| ABOUT DONALD | BART'S PAGE | PHOTO PAGES | INTERESTS | THE REGENT | THEATRE ORGAN | RICHARD TAUBER |
| KAISER KARL | OTTO VON HABSBURG | HOME PAGE |
|
PROGRAMS AT THE REGENT (Cont'd) - page 7 |
|
| Program No 30 - , 1929 | |
| Feature Film: "Mother's Boy" (Pathé Exchange, 1929, Talking) with Morton Downey and Helen Chandler | |
| Support Film: "Square Shoulders" with Junior Coghlan | |
| Stage: Will Cade conducting the Regent Concert Orchestra in selections from "The Desert Song" with Violet Jackson soprano | |
| Orchestra: Conducted by Will Cade | |
| Organ: Eddie Fitch "Fox-trot Oddities" | |
| Review: (Herald, October 5, 1929) | |
| "NEW GUEST CONDUCTOR" | |
| "The first change in 'guest' conductors at the Regent Theatre takes place today when Will Cade replaces Gustave Slapoffski. | |
| When the management decided to give special orchestral performances instead of stage shows it made arrangements for the engagement of a number of 'guest' conductors, who should follow one another in quick succession. The first choice fell on Mr. Slapoffski, whose musical knowledge and wide experience as an orchestra director have been most beneficial. Mr. Slapoffski's appointment aroused immediate interest in the new scheme of entertainment and he carried on for six weeks with gratifying results. | |
| Mr. Cade recently came to Melbourne from Adelaide under engagement to Hoyts Theatres Ltd., Though little known previously in Melbourne, he enjoyed a big reputation in the South Australian capital, of which he is a native. | |
| This musician studied at the Adelaide Conservatorium and in Germany. He then went to London and was engaged to lead the orchestra for the first English tour of the Quinlan Grand Opera Company. During his stay in London he had the honour of being selected as one of the first violins in the big orchestra formed for a gala performance at His Majesty's Theatre in connection with King George's coronation celebrations. | |
| Returning to Australia for health reasons, Mr. Cade became musical director for J.C. Williamson Ltd., in Adelaide, in which city he was also identified with various musical organisations, notably the South Australian Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Cade was its original leader and 'guest' conductor, and was a member of a string quartette. | |
| (Herald, October 7, 1929) | |
| "...The Regent Grand Orchestra conducted by Will Cade plays "The Desert Song" overture well, and earlier in the programme unites with Eddie Fitch (Wurlitzer) in "Fox-trot Oddities". | |
| (Table Talk, October 5, 1929) | |
| "...The Regent Orchestra has lately taken to singing the audience out with some specially pithy piece of syncopation, an innovation that is proving very welcome. In fact the public are so appreciative they are standing around applauding instead of clearing the exits to the strains of "I faw down and go boom". | |
| Program No 31 - October 12-18, 1929 | |
| Feature Film: "Masquerade" (Fox, 1929, Talking) with Leila Hyams, Alan Birmingham, Farrell MacDonald and Clyde Cook | |
| Support Film: "The Office Scandal", with Phyllis Haver | |
| Stage: Will Cade conducting the Regent Concert Orchestra in selections from Maid of the Mountains" with Violet Jackson soprano. | |
| Orchestra: Conducted by Will Cade | |
| Organ: Eddie Fitch | |
| Program No 32 - October 19-25, 1929 | |
| Feature Film: "Black Waters" (Herbert Wilcox Productions Ltd., 1929, talking) with Mary Brian, James Kirkwood and John Loder | |
| Support Film: "Rescue" with Ronald Colman and a short filmed announcement from Frank Thring Sr announcing that Fox Talking Pictures had been secured for Hoyts Theatres Ltd., | |
| Stage: Will Cade conducting the Regent Concert Orchestra in selections from "The Student Prince". | |
| Orchestra: Conducted by Will Cade | |
| Organ: Eddie Fitch | |
| Program No 33 - October 26 - November 1, 1929 | |
| Feature Film: "Pleasure Crazed" (Fox, 1929, Talking) with Marguerite Churchill, Dorothy Burgess and Kenneth MacKenna | |
| Support Film: "The Shade Lady" with Phyllis Haver | |
| Stage: "Will Cade conducting the Regent Concert Orchestra in selections from "Cavelleria Rusticana" with Cecil Parkes violin and Carmenta Mascagni soprano | |
| Orchestra: Conducted by Will Cade | |
| Organ: Eddie Fitch "Mental Telepathy" | |
| Program No 34 - November 2 -8, 1929 | |
| Feature Film: "Lucky Star" (Fox, 1929, Talking) with Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell | |
| Support Film: "Noisy Neighbours" with Theodore Roberts and a short film featuring the Prime Minister, Mr. Scullin speaking from the screen. (Mr. Scullin was the first Australian Prime Minister to use the new medium) | |
| Stage: "Will Cade conducting the Regent Concert Orchestra in selections from "The Chocolate Soldier" with Maisie Ramsay | |
| Orchestra: Conducted by Will Cade | |
| Organ: Eddie Fitch | |
| Program No 35 - November 9 -15, 1929 | |
| Feature Film: "Lucky In Love" (Pathé Exchange, 1929, Talking) with Morton Downey, Betty Lawford, Halliwell Hobbs and Edward McNamara | |
| Support Film: "Father and Son" with Jack Holt and a talking film of the Melbourne Cup | |
| Stage: "Will Cade conducting the Regent Concert Orchestra in "A Musical Potpourri" featuring Piccolo, Trombone, Xylophone and Violin solos from members of the orchestra | |
| Orchestra: Conducted by Will Cade | |
| Organ: Eddie Fitch "The Story of a Rose" with John Ralston baritone and Violet Jackson soprano. | |
| Program No 36 - November 16-22, 1929 | |
| Feature Film: "Kitty" (British International Pictures, 1929, half silent, half talking) with Estelle Brody and John Stuart | |
| Support Film: "Words and Music" with Lois Moran | |
| Stage: Will Cade conducting the Regent Concert Orchestra in "Melbourne Composers' Week" with Jack O'Hagen singing "Josie and Me", Reg Stoneham singing "Lolita" and Fred Hall playing "Omar", "The Gates of Baghdad" and "Intermezzo Brilliante". | |
| Orchestra: Conducted by Will Cade | |
| Organ: Eddie Fitch | |
| Program No 37 - November 23-29, 1929 | |
| Feature Film: "Big Time" (Fox, 1929, Talking) with Daphne Pollard, Mae Clark and Josephine Dunn | |
| Support Film: "Sunrise" (Fox, 1927, Silent) with Janet Gaynor and George O'Brien | |
| Stage: "Will Cade conducting the Regent Concert Orchestra in "A Musical Melange" | |
| Orchestra: Conducted by Will Cade | |
| Organ: Eddie Fitch | |
| Program No 38 - November 30 - December 20, 1929 | |
| Feature Film: "The Cock-Eyed World" (Fox, 1929, Talking) with Victor McLaglen, Edmond Lowe and Lily Damita | |
| Support Film: "full programme of talkie shorts" | |
| Stage: "Will Cade conducting the Regent Concert Orchestra | |
| Orchestra: Conducted by Will Cade | |
| Organ: Eddie Fitch | |
| Review: (Table Talk, November 30, 1929) | |
| "The William Fox talkie which is crowding the Theatre Royal Sydney comes on Saturday to Hoyt's Regent Theatre. A sequel to "What Price Glory", it continues the adventures of Marines Flagg and Quirt in peacetime, the bone of contention being Lily Damita. Victor McLaglen has his old part of Flagg. The picture will have its actual premiere on Friday night at a gigantic midnight carnival organised by Hoyts Theatres Ltd., for charity. At 11.45pm the fun will start. A well-known comedian will act as host and master of ceremonies; every theatrical favourite in Melbourne will be among the audience or on the stage and Victor McLaglen, Edmond Lowe and Lily Damita will speak from the screen in "The Cock-Eyed World". Thus stage and screen will unite to make this midnight carnival a success. Many of the patrons will be in fancy dress in response to the Regent's offer of a ten guinea prize for the most humerous cock-eyed comedy costume; and streamer battles will be waged before and after the show. (Motor buses will be in attendance to transport patrons to their homes). | |
| (Herald, November 30, 1929) | |
| "MIDNIGHT GALA" | |
| "GOOD FUN, BUT FOLLOWED BY TRANSPORT SETBACK" | |
| "The Midnight Gala at the Regent Theatre Collins Street in aid of the Lord Mayor's Hospital Fund, last night, when the talking picture "The Cock-Eyed World" was shown, was a big success as a novelty in entertainment. | |
| The vast majority of the audience, however, will probably carry a dimmed memory of the entertainment, for when the show was over - at 3.00am - they found there was such a dearth of taxi-cabs that many of them had to wait nearly an hour. Others had to walk home. | |
| The idea of a picture theatre entertainment till the small hours of the morning appealed to the public, for the house was packed, even sitting accommodation on the stairs being sold. Though tried at a variety house, it was the first time such a gala had been seen in a cinema in Melbourne. | |
| "GUS BLUETT IN EXCELSIS" | |
| "Gus Bluett as Master of Ceremonies led the revels and he made the most of his opportunities in introducing or rather clamouring for, in his imitable Bluett way - the many actors and actresses who had kindly given their services for the occasion. Most of them were from the cast of "Hold Everything" and included the special ballet, Cecil Kellaway, The Kendalls, Mary Lawson, The Fallow Twins and The Reno Brothers. Ernest Lotinga from the Tivoli, also gave a lightning sketch. | |
| It was not until nearly 1.00am that the picture portion of the programme was entered upon... | |
| 'MANAGEMENT'S APOLOGY" | |
| "The Manager of the Regent Theatre (Mr. B. Cowan) explained today that the negotiations had been going on with the Tramways Board for a complete service of buses to all the suburbs after the show ended, and it was not until late yesterday afternoon that he learned the proposal had been turned down by the Tramways Board. He then notified all taxi-cab companies there would be a bid demand for taxi-cabs. Had there been time, Mr. Cowan added, he would have advertised the unexpected change of arrangements. His management greatly regretted the inconvenience caused to those who had supported the entertainment. | |
| Program No 39 - December 21 -27, 1929 | |
| Feature Film: "Broadway" (Universal, 1929, Talking) with Glen Tryon and Merna Kennedy | |
| Support Film: "The Collegians" | |
| Stage: "Will Cade conducting the Regent Concert Orchestra | |
| Orchestra: Conducted by Will Cade | |
| Organ: Eddie Fitch | |
| Program No 40 - December 28, 1929 - January 3, 1930 | |
| Feature Film: "One Hysterical Night" (Universal, 1929, Talking) with Reginald Denny and Nora Lane | |
| Support Film: "The Flying Fool" with William Boyd | |
| Stage: "Will Cade conducting the Regent Concert Orchestra in selections from "The Desert Song" | |
| Orchestra: Conducted by Will Cade | |
| Organ: Eddie Fitch | |
| Program No 41 - January 4-10, 1930 | |
| Feature Film: "The Climax" (Universal, 1929, Talking) with Kathryn Crawford and Jean Herscholt | |
| Support Film: "Venus" (United Artists, 1928 Silent) with Constance Talmadge. (Nancy Weir a Melbourne pianist appeared in a short sound film) | |
| Stage: "Will Cade conducting the Regent Concert Orchestra rendering "In a Persian Market" (Ketélby) | |
| Orchestra: Conducted by Will Cade | |
| Organ: Eddie Fitch | |
| Program No 42 - January 11-17, 1930 | |
| Feature Film: "Thunder" (M.G.M, 1929, Silent) with Lon Chaney | |
| Support Film: "Tonight at Twelve" with Madge Bellamy | |
| Stage: "Will Cade conducting the Regent Concert Orchestra | |
| Orchestra: Conducted by Will Cade | |
| Organ: Eddie Fitch | |
| Program No 43 - January 18- 24, 1930 | |
| Feature Film: "The Last of Mrs. Chayney" (M.G.M., 1929, Talking) with Norma Shearer and Basil Rathbone | |
| Support Film: "High Voltage" with William Boyd | |
| Stage: "Will Cade conducting the Regent Concert Orchestra rendering "Chal Romano" (Ketélby) | |
| Orchestra: Conducted by Will Cade | |
| Organ: Stanley Wallace | |
| Program No 44 - January 25-31 , 1930 | |
| Feature Film: "The Mississipi Gambler" (Universal, 1929, Talking) with Joseph Schildkraut | |
| Support Film: "Hold Your Man", with Laura LaPlante | |
| Stage: "Will Cade conducting the Regent Concert Orchestra "Semitamide" (Rossini) | |
| Orchestra: Conducted by Will Cade | |
| Organ: Stanley Wallace | |
| Program No 45 - February 1-7, 1930 | |
| Feature Film: "The Unholy Night" (M.G.M. 1929, Talking) Ernest Torrence & Roland Young | |
| Support Film: "Embarrassing Moments" with Reginald Denny | |
| Stage: "Will Cade conducting the Regent Concert Orchestra in a selection from "Maid of the Mountains" | |
| Orchestra: Conducted by Will Cade | |
| Organ: Stanley Wallace | |
| Program No 46 - February 8-14, 1930 | |
| Feature Film: "Skinner Steps Out" (Universal, 1929, Talking) with Glen Tryon and Merna Kennedy | |
| Support Film: "Eternal Love" (United Artists, 1928, Silent) with John Barrymore | |
| Stage: "Will Cade conducting the Regent Concert Orchestra "Jolly Robbers" (von Suppe) | |
| Orchestra: Conducted by Will Cade | |
| Organ: Stanley Wallace | |
| Program No 47 - February 15-21, 1930 | |
| Feature Film: "A Woman of Affairs" (M.G.M., 1929, Silent) with John Gilbert and Greta Garbo | |
| Support Film: "Acquitted" (Columbia) with Lloyd Hughes | |
| Stage: "Will Cade conducting the Regent Concert Orchestra from 7.30 -8.00pm | |
| Orchestra: Conducted by Will Cade | |
| Organ: Stanley Wallace | |
| Program No 48 - February 22-28, 1930 | |
| Feature Film: "The Trial of Mary Dugan" (M.G.M., 1929, Talking) with Norma Shearer | |
| Support Film: -no details- | |
| Stage: "Will Cade conducting the Regent Concert Orchestra with Miss Amy Castles, opera singer | |
| Orchestra: Conducted by Will Cade | |
| Organ: Stanley Wallace | |
| Review: (Herald, February 24, 1930) | |
| "A much appreciated feature of the Regent's new programme on Saturday was Miss Amy Castles singing "The Waltz Song" from "Romeo and Juliet" (Gonoud) . "Danny Boy" and Tosselli's "Serenata" are the other numbers she has chosen. | |
| Program No 49 - March 1-7, 1930 | |
| Feature Film: "So This Is College" (M.G.M., 1929, Talking) with Cliff "Ukelele Ike" Edwards, Elliot Nugent, Robert Monthgomery and Sally Star | |
| Support Films: "The Man Higher Up" (M.G.M.) with Hobart Bosworth and "Hoose-Gow" (M.G.M.) with Laurel and Hardy | |
| Stage: "Will Cade conducting the Regent Concert Orchestra with Miss Amy Castles | |
| Orchestra: Conducted by Will Cade | |
| Organ: Stanley Wallace | |
 |
|
| Morton Downey | |
 |
|
| Junior Coghlan | |
 |
|
| Leila Hyams | |
 |
|
| Phyllis Haver | |
 |
|
| James Scullin | |
 |
|
| Jack O'Hagen | |
 |
|
| Victor McLaglan | |
 |
|
| Lily Damita | |
 |
|
| Gus Bluett | |
| THE MAN BEHIND HOYTS | |
|
(and The Regent) - FRANCIS WILLIAM THRING (Sr), (1882-1936) |
 |
| Entrepreneur, was born on 2 December 1882 at Wentworth, New South Wales, son of William Francis Thring, labourer, and his wife Angelina, née McDonald, both native-born. Little is known of his early years; he became a conjurer in the outback before starting Biograph Pictures in Tasmania. He worked as a bootmaker at Gawler, South Australia, where, on 26 December 1904, he married Grace Wight (d.1920) with Presbyterian forms. | |
| About 1911 Thring began his Melbourne theatrical career as a projectionist at Kreitmayer's Waxworks. He opened the Paramount Theatre in 1915 and in 1918 became managing director of J.C. Williamson Films Ltd. After this company merged in 1926 with Hoyts Pty Ltd to form Hoyts Theatres Ltd, Thring became its dynamic managing director. | |
| In 1930 he sold his large holdings in Hoyts to Fox Film Corporation and announced his intention to establish the talking film industry in Australia under the trade name (from his initials) Efftee Film Productions. The versatile showman Tom Holt (father of Prime Minister Harold Holt) became his manager. Using the derelict His Majesty's Theatre as a studio, Thring imported the latest RCA sound equipment and made his first feature, Diggers, starring Pat Hanna in 1931. It was well received. However, Thring's The Sentimental Bloke (1932) was, according to Ken Hall, a 'pale shadow of the original' Longford version. His Royal Highness (1932), Australia's first musical film to star Thring's protégé George Wallace, succeeded at home and abroad. | |
| Visiting Britain in 1932-33, Thring sold Efftee's entire output: seven features, nine shorts and a series about the Great Barrier Reef made with Noel Monkman. On his return, Thring moved his studio to the Wattle Path Dance Palais, St Kilda. In 1933-35 he also promoted Australian theatre; amongst other plays, he successfully staged the Australian musical, Collits' Inn, starring Gladys Moncrieff, in Melbourne and Sydney. In March 1935 he purchased the operating rights to 3XY radio in Melbourne. | |
| From 1932 Thring had been the leader of a campaign for a quota for Australian films. Two years later he suspended Efftee's operations, announcing that resumption would depend upon the introduction of an effective quota system in Victoria. After New South Wales passed its Cinematograph Films (Australian Quota) Act in September 1935, Thring resumed production in February 1936, in Sydney, becoming chairman of directors of Mastercraft Film Corporation Ltd while remaining managing director of Efftee Film Productions. In March he sailed for Hollywood in search of scriptwriters and actors. Returning in June, he died of cancer on 1 July 1936 in East Melbourne and was buried in Burwood cemetery. He was survived by a daughter of his first marriage, by his second wife and helpmate Olive, née Kreitmayer, whom he had married with Anglican rites at Christ Church, South Yarra, on 25 April 1921, and by their 10-year-old son, the actor Frank Thring. | |
| Contemporaries lamented the loss to theatre and the film industry through Thring's early death. Gladys Moncrieff recalled him as 'a gentle and exceptionally kind man' who 'knew the theatre and what he wanted he eventually got'. Ken Hall considered him the first Australian to 'make professional sound feature films'. If some doubted his artistic ability, all praised his skills as a producer. He was, said Monkman, a man 'whose big body was matched by his courage, vision and ambition'. | |
| BACK TO 'THE REGENT' PAGE | |
| BACK TO 'INTERESTS' PAGE | |
| (c) 2007 By Donald Binks. All rights reserved | |
 |
|
| vc | |
 |
www.donaldbinks.com.au |
||
| i n t e r e s t s | |||
| GOING TO THE PICTURES |
part 1 |
||