Australian Photo-Play Company
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Film production |
| Founded | June 1911 |
| Founder | Stanley Crick, Herbert Finlay |
| Defunct | March 25, 1912 |
| Fate | Acquired by Gaumont Company (local branch) |
| Successor | Gaumont Company (local branch) |
| Headquarters | Sydney , Australia |
Area served | Australia, New Zealand |
Key people | Stanley Crick (manager), Herbert Finlay, Alfred Rolfe, John Gavin |
| Products | Films |
Number of employees | 40+ (1911) |
The Australian Photo-Play Company was a short-lived yet productive film production firm in Australia, active between 1911 and 1912.
Establishment
After achieving success with Australian films directed by John Gavin, Stanley Crick, who had previously managed Pathe Freres in Australia, partnered with Herbert Finlay to found the Australian Photo-Play Company in June 1911. Crick took on the managerial role, backed by a capital investment of £20,000. (Gavin later asserted that the concept originated from him.)
The company's initial prospectus aimed to acquire the film production operations owned by Crick and Finlay. The board of directors included Philip Lytton, Crick, Dr Sherlock Mason, Arthur Upjohn, and Douglas Selkirk. Their plan involved establishing two studios: one dedicated to large-scale film projects and another designed for smaller interior scenes. A studio was constructed in Summer Hill, Sydney. The team comprised A.J. Moulton, A. O. Segerberg, Finlay, and Alfred Rolfe. Additionally, a second production unit was being assembled to create adaptations of well-known stage plays. The company committed to using exclusively Australian-made equipment and materials for all its filmmaking processes.
Two separate production teams operated under the leadership of Gavin and Rolfe. Gavin completed only one film for the company, The Mark of the Lash, before departing due to concerns about the rising overhead costs associated with expanding producers. He sold his shares and established John F. Gavin Productions. Gavin later remarked that after his exit, the company produced four more films before dissolving within a year.
Rolfe proved to be highly productive during this period. The Australian Photo-Play Company also handled distribution for four earlier films directed by Gavin: The Assigned Servant, Keane of Kalgoorlie, Frank Gardiner, and Ben Hall.
By mid-1911, the company had developed distribution channels throughout Australia and New Zealand. Their marketing highlighted their identity as independent Australian manufacturers focused on producing locally made films, relying more on trade success than self-promotion:
"The only real live Independent Australian Manufacturers, we make a specialty of the Australian made pictures... The popular verdict can only be gauged by the quantity of shows running; our films all over the Commonwealth."
Growth
The first four productions—Moora Neya, The Mark of the Lash, In the Nick of Time, and a documentary featuring snake catching in Australia—showcased a variety of themes.
In September, 200 shares were offered at £1 each. By November, the workforce had grown to more than forty employees, including a camera department led by Herbert Finlay, a laboratory overseen by A. O. Segerberg, and an acting company directed by Alfred Rolfe. Principal actors featured Charles Villiers, Stanley Walpole, and Ethel Phillips. Filming took place both on location and at their Summer Hill studios in Sydney.
With extensive experience in theatre, Alfred Rolfe emerged as the company's leading creative figure. Film historians Graham Shirley and Brian Adams observe that Rolfe’s works incorporated spectacle melodrama reminiscent of late 19th-century Australian theatre traditions, characterized by authentic settings and thrilling chase sequences. His films frequently portrayed bush life narratives involving characters such as hostile Aboriginals, vengeful settlers, English exiles, and disgraced women, often centered around themes of revenge melodrama. Many productions were adaptations of popular Australian stage plays, particularly those associated with Philip Lytton.
During its brief existence, the company was involved in multiple legal disputes, including a significant lawsuit against Lacey Percival.
Decline
The company faced ongoing difficulties in obtaining distribution for its productions and was unable to establish financial security. Production activities halted by mid-1912, and on 25 March of that year, the local Gaumont Company branch acquired it. At the time of acquisition, the firm was distributing two Gavin titles, Keane of Kalgoorlie and Frank Gardiner. Ultimately, the company became part of the Combine, a merger involving Australasian Films and Union Theatres. Nevertheless, the original founders—Rolfe, Crick, and Finlay—continued to contribute to the film sector.
Filmography
- Moora Neya, or The Message of the Spear (1911)
- The Mark of the Lash (1911) – Gavin's only production with the company
- Snake Catching in Queensland (1911)
- In the Nick of Time (1911)
- The Lady Outlaw (1911)
- Mates from the Murrumbidgee (1911)
- Way Outback (1911)
- What Women Suffer (1911)
- The Cup Winner (1911)
- Caloola, or The Adventures of a Jackeroo (1911)
- The Miner's Curse (1911)
- Davis Cup Tennis Championship (1912) (documentary)
- By His Excellency's Command (1912)
- King of the Coiners (1912)
- Do Men Love Women? (1912)
- The Sin of a Woman (1912)
- The Crime and the Criminal (1912)
- Cooee and the Echo (1912)
- The Love Tyrant (1912)
- The Cheat (1912)
- Won on the Post (1912)
- Whose Was the Hand? (1912)
- The Moira, or Mystery of the Bush (1912)
- Call of the Bush (1912)
- The Clue of the Lost Handkerchief (1913)
Distributed
- Ben Hall and his Gang (1911)
- The Assigned Servant (1911)