Beaumont Smith

Frank Beaumont (Beau) Smith (15 August 1885 – 2 January 1950), was an Australian film director, producer and exhibitor, best known for making low-budget comedies.

Biography

Smith was born in Hallett, South Australia, and educated at East Adelaide Public School. He first worked as a journalist, writing for The Critic, The Register and The Bulletin, and helping found The Gadfly. He tried playwriting, working on an adaptation of On Our Selection with Steele Rudd – this was eventually rewritten by Bert Bailey to great success.[1][2]

He later worked as secretary for William Anderson.[3] In 1911 he managed a European troupe of midgets, "Tiny Town".[4][5] and went into theatre management.[6]

He was a fan of the works of Henry Lawson and adapted several of his stories for stage and film.[7]

Film career

Smith made his first film in 1917, Our Friends, the Hayseeds. He went on to become one of the most prolific and popular Australian filmmakers of the silent era. Among his films were adaptations of the works of Banjo Paterson and Henry Lawson. His 1933 comedy The Hayseeds featured the first screen appearance of Cecil Kellaway.

Smith was famous for making his films quickly – sometimes he would complete shooting and post production within one month for budgets ranging from £600 to £1,200. His wife Elsie would comment on his scripts and his brother Gordon looked after company finances. He was sometimes known as "One Shot Beau" or "That'll Do Beau".[8]

In May 1919 he stopped producing films until better terms for exhibiting them could be found. He recommenced production in October.[8]

Later career

Shrinking profits led to Smith retiring from filmmaking in 1925, although he returned briefly in the early 1930s. He became managing director of Williamson Films (New Zealand) Ltd (later J. C. Williamson Picture Corporation Ltd), Wellington.[9] He retired to Killara, Sydney in 1938, and died in the Royal North Shore Hospital.

Personal life

Smith was married to Elsie Fleming from 1911, until his death. She was often an uncredited contributor with his work, helping him write scripts. His brother Gordon managed his finances.[10]

Legacy

The National Library of Australia tracked down a collection of 300 reels of Smith's films, including all his features. However when the researchers arrived to collect it they were told that the entire collection had been burnt within the previous weeks, on the advice of an insurance company because of the film's inflammable nature.[11]

Selected filmography

Selected Theatre Credits

References

  1. ↑ "LITERARY NOTES.". The Register (Adelaide: National Library of Australia). 31 August 1907. p. 12. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
  2. ↑ "Bert Bailey Started In Melodrama And Made A Fortune From A Beard.". The Sunday Herald (Sydney, NSW: 1949–1953) (Sydney: National Library of Australia). 5 April 1953. p. 12. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
  3. ↑ "DRAMATIC NOTES:.". The Register (Adelaide: National Library of Australia). 16 May 1908. p. 7. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
  4. ↑ "TINY TOWN.". Table Talk (Melbourne: National Library of Australia). 7 December 1911. p. 33. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
  5. ↑ "BEAUMONT SMITH BACK.". The Mail (Adelaide: National Library of Australia). 20 September 1913. p. 1 Section: SECOND SECTION. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
  6. ↑ "BEAUMONT SMITH'S ENTERPRISES.". The Mail (Adelaide: National Library of Australia). 7 February 1914. p. 6 Section: SATURDAY'S NEWS SECTION. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
  7. ↑ "HENRY LAWSON. STATE FUNERAL.". The Sydney Morning Herald (National Library of Australia). 5 September 1922. p. 10. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Graham Shirley and Brian Adams, Australian Cinema: The First Eighty Years, Currency Press, 1989 p 50-51.
  9. ↑ "J. C. WILLIAMSON FILMS LTD.". The Argus (Melbourne: National Library of Australia). 14 November 1925. p. 22. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
  10. ↑ Shirley, Graham, 'Smith, Frank Beaumont (Beau) (1885–1950)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University accessed 17 January 2012.
  11. ↑ "THAT SENTIMENTAL BLOKE.". The Australian Women's Weekly (National Library of Australia). 9 December 1970. p. 13. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
  12. ↑ ""WHILE THE BILLY BOILS".". The Mail (Adelaide: National Library of Australia). 23 December 1916. p. 4. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
  13. ↑ "Ladies' Letter.". West Gippsland Gazette (Warragul, Vic.: National Library of Australia). 28 November 1916. p. 3 Edition: MORNING. Retrieved 21 January 2012.

External links