe as John Shannon *Roland Watts-Phil ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Shepherd Of The Southern Cross
''The Shepherd of the Southern Cross'' is a 1914 Australian silent film about an Englishwoman torn between two men.Andrew Pike and Ross Cooper, ''Australian Film 1900–1977: A Guide to Feature Film Production'', Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1998, p 50 It was the first feature film produced by Australasian Films. It is considered a lost film. Plot Lady Helen Reynolds is forced to choose one of her two cousins to be her husband if she wants to inherit a large fortune. She chooses the villainous Ralph Hughes after he discredits the other option, Devon Collins. Collins goes to Australia and becomes a shepherd. Some years later Lady Helen falls sick and is accompanied by her husband on a trip to Australia. While making the final stages of the journey in a coach they are held up by bushrangers. The husband and wife escape and get lost in the bush. They wander around for days and become exhausted. Ralph leaves Helen for dead and winds up at the hut of his cousin, where he is ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
A Long, Long Way To Tipperary
''It's a Long, Long Way to Tipperary'' is a 1914 Australian silent film based on the song ''It's a Long Way to Tipperary'' by Jack Judge. Plot Irish woman Molly Malone is in love with Paddy O'Reilly, who emigrates to England to better himself. He enlists in the British Army during World War I and is sent to the front. Another Irishman, Mick, desires Molly and swears vengeance on Paddy. Molly dreams that Paddy and Mick fight but then sees that she is reunited with Paddy. Production The film was one of several produced by the Higgins brothers in Sydney in the early years of the war. They struggled to recover their costs from the distributor, Australasian Films. They were also involved in a dispute with the Fraser Film Release and Photographic Company over their attempts to distribute a British film from Maurice Elvey with the same title. Raymond Longford said he worked on the film but claimed the direction was done by the Higgins brothers."Raymond Longford", ''Cinema Papers'', J ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Australia Calls (1913 Film)
''Australia Calls'' is a 1913 Australian silent film directed by Raymond Longford about the fictitious invasion of Australia by an unnamed Asian country. The movie is not to be confused with Longford's 1923 picture '' Australia Calls'' and is considered a lost film. Longford later claimed the film was the first Australian movie to have mass extras (from Sydney's Chinatown) and feature model photography, as well as being the first film in the world to show wireless communication. Film historians have said "the scale and blatant propaganda of he film.. made it the least typical of Longford's thirty narrative films". Plot The film begins with a prologue, 'The Warning', showing a Sydney horse race, then a football match in front of thousands of spectators. Living on an outback station, Beatrice Evans (Lottie Lyell) rejects the advances of a suitor. An unnamed Asian country lands 20,000 troops (called "Mongolians") on the New South Wales coast, and Australia issues a call to arms, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Midnight Wedding
''The Midnight Wedding'' is a 1912 Australian silent film directed by Raymond Longford based on a popular Ruritanian stage play in which Longford had appeared. It is considered a lost film. It should not be confused with a 1912 film from the Gaumont Company of the same name. Plot In the fictitious European country of Savonia, the dashing Paul Valmar (Augustus Neville) enlists in the Hussars after the death of his mother. After five years of service he is becomes a lieutenant and is appointed sword master to the regiment, causing jealousy amongst other others, notably the young Prince Eugene von Strelsburg (George Parke) and the wealthy Captain von Scarsbruck (D.L. Dalziel). Von Scarsbruck has been rejected by Eugene's sister, the Princess Astrea (Lottie Lyell), and he gets Eugene involved in gambling. Eugene taunts Valmar about his parentage, resulting in a fight in which Eugene is injured. Valmar seeks refuge in a church. Under the terms of her father's will, the Princess Astre ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sweet Nell Of Old Drury
''Sweet Nell of Old Drury'' (US: ''Nell Gwynne'') is a 1911 Australian silent film directed by Raymond Longford starring Nellie Stewart about the relationship between Nell Gwynne and King Charles II. It is based on the 1900 play of the same name by Paul Kester which Stewart had performed numerous times on stage. It is considered a lost film. Making reference to the film, a 1931 obituary for Stewart described her as Australia's "first screen star" and "the first world celebrity to appear in an Australian film production." The film was a financial success. Stewart made only brief reference to the film in her 1923 memoirs, and incorrectly suggested a copy of the film survived - to be released after her death. Plot The plot consisted of five acts and 79 scenes. In Restoration England, Judge Jeffries tries to persuade his ward, Lady Olivia Vernon to marry Lord Rochester, but she refuses because she is in love with Sir Robert Fairfax. Rochester calls guards to arrest Fairfax and he ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Life Of Rufus Dawes
''The Life of Rufus Dawes'' is a 1911 Australian silent film based on Alfred Dampier's stage adaptation of the 1874 novel ''For the Term of His Natural Life'' produced by Charles Cozens Spencer. It was also known as ''The Story of Rufus Dawes, or the Term of His Natural Life'' or ''The Convict Hero''. The film was the third produced by Charles Cozens Spencer, based on a popular stage adaptation by Alfred Dampier and starring Alfred Rolfe, his wife Lily Dampier and Raymond Longford. The others were ''Captain Midnight, the Bush King'' (1911) and ''Captain Starlight, or Gentleman of the Road'' (1911). Rolfe then left Spencer to work for the Australian Photo-Play Company under Stanley Crick. It is considered a lost film. Synopsis The film was divided into sections: *ENGLAND – A room at Hampstead heath – Sir Richard Devine refuses to be blackmailed by Crofton, alias John Rex – The Scapepgrace Dick Devine quarrels with his father, Sir Richard Devine is cast off forever – ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Captain Starlight, Or Gentleman Of The Road
''Captain Starlight, or Gentleman of the Road'' is a 1911 Australian silent film about the bushranger Captain Starlight. It was based on Alfred Dampier's stage adaptation of the 1888 novel ''Robbery Under Arms''. It is considered a lost film. Film It is possible to gauge some idea of the plot from contemporary reviews. One critic wrote that "plenty of relief in the way of comedy has been introduced; and whilst there are many grim incidents, these are not allowed to unduly obtrude themselves." The film starts at the home of the Marston family. Some troopers, led by Sergeant Goring, are looking for Captain Starlight. Goring harasses Aileen Marston when a Mr Beresford appears. Beresford introduces himself as Captain Starlight and tells them to put their hands up. According to a contemporary report, "Sergeant Goring, with both hands in the air, carries the situation off with as much dignity as can be expected, but some of his men fall to the ground in terror." Starlight and his f ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Captain Midnight, The Bush King
''Captain Midnight, the Bush King'' (US: ''The Bushranger's Bride'') is a 1911 Australian silent film, silent Western (genre), Western film about the fictitious bushranger Captain Midnight. It was the directorial debut of actor Alfred Rolfe (director), Alfred Rolfe. The film is based on the play of same name by W. J. Lincoln and Alfred Dampier. ''Captain Midnight, the Bush King'' is now considered lost film, lost. Synopsis Edgar Dalimore is the son of wealthy station owner Cecil Dalimore, who is persuaded to disinherit his son on false grounds by Cecil's villainous nephew Vincent Lennox. Lennox and an associate, John Stirling, rob a safe belonging to Cecil, resulting in the latter's death. Edgar is wrongfully accused of the murder and is given a life sentence. He escapes with the help of Ned Harling, a bushman who worked for his father, and Ned's daughter Elsa, who loves Edgar. Despite Elsa's affections, Edgar is in love with squatter's daughter Thelma Warren. A jealous Elsa bet ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
