Australasian Films

Australasian Films

Company type	Private
Industry	Film distribution, film production
Predecessor	General Film Company of Australasia
Founded	1913
Fate	Became part of Greater Union in the 1930s
Headquarters	Australia
Key people	William Gibson, Cosens Spencer, Stuart F. Doyle
Products	Films

Australasian Films, formally known as Union Theatres and Australasian Films, was an Australian company involved in film distribution and production, founded in 1913. It held a leading position in the Australian cinema industry throughout the 1910s and 1920s before becoming part of Greater Union during the 1930s.

Origins

In 1912, West's Pictures combined with Amalgamated Pictures, which subsequently merged with Spencer's Pictures Ltd to establish the General Film Company of Australasia. The following year, this organization united with Greater J. D. Williams Amusement Co, resulting in the creation of Union Theatres and Australasian Films, capitalized at £300,000. Among the initial board members were William Gibson and Cosens Spencer.

Feature Production

Prompted by Spencer’s encouragement, Australasian ventured into producing feature films, beginning with the 1914 silent movie The Shepherd of the Southern Cross. Its commercial failure led to Spencer’s exit from the company. Production activities remained intermittent until Stuart F. Doyle assumed leadership in the mid-1920s. In 1925, a £60,000 investment transformed a roller skating rink in Bondi Junction into a combined facility serving as both a film studio and skating rink.

Starting with Painted Daughters (1925), Australasian created several feature films, including projects directed by Raymond Longford. Despite releasing five films within one year, none achieved notable international acclaim. The company then focused on two significant productions: For the Term of His Natural Life (1927) and The Adorable Outcast (1928), both involving American personnel such as director Norman Dawn. These ventures resulted in financial losses estimated at £30,000, leading Australasian to cease production until it reemerged as Cinesound Productions in 1932.

In 1928, Greater Union divested assets of Australasian Films to John C. Jones, an executive from First National Pictures, who established Greater Australasian Films. This new entity later secured a distribution agreement with American studio Columbia Pictures and incorporated British Dominions Films. Ultimately, in 1935, Greater Australasian Films was sold to Columbia Pictures, marking the end of its operations.

Filmography

• The Shepherd of the Southern Cross (1914)
• The Loyal Rebel (1915)
• How We Fought the Emden (1915)
• Australia Prepared (1916)
• Cupid Camouflaged (1918)
• Painted Daughters (1925)
• Sunrise (1926)
• The Pioneers (1926)
• Tall Timber (1926)
• Hills of Hate (1926)
• The Grey Glove (1927)
• For the Term of His Natural Life (1927)
• The Adorable Outcast (1928)
• That's Cricket (1931)

See also

• Cinema in Australia

External links

• Australasian Films at IMDb
• Australasian Films at National Film and Sound Archive
• The History of an Australian Film Production Company: Cinesound, 1932-70 – Australian National University