New Final Draft....
MASTER FINAL EDIT - SAFETY COPY
Capitol Theatre, Melbourne (Flickr) Palais Theatre, Melbourne (Flickr)
1. Introduction and Acknowledgements
Brothers Herman, Leon and Harold Phillips were leading showmen in the Australian entertainment industry from the Edwardian era through to the 1950s.
Starting in Sydney, their diverse interests which included cinemas, amusement parks and dance halls eventually extended nationwide. However, they quickly shifted their headquarters to Melbourne and specifically to the bayside suburb of St Kilda where they owned Luna Park, the Palais Pictures (today the Palais Theatre) and the Palais de Danse ballroom. They were also part of a syndicate that developed the Capitol Theatre and office building (known as "Capitol House") in the Melbourne CBD (downtown area). Later, they opened other fun fairs at Glenelg beach in Adelaide and Milson's Point on Sydney Harbour. As music promoters, they imported a number of popular recording artists from the United States. But I will be mainly focusing on their three most enduring ventures; all of which are still going.
Luna Park (1912) was the first Coney Island-style pleasure ground in Australia and its Scenic Railway rollercoaster is now, according to the Los Angeles Times, the oldest, continually operating ride of its type (i.e. brakeman controlled) in the world https://www.latimes.com/travel/la-xpm-2011-jul-18-la-trb-oldest-roller-coasters-07201118-story.html The unique and spectacular "ceiling of lights" at the Capitol (1924) is also internationally renowned and the Swanston Street landmark introduced the age of "picture palaces" to Australia while the Palais Theatre (1927), with a seating capacity of nearly 3,000, is our largest suburban cinema
The Phillips had a slightly unusual attitude to the spotlight. On the one hand, they were highly effective publicists when it came to the promotion of their attractions, news of which was regularly published in major daily papers and they were close to the rich and famous, some of whom you will meet within the following pages. Leon, for instance, learned the tricks of the stage and screen from a dynamic former sideshow hustler, vaudeville roustabout and master of illusion who went on to become one of the most powerful studio chiefs in Hollywood. However, despite their own talents for creating thrills and excitement to enthral the public, something separated the Phillips from their more ego-driven contemporaries - namely their preference for maintaining a comparatively low profile. It seems that the microphone-grabbing/ selfie routine never floated their River Caves boat. Instead, they employed others to meet the press and face the cameras.
The reason for doing this piece was to organize and present the information that I have gathered, so far, about the Phillips' career as it played out on both sides of the Pacific and a primary aim of my research was to investigate their formative years around the US/Canadian border. This avenue was pursued via North American newspaper archives and other sources. The amount of space that has been devoted to each of their attractions was determined by the quantity of material that had been randomly compiled by the time I started to write. Having an equal amount of information on everything was never a condition of undertaking this project. As a result, however, some parts are more expansive than others. In a few cases, the only entries in my files (that date back as far as the 1980s) are short, handwritten notes about people, places and events for which no source details were recorded, probably because I had no plans to publish any of this until recently. Also, it needs to be pointed out that writing non-fiction history is similar to restoring old cars and houses in as much as the process can, occasionally, involve an element of guess work in situations where we don't know, for sure, exactly "how things were" back in the day. I have, however, indicated where such speculation was necessary and, in several instances, I have utilized techniques of creative non-fiction to paint some word pictures, provide a touch of colour and give a sense of the era in regard to the way in which certain things may have looked, sounded and/or been described. But, for the most part, I referred to original press reports and official documents.
The combined/interconnected history of Luna Park Adelaide and Sydney has been thoroughly covered in Sam Marshall's book Luna Park: Just for Fun (1995 Luna Park Reserve Trust) as well as in a television documentary: "Spirits of the Carnival' (1995). However, I have summarized the key points in regard to the establishment of those enterprises.
Many of the items on this website were written for magazines so they had to conform to a standard journalistic style and structure. This one is different. It was done as a personal blog post (although a short version has appeared in the quarterly journal Cinema Record). With that being the case, the approach was more informal. For example, we will wander down a couple of starry sidetracks along the way and even cut loose with occasional bits of levity. But rest assured that these "mad moments" will be carefully supervised by a trained nurse.
Rather than include a lot of separate quotes, I have provided links that will give you the opportunity to read complete, original articles that were about (or written by) the Phillips and/or their colleagues. Also, bear in mind that archival documents are being digitized and uploaded by others on a regular basis, so it is possible that further information has now become available.
In the end, this is simply a general overview of the subject and a few memories. It is not, by any means, a comprehensive biography.
For Australian readers who are not familiar with the "Pacific Northwest" of the US, a map had been included in Part 2 on which I have marked the locations that I mention. For American and Canadian readers, a quick rundown of Australian geography may be useful.
Australia is a big country. Also known by other names such as the "Great Southern Land", it is situated in a region of the Pacific called "Oceania" and it covers a land mass which is approximately the same size as continental United States. However, like Canada, most of Australia is uninhabitable so we have a small population (currently around 27 million). The majority of Canadians live within a thin ribbon of settlement that stretches across the length of the US border. Most Australians live close to, or right on, our eastern coastline. The Phillips business pursuits over here were predominantly undertaken in three adjoining states - namely, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia. Sydney is the capitol of "NSW", Melbourne is the capitol of "VIC" and Adelaide is the capitol of "SA" (abbreviations used on vehicle license plates). As mentioned earlier, their work as showmen became increasingly centred around St Kilda in Melbourne; a suburb which is equivalent to Santa Monica in Los Angeles.
I need to thank some people who have given me invaluable assistance.
In Melbourne, Helen Bird (nee Kemter) supplied a rare, private photo of Leon and Harold Phillips. As Leon's goddaughter and the granddaughter of George Kemter who was a partner in the firm of Peck & Kemter; consulting architects on the construction of Capitol House, Helen gave me a special "behind the scenes" look at the Phillips time in Australia as did veteran broadcaster and entertainer Peter Smith OAM. Peter, who got his break into showbusiness at the Palais Theatre in the 1950s, kindly agreed to share his recollections of the men who built the St Kilda landmark during an interview that we did (featured as the second part of this post.... and, by the way, radio's "Penthouse Pete" of the '60s still has a voice that would make a wolverine purrrrr....). Also in Melbourne, Natasha; Local History Librarian at the City of Bayside Library Service was most helpful. In America and Canada, Megan Duvall, Historic Preservation Officer at the City of Spokane, Washington and staff at the Vancouver Historical Society provided some fascinating archival images.
As usual, visitors to this blog are welcome to download and/or print off my content for their personal, non-commercial use and/or educational purposes. Indeed, as web pages and videos can disappear, I would strongly suggest that you click on the "save" and/or "print" tabs if you have a specific interest in something. If, however, you are going to repost any of my text, original photos or videos to other websites, please acknowledge the source. If any substantial part of this work is uploaded, verbatim, to Wikipedia the relevant text will be deleted.
But now, without further ado, let's step into the Time Tunnel and travel back to America of the 1900s and the birth of the movies as we begin our story
Australia
2. Early Years in North America and Australia
The Phillips brothers spent their youth in Spokane, Washington with parents Abraham (a cigar dealer) and Gertrude. They also had two sisters; Rae (recorded, incorrectly, it seems, as 'Nay" on at least one US document) and Elizabeth (possibly known as "Lena"). Notable residents of the same city included Bing Crosby and fellow actor Darren McGavin (star of the 1970s TV show "Kolchack: The Night Stalker"). At the time of writing, however, other personal details of the 'Spokane Phillips" were yet to be confirmed as some of the information that is available is contradictory and, as already pointed out, apparently incorrect. As I understand, genealogical research is continuing and a member of their family in Los Angeles has suggested to a DNA contact that their name may have been changed from Figowski (or something similar) in the 19th century.
Each of the boys received a mention in local papers. Herman (born 1884) had a fine singing voice (an asset that was later noted by a Melbourne journalist) and a report in the Spokane Press, dated June 11, 1902, carried news of his performance as Captain of the Guards in a production of the "Bohemian Girl". Leon (1886) and his father were directors of the Havan Cigar Company while Harold (1899)*, who doesn't enter this narrative in a prominent way until Part 8, also "made the papers" back in Washington; albeit for a more unfortunate (see below)(*years of birth as inscribed on their headstones).
Even less is known about their move into the amusement industry. Although there is no question that they got their start in North America, the details are, once again, sketchy and some conjecture has to be relied upon in order to assemble a possible scenario. At that stage, they were just young men learning the trade. Indeed, they were only in their twenties when they relocated to Australia. However, it was in this country that they made their mark and their money.
As already indicated, Herman had musical talent. But it seems that Leon may have been the first of the trio to become involved in the "business side of the business"' when he went to work with an older, established showman by the name of James Dixon Williams. A native of West Virginia, "JD" was born in Ceredo (1877) and got his break in theatre, selling tickets and playing the organ at the Opera House in Parkersburg - birthplace of Tommy Gene Thomassen - better known to Australian television viewers of the 1960s and '70s as Tommy Hanlon Jr (although the much-loved comedian grew up in Kentucky). Surrounded by the Appalachian Mountains, the area was immortalized in John Denver's 1971 chart topper "Take Me Home Country Roads" John Denver - Take Me Home, Country Roads (from The Wildlife Concert). And it was, indeed, home to the legendary Scots Irish mountain men, the feuding Hatfields and McCoys and remains so to some unique musicians who often have a quick fiddle with such energy and passion that they shred their bows (henceforth to be referred to as "Good Old Bows" (cough.... I did warn you)Hillbilly Gypsies barefoot fiddle player shreds his bow. US Hotel Hollidaysburg, Pa.3. 27. 2010
Front Porch Music in West Virginia - YouTube
The Appalachians: The Scotch-Irish / Scots-Irish
Born Fighting: The Scots-Irish - Pt.1
(Cough: Meaning: A short, quiet throat-clearing type of sound that is made deliberately in order to either (a) cast doubt on the believability of a statement or (b) draw attention to an unsuccessful attempt at humour)
After his stint at the organ, Williams operated a travelling picture show which he took across America, finally putting down roots in the Northwest where he opened a chain of permanent cinemas (nickelodeons) and other ventures which included the "Penny Parlor (penny arcade) & Bowtie Photo Studio" in Spokane together with the Novelty and Exhibit Theaters in Vancouver, Canada. At the latter venue, he presented an attraction called "Hales Tours and Scenes of the World" (photos of Hales - Barlow). These humble endeavours were the beginning of a stellar career that took J.D to the forefront of the industry. In his book Hollywood: The Pioneers (Collins, London, 1979), film historian and documentary-maker Kevin Brownlow provided further insight into Williams' involvement with the Hales concept....
"For the working man, the railroad was a vital feature of daily life either through employment or because the tracks ran through his neighbourhood. Travel had given the immigrant an idea of the vast scale of the country and because such [ journeys] were prohibitively expensive, a great hit of the 1904 St Louis Exposition was the Hales Tour; the brainwave of a Kansas City Fire Chief. He built reproductions of Pullman cars (train carriages - BC), equipped them with machinery to replicate the swaying, hissing and banging and projected a movie that had been shot from a locomotive. Hales ignited the spark of enthusiasm for a number of entrepreneurs who became the leading producers in the business; Sam Warner of Warner Bros.,Carl Laemmle of Universal, Adolph Zukor of Paramount and J.D.Williams of First National.
Clearly, Leon did his apprenticeship with one of America's most prominent showmen.
The following 1907 film (click on link under photo) takes us on a tram ride around Vancouver and it includes a brief glimpse of J.D's Exhibit Theater (left of the screen at the 7.48 minute mark - look for the sign that says 'Scenes of the World"). It is almost certain that this is one of the places, along with the Novelty (both on Cordova Street) where Leon learned the ropes (photo caption or put at end of chapter... Leon/JD connection to film)
When Phillips and Williams joined the cinema industry there was no Hollywood. The earliest "moving pictures" were produced in New York, London, Paris and elsewhere by the likes of Edwin .S.Porter, Robert Paul, George Melies, Segundo de Chomon and others - a group of highly skilled and creative technicians who not only made the movies but also, occasionally, had to invent or improve the equipment with which to do so. In the process, they churned out the ever-increasing amount of product that was being demanded by kinetoscope parlours and nickelodeons as the public fell under the spell of the "flickers". Many of these trailblazers were, of course, photographers. Some, like Melies, were magicians who ran short films as part of their shows. As for the type of movies they produced, in between the major money-makers such as a Trip to the Moon (1902) and The Great Train Robbery (1903), there was a wide choice of titles for the fans to enjoy. All the main genres were already taking shape, and they ran the full gamut from horror and science fiction to comedy and action, romance, fantasy, classic children's stories, social commentary and "trick flicks" (which were particularly popular).
The line up at J.D's theatres may have included these quirky offerings (insert stills and clips collage)
Even a fly became a star.....
On August 12, 1909, the Vancouver Daily World reported Williams departure from that city onboard the Marama bound for Sydney. A well-known venue owner on the West Coast, J.D had announced his intention to duplicate his "amusements" in the "Antipodes". Three weeks later, when the ship reached its destination, its passenger list was printed in the Sydney Morning Herald. As can be seen (below), the names of J.D.Williams and Leon Phillips appear in consecutive order, showing that they were not only on the same voyage but probably boarded and/or bought their tickets together. This is a significant point because, as with other aspects of the Phillips' background, conflicting accounts have been published in regard to where and when they joined forces with Williams. Several writers have claimed that they met at a 1911 cycling event in Melbourne. But, as shown, it seems that Leon had been closely associated with J.D in the US and/or Canada prior to their arrival in the South Pacific. Having said that, however, Williams did, indeed, promote a 1911 gymkhana in Melbourne. But he had also organized a previous one in Spokane. It should be further noted that there was no sign of Herman Phillips on that same list. However, all three of them were visible in Sydney newspapers from 1910.
The precise nature of the business relationship between Williams and Leon is unclear. But, in view of the age gap, Phillips possibly started as an employee. Given the title of Assistant Manager, it seems that he was also cut in as a junior partner. Learning from each other, J.D stayed in the spotlight while Leon took care of administrative and financial matters - a money man who became a showman. Also unclear is the reason why they decided to set up shop so far from home. However, another cinema historian, Terry Ramsaye, provided an explanation in his 1926 book a Million and One Nights: A History of Motion pictures (Simon & Schuster, New York). Ramsaye indicated that he had interviewed Williams about his adventures in the South Seas and J.D told the following yarn....
"The autumn of 1907 found him at the northern limit of his migrations in Vancouver, Canada. Some sea-faring patron left an Australian newspaper in his seat and Williams became curious.... an advertisement for a picture show caught his eye...and he calculated that the movies might be much more profitable in Australia. He was stunned at the discovery that admission was two shillings and sixpence; equivalent to 75cents in New York where people paid five or ten cents to get in"
However, a different version of J.D's tale was outlined in a July 1st, 1911 profile that appeared in the literary magazine Lone Hand in which it was suggested that he was at a film distributor on the West Coast where he had dealings with two Australian cinema owners who mentioned that there was enormous demand for the flickers "Down Under".
But it is likely that yet another sequence of more reliably documented events was bringing the Great Southern Land into sharper focus internationally. On December 26, 1908, for instance, the world heavyweight boxing championship was held at the Sydney Stadium before 20,00 paying customers. The challenger was the American negro Jack Johnson and the defending champ was Canadian Tommy Burns. The match was widely covered by the press. It was also filmed. Johnson was the winner and his first public appearance back in North America was in Vancouver. Again, the cine cameras were on hand for his return and a movie of his exploits did a brisk trade at a local nickelodeon (which may have been owned by Williams)
However, there was nothing unusual about overseas celebrities coming to Australia. Despite the country's extreme isolation and small population, it was known by foreign performers to be lucrative market. At the turn of the century (1900) it was a wealthy nation. Workers were paid high wages and had more leisure time than their counterparts elsewhere. The entertainment industry was flourishing with many fine theatres and other amusement related venues being constructed and there was a constant need for new attractions. Of more specific relevance was the fact that two Americans had already played important roles on the showbusiness scene over here. Our most renowned theatrical company was named after its founder - comedic actor James Cassius "J.C" Williamson (remarkably similar to James Dixon "J.D" Williams) who hailed from Mercer, Pennsylvania and Carl Hertz, a magician from San Francsico, was the first person to project a motion picture in Australia on August 17, 1896 (Salon Lumière | National Film and Sound Archive of Australia). Both activities had been a huge success financially. Articles about American stars touring Oceania and Australian artists performing in the US were published regularly in Stateside papers (W.C.Fields bit and photos in here)
Not long after their arrival, Williams and Phillips established the Greater J.D.Williams Amusement Company with Herman and Leon as partners and directors. Building a group of prestige cinemas in the heart of Sydney which included the Colonial, Lyric and Crystal Palace (all on George Street), they also launched a film exchange (International Pictures) and a newsreel production unit (Williams Weekly). The Crystal Palace was noteworthy as it showcased the concept of a multi-purpose entertainment and commercial centre that not only had a movie theatre but also a penny arcade, "soda fountains", the Winter Garden Cafe, a gymnasium and private offices for lease. Additionally, it was the headquarters of J.D's company. Presumably, this approach was adopted to maximize income from a pricey block of land.
Williams put together a marketing booklet (see link below). In it, he gave a nod to Leon's contribution to their achievements saying that .......
"...having held control of the treasury since the first company was formed, he has a thorough knowledge of every branch of the business"
Here again, the relevant publication reveals that Herman wasn't a member of the executive staff at that point.
In those days, when Australian showmen presented the flicks in rough and ready, makeshift surroundings, the newcomers from the States were more service orientated. Offering, comfortable, pleasant and convenient escapism at low prices, they also introduced continuous screenings, and it proved to be a winning combination.
In 1911, they moved into the Melbourne market with the luxurious Melba Theatre (a converted hall) in Bourke Street. The following year, they unveiled the even grander "Britannia" right next door - possibly the CBD's first purpose-built cinema. A visually striking confection of florid Edwardian kitsch and art nouveau ornamentation (a style which I hereby christen "Wedding Cake Deluxe"), the Britannia was designed by the prolific architect Nahum Barnet and it included such mod cons as a sophisticated ventilation system and a child-minding centre that was supervised by a trained nurse (article about riot at Britannia)
The manager of these adjoining movie theatres was John Ruel; a colourful character J.D had brought over from the US (one of many imports who were soon to follow - details in Part 3). Becoming an identity around town, mail could reach him simply by being addressed to "Ruel Britannia" (.. cough boss?... ...it's up to you). The charismatic "J.R" (they all took their cue from "J.D") had been something of a "name" , momentarily, in the States. As the dare-devil cyclist "Diavolo", he did a thrilling loop-the-loop act on a specially constructed track. Peddling his "death defying" stunt dressed as "Satan Himself", he toured across America to much acclaim finishing in the Northwest where he came into the orbit of Williams and Leon (or, if you prefer, J.R met J.D and L.P... showbiz talk !!)
There were, in fact (actually) a number of different Diavolos on the road simultaneously, such was the demand from the fans who couldn't get enough of the "Devil on Wheels" . Indeed, as a figure in popular culture, a stylized and playful depiction of Satan seemed to come into vogue in the 1900s, being used extensively in films, the theatre and advertising. Demonic skeletons were another familiar spook of the silent movies (play "Red Spectre") and dragons were a favourite of Australians with large terracotta examples of the beasts sprouting from the rooftops of "Federation" houses (https://www.horshamrealestate.com.au/property?property_id=1421575 ). All three were featured by fun fair artists as well.
As for the devilish Mr Ruel, legend (or urban myth) has it that he retired from loop-the-loop cycling when, after a serious near-miss, he sensed that "the force" that allowed him to stay on the track was no longer "with him" (clip from Star Wars). Remaining in Melbourne, he replaced the push bike with a red Indian motorcycle (how appropriate) which he rode in a much more sedate manner (Indian photos and videos). But he still, occasionally, wore the "Satan Suit" into the Britannia when the Indian was off the road being serviced and, when he did, he never had any trouble finding an empty seat on even the most crowded Bourke Street tram (clips from Los Angelese speedway 1921 and early Indian videos..1915 8 valve board track start up AC/DC Heat Seeker)
Williams also owned at least one cinema in New Zealand - the Empress in Wellington - and I seem to recall reading that he was going to add Melbourne's suburban Newmarket Theatre to his circuit. However, another exhibitor, Robert McLeish. had taken over the venue by the time it commenced trading.
Leon Phillips was, by all accounts (pun intended), a smart money manager. As Williams' "treasurer", he handled the purchase of CBD properties and it was due to Phillips' investment advice that J.D was able to accumulate substantial capital. Williams, the master publicist, knew how to draw vast crowds to his attractions and separate consumers from their cash. Leon had a knack for being able to grow the dough quickly and safely once it left the tills.
Around this period, they embarked on a trip to North America, England and Europe. As mentioned before, Williams had been a movie show pioneer in Vancouver and, as he was planning to build an upmarket cinema in that city, his arrival generated considerable interest. An article outlined (detailed?) the duo's itinerary together with their intention to set up an office in London (which they did). J.D was described as an "Australian photo play magnate". But, then, he has also been referred to as a "Canadian" here in Australia.
3.Luna Park Melbourne 1912
Williams decision to extend his operations interstate had been another good move and he immediately diversified into outdoor entertainment with the construction of Luna Park in 1912. The original Luna Park had opened at Coney Island, New York nine years earlier and it became the model for other ventures that soon cropped up (mushroomed?) across the US. Melbourne's pleasure ground was the link between Australia and America and it involved a major undertaking with fun fair experts travelling to Victoria from the United States and England to direct a team of local tradesmen.
J.D had previously tried to establish a park in Vancouver. However, it seems that it never went ahead. But he finally got the ball rolling when he secured a ten-year lease on a triangle of crown land at the St Kilda foreshore (Lower Esplanade) opposite the beach. The site had already (previously) been occupied by another amusement center that was coincidentally (or prophetically?) called "Dreamland: - the same name that Williams was planning (going?) to use in Canada. Unfortunately, it was a failure and the area had been vacant for a year or so. Once he had the right location locked in, the showman registered an additional company and Herman.F.Phillips was put in charge of it.
However, nothing like Luna Park had ever been seen " Down Under" and the entire Americana experience would have to be shipped in. Designers, artists, building materials, mechanics, ride and sideshow staff, food vendors and performers were going to be needed it is likely that Williams and Leon organized almost everything during their 1911 visit to the States and Britain. It also seems that when they stopped in Vancouver, they may have gone across the border to head hunt some of the personnel at Luna Park in Seattle. Kicking off in 1907, the Washington fun fair was billed as the "Coney Island of the West". But, it had been plagued with problems from the beginning and by the time Phillips and J.D arrived looking for recruits, its permanent closure was looming on the horizon. As will be apparent by now, some of the parks had short lives.
The Whitney brothers; George K. and Leo, were part of the American team who came to Melbourne. Professional photographers, they were innovators of "while-u-wait" processing and also did a lot of camera tricks (girl around table pic). After running the 'Electric Photo Studio" at St Kilda for a couple of seasons, they eventually returned to the US. Interviewed at his home in Friday Harbor, Washington in August, 2002, Mr George.K.Whitney Jr said.....
"My father had..... with my uncle and a crew...from Seattle... gone to Australia with a collection of rides and opened Luna Park, Melbourne"
(link to interview)
Exactly what the Whitneys were doing in the former city is still to be confirmed. But it seems that they may have had the studio at the pleasure ground. I came to this conclusion by comparing two different images that are available on the internet (see below). One was taken at the Seattle fun fair (rotate with other alternatives), the other at the park in Melbourne. As can be seen, the "automobile" that appears in both shots is very similar. So, perhaps, it was brought to Australia by the Whitneys (where are those pics?)
Williams and Leon Phillips also stopped in Chicago and New York so talent may have been engaged in those cities as well
Building commenced at St Kilda (the foreshore?) in July, 1912 with the "Great" Scenic Railway rollercoaster that was to run around the perimeter of the park and included the "Mr Moon" entrance face and towers. The railway was designed by the L.A.Thompson Company of midtown Manhattan which did the first coaster at Coney. However, the ride in Melbourne was constructed by a London-based firm that was owned by American Geroge Lawsha.
Williams was a "big picture" guy who had the grand visions so it is likely that one of his initial thoughts was to have the whole place encircled by a rollercoaster - an excellent idea. If that was the case, he probably gave it priority and met with Thompson and Lawsha during the 1911 trip (New York 1911 video....caption "Luna Park's Scenic Railway grew up in St Kilda but was born in New York) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rx5sUa_2SD8
The old wooden coasters were built using a specific type of timber; Oregon pine (AKA Douglas Fir) from the US which, due to its flexibility, provided a smooth ride and an order would have been sent through for the job at St Kilda/ the foreshore
Once the arrangements had been finalized, Lawsha's on-site supervisor, T.H.Eslick made his way to Melbourne together with a number of support staff. Eslick, reportedly, had a solid background in coaster construction having completed assignments in America, the UK and Europe. However, according to some sources, he had an even more "solid" background in the shifty business of doctoring the details of his "solid" background which his detractors have criticized as being a dubious mix of fact and fiction to which a generous amount of gross exaggeration had also been added. If flashy self-promotion and blowing one's own trumpet had been Olympic events, "Esso" would have been a gold medallist. Still, being a purveyor of piffle hardly made him unique in the showmen's world of smoke and mirrors where such drum - beating antics and outrageous claims of derring-do were encouraged. Yet, despite his alleged tendency to embellish his CV, it does seem that Eslick had been in the amusement game for a while and he was a good "ideas man". At St Kilda, he was (publicly at least) not only responsible for the Scenic Railway but all other building as well and he did get the place up and running in an efficient manner. Although, as will be revealed, someone else may have been "supervising the supervisor".
For the first summer at Melbourne's "Mecca of Merrymakers" (as the park was advertised) rides and other attractions included the River Caves, Palace of Illusions, Pharaoh's Daughter, Palais de Folies (later to become the Giggle Palace), the Bowl Slide, Mirror Maze, Ferris Wheel, the Tea Terrace with its spectacular views of the fun air and the bay, Devil's Staircase (I told you so!), Theatre Comique and the Whitneys photo studio. Various styles of fantasy architecture were combined to create a surreal (or should that be "surrealistic"?) environment. The main entrance was Moorish. Pharaoh's Daughter had an ancient Egyptian theme and the Palace of Illusions was Saracenic. Other structures were Byzantine. Although St Kilda's pleasure ground was comparatively small, it was visually more attractive than many of its Stateside counterparts of similar size.
The Americans arrived in September 1912. In their ranks were Leo Whitney and Louis Antoine Corbeille (Cor-bay?), both of whom were to play significant roles in regard to the establishment of Melbourne's Luna Park. A newspaper item in the US (see below) indicated that Corbeille was born in France. However, other information appears to leave no doubt that he began life in Michigan with French Canadian parents. Whatever the truth of the matter may have been, he was clearly a highly capable man. Starting out as a street clown in Detroit, he became an expert in theatrical staging and special effects. He also had a knack for publicity and was involved in the automotive industry and motor sport; pursuits that he enjoyed with Williams (although their love of speed machines got them into trouble more than once). Gaining a considerable experience in circus, wild west and carnival entertainment, Corbeille was hired as production manager at Coney Island for the legendary English showman Frank.C.Bostock. He also did a stint with the Gus Sun vaudeville circuit where Bob Hope performed early in his career. Around the time that he left for Australia he was running the Arcade Theater in Spokane and a press article confirms that he was acquainted with Williams in that city.
Apart from the Phillips. Ruel and Corbeille at least two of the others who joined J.D in the Land of Oz had known him back in the Northwest - namely Edward (Eddie) Robie and C.L (Clarence) Yearsley. Robie was the electrician who installed the thousands globes that were needed at St Kilda and he had done similar work for Williams in the States. A native of Kentucky, Yearsley was head of publicity for the Greater J.D.Williams Amusement Company and he collaborated with Corbeille and Eslick to devise the campaign for the launch of Luna Park. It seems that the Whitneys may also have been in Spokane they could have been the photographers at J.D's "Penny Parlor".
As we know, the Scenic Railway came from the drawing boards of La Marcus Thompson by whom Eslick had been employed. But it isn't quite as easy to confirm who was responsible for some of the other structures at Luna Park, Melbourne circa 1912. One contemporary report suggested that the "Mr Moon" concept which, like the ceiling of the Phillips' Capitol Theatre, appears to have been internationally unique was the work of Eslick who definitely had that sort of talent. Indeed, he went on to design the iconic La Monica Ballroom on Santa Monica pier in Los Angeles; the towers of which bore a close resemblance to those at St Kilda's fun fair. However, there were several others at the foreshore who had comparable ability. One was Vernon Churchill whose background is slightly more obscure Corbeille's. But, he was almost certainly the same Vernon Churchill who, described as a "sketch artist" in US papers in 1902, had recently returned from extensive overseas travel. And this is a good point at which to make a wider observation about the cast of characters in our story to whom you have been introduced so far. Most of them had three things in common. They were young, adventurous and imaginative. In other words, just right kind of "free spirits" to develop a seaside pleasure park. Churchill was credited in the Melbourne papers as being the "scenic artist" who did the River Caves (Punch, October 3, 1912)
In the 1980s, writer and broadcaster John Michael Howson related a number of anecdotes to do with the Palais Theatre, Palais de Danse and Luna Park in his autobiography I Found it at the Flickers (Horowitz Grahame Books, 1985). One such yarn told of a daring escapade that he undertook with a school chum in the '40s when they "jumped ship" in the River Caves. Howson remembered the incident as follows.....
" We bought our tickets and waited until we were the only [passengers] in one of the leaky flat-bottomed punts that floated through the [darkness]. The boat drifted into the boarding area and a couple, exhausted by fleeting passion, disembarked. Briany and myself jumped in like it was a D-Day landing craft. The attendant gave the punt a push and we floated towards the mouth of the cave. A conveyor belt lifted the boat from the water for a few feet and gave it a thrust into the murky stream. As it slid past Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, we grabbed the side of the tunnel, slowed it down and leapt "ashore"
P. 5/62&63
(I) From the [water], the dioramas had a romantic, if somewhat well-worn, look. Up close, their tackiness was technicoloured by the array of lights concealed behind plaster mushrooms, stones, bushes, walls and gnomes. When we heard another boat approaching, we hid behind
(All page 6)
P.6/1-3
(A) one of the displays. When Briany got up from his hiding place he grabbed Cinderella's arm. There was a snap and a moan and the Prince had himself a one-armed girlfriend. I stepped on a light and smashed the coloured glass. Briany fell on Hansel's head and broke Gretel's leg. As we stumbled on, we made Fairyland look like it had come under a blitzkrieg of V2 rockets.
P.6/4-6
(B) Decapitated dwarfs, punctured pixies, wounded witches, bisected beauties, gored goblins and floored fairies were everywhere. The papier mâché forest was pitted with holes and the lights were flickering into darkness. Briany and I leapt into the first empty punt and sailed away....
P.6/7-10
(C) The bored attendant took no notice of our frantic departure and we hid behind the waffle counter... where we watched and waited for somebody to [raise] the alarm. Nobody did. A few weeks later, I rode the River Caves again. The displays still looked like the walking dead, the lights were still flickering and the attendant was just as bored. Of course, I now realize that nobody ever went into the caves to look at Bo Peep or Goldilocks (photo compilations : River Caves & Scenic Railway through the years).
P.6/11-20
(D) But back to the designers .....
In 1954, the Argus published a piece that traced the history of Luna Park. The author, Ron Testro, stated that Vernon Churchill also came up with the "Mr Moon" entrance and another artist, George Coulter, did everything else. Testro didn't indicate the source of his information. However, Leon Phillips may have been contacted. As I understand, Coulter was a theatre owner from New Zealand who relocated to Australia and decided to specialize in designing the interiors of movie houses. He assisted Nahum Barnet on the Britannia cinema project. But he doesn't seem to appear in any of the accounts that documented the construction of Luna Park. So, perhaps, Testro and Leon had a general discussion in regard to the latter's early years in Victoria and the people with whom he had been associated and, somehow, Coulter went into print as being the man who did the interior of Luna Park rather than the interior of the Britannia (as was, apparently, the case)
P.6/21-23
(E) A local addition to the creative team at St Kilda was F.J.W.Swann, described as a "draftsman" who sketched "much of the decorative architecture".
P.6/24&25
(F) Most of the other Americans who were involved with the park during the 1912/13 season were entertainers, sideshow or concession operators.
P.6/26-35
(G) Presumably inspired by the biblical story of the same name, Pharaoh's Daughter was one of the more unusual attractions, the original of which had been featured at "Dreamland" - the main competitor to Luna Park at Coney. Once again, according to legend (or urban myth) it was, supposedly, staffed by "genuine Egyptian beauties". But exactly what went on within its gloomy confines is now shrouded in as much mystery as the building of the pyramids as only scant references survive. Maybe it was like the Ghost Train without the train. Perhaps those who ventured, ever so cautiously, into its darkened passages, antechambers and the "resting place where the actual mummy of the Pharaoh's daughter may be inspected" (the sort of claptrap that might have been written) were treated to a startling experience. Did a strange mix of freaky magic acts, belly dancing, clanging gongs, fright-ning light-ning, flash pots and other "weird shit" send visitors on their way, feeling thoroughly spooked and hoping that they hadn't been cursed by the pharaoh himself? It was probably a relief to step back outside and be surrounded, once again, by the "normality" of mermaids, dwarfs dressed as Punch and Judy and a stuntman dressed as Satan (John Ruel?) riding a motorcycle around the Scenic Railway.
P.6/36-48
(H) Public interest in Egyptology, the paranormal and occult was reaching a peak in the years just prior to Howard Carter's 1922 discovery of Tutankhamen's tomb. Inevitably, Hollywood was quick to cash in on the trend and the movie capitol soon came out with its own highly marketable embodiment of Nile related nonsense in the shape of silent screen vamp (female vampire) Theda Bara. And what a shape she had. Rocketing to stardom in the William Fox historical hodgepodge Cleopatra (1917), the studio shamelessly assured the yokels that Bara was.... "an Arabian princess, born in the shadow of Spinx" . She was, in fact, a Jewish princess born Theodosia Burr Goodman in here Polish father's tailoring shop in Cincinnati, Ohio. But, really, who cared? The (dare I say it?) "bottom line" was the Mizz Behave looked as hot as hell in her sexy and revealing "royal robes" and her Egyptian shtick provided a box office bonanza.
Like many truly erotic women, Bara's movie character was a total bitch. She was appallingly rude to everyone and would-be lovers, no matter how handsome and charming they may have been, were shoved aside like they had the mange. After she retired from acting, Theda and her husband, director Charles Brabin, relocated to Canada. Occasionally booked as a "nostalgia" guest on radio and television programs, her dignified manner and beautifully enunciated voice was the very antithesis of the shrill cinematic virago whom men of all ages had once dreamed of "taming"
P.6/49-51
(I) Pharaoh's Daughter and the Palace of Illusions had Corbeille's fingerprints all over them (as did Theda Bara). Indeed, a New York advertisement for Coney Island listed the former attraction as being a "must see" destination for day trippers along with Frank.C.Bostock for whom, as we know, Corbeille was production manager.
P.6/52-58
(J) As for the "Genuine Egyptian Beauties" who handled front of house (or should that be "front of tomb") at Melbourne's beachside playground during that long hot summer of 1912/13, I think we can safely assume that the girls in question may not have been what they appeared to be. The one called (...let's imagine...) "Nafra from the Nile", for instance (rumoured to be a direct descendent of the pharaohs ....cough... cough...cough... I'm choking!) was more likely to have been Nora from Niagra or Enid from Elwood (if Williams had given a few locals a gig at the giggle palace by the bay). Having acquired a suntan, the chocolate jip-oze (Egyptians) were trained to communicate with park patrons via graceful hand motions and softly mumbled Egyptian-style gibberish. Certainly, a tornado of flim-flam like Jimmy Dee would not have flinched, even for a second, at the idea of masterminding such a sham.
P.6/59&60
(K) As the place was nearing completion, a reporter from the Prahran Telegraph interviewed Eslick onsite. The newshound got to this interviewee by.....
" Carefully stepping over......
(All page 7)
P.7/1-7
(A) stacks of timber" and threading a "tortuous path between networks of wire, masses of plaster rocks and stretches of painted scenery". Eslick was the "moving spirit" at Luna Park and his "artistic imagination" was "responsible for the whole scheme of construction" (Additional River Caves text- or include in "Dreamland" photo caption...."There had previously been a similar ride called "Rivers of the World" at Dreamland which, as mentioned earlier, was the first fun fair on the Luna Park site)
Portrayed as a genial raconteur, attention was drawn to his transatlantic accent and that ".... he is often taken to be an American but proudly mentions his English nationality". The piece went into some detail about his career and how he had left Britain to work at Coney before returning to the UK to build fun fairs. Taking his cue from "J.D" and "L.P" (see P.3),"T.E" was full of praise for the tradesmen who were under his supervision at St Kilda whom he considered to be the "most willing, intelligent and capable skilled artisans" he had ever encountered.
P.7/8-13
(B) Finally, after weeks of press coverage the vision became a reality [Clock)
Obviously not put off by superstitious beliefs, Luna Park "Just for Fun" (the park?) was officially opened on the evening of Friday, December 13, 1912. Welcomed amidst a blaze of electric lights, around 22,000 thrill-seekers bustled in through the giant illuminated face with its eyes rolling maniacally from side to side. The atmosphere would have been surreal as the nice, quiet Melburnians experienced the odd but strangely exhilarating sensation of being eaten alive as they passed through the toothy mouth enroute to the head-spinning array of sights and sounds that awaited them on the inside (link to "Niceness" Dame Edna... has nothing to do with Luna Park but everything to do with "niceness")
P.7/14-18
(C) The symbols of three countries were hoisted over the "Mecca for Merrymakers". From the top of one entrance tower, the Australian flag caught the breeze. From the other, the Union Jack did likewise and from the lofty Tea Terrace, the Star-Spangled banner fluttered to life. It likely that the combination was a deliberate display of pride and a nod from Williams to the origins of those who steered his grand plan to such a swift and gratifying conclusion - namely, the Aussie tradesmen who had built it, their English foreman and the Americans who had made it all possible.
P.7/19-29
(D) In addition to the rides and sideshows (concessions?), there was a cavalcade of live acts for the public to enjoy along with a penny arcade and "Yankee" snack foods. These included the human wire-walking elephant, jugglers, marionettes, acrobats, high divers, fire eaters, trick cyclists, the "Tiny Town" midget troupe, performing dogs and monkeys, the Curious Flea Circus and 'Ardo" the Frogman who appeared in the River Caves. Contortionists and underwater ballet dancers, frogmen (and women) did charming routines that were set to music and they were a real hit with the public (guaranteed crowd pleasers?). The Penny Arcade had coin-in-the-slot machines like the "Fortune Teller". Having come from the US, they would only operate with American change, so visitors had to swap their local money for Stateside currency and J.D had two gold chariots at the entrance where the cash was handled. When the funsters needed a break and some nourishment, there was "Cotton Candy' (fairy floss), "soda fountains", Wrigley's gum, Coney Island Crispettes and "red hots" (hot dogs) with which to stuff their own moon faces while the Luna Park band played toe-tappers such as " I do Love to be beside the Seaside". The place even had its own theme song titled "Take me out to Luna Park" and the piano music became a must-have for family sing-alongs (link to you tube audio) (include sheet music photo)
P.7/30-39
(E) Shortly after the opening, Clarence Yearsley wrote an article for a Spokane paper in which he provided an overview of Williams' "Antipodean" activities and it is worth uploading here, in its entirety though it contains several very peculiar errors (or were they?). Boxing Day is renamed "Boning Day" and Melbourne became "Mellowvine". The reason for all the confusion is unknown. Perhaps the editor's lack of familiarity with "Austria" was to blame or maybe the author had stumbled straight to his typewriter from a wild 24-hour Christmas party at St Kilda? Picture the scene just for a moment (or "Just for Fun"). Clarrie and Co from the amusement Co romping around the cooling waters of the Caves with Nora and the girls from Pharaoh's Daughter as the pink champagne flowed, the pungent pong of something more exotic than cigar smoke filled the darkness and the gramophone belted out "At the Devil's Ball" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7b8zbVUvnAo. However, could "Boning Day" have been an in-joke; an oblique reference to a very similar but decidedly crude American slang word that means..... yeah...well.... I might leave it there. This is, after all, a family blog.
P.7/40-45
(F) When they came to Victoria, Herman and Leon met John Monash (how as that for a transition? talk about going from the ridiculous to the sublime). Soon to become General Sir John as a result of his distinguished military service on the Western Front, Monash was a brilliant academic. Matriculating from Scotch College at the age of fourteen, he went on to gain degrees in both the arts and sciences at the University of Melbourne where he later served as Vice Chancellor. A prominent businessman, he came onboard as a director of Luna Park Ltd and, given his professional background and qualifications as a civil and constructional engineer, it's likely that he was leaning over Eslick's shoulder.
P.7/46-49
(G) The park was pretty much closed from 1914 through to the early '20s. However, the Scenic Railway continued to operate and the venue was used by patriotic fund- raising groups at no cost - a practice which the Phillips reintroduced during WWII. When colours were presented to the 14th Battalion, Herman, who lived in Robe Street, St Kilda was asked to represent the citizens of the municipality (p.207, The History of St Kilda, Volume II, John Butler Cooper).
P.7/50
(H) After extensive remodelling, the "New" Luna Park was launched in November, 1923 (see Part 6).
P.7/51-56
(I) 4. Going it Alone
The completion of Luna Park marked the end of Leon and Herman's partnership with Williams. Being particularly ambitious, J.D returned to America where he became a producer in Hollywood's burgeoning film industry as a co-founder of First National Pictures; a major cinema chain and production facility that was based in Burbank, California. By 1920, he had two of the biggest screen idols of the day - Charlie Chaplin and Mary Pickford - on his payroll. He also made movie history when he signed Chaplin to the first million-dollar contract. Williams then went to England to establish the Elstree Studio Centre (filming location of the 1975 block buster Star Wars) with his next company, British National Pictures where, at the age of 6, future "Rat Pack" luminary Peter Lawford made his celluloid debut in a creaky little opus titled Poor Old Bill (photo collage of Peter) (article about Williams and Wilcox)
https://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/leisure/20267685.elstree-studios-bar-named-founders-williams-wilcox/
P.7/57&58
(J) According to William's biographer, Emeritus Professor Jill Julius Matthews of the ANU, when he left the South Pacific, J.D (and presumably the Phillips) "controlled a circuit of fifteen picture theatres in Melbourne, Brisbane and New Zealand. He also ran five film exchanges, had.....
(All page 8)
P.8/1-3
(A) agents in London and America and a distribution outlet in China". This was in addition to his Sydney venues. However, Williams had merged with other important exhibitors to form "The Combine" - a powerful group that dominated the Australian film business for a decade or so and which, eventually, morphed into Greater Union.
P.8/4-9
(B) But J.D's time over here wasn't entirely trouble-free. Like all entrepreneurs, he had his share of highs and lows and there were always challenges. As Yearsley pointed out in his article, the summer months could be a problem. With no air conditioning, movie houses became unbearably hot when they were full (as distinct from their patrons who became unbearably full when they were hot) and the flicker fans increasingly opted for the popular outdoor picture shows such as the one near St Kilda beach. Strangely, it seems that neither Williams nor Phillips ever moved into the field. But Luna Park would have compensated for any loss of income that was experienced at the Melba and Britannia.
P.8/10-16
(C) Williams had a few other vexations as well which included legal disputes and occasional controversies. However, the feisty West Virginian had an admirable ability to overcome adversity and serge ahead in his blue surge suit, at least until ill-health caught up with him. And his talent as an organizer of large-scale entertainment projects was never in doubt. In Australia, he transformed film exhibition and distribution. In America, First National became one of the most innovative and successful operations of its type in the country, concentrating on quality movies such as the groundbreaking 1925 science fiction classic Lost World - a personal favourite of famed reviewer Leonard Maltin. And just as a side note, the picture starred Lloyd Hughes who later appeared in the Sydney-produced film Luggers and Lovers (1937)
https://leonardmaltin.com/before-king-kong-a-lost-world-found/
P.8/17-21
(D) But what happened to the others who came "Down Under"?
Yearsley went back to the States with Williams to take charge of publicity at Burbank. In retirement, he became an art collector in Palm Springs. Passing away in 1957, he was buried at the Hollywood Memorial Cemetery - a place of internment which, as you will find out later, has significance to the Phillips (.... or just scroll down to Part 10 right now if you're...dare I say it?...absolutely dying to know!)
P.8/22-24
(E) Lou Corbeille acted as manager of Luna Park for a short period. However, he had also gone home by the start of the Great War (1914) and, after a series of assignments in various locations, settled in Illinois where he founded the firm of Golden & Corbeille; Amusement Park Rides.
P.8/25-27
(F) The Whitneys lingered in Melbourne for quite some time with a combined "Quick Finish" photo shop, penny arcade and shooting gallery at 118 Bourke Street before they relocated to San Francisco where they took over "Playland" fun fair and became property developers (George Whitney pic in here)
https://www.outsidelands.org/playland.php
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Playland_(San_Francisco)
P.8/28
(G) Vernon Churchill was still around Adelaide in 1925
P.29-31
(H) Tom Eslick's association with Australia also continued, on and off, for many years. As previously mentioned, he created the La Monica Ballroom in Los Angeles. He then built "Cloudland" in Brisbane. However, like the Whitneys, he finally returned to the West Coast of America.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tollemache_Heriot_Eslick
https://www.deschutesmeridian.com/projects_uncleharry.html
https://rainbowrobstravels.blogspot.com/2011/03/luna-park-story-tollemache-or-thomas.html
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/183427776
P.8/32-35
(I) But, apart from Yearsley, these men appear to have been strictly Luna Park imports i.e. they worked exclusively on that project. However, JD brought others (like John Ruel) over here to help with his movie business. But, it seems, that the film department was run from Sydney by Williams, Yearsley and Phillips until the latter, apparently, decided to move, permanently, to Melbourne.
P.8/36 & 37
(J) Of all those who made the trip for Williams, Herman and Leon had, by far, the most substantial "post JD" Australian career. Staying on mainly to operate Luna Park (although also listed as being the owners of the Britannia Theatre in one directory - inlcude link to CARP page that mentions Phillips) , they soon got other attractions up and running as well.
P.8/38-45
(K) 5. Palais de Danse Ballroom 1913 & 1919
In 1913, the Phillips built the first Palais de Danse; a comparatively modest structure adjacent to Luna Park on a site that is now occupied by the Palais Theatre. Six years later, they opened a bigger venue of the same name further along the Lower Esplanade. The luxurious new ballroom featured an eclectic and magical interior that was designed by husband-and-wife architects, Walter and Marion Griffin who came from Frank Lloyd Wright's Chicago office. Walter is best known as the man who laid out Canberra. Whether or not the Griffins did the exterior of the ballroom is unclear as its ornate style (I'll call it "Wedding Cake Deluxe PLUS") was, perhaps, more typical of Nahum Barnett (who lived in St Kilda) or even Eslick whom, as we know, designed at least two other major dance halls - the La Monica and Cloudland. On hot summer nights, louvered wall panels at the Palais de Danse could be hinged up to allow sea breezes to cool the "Dancing Crowd" with a touch of balmy exotica.
P.8/46-52
(L) The ritzy after 5.00 rendezvous (used a lot) became the epicentre of Melbourne's jazz scene and a string of American band leaders such as Roy Fox, Jay Whidden, Ray Tellier and Frank Ellis appeared there. But of all the star-spangled music men who came into the place, Phil Harris would probably be about the only one who might ring a bell with older readers. The voice of Baloo the Bear in Disney's 1967 animated smash Jungle Book and singer of the song "Bear Necessities", Harris had a diverse career in radio, television and the movies. An accomplished multi-instrumentalist, he arrived in St Kilda in 1926 as drummer with the Carol Laughner (pronounced "Lofner") Palm Grove Orchestra from San Francisco. The following year, Harris married the actress Marcia Ralston in Sydney.
P.8/53-57
(M) A night at the Palais de Danse in the '20s was a rowdy affair when the "Jazzers" were off the leash. A much-hyped overseas recording artist was likely to draw a couple of thousand flappers and their beaus to the Lower Esplanade, all doing the hand claps and foot stomps in time to the Charleston, Black Bottom and Shimmy (Olivia Charleston clip in here) .As our friends in Adelaide would say, the Palace of "Darnce" gave the punters a "charnce" to misbehave (just like Theda Bara!). However, by the mid-'30s it no longer had a monopoly as other venues were operating across the road. These included Earl's...
(All page 9)
P.9/1&2
(A) Court and the Streets of Paris (AKA Wattle Park - later converted to the ice-skating rink St Moritz). But the Phillips soon lured the ballroom blitzers back over to their side of the tram tracks (NFSA video of Wattle Path crowd arriving)
P.9/3-13
(B) Commandeered by the military and used as a post office during WWII, the Palais de Danse sustained considerable damage as the floor was "ruined by soldier's hobnail boots and the wheels of postal carts" according to historian Anne Longmire in her book St Kilda: The Show Goes On (p.180 Hudson, 1989). Remaining closed until 1953, its final years saw a steady decline in patronage and the end came when it went up in flames. Longmire gave the following account of what occurred when the place.....
".... was burnt down on 27 December. 1968. A fire was believed to have started above the kitchen....the blaze was so fierce that power poles and palm trees forty meters away ignited and the billowing smoke could be seen from many parts of Melbourne. Onlookers saw the last great show at the Palais de Danse as its roof appeared to lift off then collapse in a shower of bricks and glass. Within half an hour the building was razed"
P.9/14-17
(D) DELETED
P.18 & 19
(E) And I can confirm that it was, indeed, a massive con...flag..ar..con.. fladge...ure..in..ation... FIRE !! that was visible in Brighton
P.9/20-35
(F) With my parents being "St Kilda-ites", my father "announced" that we would climb into the Desoto Firesweep and "motor" around the "Beach Road" (as the continuous length of St Kilda Street, Ormond Esplanade and Marine Parade was known) to say farewell to the family's dance hall days (Wang Chung "Dance Halls Days" - official video). In other words, we drove around the bay in our tizzy old pile of chrome to see what was left of the Phillips' tizzy old pile of stucco (1959 Desoto Firesweep 4 door Sedan Oz ass== - DeSoto Firesweep - Wikipedia). Needless to say, being a mere slipper-vuh lad (slip of a lad), I had no real memories of it. To me, it was just "that funny building" that I walked past with ME mutha' and ME nan-mutha (my mother and my grandmother) when we had lunch at "Kirby's Kiosk" on the pier (St.Kilda Pier Kiosk - State Library of Victoria photo | Flickr) . Speagun a witch (speaking of which), I can vividly recall one, particular diner who was a regular at the "Kosk" (I couldn't say "Kiosk" properly... and I was in my thirties). An elderly "loidee" (lady), she was usually dressed in "Saints" supporter's clothing i.e. the jumper (sweater), scarf and woollen cap (the Saints are the hometown football team). Of course, that was before West Beach neighbourhood (between Beaconsfield Parade and Canterbury Road) was "gentrified" and most of those "characters" disappeared; probably washed away in many cases by the incoming wave of well - to - do property buyers from other suburbs. Referred to as "trendies" (i.e. trend setters), they were the Chardonnay-sippers and fondue-dippers with their brass beds and European cars who were determined to "save" and "revitalize" St Kilda (whether it needed to be or not!). Now, yet another, even more "selfie ready" and "relevant" type of resident has moved in - namely the ultra-fit Buffed Body Brigade (AKA the "Threebeeze") who love to "Brighton" things up with a "dash of black"
P.9/36-44
(G) In fact, while I'm on the subject, when and why did this morbid obsession with black reach such plague proportions in Melbourne? Black clothes, black cars, black houses, black light globes, black high visibility safety jackets. It's all very depressing particularly during the city's bleak and miserable (or should that black and miserable?) wet and cold months (i.e March to November) and it's downright bizarre to see it everywhere in "summer" (three or four days of "nice" weather around Christmas when you get incinerated in crippling heat ... no, please don't call in to complain.... just 'avin' a bitta fun with our.... what would you call it?....tricky?..surprising?.. whatever weather). It's also dangerous when the black cats are out 'n about jogging in trees and falling off bikes at dusk or dawn with a piping hot coffee in each paw (... fore... shore). But it wasn't always this way.
P.9/45-47
(H) In the '70s, the "Age of Aquarius" was still exerting an influence and we had long since decided to "Let the Sun Shine In". Encouraged to "Colour our World", a lot of people drove pink, aqua and orange cars; some of which, like my AMC Rambler Matador were done in two tone .....
1972 Rambler Matador Sedan | Right hand drive. Australian as… | Flickr
Petula Clark "Colour My World" on The Ed Sullivan Show
Hair - Trailer IMDB
P.9/48-54
(I) There were red "trannies" (transistor radios) with silver speaker covers, yellow telephones and Fluro lime green raincoats. We had tartan pants and "lumber" jackets (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVxAj-Mis6o, "antique gold" and floral furniture, Yardley's "Pots of Gloss" and girls with kal-eye-dough-sco-pies ("Lindsay in the Sky with Diamonds" Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds (Remastered 2009) Even some of the seniors - both the "good lady wives" (to quote Sandy Stone) and their (former great big muscle-ee blokes of) husbands picked up on the vibe and got into the groove by having a touch of "blue rinse" shot through their snowy strands and possibly even venturing into a "Unisex" hairdressing salon "in which to have the procedure performed upon their person". You still see specks of such vibrancy but the vista is generally fairly drab these days.
And, oh how I remember the blue eye shadow.......a searing hot summer's night in 1975... the school "social" in the "Memorial" hall. The young ladies (cough) from our "sister school" had smuggled in orange juice laced with ... whatever...gin, vodka, high octane funny car fuel. Everywhere you looked Yardley's blue goo was melting and oozing down pretty young faces (and the girls had trouble with it as well).
(J) The "black bit" is a peculiarity (and, no, I'm not totally anti... in fact, I owned a "formal" car many "Mr Moons" ago...https://www.flickr.com/photos/78453720@N06/albums/72177720326655640/. But for sheer sartorial perfection, nothing beats, what I call, the "Melbourne All Weather Combo". This snappy attire is the epitome of chic and it would, undoubtedly, impress fashion writers in New York, London and Paris if the wearers ever chose to expose themselves to the international press. So, wot-zit all about? Well, to "keep warm", from the waist up you pull on six flannel shirts, six jumpers and six woollen caps (preferably with ears... to add an air of authority). Down below, you will astound passers-by with your footy shorts, lack of socks and thongs (flip-flops in the States)
(All page 10)
P.10/1-3
(A) Anyway, back to the Fire (sweep), the awesome and quite frightening sight of which was all that mattered to me. So there we stood, dangerously close to the chaos (as we did in that era). The Foreshore was Rome circa 64 CE as huge burning branches broke away from the Canary Island palms and came crashing down onto Jacka Boulevard
P.10/4-10
(B) A quartet of ancient musicians, all of whom looked like they may have been at the opening night of the equally ancient dance barn, gathered around to play some appropriately "hot" trad jazz as they found comfort in the magic of music at that sad time. After several unsuccessful attempts to get upright, a couple of "hippies"/"mods"... (whatever the young-eeze who wore psychedelic "gear" were called in '68) rose, unsteadily, to their feet to do a Charleston- type shuffle before stumbling off to find their own comfort in the magic of mushrooms.
P.10/11-14
(C) Suddenly, there was a loud bang from deep within the inferno (and another one from deep within the mod's Kombi van). Vulcan was getting pissed off but good because the joint was hanging on. However, that last, God almighty shove (as detailed by Anne) finally sent it hurtling into the hereafter. Oh well, at least it went out in spectacular style, just as the boys from Spokane would have wanted it to
P.10/15-17
6. The 'New" Luna Park 1923
(D) Following its closure during WWI and then a further delay that was caused by a lease dispute, the "New" Luna Park opened in November, 1923. Having undergone a thorough renovation, many rides and attractions such as the carousel, Whip, Noah's Ark, Goofy House and Water Chute (AKA the Shoot the Chute) had been added
P.10/18-28
(E) Not much survived from the original park. The Scenic Railway, "Mr Moon" entrance, photo studio and Ferris Wheel were retained. The River Caves and Palais de Follies also stayed but both were revamped. The external appearance and all of the internal diorama "scenes" of the former were changed (as they would be on a regular basis thereafter) while the latter was temporarily renamed " Funny Land" before, eventually, being completely remodelled and renamed once more to become the "Giggle Palace" (confused?.... you should see it from this side!).With its giant slides, distorting mirrors, turkey trot and revolving barrel, "The Palace" went on to provide an endless supply of giggles for decades to come. However, the most exciting addition for the 1923 season was a second rollercoaster, described as the "demonic" Big Dipper. A high-speed action ride that ran over a tight, interwoven course, it was designed by the American "Coaster King" John Miller. Later, such favourites as the Ghost Train, Jack and Jill (a combination chairlift and slide that was constructed out of the Water Chute). Dodgem and U-Drive cars together with the Rotor and a shark tank would also be installed. And, as before, there was plenty of live entertainment. The place even had its own ghost (possibly a cheeky apparition which had escaped from the train). The upgrading of the River Caves was probably handled by Rupert Browne; scenic artist at the Palais Pictures
P.10/29-34
(F) Carnival snacks remained an eagerly anticipated part of a visit to Luna Park and one of the treats (?) that John Michael Howson recalled were Luna's....
" ...waffles....only vaguely resembling their American counterparts, these penile-shaped objects were filled with a goo called "mock cream", an imitation that was used during the 1940s food rationing period. No matter how careful [you were], blobs of this muck would finish up on clothes, shoes, legs, hands and hair. It resembled some sort of ectoplasm from outer space that increased when it hit the air. When I saw Steve McQueen's movie The Blob (1958), I felt sure that the writer must have been a waffle eater from Luna Park"
P.10/35-39
(G) The above description would indicate something that, perhaps, had more in common with crepes rather than waffles.
https://sulaandspice.com/fruit-crepes/
https://www.loveandlemons.com/waffle-recipe/
Anyway, whatever they were, they seem to have gone by the '60s, leaving the more familiar and presumably more tasty, selection of hot dogs, milk shakes, burgers, chips (fries), baked potatoes, hot jam doughnuts, popcorn and, fairy floss to stop the tummy rumbles (I'm getting hungry just typing this). Although, there were still a few unique delicacies such as the "Cream Freeze"
 |
| "Cream Freeze" stall (left) Luna Park, St Kilda (1950s?) |
P.10/40-50
(H) Today, when Melbourne speak fondly about the "Old Luna Park", they're probably visualizing the one that was mainly created between the 1920s and the '50s and which stayed largely intact until the '70s. But then it started to change, rapidly, and not for the better as far as many were concerned. Some who have happy memories of the seaside fun fair still express a sense of sadness at the loss of much-loved attractions. The Jack 'n Jill gave way to the wrecker's ball in 1970 as did the Rotor in '77. Then Noah's Ark bit the dust. However, the '80s marked the conclusive end of the "real" park when the River Caves, Whip, Dipper and (following a fire) the Giggle Palace were all demolished (play Channel 10 Big Dipper demolition video). By the beginning of the '90s, the place had just about been gutted. All of that charming and whimsical if (to quote John Michael) "somewhat well worn" fantasy environment which had stimulated the imaginations of nearly three generations of Melbourne kids was smashed into oblivion and replaced by a succession of portable rides, most of which looked like earth moving equipment that was covered in graffiti. Gone were the quaint fairytale dioramas and the opportunity to enjoy tranquil summer boat rides. The medieval castle (the Giggle Palace) with its drawbridges and merry monarch laughing hysterically from its central tower (footage/photos of King Cole) also vanished
P.10/51-55
P.11/31-37
(H) The Phillips final, major project in Melbourne was another solo endeavor that reached its glittering climax in 1927 with the completion of the "New" Palais Pictures (now the Palais Theatre). Situated between Luna Park and the Palais de Danse on the St Kilda foreshore and with a seating capacity of just on 3,000, it was described as being the largest venue of its type in Australia when it opened and that may still be the case. Certainly, it would be our largest suburban cinema. The current structure was the fourth movie theatre to be built by the brothers on the same site with each bigger and better than its predecessor. It all began when the original Palais de Danse was converted to a "picture show" in 1915. Then, five years later, a second cinema was constructed.
P.11/38-40
(I) However, before we go any further, let's pause for a moment to take a wider look at the period in question; a time when Herman, Leon and others were pioneering the film business in St Kilda. We will briefly recall (?) what else they were doing and meet a few of the identities with whom they were associated.
P.11/ 41-49
(J) The February 10, 1921 edition of Table Talk reported that Herman and fellow showman W.A.Gibson were about to visit America. Like the Phillips, Englishman William Alfred Gibson had been involved in the "flickers" from the get-go. A former chemist, he produced two of our most important films. The first was The Story of the Kelly Gang (1906) which told the tale of the notorious bushranger (outlaw) Ned Kelly and his band of thieves. His second venture, For the Term of His Natural Life (1927) was based on Marcus Clarke's novel about Australia's convict era. But Gibson's main interests were exhibition and distribution and he chose to concentrate on his role as Joint Managing Director of Union Theatres (eventually known as Greater Union) (include photos and caption of St Kilda Bioscope Theatre). The transpacific connection continued with the Kelly movie that was partly shot in St Kilda. Despite its central character being the most quintessential of Australian folklore figures, Ned was portrayed by Frank Mills, an American who was employed in Melbourne theatre (https://backinthedayblogspot.blogspot.com/2025/01/bruce-corneil-australias-involvement-in.html. Gibson also elected to use an American cast and director (Norman Dawn) to make For the Term of His Natural Life.
P.11/50&51
(K) Constantly planning newsworthy events, the Phillips became astute publicists and Hollywood actors occasionally made personal appearances at the Capitol and/or Palais. Louise Lovely was one of them.
P.11/52-58
(L) Born Nellie Louise Carbasse (Car-Bass-ee?) into a Sydney showbusiness family in 1895, Lovely debuted as an ingenue in local theatre and films. In 1914, (check dates here) she sailed for the US to have a crack at Tinsel Town and she soon caught the eye of Carl Laemmle, the boss of Universal Pictures, who gave her a contract and changed her name to Louise Lovely. Although almost forgotten today, Lovely was one of the first Australian "photo players" to make a notable impression in the movie capitol where she appeared in dozens of films. Cast opposite Lon Chaney in the Gilded Spider (1916), she received good (positive?) reviews. In 1918, she joined Fox where she co-starred in Westerns opposite William Farnum. By the early, '20s, however, her Stateside career had peaked, and she returned to this country. But her stint in Hollywood had supercharged her celebrity status back home.
(All page 12)
P.12/1-4
(A) Louise and husband, Wilton Welch, formed a company, Louise Lovely Productions, with their primary objective being to make features Down Under. However, their initial effort was a documentary called A Day at the Studio which they turned into a live show. Touring around the US and Australia, it gave audience members the chance to do screen tests that were filmed and then shown the following week. It also included demonstrations of movie equipment and acting techniques. Announcing that they wanted would-be-thespians to fill minor roles in their first picture to be titled Jewelled Nights (1925), Louise and Wilton triggered a stampede when hundreds of hopefuls attended auditions that were held at some of our more prestigious cinemas. When the "Studio" caravan rolled into the Palais, it caused near-hysteria as the flaming youth of the village came swarming out of their California bungalows, determined to dazzle the producers with their striking good looks and sparkling personalities... or, at least... that was the dream. But it wasn't just the "dancing crowd" who snapped at the celluloid bait. Everyone from kids to oldsters made a dash to "The Pal" (albeit a slightly slower dash in the case of the latter group). As indicated by the above photo, Lou's "audition bit" was a hit with tots or, more accurately, with their decidedly star struck parents. After hours of being primped and preened, potential movie moppets and general brats were bundled into Buicks and shoved into Studebakers as stage "moms" and dads all over Melbourne set a course for the Lower Esplanade. A few of Mizz Lovely's American pics had been screened at the Palais so the fans would have been positively swooning at the mere prospect of being able to "clap ice" (clap eyes) on the genuine Hollywood celeb in the flesh.
P.12/15-29
(B) As promised, Jewelled Nights was produced. Shot on location in Victoria and Tasmania, about twenty of those who passed the test got a gig in the movie. But although it generated some "buzz" when it premiered in Melbourne, production costs exceeded box office receipts, and it turned out to be Louise's swan song as a producer and actress. However, she became a high-profile lobbyist for Australian films. Divorcing Welch, she married Bert Cowan (AKA Cowen) at the Melbourne registry on Monday, November 26, 1928. Cowan had just been hired as manager of the new and very lavish Regent and Plaza twin cinemas on Collins Street. According to information that can be found on the National Trust of Victoria website, the couple lived in Manor Grove, North Caulfield, right next to the historic mansion "Labassa" and Louise, who was never overly fond of the name "Lovely", increasingly preferred to be known as Nellie Cowan. It also seemed that they stayed in touch with the Phillips brothers. In the '40s, the Cowans moved to Hobart where they took over the Prince of Wales Theatre. With her cinematic fame having long since faded, Louise spent her twilight years running the Lollie (candy) counter at "The Prince" and living in her (sorry, I can't resist it) "Lovely" home at Sandy Bay on the picturesque Derwent River until her death in 1980. Today, researchers who look back at her career as it was well documented in Stateside newspapers can reflect on how close she got to the Hollywood mountain top. And just to finish with a touch of trivia for Melbourne readers, Louise was the godmother of the late Mike McColl Jones - veteran television comedy writer and media personality who came from a "movie family" (Mike's superb book Graham Kennedy Treasures - Miegunyah Press, 2008 - is a visual treat packed with rare colour photos and behind the scenes anecdotes that trace the life and career of Australia's legendary "King of Television" )
P.12/30-43
(C) After Jewelled Nights was released, the industry's trade magazine "Everyone's" reported that .....
" The Phillips Reality Co Melbourne (Herman Phillips) was going to construct...."a studio in Tasmania". A producer was going to be "brought from America" and "all of Marie Bjelke Petersen's books had been "secured for picturization" (Everyone's, May 19, 1926)
Presumably, this scheme was prompted by the recent filming of Petersen's Jewelled Nights on the Apple Isle. Although, other things were going on down there as well. For example, Phillips' associate W.A.Gibson was about to shoot For the Term of his Natural Life at Port Arthur. So, perhaps, Herman's plans were connected to Gibson's activities and, maybe, the "American producer" was going to be Dawn? Whatever was going on, it seems that Phillips was merely staking a claim and taking an option - one that he never pursued. Indeed, showing no further enthusiasm for production, he later expressed the view (opinion) that our movies could not compete with the American product. Appearing as a witness at the 1927 Royal Commission on the Moving Picture industry in Australia (at which Louise Lovely also gave evidence), he said that the introduction of a proposed quota for the showing of Australian and English films would be undesirable for exhibitors as such offerings usually (but not always) bombed at the box office. Did the failure of Jewelled Nights lead to the change of mind and the realization that the making of local features was too risky and not worth the effort? For Herman and Leon, there were easier and more reliable ways in which to rake in a lot more cash.
P.12/44-48
(D) But back to the Palais....
With everything going great guns at the Phillips St Kilda movie house, they upgraded, yet again, with a new venue (1926) that was designed by the Griffins. Unfortunately, it was destroyed by fire during its construction. In the process of rising from the ashes, however, a second decision was, apparently, made to "floor the gas pedal" from an extravagance viewpoint in regard to a replacement
P.12/49-55
(E) As Walter and Marion had relocated to Sydney and were fully committed to other assignments, the Phillips approached New Zealand-born architect Henry Eli White to come up with a more palatial and imposing structure. This was to be the brothers ultimate display of showmanship so it had to wow the fans as they had never been wowed before. It had to be colossal- an absolute palace for pictures. Billed as "Australia's Wonder Theatre", it was, like everything else they owned, totally unique. There were, of course, other impressive cinemas in Melbourne such as the State on Flinders Street and the Regent on Collins (both opened in 1929). However, the creators of the Capitol and the Palais offered something different. Although, the Phillips' latest addition to the Lower Esplanade incorporated their local trademark design feature of matching towers on each side of the facade that gave the theatre a cathedral-like appearance (include small collage of all three buildings)
P.12/56-59
(F) The Palais was conceived as a dual-purpose movie theatre and live performance venue and it has a large stage. Also fitted with an extensive range of production equipment and behind the scenes facilities, it presented weekly musical variety shows that ran prior to the main film and were part of a wider program that included newsreels, shorts and trailers. British maestro Harry Jacobs (formerly of the Alhambra Theatre, London) was appointed to lead the orchestra and, under his baton, they established a reputation for excellence.
P.12/60&61
(G) The "New" Palais Pictures was officially opened at a private function on the evening of Friday, November 11, 1927 with the VIP audience being treated to a premiere screening of Seventh Heaven starring Janet Gaynor along with a selection of favourites from the orchestra. The following night, the public was admitted to see Monte Blue in Across the Pacific and Clara Bow in Rough House Rosie while Jacobs and Co perfumed the air with a melange (may-lon-ju) of melodies that were designed to delight even the most particular patron (phew... I'm exhausted... in fact, I'll have to stand up for a while)
P.12 / 62
(H) John Michael Howson remembered an after dark visit to the 'Wonder Theatre" as being a glamorous social event to which you wore your very best clothes because......
(All page 13)
(A)".... the Palais had class and style. A mammoth place with Luna Park on one side and the Palais de Danse on the other, it was a vast mix of Versailles, St Peter's and Reich Chancellery.
(A1) As soon as the Paramount newsreel was over, the curtains would close, the lights would dim and, after an expectant pause, a spotlight would follow the conductor, Mr Harry Jacobs, as he entered the pit. Mr Jacobs, resplendent in white tie and tails, was greeted with more applause than Sir Thomas Beecham, Sir Malcom Sargent, Sir John Barbirolli or Arturo Toscanini...
(A2) The curtains would rise and, voila! we were transported to a world of chocolate box sets, stain drapes, Roman pillars, huge baskets of flowers, statues and fountains. Nymphs played by ex-Tivoli and J.C.Williamson chorus girls, augmented by eager pupils from a dancing school were never a threat to the Rockettes. Willowy young men known as " dancing boys", pirouetted around the stage in tights and boleros, wearing enough makeup to cover the entire outside of the Palais.
(A3) The production was a combination of beauty and culture - that is, ballet tutus, pink lights and falling blossoms set to Swan Lake or Les Sylphides (Lay Silveed?) (or as legend has it, one would-be culture vulture, informed an usher that....'ee and the Missus woz lookin' forward to catchin' Lezz Siff-Luss -BC). A tenor would sing "Danny Boy". Romance was supplied by a local Jeanette McDonald and Nelson Eddy in period costume warbling "I Love you Truly". Patriotism was always a good way to end and I'll never forget the entire company dressed in uniform, standing against the flags of our allies singing 'Wish me Good Luck as You Wave me Goodbye" as a ship sailed off the stage. So realistic was the effect that I believed it had gone through the wings of the Palais, across the Esplanade and the beach, carrying the chorus girls and the gaily-waving dancing boys to some combat zone where their performance would have the Hun on the run and give the Nip the pip"
P.13/17-26
(B) Ester Wyatt was a front of house attendant at the theatre, starting in 1938 who became the Phillips' secretary....
(B1) "My job was to sell tickets and take bookings for the Palais [Pictures] and the Palais de Danse and also to answer the phone...The place would be full on Friday and Saturday... nights for a newsreel, two films and a 20-minute live show on Saturday. There were eight girls in the ticket boxes and a proportion of the stalls and the Lounge were permanently booked...the Commissionaire, in his long grey coat and cap with red band would stand outside to [greet] patrons while, inside, before the show, ushers would stand to attention for inspection. They had to be six feet tall. They wore cream pants with a black stripe, a white shirt, grey vest and grey Eton jacket with red lapels and the letter "P" embossed on it together with a red bowtie (p.52 St Kilda: The Show Goes On)
P.13/27-31
(C) With so many regular visitors, new shows had to be produced at a furious rate of knots so Harry Jacobs, Rupert Browne (the supervising scenic artist) and the rest of the team were kept busy. Remarkably, the standard remained high as confirmed by contemporary reviews. Indeed, some years ago I got to see photos of the sets that were used at the Palais in the 1930s and '40s and they looked they had come straight off an MGM sound stage.
P.13/32-36
(D) Alfred 'Al" Daff (Greg Lynch book) was in charge of Universal's Victorian office. By the '60s he was Vice President at their Hollywood headquarters. During his time in Melbourne, he forged an on-going working relationship with the Phillips and booked the Palais for special screenings such the one that took place in February, 1937. An all-day event with catered lunch, three movies were presented, one of which was the "screwball" comedy My Man Godfrey that starred William Powell and Carole Lombard. Two of the guests in attendance were Bert and Nellie Cowan (AKA Louise Lovely)
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| Al Daff and secretary (Greg Lynch photo) https://www.theybuiltanempire.com/al-daff |
P.13/37-48
(E) Like most suburban cinemas, the Palais offered Saturday afternoon "cliff hanger" serials for their junior patrons. One of the first to thrill the homework brigade on the Lower Esplanade was Universal's Air Mail Mystery (1933) and Daff was most impressed with the ideas that the Phillips and their right-hand man, Garnet Curwen came up with to publicize the production. At one point the overall manager of Luna Park, the Palais Pictures and the Palais de Danse, Curwen was instrumental in the success of the brother's St Kilda attractions from the '20s through to the '50s. Arrangements were made for him to visit California to see what was "hot" at some of the State's amusement parks, movie theatres and music venues. Armed with a list of contacts which had been provided to him by Leon and Herman as well as Herc McIntyre, Ralph Clarke and others, Curwen was warmly welcomed by the sun-tanned cigar chompers across the way. Covering a lot of territory, his observations were published in 'Everyone's". Of particular interest was the progress being made by "personality band leader" Phil Harris who, as mentioned earlier, had done a stint at the Palais de Danse and, by the time of Curwen's junket, was performing at the Coconut Grove nightclub in Los Angeles. hosting a radio program and had just finished a movie for RKO. Later, in the '50s, Harris rose to prominence on network television.
P.13/49-56
(F) The opening of the 'New" Palais Pictures also seemed to coincide with the arrival of Harold Phillips in Australia. Although described in the press as being the theatre's "House Manager", his talents went far beyond merely cracking a satin ribbon over the ushers, "candy girls" and ticket sellers and he was soon producing big budget shows that the critics raved about. Another capable publicity man, Harold and Curwen devised all kinds of stunts to pack the punters into 'The Pal". In July,'33, for example, they rustled up an elephant that was decked out in colourful "jungle paraphernalia" to do a tour of shopping centres in order to plug the Universal serial Jungle Mystery together with a competition that was run. Other Universal cliff-hangers included Flash Gordon, the Green Hornet, Gang Busters and Ace Drummond. Golf was Harold's main hobby and, on one occasion, he joined Al Daff to win a game with fellow film people.
P.13/57-60
(G) The Phillips attractions were adversely affected by the severe economic downturn that began when the Great Depression kicked in. Record levels of unemployment dramatically reduced the spending power of the public. But the situation gradually improved. And it wasn't all doom and gloom in the '30s. By then, the Phillips had a solid reputation as leading showmen and savvy investors. Due to their early partnership
(All page 14)
P.14/1-11
(A) with J.D.Williams, they were acknowledged as having been important trail blazers in the field of cinema exhibition and they often contributed opinion pieces to various publications. They also demonstrated forward-thinking in another area of the industry by introducing a training scheme which allowed promising employees of their theatres to gain work experience in the United States (crop bit from Herman/Capitol interview). These placements were probably faciliated via Williams. They enjoyed a cordial relationship with US consuls in Melbourne and Sydney and were well-liked members of a social group that was made up of locally- based American businessmen, one of whom was Toorak resident Harry.C.Cornforth - CEO of Vacuum Oil. Although they had little desire to be the centre of attention, Herman Phillips certainly conformed to the classic image of a movie mogul. There was the ever-present cigar, the Homburg hat, very expensive suits and, while visiting an LA car showroom, he purchased a Cadillac - the ultimate status symbol. And, indeed, the brothers regularly updated their Cadillacs (plural). In fact, they had a family connection to the prestigious auto maker (details to follow). So, obviously, the gray clouds were drifting away and blue skies were reappearing.
P.14/12-20
(B) But just when things were returning to normal, another challenge came along when Australia went back to war in September, 1939 and St Kilda was plunged into semi darkness as "brown out" lighting conditions were enforced. Two years later, after Pearl Harbor in Hawaii was attacked, the United States commenced hostilities with Japan and the conflict accelerated at break-neck speed as the Land of the Rising Sun stormed ferociously southwards, finally bombing Darwin. When General Douglas MacArthur, the Supreme Allied Commander in the Pacific, was ordered by the Pentagon to direct his campaign from Australia, thousands of American military personnel surged into the country. The US HQ was set up in Melbourne and Leon Phillips was hired as Recreational Supervisor. His job was to "organize entertainment" for the GIs (no comment) who were on leave and, presumably, to stop them from being shot at even more than they had been by the Japanese (think Battle of Brisbane)(photo of Leon at ABC Radio .caption: " the ever-stylish Leon Phillips goes about his "military duties" complete with long cigarette holder...possibly inspired by his commander-in-chief's cobb pipe and Brook Brothers suit). Luna Park and the Palais Pictures quickly became favourite destinations for "dough boys" who were stationed at Camp Pell in Parkville
P.14/21-23
(C) In the '50s, the Palais became sought after by promoters as a venue for top overseas artists. Indeed, it was Herman's foresight to create a dual-purpose cinema and theatre that ensured its survival when television arrived and many of the picture palaces went broke.
P.14/24-27
(D) Sydney-based American entrepreneur Lee Gordon imported a galaxy of headliners from the States including Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope and Johnnie Ray with both Hope and Ray appearing at the Palais. Later, the "British Invasion" in the form of the Rolling Stoned and Tom Jones took over the stage. Broadway musicals such as Jesus Christ Superstar and La Cage Aux Follles as well as the Bolshoi and Kirov ballets were also presented at the theatre.
P.14/28-34
(E) Gordon was another interesting transpacific identity with whom the Phillips were associated. During his ten years in Australia, he was, like Williams, extremely productive. The many acts he brought to this country represented almost every genre of music from modern jazz to country, folk, pop and rock. There were brilliant young comedians such as Stan Freberg and the controversial Lenny Bruce. He launched a successful record company, Leedon, and gave singers Johnny O'Keefe and the Bee Gees their break and pioneered the use of boxing stadiums for concerts. In fact, he was largely responsible for igniting the entire rock scene Down Under. He also handled Stateside concert promotions for Elvis Presley and Sinatra, built our first-ever drive-thru hamburger restaurant and operated trendy nightclubs.
P.14/35-42
(F) As with the Phillips, however, details of Gordon's formative years are a touch hazy and contradictory. In his autobiography, Some Days are Diamonds (New Holland, 2003), Max Moore, Lee's tour manager and personal assistant, wrote that the impresario was born Leon Lazar Gevorshner in Coral Gables, Florida in 1917. Other sources say that he entered the world in Detroit, Michigan circa 1923. Also, according to Moore, Gordon earned had a business degree from the University of Miami where he booked bands for campus concerts. Climbing up the ladder, he put American acts into the swank (and allegedly mob-controlled) Tropicana gambling resort in Havana, Cuba and it was probably there that he became chummy with (a comparatively young) 'Ol blue eyes. The only glitch in their friendship occurred in 1957 when "Mr" Sinatra chucked a tantrum in Hawaii on his way over to do a tour of the "Lucky Country" for "Mr" Gordon. And a word of explanation may be needed here.
P.14/43-58
(G) Frank went through a period, later in the '70s, when he insisted that everyone, especially journalists, had to address him as "Mr" Sinatra 24/7. There would definitely be no more of that "Cranky Frankie" jazz as used way too often by reporters (or "slime people" as Frank called them). It was all to do with r-e-s-p-e-c-t and what it meant to Frank. It was a "'Scillian thing" . The capo di tutti Frankie had spoken. Be nice, follow the protocol or.... BOOM...capeesh? Francis Albert was an older, more dignified, very rich, very powerful and very polite gentleman (cough) by then. And he expected to be "treated nice" (and easy)... just like he treated the "ladies and gentlemen of the media".. which is what he called them... once... only... before the wheels immediately fell off the whole charade. Frequently stopping midway through concerts, the "chairman of the board" would take aim at his arch enemies the "scandal bums" (i.e tabloid journalists who favoured sensationalism). No longer "ladies and gentlemen", they were now being abused as "God damned liars", "parasites".... lepers..filth...vermin....whatever. In July, '74, he "explained"..."nicely" to a capacity audience at Melbourne's Festival Hall that the "broads of the press " were all "hookers" and that he might have given them a "buck and a HAFF". He also mentioned, for the benefit of those who weren't aware, that all of the male reporters were "pimps and fags". Unfortunately, Frank had done a grand job of handing his detractors plenty of ammunition to fire right back at him. Put simply, "Mr" Sin had more skeletons in his closet than the UCLA medical school, all of which were dragged out and paraded before the public whenever Frankie did, indeed, get cranky.
P.14/59-63
(H) But the fireworks were just a sideshow. At the end of the night and day (pow - track) Frank was THE "one". All that really mattered was the man and his music and, in the late 1980s, I got a front row seat to experience the magic of Sinatra in person. Although well and truly getting on by then, enough of " The Voice" and all of the incredible charisma was still there (see my post about his 1974 Australian tour via this link https://backinthedayblogspot.blogspot.com/2025/01/ol-black-is-back-sinatras-july-74.html
(All page 15)
P.15/1-5
(A) Anyway, back to Hu-wuh-ee.....
Displeased with the travel arrangements, 'Ol blue ice pulled the plug on the trip. Lee lost a bundle on the deal and sued. However, a settlement was reached and the agreement gave Gordon the right to promote some US concert dates for Sinatra. But the entire silly ruckus was a storm in a shot glass. Frank returned to Australia for Lee in '59 and '61. When Gordon was married in Acapulco, Sinatra was best man (clips?)
P.15/6-11
(B) Frank's shows always did well. However, Johnnie Ray was, perhaps, Gordon's most consistently profitable import. The versatile? singer, songwriter and pianist was one of the highest -selling Top 40 stars of the '50s. Racking up a string of hits, he became notorious for his wild, high-energy performances that caused his teenage fans to riot. Indeed, the chaos was stopped by the police on several occasions. Considered by some to be the true father of rock 'n roll, Ray came over here five times for Gordon and usually playing to packed houses. In 1955, he drew 250,000 to the Sydney stadium over the space of ten days when the city's population was barely a million. He also did shows at the Palais during that visit. (Ringo clip)
P.15/12-25
(C) Somewhat ironically, although he was Australia's top rock promoter, presenting such big names as Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard, Gordon preferred listening to modern jazz and middle of road music at home. The sound of Frankie swingin' easy out front of the Red Norvo Quinette was much more Lee's cup of tea. In fact, Gordon was a minor recording artist having cut a satirical ode to beatnikville titled "She's the Ginchiest". And it seems that the smooth-voiced, ultra cool hipster 'oom "does his bit on the disc" was, like, pretty much the real Lee Gordon. Remembered by his colleagues as being a somewhat eccentric but genial, low-key character, it's been reported that he had, what turned out to be, a premonition of his own death which became an obsession. So intense was his concern that he kept a white coffin that was lined in pink satin at his plush Point Piper apartment. On really bad nights, he slept in it. Only in his forties when he died, the story of his exploits came to the small screen in the 1998 telemovie titled The Singer and the Swinger that starred Ben Mendelsohn (try to find it.... Ben gave an absolutely outstanding performance)
P.15/ 26-31
(D) As we near the end of this summary of the Phillips film activities, it should be mentioned that there may have been other connections. Specifically, several historians have stated that the brothers owned movie theatres in Los Angeles as well as the Memorial Hall cinema in Acland Street, St Kilda and the Globe in Richmond. At the time of writing, however, I am yet to confirm any of this information. The Memorial was built by an R.L.Phillips. But it seems that he wasn't related to the "Palais Phillips". The brothers were certainly linked to a business in LA but it had nothing to do with entertainment . It was a new car dealership - Lumley's Cadillac; owned by Leslie.R.Lumley, husband of Aileen Lumley (nee Berry) - niece of Herman, Leon and Harold. Perhaps someone can shine an usher's (or usherette's) "flashlight" on all this?
P.15/32-38
(E) Both the Palais and Luna Park have been featured in numerous movies, videos and TV programs. They have also been depicted on canvas by renowned painters. Films such as Death of a Soldier (1986), OZ (1976), Hercules Returns (1993) and Dead Silence (2007) were partly shot at the Palais or included images of the theatre and it can be seen in television shows including "The Secret Life of Us" and "Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries". In 1962, it became a venue for film festivals and Los Angeles Times movie reviewer Kevin Thomas was a special guest at one of those events. In the '70s, Michael Nesmith, former member of the American supergroup the Monkees, recorded an album at the Palais and in the '80s acclaimed Australian band INXS produced a video for their song "Listen Like Thieves" down there.
P.15/39 & 40
(F) Currently leased by Live Nation of California, the Palais, like the Capitol, is undergoing restoration and it remains a popular concert venue.
P.15/41 - 47
(G) Over at Luna Park, another Aussie group, Skyhooks, shot a film for their chart-topper "Horror Movie" while the artist Sidney Nolan, who spent his childhood not far away from the Lower Esplanade, portrayed St Kilda's fun air as being a slightly sinister place in his paintings titled Luna Park and Giggle Palace. Nolan revealed during an interview that the latter creation was inspired by the attraction's distorting mirrors....
" Luna Park in Melbourne was my kitsch heaven as a boy. After I left the army, I tried to recapture things....I guess it's about reorientation and soldiers know how impossible it becomes. It's all distorted. So those mirrors at Luna Park have a double meaning. Maybe the world, when you look at it exactly, comes out distorted" (p.146 Longmire)
p.15/48-54
(H) A 1934 St Kilda tourism brochure conjured up an enchanting image of the beach area which the author dubbed "the Lido of the South" and, with the following text, it provides a perfect note on which to conclude this part of our story...
" The bejewelled edifices devoted to the most ancient and most modern of popular diversions; dancing and the talkies, blaze forth in cascades of colour. The air is clamant with the voices and laughter of youth on pleasure bent, the clatter of the Scenic Railway swinging around its dizzying track, the ecstatic screams of thrilled damsels swept from breath-taking heights to fearsome depths in the crazy careen of the demonic Big Dipper. In minor key, the pipes of the Merry-Go-Round play an unending loop of mechanical melodies and, across the darkening sea, soft lights on the pier promenade alluringly" (p.147 Longmire) (photo compilation of artists who have appeared at the Palais)
P.15/55 & 56
9. Luna Park Adelaide (1930) and Sydney (1935)
(I) In the early '30s, the Phillips experienced, what was for them, a rare failure when they established Luna Park at Glenelg in Adelaide.
P.15/ 57 & 58
(J) A company was registered in February, 1930 with Herman Phillips and David Atkins as directors. Future Sydney Luna park identity Ted "Hoppy" Hopkins also came onboard in Adelaide. Situated at the Colley Reserve on the Glenelg foreshore, the fun fair.....
(All page 16)
P.16/ 1 & 2
(A) welcomed its first visitors on October 8 of the same year. Rides and other amusements included a (Big) Dipper, Noah's Ark, River Caves (AKA "the Old Mill"), Goofy House and miniature golf course. As much of it was unfenced, admission was charged to individual attractions
P.16/ 3 - 8
(B) But things didn't go smoothly. Neighbours objected to the noise and "undesirables" hanging around. When ticket sales nosedived during the Depression, Atkins asked the Glenelg Town Council for a temporary reduction in rent and permission to run some of the rides on Sunday. However, both requests were knocked back. In 1932 a woman was killed when she fell from the rollercoaster. Although the inquest ruled it to be a suicide, it made for negative press coverage. Yet, despite all the problems, Atkins and Phillips worked well together and they decided to move on. Searching for another location, they hit the jackpot by securing the best site in the country.
P.16/9 - 14
(C) When construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge was completed, the land at Milson's Point that had been used for the storage of cranes and other equipment became available and the council called for tenders. Phillips and Atkins got the nod and the ink had barely dried on the contract when their Adelaide pleasure ground was liquidated. Its rides were dismantled under the meticulous supervision of Hopkins, loaded onto a ship and taken to the North Shore. After three months of reassembly, Sydney's Luna Park was opened on October 4, 1935. An immediate success, it continues to this day just like its Melbourne counterpart. As an extra bonus for Sydney patrons, a "floating ballroom" was moored on the harbour next to the park.
P.16/15 - 17
(D) The "City of Churches" never got another permanent fun fair and the main losers were, of course, the kids of South Australia as well as the adults who missed out on the employment opportunities that Luna Park would have provided. But Adelaide's loss was Sydney's gain (Melbourne job card - Flickr)
P.16/ 18
10. Final Years and Legacy
(E) The Phillips returned to the US on a regular basis to do business and also to catch up with family and friends
P.16/19 - 25
(F) A major break with the past occurred in August, 1934 when J.D.Williams died in New York. Possibly a victim of the Wall Street crash, it seems that he may have suffered a severe mental and physical decline. Four years later, Time's Winged Chariot came closer to home when Herman Phillips was struck down by a fatal heart attack during a visit to Sydney. Then, Harold and Leon passed away at South Yarra within a few months of each other in 1957. All three brothers are buried in St Kilda cemetery and a brass plaque at the Palais bears a tribute to Leon from the American community of Victoria. The Philips were Jewish but, apparently, not orthodox. They were showmen not Shomers (or, should that be shomer shabbats?) However, they certainly took part in Jewish events back in Spokane (Leon barmitzvah article)
P.16/26-35
(G) Operating independently or in partnership with Williams, the scope and diversity of their activities was unique within the Australian entertainment industry. From film exhibition, distribution and newsreel production to music venues, stage shows and amusement parks, they did it all. Starting as a nickelodeon entrepreneur on the West Coast of North America, Leon was a pioneer of the cinema on both sides of the Pacific and it's unlikely that any other Australian-based showman had been as closely associated with a Hollywood studio chief at such a senior level. Presumably, he could have gone back with JD and Clarence Yearsley to rejoin the American film business. However, along with Herman and Harold, he built a new life in his adopted country and it was here that they applied their talents. Indeed, their initiative was a key factor in regard to boosting and consolidating St Kilda's reputation as being a center for arts and amusement activities in this part of the world. Standing at the top of the bay, Luna Park, the Palais Pictures and Palais de Danse became the hub around which Melbourne's aquatic playground revolved. A traditional gathering place for huge crowds of pleasure seekers, particularly during the warmer months, the area lured other showmen and leisure promoters to the suburb (collage of neighbourhood attractions.. train.. candy corner etc)
P.16/36-43
(H) The Phillips and, later, Lee Gordon were conduits through whom significant elements of American popular culture initially flowed into Australia. Herman and Leon led us into the era of Coney Island style amusement parks, picture palaces and the Jazz Age. With the Palais de Danse, they owned the most prominent ballroom in Victoria and, as mentioned earlier, they imported many performers from the US. The batten was then passed to Gordon who introduced Aussie teenagers to stadium rock shows and brought the concept of American fast-food out lets to this country.
(H1) The Phillips attractions have been widely publicized and invaluable tourism assets for Melbourne and Sydney providing a countless number of jobs along the way. The "Mr Moon" entrance at Luna Park, St Kilda is, quite possibly, the most photographed destination for day trippers south of the Murray. Indeed, images of the iconic face are regularly featured in the Melbourne media as being a symbol of the city itself. But less well known was the brother's history of giving on-going financial support to charity and non-profit groups.
(H2) The movie business of the Phillips' era has long gone. Today, the industry is run not by charismatic impresarios who took pride in their ability to create a magical night of glamour and a sense of occasion but rather by corporate bean counters who have reduced the cinema-going experience to something considerably less than it used to be. In terms of both entertainment value and customer service, A Trip the Moon has been replaced by a Trip to the Toilet . However, Australian society in general has also changed. On the one hand, daily life has become more relaxed and informal while the pace of other things has increased. Perhaps present-day audiences are so distracted that they only want the basics...(just the main feature will do fine)... as the big screen now has to compete with free to air and pay TV, mobile phones, computers, the internet, You Tube, DVDs and (where's the crucifix and silver bullet...) home cinema. Also, it should be pointed out that the very extravagant live shows that were produced at the Palais Pictures in its heyday were never typical of what happened elsewhere, and they were only made possible (viable?) by the theatre's vast seating capacity and its dual-purpose design; a combination which may have been decided upon because of Herman Phillips' love of opera and musicals
(H3) More than a century after it opened, Luna Park is still unrivalled in Victoria. Over the years, dire warnings have been issued about the proposed development of "better" and "more relevant" "theme" parks. But, through it all, St Kilda's "Mecca of Merrymakers" has just kept rolling along like the "Great" Scenic Railway with its familiar clatter and the screams of delight that go with it remaining as much a part of the beachside neighborhood as the sound of waves breaking on the shore, the squawking of sea gulls and the buzz of small craft.
(H4) However, the Philips most valuable and enduring contribution to Melbourne was their determination to bring its citizens together from all of their different walks of life and socio-economic backgrounds to share the simple joys of being entertained and having fun at affordable prices. Clearly, the need to escape every now and again into a world of imagination, thrills and fantasy is universal and eternal. Luna Park, in particular, has always been a bastion of egalitarianism where everyone is equal in the eyes of "Mr Moon"
P.16/44-47
(I) Back in America, their family had also prospered and relocated to Southern California.
Considering that the Philips brothers had such a successful career in the cinema industry, it was appropriate that their parents, Abraham and Gertrude, were laid to rest in the Hollywood Memorial Cemetery where they are surrounded by many famous names of the screen including their fellow Spokane resident Darren McGavin and the incomparable Theda Bara.
So, now, as the sun sinks slowly in the West of St Kilda and night descends majestically just like the big velvet curtain used to all those years ago at the conclusion of yet another Palais spectacular, we have almost come to......
"The End"
of this transpacific odyssey, But not quite because this has only been the first part of our presentation.
Up next, Melbourne radio and TV legend Pete Smith will share his memories of the Philips. However, until then it's time for...
"Intermission"
So, feel free to duck out for a Tosca, cherry ripe, choc top, packet of "Fiesta" cigarettes, a coffee or "nice cup of tea". The bells will ring in the foyer when the show is about to resume
{compilation fo Australia ciinema commercials... banned commercials of yeester year)
Mac Robertson's Cinderella Bon - Bons | Melbourne, Victoria,… | Flickr
Sennitt's Ice Cream - Ephemera Society of Australia | Flickr
MacRobertson's Columbine Caramels - Pinterest | Australia (1… | Gemini Martian | Flickr
Pascall Fruit Bon Bons - Pic 2 : Deskgram photo | deskgram.o… | Flickr
Pink Elephant - Twitter | Oh how I loved Pink Elephant ice c… | Flickr
Polly Waffles - Pic 1 - Google | www.google.com.au/search?q=… | Flickr
Polly Waffles - Pic 2 - Google | Oh how I loved to waffle wi… | Flickr
Rowntree Fruit Gums - Pic 2 : Pinterest | Gemini Martian | Flickr
.........................................................................................................................................................
Starting in Sydney, their commercial activities eventually extended nationwide. However, they quickly shifted their operational base to Melbourne and specifically to the bayside suburb of St.Kilda where they owned Luna Park, the Palais Pictures (now the Palais Theatre) and the Palais de Danse ballroom. They also played a key role in the development of the Capitol Theatre and office building in Swanston Street. Later, they built other fun fairs in Adelaide and Sydney. As music promoters they imported a number of popular jazz and big band artists from the United States to perform at their venues.
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Spokane Press, January, 1906 |
| Vancouver Daily World, November 12, 1907 |
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J.D.Williams (left) (Wikipedia), Herman F.Phillips (center) (Megan Duvall photo) Leon Phillips (right) (Table Talk, February 14, 1929) |
"The autumn of 1907 found him (Williams) at the northern limit of his migrations in Vancouver, British Columbia. There he had a nickelodeon type theater . . . . Some sea-faring patron of his show left an Australian newspaper in his seat and Williams became curious about this far away land, where the natives threw boomerangs, leaves grew upside down on the trees and everything improbable was true. He idled through the discarded paper.
An advertisement for a picture show caught his eye. Reading the notice, Williams calculated that the theater business in Australia might be much more profitable than in North America, where people usually paid a mere five or ten cents for admission. He was stunned at the discovery that the admission was two shillings and sixpence, the equivalent of seventy-five cents in New York . . . . He had the usual accumulation of old films and junk pictures on hand, a heritage of the days when every picture show bought its films outright. He went to Australia with his [collection of movies], which were new there, and he prospered"
and Palais de Danse ballroom (right)(1930s) (St.Kilda Historical Society)
Same attractions from the Lower Esplanade(1930s) (SKHS)
Luna Park, Sydney (1950s)(Pinterest)
1. Early years in America and Australia
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(Left to right) Darren McGavin as TV's "Night Stalker", Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby and his family home at 508 E Sharpe Avenue, Spokane |
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Spokane Press, January, 1906 |
Spokane Chronicle, July 15, 1912
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Faw7XG1DC3o
Of more importance to their later work, however, is the fact that they grew up surrounded by, the vast, colorful and rapidly changing American entertainment scene, at least as it unfolded along the West Coast around the turn of the last century. It was to be the golden age of vaudeville, Coney Island-style amusement parks and that most mesmerizing of all the new novelty sensations , the movies.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGr9S1dz-Mo
And it would have been with the sights and sounds of all that fun fresh in their minds that they made the trip across the Pacific with the view of recreating the same kind of thrills and excitement Down Under.
The available evidence seems to indicate that Leon may have been the first of the brothers to become involved in the amusement business when he struck up an association with an older, more established showman by the name of James Dixon Williams. Indeed, their names were soon appearing together on paperwork as well as in press reports on both sides of the Pacific (see below) and Williams became the most important figure in the early careers of both Leon and Herman Phillips .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jp1qWV5OZec
The precise nature of the initial business relationship between Williams' and Leon Phillips is unclear. It seems likely, however, that Leon may have started off simply as an employee who was working for Williams but the younger man's ability and particularly his knack for money management quickly saw him being elevated to the position of junior partner and assistant manager. But Williams remained the front man in the spotlight while Phillips primarily took care of the administration and financial side of things.
Also unclear, is the reason why they decided to set up shop in far away Australia. However, another cinema historian, Terry Ramsaye, offered one explanation in his 1926 book A Million and One Nights : A History of the Motion Pictures (Simon & Schuster, New York). Ramsaye indicated in the introduction that he had interviewed Williams about his Australian expedition and he provided the following insight .....
An advertisement for a picture show caught his eye. Reading the notice, Williams calculated that the theater business in Australia might be much more profitable than in North America, where people usually paid a mere five or ten cents for admission. He was stunned at the discovery that the admission was two shillings and sixpence, the equivalent of seventy-five cents in New York . . . . He had the usual accumulation of old films and junk pictures on hand, a heritage of the days when every picture show bought its films outright. He went to Australia with his [collection of movies], which were new there, and he prospered"
But, a slightly different version of Williams' story was outlined in a July 1st, 1911 profile of the showman that was published in the Sydney based literary magazine Lone Hand in which it was suggested that he was working with a film distributor somewhere around the West Coast of the U.S or Canada when he had dealings with two visiting Australian cinema owners and it was their stories about the growing demand for the "flickers" Down Under that piqued his interest.....
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Tommy Burns (left) about to be clobbered into defeat by Jack Johnson at Sydney (Boxing News Online). The Los Angeles Times December 26, 1908 |
There was, in fact, nothing unusual about American showmen coming to Australia. Indeed, despite the country's extreme isolation and small population, it had long since been on the radar of visiting stage performers and business entrepreneurs as being a potentially lucrative market.
At the turn of the last century (1900) it was a wealthy nation where workers enjoyed comparatively high wages and had more leisure time than their American and English counterparts. The entertainment industry was booming with many fine theaters and other amusement - related venues having been built from coast to coast and there was a constant demand for new attractions. Two Americans, in particular, had already played key roles in the show business scene over here.
Australia's most successful theatrical production company bore the name of its founder - actor J.C (James Cassius) Williamson, originally from Mercer Pennsylvania. And Carl Hertz, a magician from San Francisco, became the first person to screen a projected motion picture image in Australia on August 17,1896 at the Opera House in Melbourne according to the eMelbourne website (managed by the Department of History at the University of Melbourne). Both activities had proven to be highly profitable for Hertz and Williamson.
Not long after their arrival in Australia , Williams and the Phillips formed the Greater J.D.Williams Amusement Company . After building several prestige cinemas in the heart of Sydney which included the Colonial, Lyric and Crystal Palace, they also launched a film exchange (International Pictures) and a newsreel production unit (Williams Weekly). The Crystal Palace was particularly noteworthy as it showcased the concept of multipurpose amusement and commercial centres that not only included a movie theatre but also a penny arcade, American "soda fountains", the "Winter Garden" dining room, gymnasium and private offices for lease. Additionally, it housed the main, national administration office of Williams' company. Presumably, this approach was adopted to maximize profits as quickly as possible from pricey CBD land. It was a concept that the Phillips would use again at the Capitol office block in Melbourne .
Sydney Morning Herald, October 19, 1911
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(Left to right) The Colonial Theatre (Cinema Treasures), the Lyric (Wikipedia) and the Crystal Palace (Dictionary of Sydney).  J.D.Williams in his Crystal Palace office (Williams company photo) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6DvqIIWAcY |
In those pioneering days when most showmen presented the "flicks" in rough-and-ready, makeshift surroundings, the newcomers from the States were more service orientated. Offering comfortable, pleasant and convenient entertainment at low prices, they also introduced the concept of continuous screenings which, again, gave the public better value for their money. It proved to be a winning combination and business boomed .
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Melba Theatre (left) Britannia (right) (Cinema Treasures)  Lobby of the Britannia (left) and the interior (1912) (Williams company photos)  Bourke Street, Melbourne not long after the Britannia was built. The theatre can be seen at right (behind cable tram) one door up from Cole's Book Arcade (Google)   The Greater J.D.Williams Amusement Company has also been previously mentioned as the original exhibitor at the Newmarket Theatre in the Melbourne suburb of the same name which opened in 1912. However, there seems to be some question as to whether or not Williams ever actually operated the venue as another proprietor, Robert McLeish Theatres, had, apparently, taken over the business by the time it commenced trading.  Newmarket Theatre (1912) (Cinema Treasures photo) |
Leon Phillips was, by all accounts (pun intended) a smart money manager. By the age of 24 he had been appointed financial controller (although referred to by both Williams and the press as "treasurer") of Williams' company which had become one of the most successful and innovative enterprises of its type anywhere in the world. In this role, Phillips handled the purchase of several major CBD properties in Sydney and Melbourne. Indeed, it was due to his investment advice that the older Williams was able to accumulate considerable wealth. Williams, the supreme showman, was an expert at attracting large crowds to his venues and separating consumers from their cash. Phillips knew just how to grow the dough as quickly as possible once it left the tills. Both learned from each other.
Around this time, they embarked on an extensive film - related trip to North America, England and Europe. As mentioned already, Williams was a pioneer of the movies in Vancouver, Canada and given the fact that he was now planning to build a glamorous new "picture palace" in that city, his arrival generated considerable interest. A detailed article was published which outlined the duo's travel itinerary together with their intention to open an office in England. Despite being an American and given his recent, high profile involvement in the Vancouver entertainment scene, Williams was described as an "'Australian photo play magnate". There again, he has also been referred to as a "Canadian" here in Australia over the years.
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Vancouver Daily World, August 24, 1911 |
2. Luna Park Melbourne : 1912
Dreamland
Robson's Figure 8 Roller Coaster (site of the
present day Palais Theatre)
Glidaway Rolling Skating Rink
(future site of the Palais de Danse )
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| Lower Esplanade around 1908 (1) Dreamland (later the site of Luna Park) (2) Robson's Figure 8 Roller Coaster (now the site of the Palais Theatre) and (3) Glidaway Roller Skating rink (Palais de Danse ballroom constructed here in 1919) |
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Table Talk, October 3, 1912 |
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| (Left to right) T.H.Eslick, aerial view of the La Monica ballroom and front view (Flickr). Note similarity of towers to those that Eslick used at Luna Park, Melbourne |
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| A rarely seen wide view version of this photo from the opening season of Luna Park (1912). Pharaoh's Daughter, an Egyptian- themed side show, can be seen at top left. Next to it is the Palace of Illusions |
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| Palace of Illusions (left) and the American Bowl Slide (Flickr) |
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| (Left) Patrons at Luna Park, St.Kilda (1912). The two men in uniform at center appear to be dressed as American police officers of the period. Maybe park security ? (Right) The Luna Park band pose for a pic on the Great Scenic Railway. |
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Bara - Cuda : The deliciously wicked Theda. Front cover of Eve Golden's book The Rise and Fall of Theda Bara |
Still going strong, more than a century later, Luna Park remains one of Melbourne's most famous and instantly recognizable landmarks as well as an icon of popular culture.
3. Going it alone
The successful launch of Luna Park Melbourne also marked the end of the Phillips close working relationship with Williams. Being particularly ambitious, "J.D" eventually returned to America where he quickly became a key figure in Hollywood's burgeoning film industry as the co-founder of First National Pictures ; a major production studio and cinema chain. By 1920, he had two of the biggest box office stars of the day -- Mary Pickford and Charlie Chaplin - on his payroll. He also made movie history when he signed Chaplin to the first - ever million dollar contract
BEFORE KING KONG: A LOST WORLD FOUND – Leonard Maltin's Movie Crazy
The Lost World (1925) Newly Restored Blu-ray Preview Clip - YouTube
The Lost World (1925) - Brontosaurus Rampage - YouTube
4. Palais de Danse : 1919
The Phillips, however, decided to stay in Melbourne, primarily to take over Luna Park but also to get other projects up and running as well .
After trying a few, smaller, venues in various locations around the St.Kilda foreshore, they built the vast and quirky Palais de Danse ballroom in 1919. Capable of accommodating nearly 3,000 patrons, it had an eclectic and magical interior that was conceived by Chicago-born husband and wife architectural team of Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahony Griffin. On hot nights, the louvered wall panels could be hinged up to allow the sea breezes to provide the dancers with a touch of balmy exotica. It soon became the epicenter of Melbourne's rapidly expanding jazz scene and a string of local and international band leaders such as Americans Roy Fox, Jay Whidden, Ray Tellier, Frank Ellis and Phil Harris appeared there.
It's opening marked the beginning of the Phillips third period of hectic entrepreneurial activity.
20s Charleston Dance - "Black Bottom" - YouTube
5. The new Luna Park : 1923
Kicking off in 1923, Luna Park was completely refurbished with many new riders being added which included the carousel, Big Dipper, Whip, Giggle Palace, Noah's Ark and Water Chute. Later, such favorites as the Ghost Train, Rotor, Jack and Jill and U-Drive cars and a large tank which contained live sharks would also be introduced. Acrobats, jugglers, clowns and marionette shows provided further fun for patrons. The place even had its own ghost ....The Scenic Railway had been designed by La Marcus Thompson (?) of New York. The Big Dipper was the work of John Miller (known as the "Coaster King") also of New York. The former was a long range cruising coaster. The latter was a high speed action ride that raced around a tight course. Miller took
6. Capitol Theatre : 1924
While that work was going on, the Phillips were also busy overseeing the construction of the Capitol Theatre and office building (1924) in Swanston Street; a project in which they were partners with Anthony Lucas , another prominent Victoria identity. An outstanding example of art deco architecture, its cinema quickly gained worldwide attention for its unique and spectacular "ceiling of lights" . Indirectly lit, it was used in conjunction with orchestral scores in the silent era to add extra dramatic impact to the presentation of movies . Thousands of lamps of different colors producing light that changed through all the hues in the spectral range were hidden in the plaster panels creating a crystalline cave effect. It was another tour de force, handled with great skill and imagination by the Griffins. The Capitol was also home to the first large Wurlitzer organ in Australia.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOD7394RxuE
And it was around this time that two of the Phillips made comparatively rare appearances in the mainstream press. Herman granted a short interview to a reporter from Table Talk magazine who went into the Capitol to have a chat to the entrepreneur who was Governing Director of the theatre. Then Harold rated a mention, somewhat incongruously, in a Perth newspaper when he made his first visit to Melbourne, prior to joining his brothers in the business on a permanent basis .
7. Palais Pictures 1927
The Phillips final, significant, undertaking in Melbourne was another solo endeavor that reached its stellar climax in 1927 with the completion of the Palais Pictures. Situated between Luna Park and the Palais de Danse and with a seating capacity of 2,896, it remains the largest venue of its type in Australia and the largest suburban cinema in the world.
A previous movie house, once again designed by the Griffins, was rising up on the same site when it was destroyed by fire. When Walter and Marion had to relocate to Sydney for work commitments, the Phillips commissioned a new architect, New Zealand's Henry Eli White, to create a more substantial and palatial structure.
The Palais was somewhat unique in as much as, unlike most cinemas, it featured a reasonably big stage . Also equipped with a full range of theatrical equipment and behind the scenes facilities, it regularly presented its own musical variety shows. These productions ran prior to the screening of the main feature film and were part of an even bigger program which included newsreels, shorts and trailers. English maestro Harry Jacobs was contracted to be the permanent musical director for the Palais and , under his leadership, its orchestra quickly established a reputation for excellence.
By the 1950s the theatre became increasingly sought after by promoters as a live performance venue for top overseas stars such as Johnnie Ray, Bob Hope, Tom Jones and the Rolling Stones. It also staged Broadway shows such as Jesus Christ Superstar and La Cage aux Folles together with the Bolshoi and Kirov ballets.
Now undergoing restoration, the Palais is currently leased by the Live Nation company of Los Angeles and hosts around 100 events each year.
Rounding off more than two decades of continual development activity, the Phillips came full circle and returned to Sydney where it all began .
8. Luna Park Adelaide 1930
In the early 1930s they experienced one of their few failures when they attempted to start a second fun fair at Glenelg beach in Adelaide. Although it did happen, the venture was plagued from the outset by on-going disputes with both near-by residents and the Council. Also, the small South Australian population meant that it was difficult for the owners to generate an adequate profit, particularly in the midst of the severe economic downturn that had been brought on by the Great Depression.
9. Luna Park Sydney 1935
Determined to stick with his plans to try another park outside of Victoria, Herman Phillips soon hit the jackpot by securing the best possible location in the country .
When construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge was completed in 1932, the area at Milson's Point which had been used for workshops, railway sidings and the storage of cranes became available. The North Sydney Council called for tenders and in March, 1935 Phillips got the nod. The ink had barely dried on the contract when the Adelaide park was swiftly placed into voluntary liquidation. Its rides were dismantled, loaded onto a ship and taken to Milson's Point . After three months of reassembly, Sydney's Luna Park was opened on October 4,1935. Proving to be an instant hit and a profitable enterprise for the Phillips, it continues to this day just like its Melbourne counterpart. As an extra bonus for Sydney patrons, a "Floating Ballroom" was moored on the harbour beside the park.
10. Final Years and Legacy
When General Douglas MacArthur established the United States military head quarters in Melbourne in 1942, Leon Phillips was appointed Recreational Supervisor and, in this role, he became responsible for arranging entertainment for American servicemen who were on leave . On one occasion he coordinated the production of radio program at the ABC studios that featured US personnel who were stationed at "Camp Pell" in Parkville.
All the brothers regularly visited the US until they retired and it's likely that they stayed in touch with George and Leo Whitney, two of their fellow countrymen who had helped to establish Luna Park in Melbourne and went on to become the owners of Playland in San Francisco .
J.D.Williams died in 1934. Herman Phillips passed away in 1938 .Then Leon and Harold Phillips died within a few months of each other in '57. A brass plaque, still in place at the Palais Theatre, bears a tribute to Leon from the American community of Victoria .
The Phillips' initiative was largely responsible for boosting and consolidating St.Kilda's status as being one of the key focal points for arts and entertainment activities in Victoria.
Across the space of fifteen years they got four of the State's most prominent amusement attractions up and running - namely Luna Park (1912), the Palais de Danse ballroom (1919), Capitol Theatre (1924) and Palais Theatre (1927). The St.Kilda venues, situated side by side on the foreshore, directly opposite the beach, became the hub around which Melbourne's aquatic playground has revolved ever since, drawing vast crowds of pleasure-seekers , especially in the warmer months. Even more importantly, their success lured other showmen and leisure entrepreneurs to the area , making it one of the most dynamic seaside resorts on the Pacific rim. The Capitol quickly became the entertainment hot spot of Melbourne city's main thoroughfare.
The Phillips sense of adventure, astute business acumen and sheer daring have been of direct benefit to the Melbourne economy for over one hundred years. The enterprises that they founded have provided a countless number of jobs. But perhaps less well known was their long history of giving financial assistance to many charity and non profit groups, particularly within the local community during those dark days of the depression.
Back on the West Coast their family had also prospered and relocated to Los Angeles. Considering that the Phillips had enjoyed such an enduring and productive association with the movie industry , it seems somehow appropriate that their parents, Abraham and Gertrude, were laid to rest in the Hollywood Memorial Cemetery alongside some of the most legendary names of the silver screen .
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Phillips Draft 6
(Full length)
Harold Herman Leon
Starting in Sydney, their commercial activities eventually extended nationwide. However, they quickly shifted their operational base to Melbourne and specifically to the bayside suburb of St.Kilda where they owned Luna Park, the Palais Pictures (now the Palais Theatre) and the Palais de Danse ballroom. They also played a key role in the development of the Capitol Theatre and office building in Swanston Street. Later, they built other fun fairs in Adelaide and Sydney. As music promoters they imported a number of popular jazz and big band artists from the United States to perform at their venues.
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Spokane Press, January, 1906 |
| Vancouver Daily World, November 12, 1907 |
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J.D.Williams (left) (Wikipedia), Herman F.Phillips (center) (Megan Duvall photo) Leon Phillips (right) (Table Talk, February 14, 1929) |
"The autumn of 1907 found him (Williams) at the northern limit of his migrations in Vancouver, British Columbia. There he had a nickelodeon type theater . . . . Some sea-faring patron of his show left an Australian newspaper in his seat and Williams became curious about this far away land, where the natives threw boomerangs, leaves grew upside down on the trees and everything improbable was true. He idled through the discarded paper.
An advertisement for a picture show caught his eye. Reading the notice, Williams calculated that the theater business in Australia might be much more profitable than in North America, where people usually paid a mere five or ten cents for admission. He was stunned at the discovery that the admission was two shillings and sixpence, the equivalent of seventy-five cents in New York . . . . He had the usual accumulation of old films and junk pictures on hand, a heritage of the days when every picture show bought its films outright. He went to Australia with his [collection of movies], which were new there, and he prospered"
But, a slightly different version of Williams' story was outlined in a July 1st, 1911 profile of the showman that was published in the Sydney based literary magazine Lone Hand in which it was suggested that he was working with a film distributor somewhere around the West Coast of the U.S or Canada when he had dealings with two visiting Australian cinema owners and it was their stories about the growing demand for the "flickers" down under that piqued his interest.....
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Tommy Burns (left) about to be clobbered into defeat by Jack Johnson at Sydney (Boxing News Online). The Los Angeles Times December 26, 1908 |
There was, in fact, nothing unusual about American showmen coming to Australia. Indeed, despite the country's extreme isolation and small population, it had long since been on the radar of visiting stage performers and showbusiness entrepreneurs as being a potentially lucrative market. Articles about American stage stars touring Australia and Australian performers visiting the US appeared quite regularly in Stateside newspapers.
At the turn of the last century (1900) it was a wealthy nation where workers enjoyed comparatively high wages and had more leisure time than their American and English counterparts. The entertainment industry was booming with many fine theaters and other amusement - related venues having been built from coast to coast and there was a constant demand for new attractions. Two Americans, in particular, had already played key roles in the show business scene over here.
Australia's most successful theatrical production company bore the name of its founder - actor J.C (James Cassius) Williamson, originally from Mercer Pennsylvania. And Carl Hertz, a magician from San Francisco, became the first person to screen a projected motion picture image in Australia on August 17,1896 at the Opera House in Melbourne according to the eMelbourne website (managed by the Department of History at the University of Melbourne). Both activities had proven to be highly profitable for Hertz and Williamson.
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| Legendary Hollywood screen comedian W.C.Fields toured Australia in 1903 and again in 1914 as an eccentric juggler and "humourist" for theatre owner and entertainer Harry Rickards appearing at the Melbourne Opera House, Sydney Tivoli Theatre and elsewhere (Left to right) Fields in Hollywood (amazon) Publicity pic from a Tivoli programme and in character makeup for one of his Australian shows (Melbourne Punch 25 June, 1903) (Click on collage to supersize) |
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(Left to right) The Colonial Theatre (Cinema Treasures), the Lyric (Wikipedia) and the Crystal Palace (Dictionary of Sydney). J.D.Williams in his Crystal Palace office (Williams company photo) |
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Melba Theatre (left) Britannia (right) (Cinema Treasures) Lobby of the Britannia (left) and the interior (1912) (Williams company photos) Bourke Street, Melbourne not long after the Britannia was built. The theatre can be seen at right (behind cable tram) one door up from Cole's Book Arcade (Google) |
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Vancouver Daily World, August 24, 1911 |
Eslick's "La Monica Ballroom" on Santa Monica pier (Flickr)
The Herald, December 12, 1912
The Sun, Sunday, March 13, 1932
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Luna Park today (Luna Park photo)(left) (Melbourne Point)(right) |
9.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QG-Z6876aAI&t=18s
10.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvXRXJ6WM6U&t=19s
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| Interior of the new Palais de Danse (Flickr) |
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Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahony Griffin (Google) |
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| The Capitol Theatre's "Ceiling of Lights" created by Herman Phillips and Marion Mahony Griffin (Flickr) |
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| Capitol Theatre and office building (left) Foyer and Lounge (Simon Brand) |
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| Auditorium (left) Original souvenir programme for the premiere of Charlie Chaplin's movie The Gold Rush (1925) |
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| Capitol Theatre (1950s) (Left) (Neos Kosmos) Capitol today (Wikipedia) |
The new Palais Pictures : 1927
Like the Phillips, William Alfred Gibson had been in the movie business since the beginning. A former chemist, he produced two of the most famous films in the history of Australian cinema the first being The Story of the Kelly Gang (1906) which told the tale of the notorious bushranger, Ned Kelly and his band of followers. Believed to be the first full length feature to be made in Australia and possibly the world, the production went on to become a huge box office hit, making Gibson a wealthy man in the process. Unfortunately, his second effort, the filming of Marcus Clarke's epic novel about early convict life titled For the Term of His Natural Life (1927) was less successful. However, Gibson's main preference was for the exhibition side of the industry and he chose to concentrate on his role as joint managing director of Union Theatres (later known as Greater Union). Interestingly, the American connection to our local (and specifically St.Kilda) entertainment scene continued with The Story of Kelly Gang . Despite being the most famous of Australian folklore figures, the part of Ned Kelly was, in fact, played by Frank Mills, a visiting American actor who was working around Melbourne theatre. Gibson also decided to use an American cast and director, Norman Dawn, to make For the Term of His Natural Life.
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| W.A.Gibson's St.Kilda Bioscope Theatre at 145 Fitzroy Street: the suburb's first purpose-built cinema (Greg Lynch photo) St. Kilda Bioscope Theatre in Melbourne, AU - Cinema Treasures |
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| ...and the same location today. Now the Banff Cafe The Banff St Kilda – Pizza & Pasta :: Breakfast :: Open 7 Days (banffcafe.com.au) |
Constantly on the look out for newsworthy promotional opportunities, the Phillips became master publicists and visiting American stars sometimes made personal appearances at either the Capitol or the Palais theatres. Hollywood actress Louise Lovely was one such famous name who lit up the stage of St.Kilda's Palais on several occasions.
Born Nellie Louise Carbasse into a Sydney showbusiness family in 1895, Louise had started out as a juvenille lead in various stage productions before eventually going on to appear in a number of early Australian films. In 1914 she decided to have a crack at Hollywood and she soon caught the eye of Carl Laemmle, head of Universal Pictures, who signed her to a contract and changed her name to Louise Lovely.
Although, now, largely forgotten, Lovely was one of the first Australian screen actors to make a significant impact in the U.S market where she was featured in dozens of films. As such, she remains an important historical figure whose achievements within the industry extended well beyond acting and are certainly worth briefly reviewing at this point of our story about the Phillips brothers and the people with whom they were associated. Other Australians such as the celebrated swimming star Annette Kellerman had already worked in American movies but, unlike Lovely, Kellerman was primarily an athlete rather than a professional actor.
First appearing opposite Lon Chaney in a series of films which included The Gilded Spider, Lovely received generally encouraging reviews. Parting company with Universal in 1918 over a contract dispute, she joined Fox where she was featured in several Westerns with William Farnum. By the early ' 20s, however, her Stateside career had run its course and she returned to Australia. However, her stint in Hollywood had done much to enhance her celebrity status.
Louise and husband Wilton Welch had a keen interest in the production side of film-making. They formed a company, Louise Lovely Productions, and hoped to make major features down under. One of their earliest projects, however, was a successful documentary titled A Day at the Studio which became the basis for a travelling stage show that they toured around the U.S. and Australia. The much-publicized and extremely popular presentation involved audience members volunteering to take part in on stage “'screen tests" that were filmed and then shown the following week. It also included demonstrations of movie equipment and acting techniques.
The Herald, October 20, 1924
When the '"Hollywood Studio" caravan rolled into the Palais it caused near-hysteria as the flaming youth of the village came racing out of their California bungalows and Spanish mission flats, determined to dazzle the producers of the show with their knock-out looks and sparkling personalities … or, at least, that was the dream.
As illustrated in the above photo, Lou's "audition" bit was a hit with tots or, at least with their decidedly star struck parents. After being thoroughly primped and preened like prize-wining pussies in a cat show, potential movie moppets and general brats were bundled into Buicks all over Brighton as their stage mums and dads made a B-line for the Lower Esplanade. Urchins were plucked from pedal cars in Prahran and... suddlent the urchins playing with mus in the backyard at Bentleigh had the words "meal ticket" written all over them . and potential movie moppets were suddenly being dragged off swings and pulled out of pedal cars from South Melbourne to Sandringham in order to do their thing for Mizz Lovely's hand-cranked cine cameras. After hours of being rigorously primped and preened, brats were bundled into Buicks all over Brighton as eager stage mums and dads set a course for the Lower Esplanade. Louise's American films had often screened at the Palais so it would have been quite a thrill just to just to clap eyes on the genuine Hollywood heart in person.
As planned, Jewelled Nights (1925) was indeed produced. Shot on location in Melbourne and Tasmania, about twenty of those who had successfully passed Louise's auditions did take part in the movie.
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| Palais Theatre interior (Flickr) |
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| Palais staging equipment (left) Main stage and proscenium (centre) Lighting / projection room (right) |
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| Enjoying his on-going success as a showman, Leon treated himself to a new Marmon 78 sedan in 1929. Advertised as "'America's Mechanical Masterpiece", the mighty Marmons were, indeed, one of the world's finest automakers back in the day. Apparently, Leon couldn't get enough of them! (Cars from the UK photos) |
Each chapter was screened at a movie theater for one week, and ended with a cliffhanger, in which characters found themselves in perilous situations with little apparent chance of escape. Viewers had to return each week to see the cliffhangers resolved and to follow the continuing story".
Westerns, science fiction, horror were all featured.....
One of the earliest serials to be shown at the new Palais Pictures was Universal's Air Mail Mystery which screened at the theatre in 1933.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Airmail_Mystery
Just starting out his spectacular rise in the industry that would eventually lead him into the Vice President's office at Universal's Hollywood headquarters, East Melbourne's Alfred "Al" Daff was the company's Victorian manager in the '30s and he was full of praise for the promotional campaign that Herman Phillips and Palais manager Garnet Curwin came up with to publicize the aformentioned production. Other famous Universal serials included Flash Gordon, the Green Hornet, Gang Busters and Ace Drummond. Working closely with Alf Daff and the comp[any's national chief Herc McIntyre, the Phillips enjoyed a close relationship with Universal which sometimes hired the Palais for trade screenings...
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/146595986?searchTerm=Herman%20Phillips%20Capitol%20Theatre&searchLimits=l-state=Victoria|||l-title=713#
As with Hermand and Leon, Harold quickly became a popular identity with in the local screen industry ....
(Top Left to right) Sydney media reception. Review of Hope's Palais show. Poster for the Bob Hope Bing Crosby movie Road to Bali (1952)
being the location from which the central characters had started their trip along the road to bali
The architect Henry White stated that he adopted no particular style in the design of the Palais Pictures bu
In popular culture[edit]
- The movie Stork, featuring Jacki Weaver and Bruce Spence, premiered at the theatre in 1971
- The theatre is featured in the 1976 Australian film Oz (a take on The Wonderful Wizard of Oz)
- Michael Nesmith of the Monkees recorded a solo album at the theatre titled Live at the Palais (released 1978)
- The theatre was utilised as the feature location of the 1985 INXS music video for "Listen Like Thieves"
- The theatre is featured in the 1993 Australian comedy film Hercules Returns, directed by David Parker
- A digitally modified Palais makes a cameo in the 2007 movie Dead Silence as the abandoned and haunted "Theatre at Lost Lake", featuring the top of the building and its towers
- In Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries, the Theatre and Luna Park are used in the background near the end of the second-series episode "Deadweight". (Historically, however, the name would have featured the word Pictures and not Theatre.
ilding, and the interior has been described at times as Spanish, French, Oriental and Italian.[17]
The exterior does features Spanish Baroque detailing on top of the towers, while the interior is broadly neoclassical with tall columns and pilasters and a shallow dome in the auditorium, with elaborate textured plaster surfaces and detailing in the Adam style, and extensive concealed lighting
In the early '30s, they experienced one of their few failures when they attempted to start a second fun fair at Glenelg beach in Adelaide.
Luna Park Glenelg
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| Location | Glenelg, South Australia, Australia |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 34.9792°S 138.511°ECoordinates: 34.9792°S 138.511°E |
| Slogan | Just For Fun[1] |
| Opened | 8 October 1930 |
| Closed | 1935 |
| Attractions | |
| Roller coasters | Big Dipper |
Luna Park Glenelg was an amusement park that operated at Glenelg, South Australia from 1930 until 1935. Plans for an amusement park at the seaside town were first raised in 1928, but not acted upon. In 1929, a lease to build a scenic railway at Colley Reserve was granted by the Glenelg Town Council. This lease was expanded in 1930 to include other rides and attractions (similar to Luna Park Melbourne), and Luna Park Glenelg opened on 8 October 1930.[2]
During the park's operation, there was tension between the park's owners and the council, with the owners complaining that they were not making enough to be profitable, and the council refusing to reduce rent or allow increased operating hours. Residents of the town also felt the amusement park was attracting undesirables. The owners began seeking alternate locations, placed the park into voluntary liquidation in late 1934, then purchased the company's assets at auction on 8 April 1935. The rides and amusements were relocated to Sydney, with Luna Park Sydney opened in October 1935.
History[edit]
In March 1928, F.S. Gordon presented a proposal to establish an amusement park to the Glenelg Town Council.[3][4] To be built near Wrigley Reserve, the amusement park was to be based on similar parks in Marseilles and White City, London, and would include a scenic railway, a water chute, and other attractions.[3][4] Gordon's proposal did not progress any further, although reclaimed land was set aside at Colley Reserve for such a venture.[4] A lease to build a scenic railway (The Big Dipper) was granted to David Atkins in October 1929.[4] The lease was expanded in February 1930 to allow for the construction of other attractions, including a Ferris wheel, Noah's Ark, River Caves, and Goofy House.[5] Atkins and Herman Phillips founded Luna Park Glenelg Ltd, and built an park based on Luna Park Melbourne.[6]
Luna Park Glenelg was opened on 8 October 1930. The park grounds were open to the surrounding area, with admission instead charged to the individual rides and attractions.[1]
On New Year's Eve 1932, a woman who was improperly seated and not holding on fell from the Big Dipper, and died in hospital the next day.[7] Although allegations of intoxication or mechanical failure were made, the inquest concluded that the woman had committed suicide.[7]
During the park's operation, there were disputes between park management and the council. Atkins asked the council on several occasions for a reduction in rent in response to a sharp fall in crowds, which were refused.[8] Requests to open some of the rides on Sundays were also unanimously rejected.[1][9] Local residents also claimed that the park was a magnet for undesirable types.[1] Fearing a further deterioration in relationships with the council, Atkins began scouting for alternate locations.[1] In 1934, a site was found at Milsons Point, Sydney: the former construction site for the Sydney Harbour Bridge, on the shore of Lavender Bay.[10] The operating company was put into voluntary liquidation in late 1934, under the claim that the park was not profitable.[1]
On 8 April 1935, the parks assets were put up for auction, all of which were purchased by Atkins and Phillips.[1] The rides were dismantled and shipped to Sydney.[1] The rides and equipment were assembled at the Lavender Bay site, with Luna Park Milsons Point opened on 4 October 1935.[11] The amusement park, now known as Luna Park Sydney, remains in this location as of 2021.
Citations[edit]
- ^ a b c d e f g h Marshall, Luna Park: Just for Fun, p. 49
- ^ "Luna Park Opens Today". The Register News-Pictorial (Adelaide, SA : 1929 – 1931). Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia. 8 October 1930. p. 4. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
- ^ a b "GLENELG LUNA PARK SCHEME". The Advertiser. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 21 March 1928. p. 13. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
- ^ a b c d Marshall, Luna Park: Just for Fun, p. 45
- ^ Marshall, Luna Park: Just for Fun, pp. 44–46
- ^ Marshall, Luna Park: Just for Fun, p. 46
- ^ a b ""BIG DIPPER" FATALITY". The Barrier Miner. Broken Hill, NSW: National Library of Australia. 11 January 1932. p. 3. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
- ^ "LUNA PARK AND GLENELG COUNCIL". The Advertiser. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 28 April 1932. p. 5. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
When construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge was completed in 1932, the area at Milson's Point which had been used for workshops, railway sidings and the storage of cranes became available. The North Sydney Council called for tenders and in March, 1935 Phillips got the nod. The ink had barely dried on the contract when the Adelaide park was swiftly placed into voluntary liquidation. Its rides were dismantled, loaded onto a ship and taken to Milson's Point. After three months of reassembly, Sydney's Luna Park was opened to the delight of local children.Proving to be an instant hit and a most profitable enterprise for the Phillips, it continues to this day just like it Melbourne counterpart. As an extra bonus for Sydney patrons, a "Floating Ballroom" was moored on the harbor beside the park.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ht8WDs8H7wM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzvbDL-ilZQ
The Final Years & Legacy
The Whitney Brothers, George and Leo, brought their own machines to Luna Park In 1912; which incidentally has just celebrated its centenary having opened 12th December 1912.
Sam Marshall*2 mentions:
...the 'Electric Studio' where patrons could be photographed by Messrs Whitney Bros in a number of different scenes such as sitting in a car in front of the Luna Park gates. The Whitney Bros were the originators of the first practical 'while-you-wait' photographic system in the world. They are also credited with the first use of cartoon cutouts through which people stuck their heads for character photos....
Whitney Bros 118 Bourke Street Melbourne
And:
...Change had to be given to players of the 150 American slot machines which accepted only United States currency.... i.e. the above 1 cent token.
The Melbourne Luna Park closed in 1916 as the Australian government closed all forms of amusements and shows, theatre and entertainment during WW1. The Whitney Bros. moved on and opened the quick-finish photo studio at 118 Bourke Street, Melbourne. Leo operated the photo studio while George concentrated on an arcade and shooting gallery.
In 1923 the Whitney Brothers returned to San Francisco where they set up shooting galleries at an amusement park named Playland. Two further 21mm., brass, tokens were issued there:
WHITNEY BROS. SAN FRANCISCO around PLAYLAND ℞. Five Points or 5c In Trade; with another variety the same but in copper.
WHITNEY BROS. PLAYLAND, S. F around SKEE BALL ℞. Five Points or 5c In Trade.
Whitneys Playland at the Beach San Francisco
Whitneys Playland at the Beach San Francisco
The Argus Wednesday 8 November 1916
A complaint has been made to the police by Eric George Cook, manager of Whitney Bros. shooting gallery, in Bourke Street, that while the premises were closed during the week-end thieves broke in and took away five saloon rifles and about 1,000 cartridges, of a total value of £14/10/. Constable Williams, of Russell street, made inquiries, and learned from the licensee of an hotel near Whitney's premises that on Sunday afternoon she saw two boys putting a parcel under some timber at the rear of the hotel, while a man stood a short distance off in the right-of-way minding two bicycles. Later on she saw the smaller of the two boys climbing over the fence out of Whitney's premises. A subsequent search revealed three packages of cartridges. A description has been secured of the three seen in the lane.
Refs.
*The Whitney Bros 1c & Melbourne's Luna Park by George Shea. QNS Magazine Oct. 2013.
A Little About Luna Park and its Tokens by George Shea. QNS Magazine Apr. 2010.
Video Arcade, Pinball, Slot Machine and other Amusement Tokens of North America, Alpert & Smith. 1984
*2Luna Park: Just for Fun. Sam Marshall. 2005 Second Edition.
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| Harold Phillips (left) and Leon Phillips with god children William and Helen Kemter (Brighton, Victoria, 1950s) (Photo courtesy of Helen) |
Bruce : Peter, thanks for making yourself available to share your memories of Harold and Leon Phillips
Peter : My pleasure.
Bruce : Are you from St.Kilda originally?
Peter : Yes, indeed. I grew up in Longmore Street back in the 1940s and ‘50s. In fact, I lived down there until the early ‘60s.
Bruce : So all of those iconic foreshore venues such as Luna Park, the Palais and the Palais de Danse provided a backdrop to your daily life?
Peter : They did,. But, of course, they were much more than just a backdrop, particularly on Saturdays when I made a “b-line” for the Palais Theatre, or the Palais “Pictures” as it was originally called. That place was the centre of both my social life and my fantasy world... as it was for many people.
Bruce : The Palais was your “big deal”?
Peter : Absolutely, mainly because I was mad about the movies and it was a real picture palace in the grand American style. It was unusual to have a theatre like that in the suburbs. We were lucky to have something so impressive close to home. But all those other places you mentioned were great too. Luna Park was magic in the old days.
Bruce : What about the Palais de Danse?
Peter : That was a bit racy, strictly for the fast set or the “dancing crowd” as the flappers and their beaus were called back in the 1920s when it was at its peak.
Bruce : In her autobiography, the late Helen Reddy, who came from Camberwell, said that she always envied her cousins who lived in St.Kilda. She described it as being the most exciting and cosmopolitan suburb in Melbourne, at a time when both those qualities were a bit thin on the ground in this city. Would you agree with those thoughts?
Luna Park around 1950 with her parents Max and Stella
(Facebook)
Peter : Yes, I would. There was, definitely, an international, or, perhaps, more specifically, a fairly Americanized ambience about the area, certainly around that part of St.Kilda near the amusement precinct... with the Canary Island palm trees, Spanish Mission architecture etc.. I think that might have been deliberate or maybe it was simply due to the influence of important local Americans such as the Phillips brothers. Perhaps, they were trying to recreate memories of the States. It looked like Santa Monica as we used to see it in all those Hollywood movies
Bruce : At the Palais of course?
Peter : Of course.
Bruce : Sounds like you’ve given all this a lot of thought over the years?
Peter : I have actually. I’ve got some very vivid and happy memories of those early times that I spent in St.Kilda
Bruce : Like to paint a couple of word pictures?
Peter : Well, for example, I can remember when I was very young walking around to the Palais from Longmore Street with my parents on balmy summer nights, riding on my dad’s shoulders, past the Catani Gardens and the pier. I can still feel the gentle breezes blowing and rustling through the wispy branches of the palm trees, the splashing and laughter of the swimmers in the twilight air and the myriad coloured lights from the forsehore attractions streaking the roads and the beach...
Bruce : And the Palais rose up behind all this..
Peter : Yes....it was so massive and imposing, it was a real landmark at the top of the bay. Still is....it's quite awesome.
Bruce : When and how did you come to know Harold and Leon Phillips?
Peter : I probably met them around 1954 or ’55 and, in fact, I got to know them quite well to the point where they used to take me to lunch every Saturday at a terrific Chinese restaurant in the Village Belle. It all came about through my friendship with Albert Wright who was the projectionist at the Palais. As a teenager, my ambition was to work in the bio box down there. Anyway, I was just a local kid with stars in my eyes but Albert befriended me, particularly when he realized that I was serious about a career in the business. So,I started to spend almost every waking hour at the theatre and I also got to know Garnett Curwen who was the manager and then I eventually met Harold and Leon as well. All of them encouraged my interest in the entertainment industry
Peter : Not really, I stayed on at school and, unfortunately, by the time I was ready to start work, Harold and Leon had both died and the Palais had been sold. But what they did do was allow me to have some involvement and a whole lot of fun at the place as a stepping stone. I mean, they were big time operators and the Palais was a real hot spot of showbusiness, particularly from the ‘50s onwards when all those huge American stars like Bob Hope appeared there.
Bruce : What was the involvement you had?
Peter : I established a couple of informal groups, or “activities” I suppose you would call them, which were based at the theatre. One was called the Palais Junior Film Club and the other was a comic swap shop which was set up in the foyer. Harold Vike, who, as I recall, was the scenic artist there at that point, built a brilliant Dickensian type of shop... like a sort of theatre set where the local kids used to exchange their comics.
Bruce : Did you get to work on stage and front an audience there?
Peter : Yes, I did. That was where the film club came in. I used to host little stage presentations. I’d introduce the films, run competitions. Then I got my big break when I started to mime Top 40 records. That was a peculiar fad in the ‘50s which, of course, became highly popular on television when Channel 7 launched the Hit Parade. Miming was all the rage for a while.
Bruce: It is, perhaps, worth mentioning at this point that you were, in fact, a pretty good singer in your own right. Indeed, there's a video getting around of you performing quite a complex musical production number with considerable panache on Graham Kennedy's "In Melbourne Tonight"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOiUuCWJa18&t=3s
Peter: Well you had to be able to do just about everything in those days if you worked on the big night time variety shows. We did comedy sketches, presented live commercials, did a bit of singing and dancing, occasionally do interviews... sometimes I would even step in and host the show when Graham had a night off for whatever reason.It was a great training ground for all of us.
Bruce : Presumably you didn't get to meet Herman Phillips, the eldest of the Phillips brothers
Peter : No, Herman had died long before I came on the scene
Bruce : What were Harold and Leon like as men and as managers. What was their personal style?
Peter : Well, as you can appreciate, I was just a teenager at the time and I didn't have any significant dealings with them as either a full time employee or as a business acquaintance. As I say, I was just a kid. No doubt, they were very hard-nosed business men to have been as successful as they were. However, as far as I was concerned, they were thoroughly nice blokes and very generous, as evidenced by the fact that they took all of us to lunch once a week !!.. In regard to their personal style, I do remember that they always wore great suits...... even on the weekends when we went to lunch. I suppose, they bought a lot of their clothes back from the States. But, in some ways they didn’t fit the standard image of glamorous showbiz moguls. They weren’t particularly flamboyant in themselves. Actually they were quite reserved and conservative.
Bruce : You mentioned to me once that they drove Cadillacs.. indeed... they must have been driving them for years because I found a news item in one of the old movie magzines from the 1930s about them buying such a car.....
A 1955 Cadillac Fleetwod similar to the one
that was owned by the Phillips (BC)
Bruce : So did they remain emphatically American, despite all the years that they had been in Australia?
Peter : Oh yes, they were great believers in the value of good old American know-how. They always looked, sounded and, indeed, thought, like Americans. In fact, I think they always remained American citizens.
Bruce : Did they ever tell you much about their early years in the States ?
Peter : Not really....as I remember, their parents were quite well-to-do. I think they owned a chain of grocery stores or supermarkets... some sort of retailing venture.
Bruce : Where did Harold and Leon live when you knew them?
Peter : They both lived in South Yarra
Bruce : Did one of them seem to be the overall boss?
Peter : No, from what I saw of them, they seemed to be very much an equal partnership. They had managers who did most of the day to day hiring and firing for them. But, as, I said, before, no doubt, they could be very insistent and tough-minded in the boardroom when they needed to be.
Bruce : I have heard that they were the local distributors for Paramount movies. Do you know anything about that?
Peter : No, haven’t heard that one but it’s quite possible. They had a lot of interests. As I understand, Paramount Pictures leased the Capitol for several years so there may have been some sort of wider tie-up between them
Bruce : Did Harold and Leon show any preference for one, particular area of the business?
Peter : I don’t think so. Although, Luna Park was probably their sentimental favourite because that’s where it all started as far as their involvement with St.Kilda was concerned.
Bruce : Bearing in mind that they were such big operators they seemed to keep incredibly low public profiles, certainly in comparison to other, earlier, showmen such as J.C. Williamson and Frank Thring senior. Photos of the Phillips, for example, are hard to find. Do you have any by the way?
Peter : No, sadly, I don’t have any photos. They weren’t very interested in personal publicity. But there would have to be photos around somewhere because they were important businessmen in St.Kilda and key figures in the Australian cinema industry.
Bruce : What did they do in their spare time? Were they members of any clubs, play sport etc.
Peter : I don’t know. Again, I was just a teenager, not an adult contemporary of theirs. You should try to track down Garnett Curwen’s family. He was their main manager.
Peter : Yes, I attended both of their funerals. When they died some very business-like woman flew over from America. I think she may have been their sister or perhaps a niece. Anyway, the story goes that she got off the plane at Essendon, was driven down to St.Kilda, walked through all three venues in about ten minutes, probably went to the Capitol.... if they were still involved in that place...... then she went back to the airport. All of their interests were sold immediately. Maurice Sloman, who was a friend of Harold and Leon, and some others bought everything.
Bruce : How would you sum up your memories of the Phillips brothers and those early years that you spent with them ?
Peter : They were extremely happy days indeed. The Phillips did everything on a grand scale and with great style. They made a huge contribution to the local entertainment scene and they deserve more recognition.
Bruce : Let’s hope that they get it. Thanks again Peter.
Peter : Thanks Bruce.
-------------------------- The End -----------------------
Phillips Draft 5
Capitol Theatre, Melbourne (Flickr) Palais Theatre, Melbourne (Flickr)
Full length original work
Starting in Sydney, their commercial activities eventually extended nationwide. However, they quickly shifted their operational base to Melbourne and specifically to the bayside suburb of St.Kilda where they owned Luna Park, the Palais Pictures (now the Palais Theatre) and the Palais de Danse ballroom. They also played a key role in the development of the Capitol Theatre and office building in Swanston Street. Later, they built other fun fairs in Adelaide and Sydney. As music promoters they imported a number of popular jazz and big band artists from the United States to perform at their venues.
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Spokane Press, January, 1906 |
| Vancouver Daily World, November 12, 1907 |
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J.D.Williams (left) (Wikipedia), Herman F.Phillips (center) (Megan Duvall photo) Leon Phillips (right) (Table Talk, February 14, 1929) |
"The autumn of 1907 found him (Williams) at the northern limit of his migrations in Vancouver, British Columbia. There he had a nickelodeon type theater . . . . Some sea-faring patron of his show left an Australian newspaper in his seat and Williams became curious about this far away land, where the natives threw boomerangs, leaves grew upside down on the trees and everything improbable was true. He idled through the discarded paper.
An advertisement for a picture show caught his eye. Reading the notice, Williams calculated that the theater business in Australia might be much more profitable than in North America, where people usually paid a mere five or ten cents for admission. He was stunned at the discovery that the admission was two shillings and sixpence, the equivalent of seventy-five cents in New York . . . . He had the usual accumulation of old films and junk pictures on hand, a heritage of the days when every picture show bought its films outright. He went to Australia with his [collection of movies], which were new there, and he prospered"
But, a slightly different version of Williams' story was outlined in a July 1st, 1911 profile of the showman that was published in the Sydney based literary magazine Lone Hand in which it was suggested that he was working with a film distributor somewhere around the West Coast of the U.S or Canada when he had dealings with two visiting Australian cinema owners and it was their stories about the growing demand for the "flickers" down under that piqued his interest.....
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Tommy Burns (left) about to be clobbered into defeat by Jack Johnson at Sydney (Boxing News Online). The Los Angeles Times December 26, 1908 |
There was, in fact, nothing unusual about American showmen coming to Australia. Indeed, despite the country's extreme isolation and small population, it had long since been on the radar of visiting stage performers and showbusiness entrepreneurs as being a potentially lucrative market. Articles about American stage stars touring Australia and Australian performers visiting the US appeared quite regularly in Stateside newspapers.
At the turn of the last century (1900) it was a wealthy nation where workers enjoyed comparatively high wages and had more leisure time than their American and English counterparts. The entertainment industry was booming with many fine theaters and other amusement - related venues having been built from coast to coast and there was a constant demand for new attractions. Two Americans, in particular, had already played key roles in the show business scene over here.
Australia's most successful theatrical production company bore the name of its founder - actor J.C (James Cassius) Williamson, originally from Mercer Pennsylvania. And Carl Hertz, a magician from San Francisco, became the first person to screen a projected motion picture image in Australia on August 17,1896 at the Opera House in Melbourne according to the eMelbourne website (managed by the Department of History at the University of Melbourne). Both activities had proven to be highly profitable for Hertz and Williamson.
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| Legendary Hollywood screen comedian W.C.Fields toured Australia in 1903 and again in 1914 as an eccentric juggler and "humorist" for theatre owner and entertainer Harry Rickards appearing at the Melbourne Opera House, Sydney Tivoli Theatre and elsewhere (Left to right) Fields in Hollywood (amazon) Publicity pic from a Tivoli programme and in character makeup for one of his Australian shows (Melbourne Punch 25 June, 1903) (Click on collage to supersize) |
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...the same approximate location today. Seems that the Crystal Palace was on the left (?) side of the street (as indicated) |
 |
 |
The Sun, Sydney, October 13, 1912 |
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Apparently the J.D. Williams Amusement Company had a regular section in the Sun newspaper, Sydney. This edition from October 13, 1912. (Click on image to supersize) |
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| The Melba (left) and the adjoining Britannia (Collections: Arts Centre Melbourne) |
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| The Britannia Theatre (Cinema Treasures) and architect Nahum Barnet (NLA) |
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Vancouver Daily World, August 24, 1911 |
Vancouver Daily World, June 15, 1907
%20edit.jpg) |
| LaMarcus Adna Thompson (Wikipedia) and original advertising for his 1908 Scenic Railway at Santa Cruz beach in California |
Eslick's "La Monica Ballroom" on Santa Monica pier (Flickr)
The Herald, December 12, 1912
The Sun, Sunday, March 13, 1932
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Luna Park today (Luna Park photo)(left) (Melbourne Point)(right) |
9.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QG-Z6876aAI&t=18s
10.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvXRXJ6WM6U&t=19s
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| Interior of the new Palais de Danse (Flickr) |
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Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahony Griffin (Google) |
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| The Capitol Theatre's "Ceiling of Lights" created by Herman Phillips and Marion Mahony Griffin (Flickr) |
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| Capitol Theatre and office building (left) Foyer and Lounge (Simon Brand) |
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| Auditorium (left) Original souvenir programme for the premiere of Charlie Chaplin's movie The Gold Rush (1925) |
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| Capitol Theatre (1950s) (Left) (Neos Kosmos) Capitol today (Wikipedia) |
The new Palais Pictures : 1927
Like the Phillips, William Alfred Gibson had been in the movie business since the beginning. A former chemist, he produced two of the most famous films in the history of Australian cinema the first being The Story of the Kelly Gang (1906) which told the tale of the notorious bushranger, Ned Kelly and his band of followers. Believed to be the first full length feature to be made in Australia and possibly the world, the production went on to become a huge box office hit, making Gibson a wealthy man in the process. Unfortunately, his second effort, the filming of Marcus Clarke's epic novel about early convict life titled For the Term of His Natural Life (1927) was less successful. However, Gibson's main preference was for the exhibition side of the industry and he chose to concentrate on his role as joint managing director of Union Theatres (later known as Greater Union). Interestingly, the American connection to our local (and specifically St.Kilda) entertainment scene continued with The Story of Kelly Gang . Despite being the most famous of Australian folklore figures, the part of Ned Kelly was, in fact, played by Frank Mills, a visiting American actor who was working around Melbourne theatre. Gibson also decided to use an American cast and director, Norman Dawn, to make For the Term of His Natural Life.
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| W.A.Gibson's St.Kilda Bioscope Theatre at 145 Fitzroy Street: the suburb's first purpose-built cinema (Greg Lynch photo) St. Kilda Bioscope Theatre in Melbourne, AU - Cinema Treasures |
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| ...and the same location today. Now the Banff Cafe The Banff St Kilda – Pizza & Pasta :: Breakfast :: Open 7 Days (banffcafe.com.au) |
Constantly on the look out for newsworthy promotional opportunities, the Phillips became master publicists and visiting American stars sometimes made personal appearances at either the Capitol or the Palais theatres. Hollywood actress Louise Lovely was one such famous name who lit up the stage of St.Kilda's Palais on several occasions.
Born Nellie Louise Carbasse into a Sydney showbusiness family in 1895, Louise had started out as a juvenille lead in various stage productions before eventually going on to appear in a number of early Australian films. In 1914 she decided to have a crack at Hollywood and she soon caught the eye of Carl Laemmle, head of Universal Pictures, who signed her to a contract and changed her name to Louise Lovely.
Although, now, largely forgotten, Lovely was one of the first Australian screen actors to make a significant impact in the U.S market where she was featured in dozens of films. As such, she remains an important historical figure whose achievements within the industry extended well beyond acting and are certainly worth briefly reviewing at this point of our story about the Phillips brothers and the people with whom they were associated. Other Australians such as the celebrated swimming star Annette Kellerman had already worked in American movies but, unlike Lovely, Kellerman was primarily an athlete rather than a professional actor.
First appearing opposite Lon Chaney in a series of films which included The Gilded Spider, Lovely received generally encouraging reviews. Parting company with Universal in 1918 over a contract dispute, she joined Fox where she was featured in several Westerns with William Farnum. By the early ' 20s, however, her Stateside career had run its course and she returned to Australia. However, her stint in Hollywood had done much to enhance her celebrity status.
Louise and husband Wilton Welch had a keen interest in the production side of film-making. They formed a company, Louise Lovely Productions, and hoped to make major features down under. One of their earliest projects, however, was a successful documentary titled A Day at the Studio which became the basis for a travelling stage show that they toured around the U.S. and Australia. The much-publicized and extremely popular presentation involved audience members volunteering to take part in on stage “'screen tests" that were filmed and then shown the following week. It also included demonstrations of movie equipment and acting techniques.
The Herald, October 20, 1924
When the '"Hollywood Studio" caravan rolled into the Palais it caused near-hysteria as the flaming youth of the village came racing out of their California bungalows and Spanish mission flats, determined to dazzle the producers of the show with their knock-out looks and sparkling personalities … or, at least, that was the dream.
As illustrated in the above photo, Lou's "audition" bit was a hit with tots or, at least with their decidedly star struck parents. After being thoroughly primped and preened like prize-wining pussies in a cat show, potential movie moppets and general brats were bundled into Buicks all over Brighton as their stage mums and dads made a B-line for the Lower Esplanade. Urchins were plucked from pedal cars in Prahran and... suddlent the urchins playing with mus in the backyard at Bentleigh had the words "meal ticket" written all over them . and potential movie moppets were suddenly being dragged off swings and pulled out of pedal cars from South Melbourne to Sandringham in order to do their thing for Mizz Lovely's hand-cranked cine cameras. After hours of being rigorously primped and preened, brats were bundled into Buicks all over Brighton as eager stage mums and dads set a course for the Lower Esplanade. Louise's American films had often screened at the Palais so it would have been quite a thrill just to just to clap eyes on the genuine Hollywood heart in person.
As planned, Jewelled Nights (1925) was indeed produced. Shot on location in Melbourne and Tasmania, about twenty of those who had successfully passed Louise's auditions did take part in the movie.
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| Palais Theatre interior (Flickr) |
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| Palais staging equipment (left) Main stage and proscenium (centre) Lighting / projection room (right) |
Each chapter was screened at a movie theater for one week, and ended with a cliffhanger, in which characters found themselves in perilous situations with little apparent chance of escape. Viewers had to return each week to see the cliffhangers resolved and to follow the continuing story".
Westerns, science fiction, horror were all featured.....
One of the earliest serials to be shown at the new Palais Pictures was Universal's Air Mail Mystery which screened at the theatre in 1933.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Airmail_Mystery
Just starting out his spectacular rise in the industry that would eventually lead him into the Vice President's office at Universal's Hollywood headquarters, East Melbourne's Alfred "Al" Daff was the company's Victorian manager in the '30s and he was full of praise for the promotional campaign that Herman Phillips and Palais manager Garnet Curwin came up with to publicize the aformentioned production. Other famous Universal serials included Flash Gordon, the Green Hornet, Gang Busters and Ace Drummond. Working closely with Alf Daff and the comp[any's national chief Herc McIntyre, the Phillips enjoyed a close relationship with Universal which sometimes hired the Palais for trade screenings...
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/146595986?searchTerm=Herman%20Phillips%20Capitol%20Theatre&searchLimits=l-state=Victoria|||l-title=713#
As with Hermand and Leon, Harold quickly became a popular identity with in the local screen industry ....
(Top Left to right) Sydney media reception. Review of Hope's Palais show. Poster for the Bob Hope Bing Crosby movie Road to Bali (1952)
being the location from which the central characters had started their trip along the road to bali
The architect Henry White stated that he adopted no particular style in the design of the Palais Pictures bu
In popular culture[edit]
- The movie Stork, featuring Jacki Weaver and Bruce Spence, premiered at the theatre in 1971
- The theatre is featured in the 1976 Australian film Oz (a take on The Wonderful Wizard of Oz)
- Michael Nesmith of the Monkees recorded a solo album at the theatre titled Live at the Palais (released 1978)
- The theatre was utilised as the feature location of the 1985 INXS music video for "Listen Like Thieves"
- The theatre is featured in the 1993 Australian comedy film Hercules Returns, directed by David Parker
- A digitally modified Palais makes a cameo in the 2007 movie Dead Silence as the abandoned and haunted "Theatre at Lost Lake", featuring the top of the building and its towers
- In Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries, the Theatre and Luna Park are used in the background near the end of the second-series episode "Deadweight". (Historically, however, the name would have featured the word Pictures and not Theatre.
ilding, and the interior has been described at times as Spanish, French, Oriental and Italian.[17]
The exterior does features Spanish Baroque detailing on top of the towers, while the interior is broadly neoclassical with tall columns and pilasters and a shallow dome in the auditorium, with elaborate textured plaster surfaces and detailing in the Adam style, and extensive concealed lighting
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| Harry.C.Cornforth Trove |
In the early '30s, they experienced one of their few failures when they attempted to start a second fun fair at Glenelg beach in Adelaide.
Luna Park Glenelg
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| Location | Glenelg, South Australia, Australia |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 34.9792°S 138.511°ECoordinates: 34.9792°S 138.511°E |
| Slogan | Just For Fun[1] |
| Opened | 8 October 1930 |
| Closed | 1935 |
| Attractions | |
| Roller coasters | Big Dipper |
Luna Park Glenelg was an amusement park that operated at Glenelg, South Australia from 1930 until 1935. Plans for an amusement park at the seaside town were first raised in 1928, but not acted upon. In 1929, a lease to build a scenic railway at Colley Reserve was granted by the Glenelg Town Council. This lease was expanded in 1930 to include other rides and attractions (similar to Luna Park Melbourne), and Luna Park Glenelg opened on 8 October 1930.[2]
During the park's operation, there was tension between the park's owners and the council, with the owners complaining that they were not making enough to be profitable, and the council refusing to reduce rent or allow increased operating hours. Residents of the town also felt the amusement park was attracting undesirables. The owners began seeking alternate locations, placed the park into voluntary liquidation in late 1934, then purchased the company's assets at auction on 8 April 1935. The rides and amusements were relocated to Sydney, with Luna Park Sydney opened in October 1935.
History[edit]
In March 1928, F.S. Gordon presented a proposal to establish an amusement park to the Glenelg Town Council.[3][4] To be built near Wrigley Reserve, the amusement park was to be based on similar parks in Marseilles and White City, London, and would include a scenic railway, a water chute, and other attractions.[3][4] Gordon's proposal did not progress any further, although reclaimed land was set aside at Colley Reserve for such a venture.[4] A lease to build a scenic railway (The Big Dipper) was granted to David Atkins in October 1929.[4] The lease was expanded in February 1930 to allow for the construction of other attractions, including a Ferris wheel, Noah's Ark, River Caves, and Goofy House.[5] Atkins and Herman Phillips founded Luna Park Glenelg Ltd, and built an park based on Luna Park Melbourne.[6]
Luna Park Glenelg was opened on 8 October 1930. The park grounds were open to the surrounding area, with admission instead charged to the individual rides and attractions.[1]
On New Year's Eve 1932, a woman who was improperly seated and not holding on fell from the Big Dipper, and died in hospital the next day.[7] Although allegations of intoxication or mechanical failure were made, the inquest concluded that the woman had committed suicide.[7]
During the park's operation, there were disputes between park management and the council. Atkins asked the council on several occasions for a reduction in rent in response to a sharp fall in crowds, which were refused.[8] Requests to open some of the rides on Sundays were also unanimously rejected.[1][9] Local residents also claimed that the park was a magnet for undesirable types.[1] Fearing a further deterioration in relationships with the council, Atkins began scouting for alternate locations.[1] In 1934, a site was found at Milsons Point, Sydney: the former construction site for the Sydney Harbour Bridge, on the shore of Lavender Bay.[10] The operating company was put into voluntary liquidation in late 1934, under the claim that the park was not profitable.[1]
On 8 April 1935, the parks assets were put up for auction, all of which were purchased by Atkins and Phillips.[1] The rides were dismantled and shipped to Sydney.[1] The rides and equipment were assembled at the Lavender Bay site, with Luna Park Milsons Point opened on 4 October 1935.[11] The amusement park, now known as Luna Park Sydney, remains in this location as of 2021.
Citations[edit]
- ^ a b c d e f g h Marshall, Luna Park: Just for Fun, p. 49
- ^ "Luna Park Opens Today". The Register News-Pictorial (Adelaide, SA : 1929 – 1931). Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia. 8 October 1930. p. 4. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
- ^ a b "GLENELG LUNA PARK SCHEME". The Advertiser. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 21 March 1928. p. 13. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
- ^ a b c d Marshall, Luna Park: Just for Fun, p. 45
- ^ Marshall, Luna Park: Just for Fun, pp. 44–46
- ^ Marshall, Luna Park: Just for Fun, p. 46
- ^ a b ""BIG DIPPER" FATALITY". The Barrier Miner. Broken Hill, NSW: National Library of Australia. 11 January 1932. p. 3. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
- ^ "LUNA PARK AND GLENELG COUNCIL". The Advertiser. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 28 April 1932. p. 5. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
When construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge was completed in 1932, the area at Milson's Point which had been used for workshops, railway sidings and the storage of cranes became available. The North Sydney Council called for tenders and in March, 1935 Phillips got the nod. The ink had barely dried on the contract when the Adelaide park was swiftly placed into voluntary liquidation. Its rides were dismantled, loaded onto a ship and taken to Milson's Point. After three months of reassembly, Sydney's Luna Park was opened to the delight of local children.Proving to be an instant hit and a most profitable enterprise for the Phillips, it continues to this day just like it Melbourne counterpart. As an extra bonus for Sydney patrons, a "Floating Ballroom" was moored on the harbor beside the park.
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| rUPERT bROWNE'S MASTERPIECE... THE gHOST tRAIN lUNA pARK sYDNEY. The skeleton on the train used to rock from side to side and had flashins eyes |
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ht8WDs8H7wM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzvbDL-ilZQ
The Final Years & Legacy
The Whitney Brothers, George and Leo, brought their own machines to Luna Park In 1912; which incidentally has just celebrated its centenary having opened 12th December 1912.
Sam Marshall*2 mentions:
...the 'Electric Studio' where patrons could be photographed by Messrs Whitney Bros in a number of different scenes such as sitting in a car in front of the Luna Park gates. The Whitney Bros were the originators of the first practical 'while-you-wait' photographic system in the world. They are also credited with the first use of cartoon cutouts through which people stuck their heads for character photos....
Whitney Bros 118 Bourke Street Melbourne
And:
...Change had to be given to players of the 150 American slot machines which accepted only United States currency.... i.e. the above 1 cent token.
The Melbourne Luna Park closed in 1916 as the Australian government closed all forms of amusements and shows, theatre and entertainment during WW1. The Whitney Bros. moved on and opened the quick-finish photo studio at 118 Bourke Street, Melbourne. Leo operated the photo studio while George concentrated on an arcade and shooting gallery.
In 1923 the Whitney Brothers returned to San Francisco where they set up shooting galleries at an amusement park named Playland. Two further 21mm., brass, tokens were issued there:
WHITNEY BROS. SAN FRANCISCO around PLAYLAND ℞. Five Points or 5c In Trade; with another variety the same but in copper.
WHITNEY BROS. PLAYLAND, S. F around SKEE BALL ℞. Five Points or 5c In Trade.
Whitneys Playland at the Beach San Francisco
Whitneys Playland at the Beach San Francisco
The Argus Wednesday 8 November 1916
A complaint has been made to the police by Eric George Cook, manager of Whitney Bros. shooting gallery, in Bourke Street, that while the premises were closed during the week-end thieves broke in and took away five saloon rifles and about 1,000 cartridges, of a total value of £14/10/. Constable Williams, of Russell street, made inquiries, and learned from the licensee of an hotel near Whitney's premises that on Sunday afternoon she saw two boys putting a parcel under some timber at the rear of the hotel, while a man stood a short distance off in the right-of-way minding two bicycles. Later on she saw the smaller of the two boys climbing over the fence out of Whitney's premises. A subsequent search revealed three packages of cartridges. A description has been secured of the three seen in the lane.
Refs.
*The Whitney Bros 1c & Melbourne's Luna Park by George Shea. QNS Magazine Oct. 2013.
A Little About Luna Park and its Tokens by George Shea. QNS Magazine Apr. 2010.
Video Arcade, Pinball, Slot Machine and other Amusement Tokens of North America, Alpert & Smith. 1984
*2Luna Park: Just for Fun. Sam Marshall. 2005 Second Edition.
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| Harold Phillips (left) and Leon Phillips with god children William and Helen Kemter (Brighton, Victoria, 1950s) (Photo courtesy of Helen) |
Bruce : Peter, thanks for making yourself available to share your memories of Harold and Leon Phillips
Peter : My pleasure.
Bruce : Are you from St.Kilda originally?
Peter : Yes, indeed. I grew up in Longmore Street back in the 1940s and ‘50s. In fact, I lived down there until the early ‘60s.
Bruce : So all of those iconic foreshore venues such as Luna Park, the Palais and the Palais de Danse provided a backdrop to your daily life?
Peter : They did,. But, of course, they were much more than just a backdrop, particularly on Saturdays when I made a “b-line” for the Palais Theatre, or the Palais “Pictures” as it was originally called. That place was the centre of both my social life and my fantasy world... as it was for many people.
Bruce : The Palais was your “big deal”?
Peter : Absolutely, mainly because I was mad about the movies and it was a real picture palace in the grand American style. It was unusual to have a theatre like that in the suburbs. We were lucky to have something so impressive close to home. But all those other places you mentioned were great too. Luna Park was magic in the old days.
Bruce : What about the Palais de Danse?
Peter : That was a bit racy, strictly for the fast set or the “dancing crowd” as the flappers and their beaus were called back in the 1920s when it was at its peak.
Bruce : In her autobiography, the late Helen Reddy, who came from Camberwell, said that she always envied her cousins who lived in St.Kilda. She described it as being the most exciting and cosmopolitan suburb in Melbourne, at a time when both those qualities were a bit thin on the ground in this city. Would you agree with those thoughts?
Luna Park around 1950 with her parents Max and Stella
(Facebook)
Peter : Yes, I would. There was, definitely, an international, or, perhaps, more specifically, a fairly Americanized ambience about the area, certainly around that part of St.Kilda near the amusement precinct... with the Canary Island palm trees, Spanish Mission architecture etc.. I think that might have been deliberate or maybe it was simply due to the influence of important local Americans such as the Phillips brothers. Perhaps, they were trying to recreate memories of the States. It looked like Santa Monica as we used to see it in all those Hollywood movies
Bruce : At the Palais of course?
Peter : Of course.
Bruce : Sounds like you’ve given all this a lot of thought over the years?
Peter : I have actually. I’ve got some very vivid and happy memories of those early times that I spent in St.Kilda
Bruce : Like to paint a couple of word pictures?
Peter : Well, for example, I can remember when I was very young walking around to the Palais from Longmore Street with my parents on balmy summer nights, riding on my dad’s shoulders, past the Catani Gardens and the pier. I can still feel the gentle breezes blowing and rustling through the wispy branches of the palm trees, the splashing and laughter of the swimmers in the twilight air and the myriad coloured lights from the forsehore attractions streaking the roads and the beach...
Bruce : And the Palais rose up behind all this..
Peter : Yes....it was so massive and imposing, it was a real landmark at the top of the bay. Still is....it's quite awesome.
Bruce : When and how did you come to know Harold and Leon Phillips?
Peter : I probably met them around 1954 or ’55 and, in fact, I got to know them quite well to the point where they used to take me to lunch every Saturday at a terrific Chinese restaurant in the Village Belle. It all came about through my friendship with Albert Wright who was the projectionist at the Palais. As a teenager, my ambition was to work in the bio box down there. Anyway, I was just a local kid with stars in my eyes but Albert befriended me, particularly when he realized that I was serious about a career in the business. So,I started to spend almost every waking hour at the theatre and I also got to know Garnett Curwen who was the manager and then I eventually met Harold and Leon as well. All of them encouraged my interest in the entertainment industry
Peter : Not really, I stayed on at school and, unfortunately, by the time I was ready to start work, Harold and Leon had both died and the Palais had been sold. But what they did do was allow me to have some involvement and a whole lot of fun at the place as a stepping stone. I mean, they were big time operators and the Palais was a real hot spot of showbusiness, particularly from the ‘50s onwards when all those huge American stars like Bob Hope appeared there.
Bruce : What was the involvement you had?
Peter : I established a couple of informal groups, or “activities” I suppose you would call them, which were based at the theatre. One was called the Palais Junior Film Club and the other was a comic swap shop which was set up in the foyer. Harold Vike, who, as I recall, was the scenic artist there at that point, built a brilliant Dickensian type of shop... like a sort of theatre set where the local kids used to exchange their comics.
Bruce : Did you get to work on stage and front an audience there?
Peter : Yes, I did. That was where the film club came in. I used to host little stage presentations. I’d introduce the films, run competitions. Then I got my big break when I started to mime Top 40 records. That was a peculiar fad in the ‘50s which, of course, became highly popular on television when Channel 7 launched the Hit Parade. Miming was all the rage for a while.
Bruce: It is, perhaps, worth mentioning at this point that you were, in fact, a pretty good singer in your own right. Indeed, there's a video getting around of you performing quite a complex musical production number with considerable panache on Graham Kennedy's "In Melbourne Tonight"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOiUuCWJa18&t=3s
Peter: Well you had to be able to do just about everything in those days if you worked on the big night time variety shows. We did comedy sketches, presented live commercials, did a bit of singing and dancing, occasionally do interviews... sometimes I would even step in and host the show when Graham had a night off for whatever reason.It was a great training ground for all of us.
Bruce : Presumably you didn't get to meet Herman Phillips, the eldest of the Phillips brothers
Peter : No, Herman had died long before I came on the scene
Bruce : What were Harold and Leon like as men and as managers. What was their personal style?
Peter : Well, as you can appreciate, I was just a teenager at the time and I didn't have any significant dealings with them as either a full time employee or as a business acquaintance. As I say, I was just a kid. No doubt, they were very hard-nosed business men to have been as successful as they were. However, as far as I was concerned, they were thoroughly nice blokes and very generous, as evidenced by the fact that they took all of us to lunch once a week !!.. In regard to their personal style, I do remember that they always wore great suits...... even on the weekends when we went to lunch. I suppose, they bought a lot of their clothes back from the States. But, in some ways they didn’t fit the standard image of glamorous showbiz moguls. They weren’t particularly flamboyant in themselves. Actually they were quite reserved and conservative.
Bruce : You mentioned to me once that they drove Cadillacs.. indeed... they must have been driving them for years because I found a news item in one of the old movie magzines from the 1930s about them buying such a car.....
A 1955 Cadillac Fleetwod similar to the one
that was owned by the Phillips (BC)
Bruce : So did they remain emphatically American, despite all the years that they had been in Australia?
Peter : Oh yes, they were great believers in the value of good old American know-how. They always looked, sounded and, indeed, thought, like Americans. In fact, I think they always remained American citizens.
Bruce : Did they ever tell you much about their early years in the States ?
Peter : Not really....as I remember, their parents were quite well-to-do. I think they owned a chain of grocery stores or supermarkets... some sort of retailing venture.
Bruce : Where did Harold and Leon live when you knew them?
Peter : They both lived in South Yarra
Bruce : Did one of them seem to be the overall boss?
Peter : No, from what I saw of them, they seemed to be very much an equal partnership. They had managers who did most of the day to day hiring and firing for them. But, as, I said, before, no doubt, they could be very insistent and tough-minded in the boardroom when they needed to be.
Bruce : I have heard that they were the local distributors for Paramount movies. Do you know anything about that?
Peter : No, haven’t heard that one but it’s quite possible. They had a lot of interests. As I understand, Paramount Pictures leased the Capitol for several years so there may have been some sort of wider tie-up between them
Bruce : Did Harold and Leon show any preference for one, particular area of the business?
Peter : I don’t think so. Although, Luna Park was probably their sentimental favourite because that’s where it all started as far as their involvement with St.Kilda was concerned.
Bruce : Bearing in mind that they were such big operators they seemed to keep incredibly low public profiles, certainly in comparison to other, earlier, showmen such as J.C. Williamson and Frank Thring senior. Photos of the Phillips, for example, are hard to find. Do you have any by the way?
Peter : No, sadly, I don’t have any photos. They weren’t very interested in personal publicity. But there would have to be photos around somewhere because they were important businessmen in St.Kilda and key figures in the Australian cinema industry.
Bruce : What did they do in their spare time? Were they members of any clubs, play sport etc.
Peter : I don’t know. Again, I was just a teenager, not an adult contemporary of theirs. You should try to track down Garnett Curwen’s family. He was their main manager.
Peter : Yes, I attended both of their funerals. When they died some very business-like woman flew over from America. I think she may have been their sister or perhaps a niece. Anyway, the story goes that she got off the plane at Essendon, was driven down to St.Kilda, walked through all three venues in about ten minutes, probably went to the Capitol.... if they were still involved in that place...... then she went back to the airport. All of their interests were sold immediately. Maurice Sloman, who was a friend of Harold and Leon, and some others bought everything.
Bruce : How would you sum up your memories of the Phillips brothers and those early years that you spent with them ?
Peter : They were extremely happy days indeed. The Phillips did everything on a grand scale and with great style. They made a huge contribution to the local entertainment scene and they deserve more recognition.
Bruce : Let’s hope that they get it. Thanks again Peter.
Peter : Thanks Bruce.
-------------------------- The End -----------------------
Harold Herman Leon
Starting in Sydney, their commercial activities eventually extended nationwide. However, they quickly shifted their operational base to Melbourne and specifically to the bayside suburb of St.Kilda where they owned Luna Park, the Palais Pictures (now the Palais Theatre) and the Palais de Danse ballroom. They also played a key role in the development of the Capitol Theatre and office building in Swanston Street. Later, they built other fun fairs in Adelaide and Sydney. As music promoters they imported a number of popular jazz and big band artists from the United States to perform at their venues.
|
Spokane Press, January, 1906 |
| Vancouver Daily World, November 12, 1907 |
|
J.D.Williams (left) (Wikipedia), Herman F.Phillips (center) (Megan Duvall photo) Leon Phillips (right) (Table Talk, February 14, 1929) |
"The autumn of 1907 found him (Williams) at the northern limit of his migrations in Vancouver, British Columbia. There he had a nickelodeon type theater . . . . Some sea-faring patron of his show left an Australian newspaper in his seat and Williams became curious about this far away land, where the natives threw boomerangs, leaves grew upside down on the trees and everything improbable was true. He idled through the discarded paper.
An advertisement for a picture show caught his eye. Reading the notice, Williams calculated that the theater business in Australia might be much more profitable than in North America, where people usually paid a mere five or ten cents for admission. He was stunned at the discovery that the admission was two shillings and sixpence, the equivalent of seventy-five cents in New York . . . . He had the usual accumulation of old films and junk pictures on hand, a heritage of the days when every picture show bought its films outright. He went to Australia with his [collection of movies], which were new there, and he prospered"
But, a slightly different version of Williams' story was outlined in a July 1st, 1911 profile of the showman that was published in the Sydney based literary magazine Lone Hand in which it was suggested that he was working with a film distributor somewhere around the West Coast of the U.S or Canada when he had dealings with two visiting Australian cinema owners and it was their stories about the growing demand for the "flickers" down under that piqued his interest.....
|
Tommy Burns (left) about to be clobbered into defeat by Jack Johnson at Sydney (Boxing News Online). The Los Angeles Times December 26, 1908 |
There was, in fact, nothing unusual about American showmen coming to Australia. Indeed, despite the country's extreme isolation and small population, it had long since been on the radar of visiting stage performers and showbusiness entrepreneurs as being a potentially lucrative market. Articles about American stage stars touring Australia and Australian performers visiting the US appeared quite regularly in Stateside newspapers.
At the turn of the last century (1900) it was a wealthy nation where workers enjoyed comparatively high wages and had more leisure time than their American and English counterparts. The entertainment industry was booming with many fine theaters and other amusement - related venues having been built from coast to coast and there was a constant demand for new attractions. Two Americans, in particular, had already played key roles in the show business scene over here.
Australia's most successful theatrical production company bore the name of its founder - actor J.C (James Cassius) Williamson, originally from Mercer Pennsylvania. And Carl Hertz, a magician from San Francisco, became the first person to screen a projected motion picture image in Australia on August 17,1896 at the Opera House in Melbourne according to the eMelbourne website (managed by the Department of History at the University of Melbourne). Both activities had proven to be highly profitable for Hertz and Williamson.
|
| Legendary Hollywood screen comedian W.C.Fields toured Australia in 1903 and again in 1914 as an eccentric juggler and "humourist" for theatre owner and entertainer Harry Rickards appearing at the Melbourne Opera House, Sydney Tivoli Theatre and elsewhere (Left to right) Fields in Hollywood (amazon) Publicity pic from a Tivoli programme and in character makeup for one of his Australian shows (Melbourne Punch 25 June, 1903) (Click on collage to supersize) |
|
(Left to right) The Colonial Theatre (Cinema Treasures), the Lyric (Wikipedia) and the Crystal Palace (Dictionary of Sydney). J.D.Williams in his Crystal Palace office (Williams company photo) |
|
Melba Theatre (left) Britannia (right) (Cinema Treasures) Lobby of the Britannia (left) and the interior (1912) (Williams company photos) Bourke Street, Melbourne not long after the Britannia was built. The theatre can be seen at right (behind cable tram) one door up from Cole's Book Arcade (Google) |
|
Vancouver Daily World, August 24, 1911 |
Eslick's "La Monica Ballroom" on Santa Monica pier (Flickr)
The Herald, December 12, 1912
The Sun, Sunday, March 13, 1932
|
Luna Park today (Luna Park photo)(left) (Melbourne Point)(right) |
9.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QG-Z6876aAI&t=18s
10.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvXRXJ6WM6U&t=19s
|
| Interior of the new Palais de Danse (Flickr) |
|
Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahony Griffin (Google) |
|
| The Capitol Theatre's "Ceiling of Lights" created by Herman Phillips and Marion Mahony Griffin (Flickr) |
|
| Capitol Theatre and office building (left) Foyer and Lounge (Simon Brand) |
|
| Auditorium (left) Original souvenir programme for the premiere of Charlie Chaplin's movie The Gold Rush (1925) |
|
| Capitol Theatre (1950s) (Left) (Neos Kosmos) Capitol today (Wikipedia) |
The new Palais Pictures : 1927
Like the Phillips, William Alfred Gibson had been in the movie business since the beginning. A former chemist, he produced two of the most famous films in the history of Australian cinema the first being The Story of the Kelly Gang (1906) which told the tale of the notorious bushranger, Ned Kelly and his band of followers. Believed to be the first full length feature to be made in Australia and possibly the world, the production went on to become a huge box office hit, making Gibson a wealthy man in the process. Unfortunately, his second effort, the filming of Marcus Clarke's epic novel about early convict life titled For the Term of His Natural Life (1927) was less successful. However, Gibson's main preference was for the exhibition side of the industry and he chose to concentrate on his role as joint managing director of Union Theatres (later known as Greater Union). Interestingly, the American connection to our local (and specifically St.Kilda) entertainment scene continued with The Story of Kelly Gang . Despite being the most famous of Australian folklore figures, the part of Ned Kelly was, in fact, played by Frank Mills, a visiting American actor who was working around Melbourne theatre. Gibson also decided to use an American cast and director, Norman Dawn, to make For the Term of His Natural Life.
|
| W.A.Gibson's St.Kilda Bioscope Theatre at 145 Fitzroy Street: the suburb's first purpose-built cinema (Greg Lynch photo) St. Kilda Bioscope Theatre in Melbourne, AU - Cinema Treasures |
|
| ...and the same location today. Now the Banff Cafe The Banff St Kilda – Pizza & Pasta :: Breakfast :: Open 7 Days (banffcafe.com.au) |
Constantly on the look out for newsworthy promotional opportunities, the Phillips became master publicists and visiting American stars sometimes made personal appearances at either the Capitol or the Palais theatres. Hollywood actress Louise Lovely was one such famous name who lit up the stage of St.Kilda's Palais on several occasions.
Born Nellie Louise Carbasse into a Sydney showbusiness family in 1895, Louise had started out as a juvenille lead in various stage productions before eventually going on to appear in a number of early Australian films. In 1914 she decided to have a crack at Hollywood and she soon caught the eye of Carl Laemmle, head of Universal Pictures, who signed her to a contract and changed her name to Louise Lovely.
Although, now, largely forgotten, Lovely was one of the first Australian screen actors to make a significant impact in the U.S market where she was featured in dozens of films. As such, she remains an important historical figure whose achievements within the industry extended well beyond acting and are certainly worth briefly reviewing at this point of our story about the Phillips brothers and the people with whom they were associated. Other Australians such as the celebrated swimming star Annette Kellerman had already worked in American movies but, unlike Lovely, Kellerman was primarily an athlete rather than a professional actor.
First appearing opposite Lon Chaney in a series of films which included The Gilded Spider, Lovely received generally encouraging reviews. Parting company with Universal in 1918 over a contract dispute, she joined Fox where she was featured in several Westerns with William Farnum. By the early ' 20s, however, her Stateside career had run its course and she returned to Australia. However, her stint in Hollywood had done much to enhance her celebrity status.
Louise and husband Wilton Welch had a keen interest in the production side of film-making. They formed a company, Louise Lovely Productions, and hoped to make major features down under. One of their earliest projects, however, was a successful documentary titled A Day at the Studio which became the basis for a travelling stage show that they toured around the U.S. and Australia. The much-publicized and extremely popular presentation involved audience members volunteering to take part in on stage “'screen tests" that were filmed and then shown the following week. It also included demonstrations of movie equipment and acting techniques.
The Herald, October 20, 1924
When the '"Hollywood Studio" caravan rolled into the Palais it caused near-hysteria as the flaming youth of the village came racing out of their California bungalows and Spanish mission flats, determined to dazzle the producers of the show with their knock-out looks and sparkling personalities … or, at least, that was the dream.
As illustrated in the above photo, Lou's "audition" bit was a hit with tots or, at least with their decidedly star struck parents. After being thoroughly primped and preened like prize-wining pussies in a cat show, potential movie moppets and general brats were bundled into Buicks all over Brighton as their stage mums and dads made a B-line for the Lower Esplanade. Urchins were plucked from pedal cars in Prahran and... suddlent the urchins playing with mus in the backyard at Bentleigh had the words "meal ticket" written all over them . and potential movie moppets were suddenly being dragged off swings and pulled out of pedal cars from South Melbourne to Sandringham in order to do their thing for Mizz Lovely's hand-cranked cine cameras. After hours of being rigorously primped and preened, brats were bundled into Buicks all over Brighton as eager stage mums and dads set a course for the Lower Esplanade. Louise's American films had often screened at the Palais so it would have been quite a thrill just to just to clap eyes on the genuine Hollywood heart in person.
As planned, Jewelled Nights (1925) was indeed produced. Shot on location in Melbourne and Tasmania, about twenty of those who had successfully passed Louise's auditions did take part in the movie.
|
| Palais Theatre interior (Flickr) |
|
| Palais staging equipment (left) Main stage and proscenium (centre) Lighting / projection room (right) |
Each chapter was screened at a movie theater for one week, and ended with a cliffhanger, in which characters found themselves in perilous situations with little apparent chance of escape. Viewers had to return each week to see the cliffhangers resolved and to follow the continuing story".
Westerns, science fiction, horror were all featured.....
One of the earliest serials to be shown at the new Palais Pictures was Universal's Air Mail Mystery which screened at the theatre in 1933.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Airmail_Mystery
Just starting out his spectacular rise in the industry that would eventually lead him into the Vice President's office at Universal's Hollywood headquarters, East Melbourne's Alfred "Al" Daff was the company's Victorian manager in the '30s and he was full of praise for the promotional campaign that Herman Phillips and Palais manager Garnet Curwin came up with to publicize the aformentioned production. Other famous Universal serials included Flash Gordon, the Green Hornet, Gang Busters and Ace Drummond. Working closely with Alf Daff and the comp[any's national chief Herc McIntyre, the Phillips enjoyed a close relationship with Universal which sometimes hired the Palais for trade screenings...
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/146595986?searchTerm=Herman%20Phillips%20Capitol%20Theatre&searchLimits=l-state=Victoria|||l-title=713#
As with Hermand and Leon, Harold quickly became a popular identity with in the local screen industry ....
(Top Left to right) Sydney media reception. Review of Hope's Palais show. Poster for the Bob Hope Bing Crosby movie Road to Bali (1952)
being the location from which the central characters had started their trip along the road to bali
The architect Henry White stated that he adopted no particular style in the design of the Palais Pictures bu
In popular culture[edit]
- The movie Stork, featuring Jacki Weaver and Bruce Spence, premiered at the theatre in 1971
- The theatre is featured in the 1976 Australian film Oz (a take on The Wonderful Wizard of Oz)
- Michael Nesmith of the Monkees recorded a solo album at the theatre titled Live at the Palais (released 1978)
- The theatre was utilised as the feature location of the 1985 INXS music video for "Listen Like Thieves"
- The theatre is featured in the 1993 Australian comedy film Hercules Returns, directed by David Parker
- A digitally modified Palais makes a cameo in the 2007 movie Dead Silence as the abandoned and haunted "Theatre at Lost Lake", featuring the top of the building and its towers
- In Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries, the Theatre and Luna Park are used in the background near the end of the second-series episode "Deadweight". (Historically, however, the name would have featured the word Pictures and not Theatre.
ilding, and the interior has been described at times as Spanish, French, Oriental and Italian.[17]
The exterior does features Spanish Baroque detailing on top of the towers, while the interior is broadly neoclassical with tall columns and pilasters and a shallow dome in the auditorium, with elaborate textured plaster surfaces and detailing in the Adam style, and extensive concealed lighting
In the early '30s, they experienced one of their few failures when they attempted to start a second fun fair at Glenelg beach in Adelaide.
Luna Park Glenelg
| |
| Location | Glenelg, South Australia, Australia |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 34.9792°S 138.511°ECoordinates: 34.9792°S 138.511°E |
| Slogan | Just For Fun[1] |
| Opened | 8 October 1930 |
| Closed | 1935 |
| Attractions | |
| Roller coasters | Big Dipper |
Luna Park Glenelg was an amusement park that operated at Glenelg, South Australia from 1930 until 1935. Plans for an amusement park at the seaside town were first raised in 1928, but not acted upon. In 1929, a lease to build a scenic railway at Colley Reserve was granted by the Glenelg Town Council. This lease was expanded in 1930 to include other rides and attractions (similar to Luna Park Melbourne), and Luna Park Glenelg opened on 8 October 1930.[2]
During the park's operation, there was tension between the park's owners and the council, with the owners complaining that they were not making enough to be profitable, and the council refusing to reduce rent or allow increased operating hours. Residents of the town also felt the amusement park was attracting undesirables. The owners began seeking alternate locations, placed the park into voluntary liquidation in late 1934, then purchased the company's assets at auction on 8 April 1935. The rides and amusements were relocated to Sydney, with Luna Park Sydney opened in October 1935.
History[edit]
In March 1928, F.S. Gordon presented a proposal to establish an amusement park to the Glenelg Town Council.[3][4] To be built near Wrigley Reserve, the amusement park was to be based on similar parks in Marseilles and White City, London, and would include a scenic railway, a water chute, and other attractions.[3][4] Gordon's proposal did not progress any further, although reclaimed land was set aside at Colley Reserve for such a venture.[4] A lease to build a scenic railway (The Big Dipper) was granted to David Atkins in October 1929.[4] The lease was expanded in February 1930 to allow for the construction of other attractions, including a Ferris wheel, Noah's Ark, River Caves, and Goofy House.[5] Atkins and Herman Phillips founded Luna Park Glenelg Ltd, and built an park based on Luna Park Melbourne.[6]
Luna Park Glenelg was opened on 8 October 1930. The park grounds were open to the surrounding area, with admission instead charged to the individual rides and attractions.[1]
On New Year's Eve 1932, a woman who was improperly seated and not holding on fell from the Big Dipper, and died in hospital the next day.[7] Although allegations of intoxication or mechanical failure were made, the inquest concluded that the woman had committed suicide.[7]
During the park's operation, there were disputes between park management and the council. Atkins asked the council on several occasions for a reduction in rent in response to a sharp fall in crowds, which were refused.[8] Requests to open some of the rides on Sundays were also unanimously rejected.[1][9] Local residents also claimed that the park was a magnet for undesirable types.[1] Fearing a further deterioration in relationships with the council, Atkins began scouting for alternate locations.[1] In 1934, a site was found at Milsons Point, Sydney: the former construction site for the Sydney Harbour Bridge, on the shore of Lavender Bay.[10] The operating company was put into voluntary liquidation in late 1934, under the claim that the park was not profitable.[1]
On 8 April 1935, the parks assets were put up for auction, all of which were purchased by Atkins and Phillips.[1] The rides were dismantled and shipped to Sydney.[1] The rides and equipment were assembled at the Lavender Bay site, with Luna Park Milsons Point opened on 4 October 1935.[11] The amusement park, now known as Luna Park Sydney, remains in this location as of 2021.
Citations[edit]
- ^ a b c d e f g h Marshall, Luna Park: Just for Fun, p. 49
- ^ "Luna Park Opens Today". The Register News-Pictorial (Adelaide, SA : 1929 – 1931). Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia. 8 October 1930. p. 4. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
- ^ a b "GLENELG LUNA PARK SCHEME". The Advertiser. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 21 March 1928. p. 13. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
- ^ a b c d Marshall, Luna Park: Just for Fun, p. 45
- ^ Marshall, Luna Park: Just for Fun, pp. 44–46
- ^ Marshall, Luna Park: Just for Fun, p. 46
- ^ a b ""BIG DIPPER" FATALITY". The Barrier Miner. Broken Hill, NSW: National Library of Australia. 11 January 1932. p. 3. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
- ^ "LUNA PARK AND GLENELG COUNCIL". The Advertiser. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 28 April 1932. p. 5. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
When construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge was completed in 1932, the area at Milson's Point which had been used for workshops, railway sidings and the storage of cranes became available. The North Sydney Council called for tenders and in March, 1935 Phillips got the nod. The ink had barely dried on the contract when the Adelaide park was swiftly placed into voluntary liquidation. Its rides were dismantled, loaded onto a ship and taken to Milson's Point. After three months of reassembly, Sydney's Luna Park was opened to the delight of local children.Proving to be an instant hit and a most profitable enterprise for the Phillips, it continues to this day just like it Melbourne counterpart. As an extra bonus for Sydney patrons, a "Floating Ballroom" was moored on the harbor beside the park.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ht8WDs8H7wM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzvbDL-ilZQ
The Final Years & Legacy
The Whitney Brothers, George and Leo, brought their own machines to Luna Park In 1912; which incidentally has just celebrated its centenary having opened 12th December 1912.
Sam Marshall*2 mentions:
...the 'Electric Studio' where patrons could be photographed by Messrs Whitney Bros in a number of different scenes such as sitting in a car in front of the Luna Park gates. The Whitney Bros were the originators of the first practical 'while-you-wait' photographic system in the world. They are also credited with the first use of cartoon cutouts through which people stuck their heads for character photos....
Whitney Bros 118 Bourke Street Melbourne
And:
...Change had to be given to players of the 150 American slot machines which accepted only United States currency.... i.e. the above 1 cent token.
The Melbourne Luna Park closed in 1916 as the Australian government closed all forms of amusements and shows, theatre and entertainment during WW1. The Whitney Bros. moved on and opened the quick-finish photo studio at 118 Bourke Street, Melbourne. Leo operated the photo studio while George concentrated on an arcade and shooting gallery.
In 1923 the Whitney Brothers returned to San Francisco where they set up shooting galleries at an amusement park named Playland. Two further 21mm., brass, tokens were issued there:
WHITNEY BROS. SAN FRANCISCO around PLAYLAND ℞. Five Points or 5c In Trade; with another variety the same but in copper.
WHITNEY BROS. PLAYLAND, S. F around SKEE BALL ℞. Five Points or 5c In Trade.
Whitneys Playland at the Beach San Francisco
Whitneys Playland at the Beach San Francisco
The Argus Wednesday 8 November 1916
A complaint has been made to the police by Eric George Cook, manager of Whitney Bros. shooting gallery, in Bourke Street, that while the premises were closed during the week-end thieves broke in and took away five saloon rifles and about 1,000 cartridges, of a total value of £14/10/. Constable Williams, of Russell street, made inquiries, and learned from the licensee of an hotel near Whitney's premises that on Sunday afternoon she saw two boys putting a parcel under some timber at the rear of the hotel, while a man stood a short distance off in the right-of-way minding two bicycles. Later on she saw the smaller of the two boys climbing over the fence out of Whitney's premises. A subsequent search revealed three packages of cartridges. A description has been secured of the three seen in the lane.
Refs.
*The Whitney Bros 1c & Melbourne's Luna Park by George Shea. QNS Magazine Oct. 2013.
A Little About Luna Park and its Tokens by George Shea. QNS Magazine Apr. 2010.
Video Arcade, Pinball, Slot Machine and other Amusement Tokens of North America, Alpert & Smith. 1984
*2Luna Park: Just for Fun. Sam Marshall. 2005 Second Edition.
|
| Harold Phillips (left) and Leon Phillips with god children William and Helen Kemter (Brighton, Victoria, 1950s) (Photo courtesy of Helen) |
Capitol Theatre, Melbourne (Flickr) Palais Theatre, Melbourne (Flickr)
Full length original work
Starting in Sydney, their commercial activities eventually extended nationwide. However, they quickly shifted their operational base to Melbourne and specifically to the bayside suburb of St.Kilda where they owned Luna Park, the Palais Pictures (now the Palais Theatre) and the Palais de Danse ballroom. They also played a key role in the development of the Capitol Theatre and office building in Swanston Street. Later, they built other fun fairs in Adelaide and Sydney. As music promoters they imported a number of popular jazz and big band artists from the United States to perform at their venues.
|
Spokane Press, January, 1906 |
| Vancouver Daily World, November 12, 1907 |
|
J.D.Williams (left) (Wikipedia), Herman F.Phillips (center) (Megan Duvall photo) Leon Phillips (right) (Table Talk, February 14, 1929) |
"The autumn of 1907 found him (Williams) at the northern limit of his migrations in Vancouver, British Columbia. There he had a nickelodeon type theater . . . . Some sea-faring patron of his show left an Australian newspaper in his seat and Williams became curious about this far away land, where the natives threw boomerangs, leaves grew upside down on the trees and everything improbable was true. He idled through the discarded paper.
An advertisement for a picture show caught his eye. Reading the notice, Williams calculated that the theater business in Australia might be much more profitable than in North America, where people usually paid a mere five or ten cents for admission. He was stunned at the discovery that the admission was two shillings and sixpence, the equivalent of seventy-five cents in New York . . . . He had the usual accumulation of old films and junk pictures on hand, a heritage of the days when every picture show bought its films outright. He went to Australia with his [collection of movies], which were new there, and he prospered"
But, a slightly different version of Williams' story was outlined in a July 1st, 1911 profile of the showman that was published in the Sydney based literary magazine Lone Hand in which it was suggested that he was working with a film distributor somewhere around the West Coast of the U.S or Canada when he had dealings with two visiting Australian cinema owners and it was their stories about the growing demand for the "flickers" down under that piqued his interest.....
|
Tommy Burns (left) about to be clobbered into defeat by Jack Johnson at Sydney (Boxing News Online). The Los Angeles Times December 26, 1908 |
There was, in fact, nothing unusual about American showmen coming to Australia. Indeed, despite the country's extreme isolation and small population, it had long since been on the radar of visiting stage performers and showbusiness entrepreneurs as being a potentially lucrative market. Articles about American stage stars touring Australia and Australian performers visiting the US appeared quite regularly in Stateside newspapers.
At the turn of the last century (1900) it was a wealthy nation where workers enjoyed comparatively high wages and had more leisure time than their American and English counterparts. The entertainment industry was booming with many fine theaters and other amusement - related venues having been built from coast to coast and there was a constant demand for new attractions. Two Americans, in particular, had already played key roles in the show business scene over here.
Australia's most successful theatrical production company bore the name of its founder - actor J.C (James Cassius) Williamson, originally from Mercer Pennsylvania. And Carl Hertz, a magician from San Francisco, became the first person to screen a projected motion picture image in Australia on August 17,1896 at the Opera House in Melbourne according to the eMelbourne website (managed by the Department of History at the University of Melbourne). Both activities had proven to be highly profitable for Hertz and Williamson.
|
| Legendary Hollywood screen comedian W.C.Fields toured Australia in 1903 and again in 1914 as an eccentric juggler and "humorist" for theatre owner and entertainer Harry Rickards appearing at the Melbourne Opera House, Sydney Tivoli Theatre and elsewhere (Left to right) Fields in Hollywood (amazon) Publicity pic from a Tivoli programme and in character makeup for one of his Australian shows (Melbourne Punch 25 June, 1903) (Click on collage to supersize) |
|
...the same approximate location today. Seems that the Crystal Palace was on the left (?) side of the street (as indicated) |
|
|
The Sun, Sydney, October 13, 1912 |
|
Apparently the J.D. Williams Amusement Company had a regular section in the Sun newspaper, Sydney. This edition from October 13, 1912. (Click on image to supersize) |
|
| The Melba (left) and the adjoining Britannia (Collections: Arts Centre Melbourne) |
|
| The Britannia Theatre (Cinema Treasures) and architect Nahum Barnet (NLA) |
|
Vancouver Daily World, August 24, 1911 |
Vancouver Daily World, June 15, 1907
|
| LaMarcus Adna Thompson (Wikipedia) and original advertising for his 1908 Scenic Railway at Santa Cruz beach in California |
Eslick's "La Monica Ballroom" on Santa Monica pier (Flickr)
The Herald, December 12, 1912
The Sun, Sunday, March 13, 1932
|
Luna Park today (Luna Park photo)(left) (Melbourne Point)(right) |
9.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QG-Z6876aAI&t=18s
10.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvXRXJ6WM6U&t=19s
|
| Interior of the new Palais de Danse (Flickr) |
|
Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahony Griffin (Google) |
|
| The Capitol Theatre's "Ceiling of Lights" created by Herman Phillips and Marion Mahony Griffin (Flickr) |
|
| Capitol Theatre and office building (left) Foyer and Lounge (Simon Brand) |
|
| Auditorium (left) Original souvenir programme for the premiere of Charlie Chaplin's movie The Gold Rush (1925) |
|
| Capitol Theatre (1950s) (Left) (Neos Kosmos) Capitol today (Wikipedia) |
The new Palais Pictures : 1927
Like the Phillips, William Alfred Gibson had been in the movie business since the beginning. A former chemist, he produced two of the most famous films in the history of Australian cinema the first being The Story of the Kelly Gang (1906) which told the tale of the notorious bushranger, Ned Kelly and his band of followers. Believed to be the first full length feature to be made in Australia and possibly the world, the production went on to become a huge box office hit, making Gibson a wealthy man in the process. Unfortunately, his second effort, the filming of Marcus Clarke's epic novel about early convict life titled For the Term of His Natural Life (1927) was less successful. However, Gibson's main preference was for the exhibition side of the industry and he chose to concentrate on his role as joint managing director of Union Theatres (later known as Greater Union). Interestingly, the American connection to our local (and specifically St.Kilda) entertainment scene continued with The Story of Kelly Gang . Despite being the most famous of Australian folklore figures, the part of Ned Kelly was, in fact, played by Frank Mills, a visiting American actor who was working around Melbourne theatre. Gibson also decided to use an American cast and director, Norman Dawn, to make For the Term of His Natural Life.
|
| W.A.Gibson's St.Kilda Bioscope Theatre at 145 Fitzroy Street: the suburb's first purpose-built cinema (Greg Lynch photo) St. Kilda Bioscope Theatre in Melbourne, AU - Cinema Treasures |
|
| ...and the same location today. Now the Banff Cafe The Banff St Kilda – Pizza & Pasta :: Breakfast :: Open 7 Days (banffcafe.com.au) |
Constantly on the look out for newsworthy promotional opportunities, the Phillips became master publicists and visiting American stars sometimes made personal appearances at either the Capitol or the Palais theatres. Hollywood actress Louise Lovely was one such famous name who lit up the stage of St.Kilda's Palais on several occasions.
Born Nellie Louise Carbasse into a Sydney showbusiness family in 1895, Louise had started out as a juvenille lead in various stage productions before eventually going on to appear in a number of early Australian films. In 1914 she decided to have a crack at Hollywood and she soon caught the eye of Carl Laemmle, head of Universal Pictures, who signed her to a contract and changed her name to Louise Lovely.
Although, now, largely forgotten, Lovely was one of the first Australian screen actors to make a significant impact in the U.S market where she was featured in dozens of films. As such, she remains an important historical figure whose achievements within the industry extended well beyond acting and are certainly worth briefly reviewing at this point of our story about the Phillips brothers and the people with whom they were associated. Other Australians such as the celebrated swimming star Annette Kellerman had already worked in American movies but, unlike Lovely, Kellerman was primarily an athlete rather than a professional actor.
First appearing opposite Lon Chaney in a series of films which included The Gilded Spider, Lovely received generally encouraging reviews. Parting company with Universal in 1918 over a contract dispute, she joined Fox where she was featured in several Westerns with William Farnum. By the early ' 20s, however, her Stateside career had run its course and she returned to Australia. However, her stint in Hollywood had done much to enhance her celebrity status.
Louise and husband Wilton Welch had a keen interest in the production side of film-making. They formed a company, Louise Lovely Productions, and hoped to make major features down under. One of their earliest projects, however, was a successful documentary titled A Day at the Studio which became the basis for a travelling stage show that they toured around the U.S. and Australia. The much-publicized and extremely popular presentation involved audience members volunteering to take part in on stage “'screen tests" that were filmed and then shown the following week. It also included demonstrations of movie equipment and acting techniques.
The Herald, October 20, 1924
When the '"Hollywood Studio" caravan rolled into the Palais it caused near-hysteria as the flaming youth of the village came racing out of their California bungalows and Spanish mission flats, determined to dazzle the producers of the show with their knock-out looks and sparkling personalities … or, at least, that was the dream.
As illustrated in the above photo, Lou's "audition" bit was a hit with tots or, at least with their decidedly star struck parents. After being thoroughly primped and preened like prize-wining pussies in a cat show, potential movie moppets and general brats were bundled into Buicks all over Brighton as their stage mums and dads made a B-line for the Lower Esplanade. Urchins were plucked from pedal cars in Prahran and... suddlent the urchins playing with mus in the backyard at Bentleigh had the words "meal ticket" written all over them . and potential movie moppets were suddenly being dragged off swings and pulled out of pedal cars from South Melbourne to Sandringham in order to do their thing for Mizz Lovely's hand-cranked cine cameras. After hours of being rigorously primped and preened, brats were bundled into Buicks all over Brighton as eager stage mums and dads set a course for the Lower Esplanade. Louise's American films had often screened at the Palais so it would have been quite a thrill just to just to clap eyes on the genuine Hollywood heart in person.
As planned, Jewelled Nights (1925) was indeed produced. Shot on location in Melbourne and Tasmania, about twenty of those who had successfully passed Louise's auditions did take part in the movie.
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| Palais Theatre interior (Flickr) |
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| Palais staging equipment (left) Main stage and proscenium (centre) Lighting / projection room (right) |
Each chapter was screened at a movie theater for one week, and ended with a cliffhanger, in which characters found themselves in perilous situations with little apparent chance of escape. Viewers had to return each week to see the cliffhangers resolved and to follow the continuing story".
Westerns, science fiction, horror were all featured.....
One of the earliest serials to be shown at the new Palais Pictures was Universal's Air Mail Mystery which screened at the theatre in 1933.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Airmail_Mystery
Just starting out his spectacular rise in the industry that would eventually lead him into the Vice President's office at Universal's Hollywood headquarters, East Melbourne's Alfred "Al" Daff was the company's Victorian manager in the '30s and he was full of praise for the promotional campaign that Herman Phillips and Palais manager Garnet Curwin came up with to publicize the aformentioned production. Other famous Universal serials included Flash Gordon, the Green Hornet, Gang Busters and Ace Drummond. Working closely with Alf Daff and the comp[any's national chief Herc McIntyre, the Phillips enjoyed a close relationship with Universal which sometimes hired the Palais for trade screenings...
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/146595986?searchTerm=Herman%20Phillips%20Capitol%20Theatre&searchLimits=l-state=Victoria|||l-title=713#
As with Hermand and Leon, Harold quickly became a popular identity with in the local screen industry ....
(Top Left to right) Sydney media reception. Review of Hope's Palais show. Poster for the Bob Hope Bing Crosby movie Road to Bali (1952)
being the location from which the central characters had started their trip along the road to bali
The architect Henry White stated that he adopted no particular style in the design of the Palais Pictures bu
In popular culture[edit]
- The movie Stork, featuring Jacki Weaver and Bruce Spence, premiered at the theatre in 1971
- The theatre is featured in the 1976 Australian film Oz (a take on The Wonderful Wizard of Oz)
- Michael Nesmith of the Monkees recorded a solo album at the theatre titled Live at the Palais (released 1978)
- The theatre was utilised as the feature location of the 1985 INXS music video for "Listen Like Thieves"
- The theatre is featured in the 1993 Australian comedy film Hercules Returns, directed by David Parker
- A digitally modified Palais makes a cameo in the 2007 movie Dead Silence as the abandoned and haunted "Theatre at Lost Lake", featuring the top of the building and its towers
- In Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries, the Theatre and Luna Park are used in the background near the end of the second-series episode "Deadweight". (Historically, however, the name would have featured the word Pictures and not Theatre.
ilding, and the interior has been described at times as Spanish, French, Oriental and Italian.[17]
The exterior does features Spanish Baroque detailing on top of the towers, while the interior is broadly neoclassical with tall columns and pilasters and a shallow dome in the auditorium, with elaborate textured plaster surfaces and detailing in the Adam style, and extensive concealed lighting
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| Harry.C.Cornforth Trove |
In the early '30s, they experienced one of their few failures when they attempted to start a second fun fair at Glenelg beach in Adelaide.
Luna Park Glenelg
| |
| Location | Glenelg, South Australia, Australia |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 34.9792°S 138.511°ECoordinates: 34.9792°S 138.511°E |
| Slogan | Just For Fun[1] |
| Opened | 8 October 1930 |
| Closed | 1935 |
| Attractions | |
| Roller coasters | Big Dipper |
Luna Park Glenelg was an amusement park that operated at Glenelg, South Australia from 1930 until 1935. Plans for an amusement park at the seaside town were first raised in 1928, but not acted upon. In 1929, a lease to build a scenic railway at Colley Reserve was granted by the Glenelg Town Council. This lease was expanded in 1930 to include other rides and attractions (similar to Luna Park Melbourne), and Luna Park Glenelg opened on 8 October 1930.[2]
During the park's operation, there was tension between the park's owners and the council, with the owners complaining that they were not making enough to be profitable, and the council refusing to reduce rent or allow increased operating hours. Residents of the town also felt the amusement park was attracting undesirables. The owners began seeking alternate locations, placed the park into voluntary liquidation in late 1934, then purchased the company's assets at auction on 8 April 1935. The rides and amusements were relocated to Sydney, with Luna Park Sydney opened in October 1935.
History[edit]
In March 1928, F.S. Gordon presented a proposal to establish an amusement park to the Glenelg Town Council.[3][4] To be built near Wrigley Reserve, the amusement park was to be based on similar parks in Marseilles and White City, London, and would include a scenic railway, a water chute, and other attractions.[3][4] Gordon's proposal did not progress any further, although reclaimed land was set aside at Colley Reserve for such a venture.[4] A lease to build a scenic railway (The Big Dipper) was granted to David Atkins in October 1929.[4] The lease was expanded in February 1930 to allow for the construction of other attractions, including a Ferris wheel, Noah's Ark, River Caves, and Goofy House.[5] Atkins and Herman Phillips founded Luna Park Glenelg Ltd, and built an park based on Luna Park Melbourne.[6]
Luna Park Glenelg was opened on 8 October 1930. The park grounds were open to the surrounding area, with admission instead charged to the individual rides and attractions.[1]
On New Year's Eve 1932, a woman who was improperly seated and not holding on fell from the Big Dipper, and died in hospital the next day.[7] Although allegations of intoxication or mechanical failure were made, the inquest concluded that the woman had committed suicide.[7]
During the park's operation, there were disputes between park management and the council. Atkins asked the council on several occasions for a reduction in rent in response to a sharp fall in crowds, which were refused.[8] Requests to open some of the rides on Sundays were also unanimously rejected.[1][9] Local residents also claimed that the park was a magnet for undesirable types.[1] Fearing a further deterioration in relationships with the council, Atkins began scouting for alternate locations.[1] In 1934, a site was found at Milsons Point, Sydney: the former construction site for the Sydney Harbour Bridge, on the shore of Lavender Bay.[10] The operating company was put into voluntary liquidation in late 1934, under the claim that the park was not profitable.[1]
On 8 April 1935, the parks assets were put up for auction, all of which were purchased by Atkins and Phillips.[1] The rides were dismantled and shipped to Sydney.[1] The rides and equipment were assembled at the Lavender Bay site, with Luna Park Milsons Point opened on 4 October 1935.[11] The amusement park, now known as Luna Park Sydney, remains in this location as of 2021.
Citations[edit]
- ^ a b c d e f g h Marshall, Luna Park: Just for Fun, p. 49
- ^ "Luna Park Opens Today". The Register News-Pictorial (Adelaide, SA : 1929 – 1931). Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia. 8 October 1930. p. 4. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
- ^ a b "GLENELG LUNA PARK SCHEME". The Advertiser. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 21 March 1928. p. 13. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
- ^ a b c d Marshall, Luna Park: Just for Fun, p. 45
- ^ Marshall, Luna Park: Just for Fun, pp. 44–46
- ^ Marshall, Luna Park: Just for Fun, p. 46
- ^ a b ""BIG DIPPER" FATALITY". The Barrier Miner. Broken Hill, NSW: National Library of Australia. 11 January 1932. p. 3. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
- ^ "LUNA PARK AND GLENELG COUNCIL". The Advertiser. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 28 April 1932. p. 5. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
When construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge was completed in 1932, the area at Milson's Point which had been used for workshops, railway sidings and the storage of cranes became available. The North Sydney Council called for tenders and in March, 1935 Phillips got the nod. The ink had barely dried on the contract when the Adelaide park was swiftly placed into voluntary liquidation. Its rides were dismantled, loaded onto a ship and taken to Milson's Point. After three months of reassembly, Sydney's Luna Park was opened to the delight of local children.Proving to be an instant hit and a most profitable enterprise for the Phillips, it continues to this day just like it Melbourne counterpart. As an extra bonus for Sydney patrons, a "Floating Ballroom" was moored on the harbor beside the park.
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| rUPERT bROWNE'S MASTERPIECE... THE gHOST tRAIN lUNA pARK sYDNEY. The skeleton on the train used to rock from side to side and had flashins eyes |
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ht8WDs8H7wM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzvbDL-ilZQ
The Final Years & Legacy
The Whitney Brothers, George and Leo, brought their own machines to Luna Park In 1912; which incidentally has just celebrated its centenary having opened 12th December 1912.
Sam Marshall*2 mentions:
...the 'Electric Studio' where patrons could be photographed by Messrs Whitney Bros in a number of different scenes such as sitting in a car in front of the Luna Park gates. The Whitney Bros were the originators of the first practical 'while-you-wait' photographic system in the world. They are also credited with the first use of cartoon cutouts through which people stuck their heads for character photos....
Whitney Bros 118 Bourke Street Melbourne
And:
...Change had to be given to players of the 150 American slot machines which accepted only United States currency.... i.e. the above 1 cent token.
The Melbourne Luna Park closed in 1916 as the Australian government closed all forms of amusements and shows, theatre and entertainment during WW1. The Whitney Bros. moved on and opened the quick-finish photo studio at 118 Bourke Street, Melbourne. Leo operated the photo studio while George concentrated on an arcade and shooting gallery.
In 1923 the Whitney Brothers returned to San Francisco where they set up shooting galleries at an amusement park named Playland. Two further 21mm., brass, tokens were issued there:
WHITNEY BROS. SAN FRANCISCO around PLAYLAND ℞. Five Points or 5c In Trade; with another variety the same but in copper.
WHITNEY BROS. PLAYLAND, S. F around SKEE BALL ℞. Five Points or 5c In Trade.
Whitneys Playland at the Beach San Francisco
Whitneys Playland at the Beach San Francisco
The Argus Wednesday 8 November 1916
A complaint has been made to the police by Eric George Cook, manager of Whitney Bros. shooting gallery, in Bourke Street, that while the premises were closed during the week-end thieves broke in and took away five saloon rifles and about 1,000 cartridges, of a total value of £14/10/. Constable Williams, of Russell street, made inquiries, and learned from the licensee of an hotel near Whitney's premises that on Sunday afternoon she saw two boys putting a parcel under some timber at the rear of the hotel, while a man stood a short distance off in the right-of-way minding two bicycles. Later on she saw the smaller of the two boys climbing over the fence out of Whitney's premises. A subsequent search revealed three packages of cartridges. A description has been secured of the three seen in the lane.
Refs.
*The Whitney Bros 1c & Melbourne's Luna Park by George Shea. QNS Magazine Oct. 2013.
A Little About Luna Park and its Tokens by George Shea. QNS Magazine Apr. 2010.
Video Arcade, Pinball, Slot Machine and other Amusement Tokens of North America, Alpert & Smith. 1984
*2Luna Park: Just for Fun. Sam Marshall. 2005 Second Edition.
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| Harold Phillips (left) and Leon Phillips with god children William and Helen Kemter (Brighton, Victoria, 1950s) (Photo courtesy of Helen) |
Capitol Theatre, Melbourne (Flickr) Palais Theatre, Melbourne (Flickr)
1. Introduction and Acknowledgements
Brothers Herman, Leon and Harold Phillips were leading showmen in the Australian entertainment industry from the Edwardian era through to the 1950s.
Starting in Sydney, their diverse interests which included cinemas, amusement parks and dance halls eventually extended nationwide. However, they quickly shifted their headquarters to Melbourne and specifically to the bayside suburb of St Kilda where they owned Luna Park, the Palais Pictures (today the Palais Theatre) and the Palais de Danse ballroom. They were also part of a syndicate that developed the Capitol Theatre and office building (known as "Capitol House") in the Melbourne CBD (downtown area). Later, they opened other fun fairs at Glenelg beach in Adelaide and Milson's Point on Sydney Harbour. As music promoters, they imported a number of popular recording artists from the United States. But I will be mainly focusing on their three most enduring ventures; all of which are still going.
Luna Park (1912) was the first Coney Island-style pleasure ground in Australia and its Scenic Railway rollercoaster is now, according to the Los Angeles Times, the oldest, continually operating ride of its type (i.e. brakeman controlled) in the world https://www.latimes.com/travel/la-xpm-2011-jul-18-la-trb-oldest-roller-coasters-07201118-story.html The unique and spectacular "ceiling of lights" at the Capitol (1924) is also internationally renowned and the Swanston Street landmark introduced the age of "picture palaces" to Australia while the Palais Theatre (1927), with a seating capacity of nearly 3,000, is our largest suburban cinema
The Phillips had a slightly unusual attitude to the spotlight. On the one hand, they were highly effective publicists when it came to the promotion of their attractions, news of which was regularly published in major daily papers and they were close to the rich and famous, some of whom you will meet within the following pages. Leon, for instance, learned the tricks of the stage and screen from a dynamic former sideshow hustler, vaudeville roustabout and master of illusion who went on to become one of the most powerful studio chiefs in Hollywood. However, despite their own talents for creating thrills and excitement to enthral the public, something separated the Phillips from their more ego-driven contemporaries - namely their preference for maintaining a comparatively low profile. It seems that the microphone-grabbing/ selfie routine never floated their River Caves boat. Instead, they employed others to meet the press and face the cameras.
The reason for doing this piece was to organize and present the information that I have gathered, so far, about the Phillips' career as it played out on both sides of the Pacific and a primary aim of my research was to investigate their formative years around the US/Canadian border. This avenue was pursued via North American newspaper archives and other sources. The amount of space that has been devoted to each of their attractions was determined by the quantity of material that had been randomly compiled by the time I started to write. Having an equal amount of information on everything was never a condition of undertaking this project. As a result, however, some parts are more expansive than others. In a few cases, the only entries in my files (that date back as far as the 1980s) are short, handwritten notes about people, places and events for which no source details were recorded, probably because I had no plans to publish any of this until recently. Also, it needs to be pointed out that writing non-fiction history is similar to restoring old cars and houses in as much as the process can, occasionally, involve an element of guess work in situations where we don't know, for sure, exactly "how things were" back in the day. I have, however, indicated where such speculation was necessary and, in several instances, I have utilized techniques of creative non-fiction to paint some word pictures, provide a touch of colour and give a sense of the era in regard to the way in which certain things may have looked, sounded and/or been described. But, for the most part, I referred to original press reports and official documents.
The combined/interconnected history of Luna Park Adelaide and Sydney has been thoroughly covered in Sam Marshall's book Luna Park: Just for Fun (1995 Luna Park Reserve Trust) as well as in a television documentary: "Spirits of the Carnival' (1995). However, I have summarized the key points in regard to the establishment of those enterprises.
Many of the items on this website were written for magazines so they had to conform to a standard journalistic style and structure. This one is different. It was done as a personal blog post (although a short version has appeared in the quarterly journal Cinema Record). With that being the case, the approach was more informal. For example, we will wander down a couple of starry sidetracks along the way and even cut loose with occasional bits of levity. But rest assured that these "mad moments" will be carefully supervised by a trained nurse.
Rather than include a lot of separate quotes, I have provided links that will give you the opportunity to read complete, original articles that were about (or written by) the Phillips and/or their colleagues. Also, bear in mind that archival documents are being digitized and uploaded by others on a regular basis, so it is possible that further information has now become available.
In the end, this is simply a general overview of the subject and a few memories. It is not, by any means, a comprehensive biography.
For Australian readers who are not familiar with the "Pacific Northwest" of the US, a map had been included in Part 2 on which I have marked the locations that I mention. For American and Canadian readers, a quick rundown of Australian geography may be useful.
Australia is a big country. Also known by other names such as the "Great Southern Land", it is situated in a region of the Pacific called "Oceania" and it covers a land mass which is approximately the same size as continental United States. However, like Canada, most of Australia is uninhabitable so we have a small population (currently around 27 million). The majority of Canadians live within a thin ribbon of settlement that stretches across the length of the US border. Most Australians live close to, or right on, our eastern coastline. The Phillips business pursuits over here were predominantly undertaken in three adjoining states - namely, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia. Sydney is the capitol of "NSW", Melbourne is the capitol of "VIC" and Adelaide is the capitol of "SA" (abbreviations used on vehicle license plates). As mentioned earlier, their work as showmen became increasingly centred around St Kilda in Melbourne; a suburb which is equivalent to Santa Monica in Los Angeles.
I need to thank some people who have given me invaluable assistance.
In Melbourne, Helen Bird (nee Kemter) supplied a rare, private photo of Leon and Harold Phillips. As Leon's goddaughter and the granddaughter of George Kemter who was a partner in the firm of Peck & Kemter; consulting architects on the construction of Capitol House, Helen gave me a special "behind the scenes" look at the Phillips time in Australia as did veteran broadcaster and entertainer Peter Smith OAM. Peter, who got his break into showbusiness at the Palais Theatre in the 1950s, kindly agreed to share his recollections of the men who built the St Kilda landmark during an interview that we did (featured as the second part of this post.... and, by the way, radio's "Penthouse Pete" of the '60s still has a voice that would make a wolverine purrrrr....). Also in Melbourne, Natasha; Local History Librarian at the City of Bayside Library Service was most helpful. In America and Canada, Megan Duvall, Historic Preservation Officer at the City of Spokane, Washington and staff at the Vancouver Historical Society provided some fascinating archival images.
As usual, visitors to this blog are welcome to download and/or print off my content for their personal, non-commercial use and/or educational purposes. Indeed, as web pages and videos can disappear, I would strongly suggest that you click on the "save" and/or "print" tabs if you have a specific interest in something. If, however, you are going to repost any of my text, original photos or videos to other websites, please acknowledge the source. If any substantial part of this work is uploaded, verbatim, to Wikipedia the relevant text will be deleted.
But now, without further ado, let's step into the Time Tunnel and travel back to America of the 1900s and the birth of the movies as we begin our story
Australia
2. Early Years in North America and Australia
The Phillips brothers spent their youth in Spokane, Washington with parents Abraham (a cigar dealer) and Gertrude. They also had two sisters; Rae (recorded, incorrectly, it seems, as 'Nay" on at least one US document) and Elizabeth (possibly known as "Lena"). Notable residents of the same city included Bing Crosby and fellow actor Darren McGavin (star of the 1970s TV show "Kolchack: The Night Stalker"). At the time of writing, however, other personal details of the 'Spokane Phillips" were yet to be confirmed as some of the information that is available is contradictory and, as already pointed out, apparently incorrect. As I understand, genealogical research is continuing and a member of their family in Los Angeles has suggested to a DNA contact that their name may have been changed from Figowski (or something similar) in the 19th century.
Each of the boys received a mention in local papers. Herman (born 1884) had a fine singing voice (an asset that was later noted by a Melbourne journalist) and a report in the Spokane Press, dated June 11, 1902, carried news of his performance as Captain of the Guards in a production of the "Bohemian Girl". Leon (1886) and his father were directors of the Havan Cigar Company while Harold (1899)*, who doesn't enter this narrative in a prominent way until Part 8, also "made the papers" back in Washington; albeit for a more unfortunate (see below)(*years of birth as inscribed on their headstones).
Even less is known about their move into the amusement industry. Although there is no question that they got their start in North America, the details are, once again, sketchy and some conjecture has to be relied upon in order to assemble a possible scenario. At that stage, they were just young men learning the trade. Indeed, they were only in their twenties when they relocated to Australia. However, it was in this country that they made their mark and their money.
As already indicated, Herman had musical talent. But it seems that Leon may have been the first of the trio to become involved in the "business side of the business"' when he went to work with an older, established showman by the name of James Dixon Williams. A native of West Virginia, "JD" was born in Ceredo (1877) and got his break in theatre, selling tickets and playing the organ at the Opera House in Parkersburg - birthplace of Tommy Gene Thomassen - better known to Australian television viewers of the 1960s and '70s as Tommy Hanlon Jr (although the much-loved comedian grew up in Kentucky). Surrounded by the Appalachian Mountains, the area was immortalized in John Denver's 1971 chart topper "Take Me Home Country Roads" John Denver - Take Me Home, Country Roads (from The Wildlife Concert). And it was, indeed, home to the legendary Scots Irish mountain men, the feuding Hatfields and McCoys and remains so to some unique musicians who often have a quick fiddle with such energy and passion that they shred their bows (henceforth to be referred to as "Good Old Bows" (cough.... I did warn you)Hillbilly Gypsies barefoot fiddle player shreds his bow. US Hotel Hollidaysburg, Pa.3. 27. 2010
Front Porch Music in West Virginia - YouTube
The Appalachians: The Scotch-Irish / Scots-Irish
Born Fighting: The Scots-Irish - Pt.1
(Cough: Meaning: A short, quiet throat-clearing type of sound that is made deliberately in order to either (a) cast doubt on the believability of a statement or (b) draw attention to an unsuccessful attempt at humour)
After his stint at the organ, Williams operated a travelling picture show which he took across America, finally putting down roots in the Northwest where he opened a chain of permanent cinemas (nickelodeons) and other ventures which included the "Penny Parlor (penny arcade) & Bowtie Photo Studio" in Spokane together with the Novelty and Exhibit Theaters in Vancouver, Canada. At the latter venue, he presented an attraction called "Hales Tours and Scenes of the World" (photos of Hales - Barlow). These humble endeavours were the beginning of a stellar career that took J.D to the forefront of the industry. In his book Hollywood: The Pioneers (Collins, London, 1979), film historian and documentary-maker Kevin Brownlow provided further insight into Williams' involvement with the Hales concept....
"For the working man, the railroad was a vital feature of daily life either through employment or because the tracks ran through his neighbourhood. Travel had given the immigrant an idea of the vast scale of the country and because such [ journeys] were prohibitively expensive, a great hit of the 1904 St Louis Exposition was the Hales Tour; the brainwave of a Kansas City Fire Chief. He built reproductions of Pullman cars (train carriages - BC), equipped them with machinery to replicate the swaying, hissing and banging and projected a movie that had been shot from a locomotive. Hales ignited the spark of enthusiasm for a number of entrepreneurs who became the leading producers in the business; Sam Warner of Warner Bros.,Carl Laemmle of Universal, Adolph Zukor of Paramount and J.D.Williams of First National.
Clearly, Leon did his apprenticeship with one of America's most prominent showmen.
The following 1907 film (click on link under photo) takes us on a tram ride around Vancouver and it includes a brief glimpse of J.D's Exhibit Theater (left of the screen at the 7.48 minute mark - look for the sign that says 'Scenes of the World"). It is almost certain that this is one of the places, along with the Novelty (both on Cordova Street) where Leon learned the ropes (photo caption or put at end of chapter... Leon/JD connection to film)
When Phillips and Williams joined the cinema industry there was no Hollywood. The earliest "moving pictures" were produced in New York, London, Paris and elsewhere by the likes of Edwin .S.Porter, Robert Paul, George Melies, Segundo de Chomon and others - a group of highly skilled and creative technicians who not only made the movies but also, occasionally, had to invent or improve the equipment with which to do so. In the process, they churned out the ever-increasing amount of product that was being demanded by kinetoscope parlours and nickelodeons as the public fell under the spell of the "flickers". Many of these trailblazers were, of course, photographers. Some, like Melies, were magicians who ran short films as part of their shows. As for the type of movies they produced, in between the major money-makers such as a Trip to the Moon (1902) and The Great Train Robbery (1903), there was a wide choice of titles for the fans to enjoy. All the main genres were already taking shape, and they ran the full gamut from horror and science fiction to comedy and action, romance, fantasy, classic children's stories, social commentary and "trick flicks" (which were particularly popular).
The line up at J.D's theatres may have included these quirky offerings (insert stills and clips collage)
Even a fly became a star.....
On August 12, 1909, the Vancouver Daily World reported Williams departure from that city onboard the Marama bound for Sydney. A well-known venue owner on the West Coast, J.D had announced his intention to duplicate his "amusements" in the "Antipodes". Three weeks later, when the ship reached its destination, its passenger list was printed in the Sydney Morning Herald. As can be seen (below), the names of J.D.Williams and Leon Phillips appear in consecutive order, showing that they were not only on the same voyage but probably boarded and/or bought their tickets together. This is a significant point because, as with other aspects of the Phillips' background, conflicting accounts have been published in regard to where and when they joined forces with Williams. Several writers have claimed that they met at a 1911 cycling event in Melbourne. But, as shown, it seems that Leon had been closely associated with J.D in the US and/or Canada prior to their arrival in the South Pacific. Having said that, however, Williams did, indeed, promote a 1911 gymkhana in Melbourne. But he had also organized a previous one in Spokane. It should be further noted that there was no sign of Herman Phillips on that same list. However, all three of them were visible in Sydney newspapers from 1910.
The precise nature of the business relationship between Williams and Leon is unclear. But, in view of the age gap, Phillips possibly started as an employee. Given the title of Assistant Manager, it seems that he was also cut in as a junior partner. Learning from each other, J.D stayed in the spotlight while Leon took care of administrative and financial matters - a money man who became a showman. Also unclear is the reason why they decided to set up shop so far from home. However, another cinema historian, Terry Ramsaye, provided an explanation in his 1926 book a Million and One Nights: A History of Motion pictures (Simon & Schuster, New York). Ramsaye indicated that he had interviewed Williams about his adventures in the South Seas and J.D told the following yarn....
"The autumn of 1907 found him at the northern limit of his migrations in Vancouver, Canada. Some sea-faring patron left an Australian newspaper in his seat and Williams became curious.... an advertisement for a picture show caught his eye...and he calculated that the movies might be much more profitable in Australia. He was stunned at the discovery that admission was two shillings and sixpence; equivalent to 75cents in New York where people paid five or ten cents to get in"
However, a different version of J.D's tale was outlined in a July 1st, 1911 profile that appeared in the literary magazine Lone Hand in which it was suggested that he was at a film distributor on the West Coast where he had dealings with two Australian cinema owners who mentioned that there was enormous demand for the flickers "Down Under".
But it is likely that yet another sequence of more reliably documented events was bringing the Great Southern Land into sharper focus internationally. On December 26, 1908, for instance, the world heavyweight boxing championship was held at the Sydney Stadium before 20,00 paying customers. The challenger was the American negro Jack Johnson and the defending champ was Canadian Tommy Burns. The match was widely covered by the press. It was also filmed. Johnson was the winner and his first public appearance back in North America was in Vancouver. Again, the cine cameras were on hand for his return and a movie of his exploits did a brisk trade at a local nickelodeon (which may have been owned by Williams)
However, there was nothing unusual about overseas celebrities coming to Australia. Despite the country's extreme isolation and small population, it was known by foreign performers to be lucrative market. At the turn of the century (1900) it was a wealthy nation. Workers were paid high wages and had more leisure time than their counterparts elsewhere. The entertainment industry was flourishing with many fine theatres and other amusement related venues being constructed and there was a constant need for new attractions. Of more specific relevance was the fact that two Americans had already played important roles on the showbusiness scene over here. Our most renowned theatrical company was named after its founder - comedic actor James Cassius "J.C" Williamson (remarkably similar to James Dixon "J.D" Williams) who hailed from Mercer, Pennsylvania and Carl Hertz, a magician from San Francsico, was the first person to project a motion picture in Australia on August 17, 1896 (Salon Lumière | National Film and Sound Archive of Australia). Both activities had been a huge success financially. Articles about American stars touring Oceania and Australian artists performing in the US were published regularly in Stateside papers (W.C.Fields bit and photos in here)
Not long after their arrival, Williams and Phillips established the Greater J.D.Williams Amusement Company with Herman and Leon as partners and directors. Building a group of prestige cinemas in the heart of Sydney which included the Colonial, Lyric and Crystal Palace (all on George Street), they also launched a film exchange (International Pictures) and a newsreel production unit (Williams Weekly). The Crystal Palace was noteworthy as it showcased the concept of a multi-purpose entertainment and commercial centre that not only had a movie theatre but also a penny arcade, "soda fountains", the Winter Garden Cafe, a gymnasium and private offices for lease. Additionally, it was the headquarters of J.D's company. Presumably, this approach was adopted to maximize income from a pricey block of land.
Williams put together a marketing booklet (see link below). In it, he gave a nod to Leon's contribution to their achievements saying that .......
"...having held control of the treasury since the first company was formed, he has a thorough knowledge of every branch of the business"
Here again, the relevant publication reveals that Herman wasn't a member of the executive staff at that point.
In those days, when Australian showmen presented the flicks in rough and ready, makeshift surroundings, the newcomers from the States were more service orientated. Offering, comfortable, pleasant and convenient escapism at low prices, they also introduced continuous screenings, and it proved to be a winning combination.
In 1911, they moved into the Melbourne market with the luxurious Melba Theatre (a converted hall) in Bourke Street. The following year, they unveiled the even grander "Britannia" right next door - possibly the CBD's first purpose-built cinema. A visually striking confection of florid Edwardian kitsch and art nouveau ornamentation (a style which I hereby christen "Wedding Cake Deluxe"), the Britannia was designed by the prolific architect Nahum Barnet and it included such mod cons as a sophisticated ventilation system and a child-minding centre that was supervised by a trained nurse (article about riot at Britannia)
The manager of these adjoining movie theatres was John Ruel; a colourful character J.D had brought over from the US (one of many imports who were soon to follow - details in Part 3). Becoming an identity around town, mail could reach him simply by being addressed to "Ruel Britannia" (.. cough boss?... ...it's up to you). The charismatic "J.R" (they all took their cue from "J.D") had been something of a "name" , momentarily, in the States. As the dare-devil cyclist "Diavolo", he did a thrilling loop-the-loop act on a specially constructed track. Peddling his "death defying" stunt dressed as "Satan Himself", he toured across America to much acclaim finishing in the Northwest where he came into the orbit of Williams and Leon (or, if you prefer, J.R met J.D and L.P... showbiz talk !!)
There were, in fact (actually) a number of different Diavolos on the road simultaneously, such was the demand from the fans who couldn't get enough of the "Devil on Wheels" . Indeed, as a figure in popular culture, a stylized and playful depiction of Satan seemed to come into vogue in the 1900s, being used extensively in films, the theatre and advertising. Demonic skeletons were another familiar spook of the silent movies (play "Red Spectre") and dragons were a favourite of Australians with large terracotta examples of the beasts sprouting from the rooftops of "Federation" houses (https://www.horshamrealestate.com.au/property?property_id=1421575 ). All three were featured by fun fair artists as well.
As for the devilish Mr Ruel, legend (or urban myth) has it that he retired from loop-the-loop cycling when, after a serious near-miss, he sensed that "the force" that allowed him to stay on the track was no longer "with him" (clip from Star Wars). Remaining in Melbourne, he replaced the push bike with a red Indian motorcycle (how appropriate) which he rode in a much more sedate manner (Indian photos and videos). But he still, occasionally, wore the "Satan Suit" into the Britannia when the Indian was off the road being serviced and, when he did, he never had any trouble finding an empty seat on even the most crowded Bourke Street tram (clips from Los Angelese speedway 1921 and early Indian videos..1915 8 valve board track start up AC/DC Heat Seeker)
Williams also owned at least one cinema in New Zealand - the Empress in Wellington - and I seem to recall reading that he was going to add Melbourne's suburban Newmarket Theatre to his circuit. However, another exhibitor, Robert McLeish. had taken over the venue by the time it commenced trading.
Leon Phillips was, by all accounts (pun intended), a smart money manager. As Williams' "treasurer", he handled the purchase of CBD properties and it was due to Phillips' investment advice that J.D was able to accumulate substantial capital. Williams, the master publicist, knew how to draw vast crowds to his attractions and separate consumers from their cash. Leon had a knack for being able to grow the dough quickly and safely once it left the tills.
Around this period, they embarked on a trip to North America, England and Europe. As mentioned before, Williams had been a movie show pioneer in Vancouver and, as he was planning to build an upmarket cinema in that city, his arrival generated considerable interest. An article outlined (detailed?) the duo's itinerary together with their intention to set up an office in London (which they did). J.D was described as an "Australian photo play magnate". But, then, he has also been referred to as a "Canadian" here in Australia.
3.Luna Park Melbourne 1912
Williams decision to extend his operations interstate had been another good move and he immediately diversified into outdoor entertainment with the construction of Luna Park in 1912. The original Luna Park had opened at Coney Island, New York nine years earlier and it became the model for other ventures that soon cropped up (mushroomed?) across the US. Melbourne's pleasure ground was the link between Australia and America and it involved a major undertaking with fun fair experts travelling to Victoria from the United States and England to direct a team of local tradesmen.
J.D had previously tried to establish a park in Vancouver. However, it seems that it never went ahead. But he finally got the ball rolling when he secured a ten-year lease on a triangle of crown land at the St Kilda foreshore (Lower Esplanade) opposite the beach. The site had already (previously) been occupied by another amusement center that was coincidentally (or prophetically?) called "Dreamland: - the same name that Williams was planning (going?) to use in Canada. Unfortunately, it was a failure and the area had been vacant for a year or so. Once he had the right location locked in, the showman registered an additional company and Herman.F.Phillips was put in charge of it.
However, nothing like Luna Park had ever been seen " Down Under" and the entire Americana experience would have to be shipped in. Designers, artists, building materials, mechanics, ride and sideshow staff, food vendors and performers were going to be needed it is likely that Williams and Leon organized almost everything during their 1911 visit to the States and Britain. It also seems that when they stopped in Vancouver, they may have gone across the border to head hunt some of the personnel at Luna Park in Seattle. Kicking off in 1907, the Washington fun fair was billed as the "Coney Island of the West". But, it had been plagued with problems from the beginning and by the time Phillips and J.D arrived looking for recruits, its permanent closure was looming on the horizon. As will be apparent by now, some of the parks had short lives.
The Whitney brothers; George K. and Leo, were part of the American team who came to Melbourne. Professional photographers, they were innovators of "while-u-wait" processing and also did a lot of camera tricks (girl around table pic). After running the 'Electric Photo Studio" at St Kilda for a couple of seasons, they eventually returned to the US. Interviewed at his home in Friday Harbor, Washington in August, 2002, Mr George.K.Whitney Jr said.....
"My father had..... with my uncle and a crew...from Seattle... gone to Australia with a collection of rides and opened Luna Park, Melbourne"
(link to interview)
Exactly what the Whitneys were doing in the former city is still to be confirmed. But it seems that they may have had the studio at the pleasure ground. I came to this conclusion by comparing two different images that are available on the internet (see below). One was taken at the Seattle fun fair (rotate with other alternatives), the other at the park in Melbourne. As can be seen, the "automobile" that appears in both shots is very similar. So, perhaps, it was brought to Australia by the Whitneys (where are those pics?)
Williams and Leon Phillips also stopped in Chicago and New York so talent may have been engaged in those cities as well
Building commenced at St Kilda (the foreshore?) in July, 1912 with the "Great" Scenic Railway rollercoaster that was to run around the perimeter of the park and included the "Mr Moon" entrance face and towers. The railway was designed by the L.A.Thompson Company of midtown Manhattan which did the first coaster at Coney. However, the ride in Melbourne was constructed by a London-based firm that was owned by American Geroge Lawsha.
Williams was a "big picture" guy who had the grand visions so it is likely that one of his initial thoughts was to have the whole place encircled by a rollercoaster - an excellent idea. If that was the case, he probably gave it priority and met with Thompson and Lawsha during the 1911 trip (New York 1911 video....caption "Luna Park's Scenic Railway grew up in St Kilda but was born in New York) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rx5sUa_2SD8
The old wooden coasters were built using a specific type of timber; Oregon pine (AKA Douglas Fir) from the US which, due to its flexibility, provided a smooth ride and an order would have been sent through for the job at St Kilda/ the foreshore
Once the arrangements had been finalized, Lawsha's on-site supervisor, T.H.Eslick made his way to Melbourne together with a number of support staff. Eslick, reportedly, had a solid background in coaster construction having completed assignments in America, the UK and Europe. However, according to some sources, he had an even more "solid" background in the shifty business of doctoring the details of his "solid" background which his detractors have criticized as being a dubious mix of fact and fiction to which a generous amount of gross exaggeration had also been added. If flashy self-promotion and blowing one's own trumpet had been Olympic events, "Esso" would have been a gold medallist. Still, being a purveyor of piffle hardly made him unique in the showmen's world of smoke and mirrors where such drum - beating antics and outrageous claims of derring-do were encouraged. Yet, despite his alleged tendency to embellish his CV, it does seem that Eslick had been in the amusement game for a while and he was a good "ideas man". At St Kilda, he was (publicly at least) not only responsible for the Scenic Railway but all other building as well and he did get the place up and running in an efficient manner. Although, as will be revealed, someone else may have been "supervising the supervisor".
For the first summer at Melbourne's "Mecca of Merrymakers" (as the park was advertised) rides and other attractions included the River Caves, Palace of Illusions, Pharaoh's Daughter, Palais de Folies (later to become the Giggle Palace), the Bowl Slide, Mirror Maze, Ferris Wheel, the Tea Terrace with its spectacular views of the fun air and the bay, Devil's Staircase (I told you so!), Theatre Comique and the Whitneys photo studio. Various styles of fantasy architecture were combined to create a surreal (or should that be "surrealistic"?) environment. The main entrance was Moorish. Pharaoh's Daughter had an ancient Egyptian theme and the Palace of Illusions was Saracenic. Other structures were Byzantine. Although St Kilda's pleasure ground was comparatively small, it was visually more attractive than many of its Stateside counterparts of similar size.
The Americans arrived in September 1912. In their ranks were Leo Whitney and Louis Antoine Corbeille (Cor-bay?), both of whom were to play significant roles in regard to the establishment of Melbourne's Luna Park. A newspaper item in the US (see below) indicated that Corbeille was born in France. However, other information appears to leave no doubt that he began life in Michigan with French Canadian parents. Whatever the truth of the matter may have been, he was clearly a highly capable man. Starting out as a street clown in Detroit, he became an expert in theatrical staging and special effects. He also had a knack for publicity and was involved in the automotive industry and motor sport; pursuits that he enjoyed with Williams (although their love of speed machines got them into trouble more than once). Gaining a considerable experience in circus, wild west and carnival entertainment, Corbeille was hired as production manager at Coney Island for the legendary English showman Frank.C.Bostock. He also did a stint with the Gus Sun vaudeville circuit where Bob Hope performed early in his career. Around the time that he left for Australia he was running the Arcade Theater in Spokane and a press article confirms that he was acquainted with Williams in that city.
Apart from the Phillips. Ruel and Corbeille at least two of the others who joined J.D in the Land of Oz had known him back in the Northwest - namely Edward (Eddie) Robie and C.L (Clarence) Yearsley. Robie was the electrician who installed the thousands globes that were needed at St Kilda and he had done similar work for Williams in the States. A native of Kentucky, Yearsley was head of publicity for the Greater J.D.Williams Amusement Company and he collaborated with Corbeille and Eslick to devise the campaign for the launch of Luna Park. It seems that the Whitneys may also have been in Spokane they could have been the photographers at J.D's "Penny Parlor".
As we know, the Scenic Railway came from the drawing boards of La Marcus Thompson by whom Eslick had been employed. But it isn't quite as easy to confirm who was responsible for some of the other structures at Luna Park, Melbourne circa 1912. One contemporary report suggested that the "Mr Moon" concept which, like the ceiling of the Phillips' Capitol Theatre, appears to have been internationally unique was the work of Eslick who definitely had that sort of talent. Indeed, he went on to design the iconic La Monica Ballroom on Santa Monica pier in Los Angeles; the towers of which bore a close resemblance to those at St Kilda's fun fair. However, there were several others at the foreshore who had comparable ability. One was Vernon Churchill whose background is slightly more obscure Corbeille's. But, he was almost certainly the same Vernon Churchill who, described as a "sketch artist" in US papers in 1902, had recently returned from extensive overseas travel. And this is a good point at which to make a wider observation about the cast of characters in our story to whom you have been introduced so far. Most of them had three things in common. They were young, adventurous and imaginative. In other words, just right kind of "free spirits" to develop a seaside pleasure park. Churchill was credited in the Melbourne papers as being the "scenic artist" who did the River Caves (Punch, October 3, 1912)
In the 1980s, writer and broadcaster John Michael Howson related a number of anecdotes to do with the Palais Theatre, Palais de Danse and Luna Park in his autobiography I Found it at the Flickers (Horowitz Grahame Books, 1985). One such yarn told of a daring escapade that he undertook with a school chum in the '40s when they "jumped ship" in the River Caves. Howson remembered the incident as follows.....
" We bought our tickets and waited until we were the only [passengers] in one of the leaky flat-bottomed punts that floated through the [darkness]. The boat drifted into the boarding area and a couple, exhausted by fleeting passion, disembarked. Briany and myself jumped in like it was a D-Day landing craft. The attendant gave the punt a push and we floated towards the mouth of the cave. A conveyor belt lifted the boat from the water for a few feet and gave it a thrust into the murky stream. As it slid past Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, we grabbed the side of the tunnel, slowed it down and leapt "ashore"
P. 5/62&63
(I) From the [water], the dioramas had a romantic, if somewhat well-worn, look. Up close, their tackiness was technicoloured by the array of lights concealed behind plaster mushrooms, stones, bushes, walls and gnomes. When we heard another boat approaching, we hid behind
(All page 6)
P.6/1-3
(A) one of the displays. When Briany got up from his hiding place he grabbed Cinderella's arm. There was a snap and a moan and the Prince had himself a one-armed girlfriend. I stepped on a light and smashed the coloured glass. Briany fell on Hansel's head and broke Gretel's leg. As we stumbled on, we made Fairyland look like it had come under a blitzkrieg of V2 rockets.
P.6/4-6
(B) Decapitated dwarfs, punctured pixies, wounded witches, bisected beauties, gored goblins and floored fairies were everywhere. The papier mâché forest was pitted with holes and the lights were flickering into darkness. Briany and I leapt into the first empty punt and sailed away....
P.6/7-10
(C) The bored attendant took no notice of our frantic departure and we hid behind the waffle counter... where we watched and waited for somebody to [raise] the alarm. Nobody did. A few weeks later, I rode the River Caves again. The displays still looked like the walking dead, the lights were still flickering and the attendant was just as bored. Of course, I now realize that nobody ever went into the caves to look at Bo Peep or Goldilocks (photo compilations : River Caves & Scenic Railway through the years).
P.6/11-20
(D) But back to the designers .....
In 1954, the Argus published a piece that traced the history of Luna Park. The author, Ron Testro, stated that Vernon Churchill also came up with the "Mr Moon" entrance and another artist, George Coulter, did everything else. Testro didn't indicate the source of his information. However, Leon Phillips may have been contacted. As I understand, Coulter was a theatre owner from New Zealand who relocated to Australia and decided to specialize in designing the interiors of movie houses. He assisted Nahum Barnet on the Britannia cinema project. But he doesn't seem to appear in any of the accounts that documented the construction of Luna Park. So, perhaps, Testro and Leon had a general discussion in regard to the latter's early years in Victoria and the people with whom he had been associated and, somehow, Coulter went into print as being the man who did the interior of Luna Park rather than the interior of the Britannia (as was, apparently, the case)
P.6/21-23
(E) A local addition to the creative team at St Kilda was F.J.W.Swann, described as a "draftsman" who sketched "much of the decorative architecture".
P.6/24&25
(F) Most of the other Americans who were involved with the park during the 1912/13 season were entertainers, sideshow or concession operators.
P.6/26-35
(G) Presumably inspired by the biblical story of the same name, Pharaoh's Daughter was one of the more unusual attractions, the original of which had been featured at "Dreamland" - the main competitor to Luna Park at Coney. Once again, according to legend (or urban myth) it was, supposedly, staffed by "genuine Egyptian beauties". But exactly what went on within its gloomy confines is now shrouded in as much mystery as the building of the pyramids as only scant references survive. Maybe it was like the Ghost Train without the train. Perhaps those who ventured, ever so cautiously, into its darkened passages, antechambers and the "resting place where the actual mummy of the Pharaoh's daughter may be inspected" (the sort of claptrap that might have been written) were treated to a startling experience. Did a strange mix of freaky magic acts, belly dancing, clanging gongs, fright-ning light-ning, flash pots and other "weird shit" send visitors on their way, feeling thoroughly spooked and hoping that they hadn't been cursed by the pharaoh himself? It was probably a relief to step back outside and be surrounded, once again, by the "normality" of mermaids, dwarfs dressed as Punch and Judy and a stuntman dressed as Satan (John Ruel?) riding a motorcycle around the Scenic Railway.
 |
| Showgirl Myrtle Roberts did a stint as a "mermaid" at Luna Park, St Kilda |
P.6/36-48
(H) Public interest in Egyptology, the paranormal and occult was reaching a peak in the years just prior to Howard Carter's 1922 discovery of Tutankhamen's tomb. Inevitably, Hollywood was quick to cash in on the trend and the movie capitol soon came out with its own highly marketable embodiment of Nile related nonsense in the shape of silent screen vamp (female vampire) Theda Bara. And what a shape she had. Rocketing to stardom in the William Fox historical hodgepodge Cleopatra (1917), the studio shamelessly assured the yokels that Bara was.... "an Arabian princess, born in the shadow of Spinx" . She was, in fact, a Jewish princess born Theodosia Burr Goodman in here Polish father's tailoring shop in Cincinnati, Ohio. But, really, who cared? The (dare I say it?) "bottom line" was the Mizz Behave looked as hot as hell in her sexy and revealing "royal robes" and her Egyptian shtick provided a box office bonanza.
Like many truly erotic women, Bara's movie character was a total bitch. She was appallingly rude to everyone and would-be lovers, no matter how handsome and charming they may have been, were shoved aside like they had the mange. After she retired from acting, Theda and her husband, director Charles Brabin, relocated to Canada. Occasionally booked as a "nostalgia" guest on radio and television programs, her dignified manner and beautifully enunciated voice was the very antithesis of the shrill cinematic virago whom men of all ages had once dreamed of "taming"
P.6/49-51
(I) Pharaoh's Daughter and the Palace of Illusions had Corbeille's fingerprints all over them (as did Theda Bara). Indeed, a New York advertisement for Coney Island listed the former attraction as being a "must see" destination for day trippers along with Frank.C.Bostock for whom, as we know, Corbeille was production manager.
P.6/52-58
(J) As for the "Genuine Egyptian Beauties" who handled front of house (or should that be "front of tomb") at Melbourne's beachside playground during that long hot summer of 1912/13, I think we can safely assume that the girls in question may not have been what they appeared to be. The one called (...let's imagine...) "Nafra from the Nile", for instance (rumoured to be a direct descendent of the pharaohs ....cough... cough...cough... I'm choking!) was more likely to have been Nora from Niagra or Enid from Elwood (if Williams had given a few locals a gig at the giggle palace by the bay). Having acquired a suntan, the chocolate jip-oze (Egyptians) were trained to communicate with park patrons via graceful hand motions and softly mumbled Egyptian-style gibberish. Certainly, a tornado of flim-flam like Jimmy Dee would not have flinched, even for a second, at the idea of masterminding such a sham.
P.6/59&60
(K) As the place was nearing completion, a reporter from the Prahran Telegraph interviewed Eslick onsite. The newshound got to this interviewee by.....
" Carefully stepping over......
(All page 7)
P.7/1-7
(A) stacks of timber" and threading a "tortuous path between networks of wire, masses of plaster rocks and stretches of painted scenery". Eslick was the "moving spirit" at Luna Park and his "artistic imagination" was "responsible for the whole scheme of construction" (Additional River Caves text- or include in "Dreamland" photo caption...."There had previously been a similar ride called "Rivers of the World" at Dreamland which, as mentioned earlier, was the first fun fair on the Luna Park site)
Portrayed as a genial raconteur, attention was drawn to his transatlantic accent and that ".... he is often taken to be an American but proudly mentions his English nationality". The piece went into some detail about his career and how he had left Britain to work at Coney before returning to the UK to build fun fairs. Taking his cue from "J.D" and "L.P" (see P.3),"T.E" was full of praise for the tradesmen who were under his supervision at St Kilda whom he considered to be the "most willing, intelligent and capable skilled artisans" he had ever encountered.
P.7/8-13
(B) Finally, after weeks of press coverage the vision became a reality [Clock)
Obviously not put off by superstitious beliefs, Luna Park "Just for Fun" (the park?) was officially opened on the evening of Friday, December 13, 1912. Welcomed amidst a blaze of electric lights, around 22,000 thrill-seekers bustled in through the giant illuminated face with its eyes rolling maniacally from side to side. The atmosphere would have been surreal as the nice, quiet Melburnians experienced the odd but strangely exhilarating sensation of being eaten alive as they passed through the toothy mouth enroute to the head-spinning array of sights and sounds that awaited them on the inside (link to "Niceness" Dame Edna... has nothing to do with Luna Park but everything to do with "niceness")
P.7/14-18
(C) The symbols of three countries were hoisted over the "Mecca for Merrymakers". From the top of one entrance tower, the Australian flag caught the breeze. From the other, the Union Jack did likewise and from the lofty Tea Terrace, the Star-Spangled banner fluttered to life. It likely that the combination was a deliberate display of pride and a nod from Williams to the origins of those who steered his grand plan to such a swift and gratifying conclusion - namely, the Aussie tradesmen who had built it, their English foreman and the Americans who had made it all possible.
P.7/19-29
(D) In addition to the rides and sideshows (concessions?), there was a cavalcade of live acts for the public to enjoy along with a penny arcade and "Yankee" snack foods. These included the human wire-walking elephant, jugglers, marionettes, acrobats, high divers, fire eaters, trick cyclists, the "Tiny Town" midget troupe, performing dogs and monkeys, the Curious Flea Circus and 'Ardo" the Frogman who appeared in the River Caves. Contortionists and underwater ballet dancers, frogmen (and women) did charming routines that were set to music and they were a real hit with the public (guaranteed crowd pleasers?). The Penny Arcade had coin-in-the-slot machines like the "Fortune Teller". Having come from the US, they would only operate with American change, so visitors had to swap their local money for Stateside currency and J.D had two gold chariots at the entrance where the cash was handled. When the funsters needed a break and some nourishment, there was "Cotton Candy' (fairy floss), "soda fountains", Wrigley's gum, Coney Island Crispettes and "red hots" (hot dogs) with which to stuff their own moon faces while the Luna Park band played toe-tappers such as " I do Love to be beside the Seaside". The place even had its own theme song titled "Take me out to Luna Park" and the piano music became a must-have for family sing-alongs (link to you tube audio) (include sheet music photo)
P.7/30-39
(E) Shortly after the opening, Clarence Yearsley wrote an article for a Spokane paper in which he provided an overview of Williams' "Antipodean" activities and it is worth uploading here, in its entirety though it contains several very peculiar errors (or were they?). Boxing Day is renamed "Boning Day" and Melbourne became "Mellowvine". The reason for all the confusion is unknown. Perhaps the editor's lack of familiarity with "Austria" was to blame or maybe the author had stumbled straight to his typewriter from a wild 24-hour Christmas party at St Kilda? Picture the scene just for a moment (or "Just for Fun"). Clarrie and Co from the amusement Co romping around the cooling waters of the Caves with Nora and the girls from Pharaoh's Daughter as the pink champagne flowed, the pungent pong of something more exotic than cigar smoke filled the darkness and the gramophone belted out "At the Devil's Ball" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7b8zbVUvnAo. However, could "Boning Day" have been an in-joke; an oblique reference to a very similar but decidedly crude American slang word that means..... yeah...well.... I might leave it there. This is, after all, a family blog.
P.7/40-45
(F) When they came to Victoria, Herman and Leon met John Monash (how as that for a transition? talk about going from the ridiculous to the sublime). Soon to become General Sir John as a result of his distinguished military service on the Western Front, Monash was a brilliant academic. Matriculating from Scotch College at the age of fourteen, he went on to gain degrees in both the arts and sciences at the University of Melbourne where he later served as Vice Chancellor. A prominent businessman, he came onboard as a director of Luna Park Ltd and, given his professional background and qualifications as a civil and constructional engineer, it's likely that he was leaning over Eslick's shoulder.
P.7/46-49
(G) The park was pretty much closed from 1914 through to the early '20s. However, the Scenic Railway continued to operate and the venue was used by patriotic fund- raising groups at no cost - a practice which the Phillips reintroduced during WWII. When colours were presented to the 14th Battalion, Herman, who lived in Robe Street, St Kilda was asked to represent the citizens of the municipality (p.207, The History of St Kilda, Volume II, John Butler Cooper).
P.7/50
(H) After extensive remodelling, the "New" Luna Park was launched in November, 1923 (see Part 6).
P.7/51-56
(I) 4. Going it Alone
The completion of Luna Park marked the end of Leon and Herman's partnership with Williams. Being particularly ambitious, J.D returned to America where he became a producer in Hollywood's burgeoning film industry as a co-founder of First National Pictures; a major cinema chain and production facility that was based in Burbank, California. By 1920, he had two of the biggest screen idols of the day - Charlie Chaplin and Mary Pickford - on his payroll. He also made movie history when he signed Chaplin to the first million-dollar contract. Williams then went to England to establish the Elstree Studio Centre (filming location of the 1975 block buster Star Wars) with his next company, British National Pictures where, at the age of 6, future "Rat Pack" luminary Peter Lawford made his celluloid debut in a creaky little opus titled Poor Old Bill (photo collage of Peter) (article about Williams and Wilcox)
https://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/leisure/20267685.elstree-studios-bar-named-founders-williams-wilcox/
P.7/57&58
(J) According to William's biographer, Emeritus Professor Jill Julius Matthews of the ANU, when he left the South Pacific, J.D (and presumably the Phillips) "controlled a circuit of fifteen picture theatres in Melbourne, Brisbane and New Zealand. He also ran five film exchanges, had.....
(All page 8)
P.8/1-3
(A) agents in London and America and a distribution outlet in China". This was in addition to his Sydney venues. However, Williams had merged with other important exhibitors to form "The Combine" - a powerful group that dominated the Australian film business for a decade or so and which, eventually, morphed into Greater Union.
P.8/4-9
(B) But J.D's time over here wasn't entirely trouble-free. Like all entrepreneurs, he had his share of highs and lows and there were always challenges. As Yearsley pointed out in his article, the summer months could be a problem. With no air conditioning, movie houses became unbearably hot when they were full (as distinct from their patrons who became unbearably full when they were hot) and the flicker fans increasingly opted for the popular outdoor picture shows such as the one near St Kilda beach. Strangely, it seems that neither Williams nor Phillips ever moved into the field. But Luna Park would have compensated for any loss of income that was experienced at the Melba and Britannia.
P.8/10-16
(C) Williams had a few other vexations as well which included legal disputes and occasional controversies. However, the feisty West Virginian had an admirable ability to overcome adversity and serge ahead in his blue surge suit, at least until ill-health caught up with him. And his talent as an organizer of large-scale entertainment projects was never in doubt. In Australia, he transformed film exhibition and distribution. In America, First National became one of the most innovative and successful operations of its type in the country, concentrating on quality movies such as the groundbreaking 1925 science fiction classic Lost World - a personal favourite of famed reviewer Leonard Maltin. And just as a side note, the picture starred Lloyd Hughes who later appeared in the Sydney-produced film Luggers and Lovers (1937)
https://leonardmaltin.com/before-king-kong-a-lost-world-found/
P.8/17-21
(D) But what happened to the others who came "Down Under"?
Yearsley went back to the States with Williams to take charge of publicity at Burbank. In retirement, he became an art collector in Palm Springs. Passing away in 1957, he was buried at the Hollywood Memorial Cemetery - a place of internment which, as you will find out later, has significance to the Phillips (.... or just scroll down to Part 10 right now if you're...dare I say it?...absolutely dying to know!)
P.8/22-24
(E) Lou Corbeille acted as manager of Luna Park for a short period. However, he had also gone home by the start of the Great War (1914) and, after a series of assignments in various locations, settled in Illinois where he founded the firm of Golden & Corbeille; Amusement Park Rides.
P.8/25-27
(F) The Whitneys lingered in Melbourne for quite some time with a combined "Quick Finish" photo shop, penny arcade and shooting gallery at 118 Bourke Street before they relocated to San Francisco where they took over "Playland" fun fair and became property developers (George Whitney pic in here)
https://www.outsidelands.org/playland.php
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Playland_(San_Francisco)
P.8/28
(G) Vernon Churchill was still around Adelaide in 1925
P.29-31
(H) Tom Eslick's association with Australia also continued, on and off, for many years. As previously mentioned, he created the La Monica Ballroom in Los Angeles. He then built "Cloudland" in Brisbane. However, like the Whitneys, he finally returned to the West Coast of America.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tollemache_Heriot_Eslick
https://www.deschutesmeridian.com/projects_uncleharry.html
https://rainbowrobstravels.blogspot.com/2011/03/luna-park-story-tollemache-or-thomas.html
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/183427776
P.8/32-35
(I) But, apart from Yearsley, these men appear to have been strictly Luna Park imports i.e. they worked exclusively on that project. However, JD brought others (like John Ruel) over here to help with his movie business. But, it seems, that the film department was run from Sydney by Williams, Yearsley and Phillips until the latter, apparently, decided to move, permanently, to Melbourne.
P.8/36 & 37
(J) Of all those who made the trip for Williams, Herman and Leon had, by far, the most substantial "post JD" Australian career. Staying on mainly to operate Luna Park (although also listed as being the owners of the Britannia Theatre in one directory - inlcude link to CARP page that mentions Phillips) , they soon got other attractions up and running as well.
P.8/38-45
(K) 5. Palais de Danse Ballroom 1913 & 1919
In 1913, the Phillips built the first Palais de Danse; a comparatively modest structure adjacent to Luna Park on a site that is now occupied by the Palais Theatre. Six years later, they opened a bigger venue of the same name further along the Lower Esplanade. The luxurious new ballroom featured an eclectic and magical interior that was designed by husband-and-wife architects, Walter and Marion Griffin who came from Frank Lloyd Wright's Chicago office. Walter is best known as the man who laid out Canberra. Whether or not the Griffins did the exterior of the ballroom is unclear as its ornate style (I'll call it "Wedding Cake Deluxe PLUS") was, perhaps, more typical of Nahum Barnett (who lived in St Kilda) or even Eslick whom, as we know, designed at least two other major dance halls - the La Monica and Cloudland. On hot summer nights, louvered wall panels at the Palais de Danse could be hinged up to allow sea breezes to cool the "Dancing Crowd" with a touch of balmy exotica.
P.8/46-52
(L) The ritzy after 5.00 rendezvous (used a lot) became the epicentre of Melbourne's jazz scene and a string of American band leaders such as Roy Fox, Jay Whidden, Ray Tellier and Frank Ellis appeared there. But of all the star-spangled music men who came into the place, Phil Harris would probably be about the only one who might ring a bell with older readers. The voice of Baloo the Bear in Disney's 1967 animated smash Jungle Book and singer of the song "Bear Necessities", Harris had a diverse career in radio, television and the movies. An accomplished multi-instrumentalist, he arrived in St Kilda in 1926 as drummer with the Carol Laughner (pronounced "Lofner") Palm Grove Orchestra from San Francisco. The following year, Harris married the actress Marcia Ralston in Sydney.
P.8/53-57
(M) A night at the Palais de Danse in the '20s was a rowdy affair when the "Jazzers" were off the leash. A much-hyped overseas recording artist was likely to draw a couple of thousand flappers and their beaus to the Lower Esplanade, all doing the hand claps and foot stomps in time to the Charleston, Black Bottom and Shimmy (Olivia Charleston clip in here) .As our friends in Adelaide would say, the Palace of "Darnce" gave the punters a "charnce" to misbehave (just like Theda Bara!). However, by the mid-'30s it no longer had a monopoly as other venues were operating across the road. These included Earl's...
(All page 9)
P.9/1&2
(A) Court and the Streets of Paris (AKA Wattle Park - later converted to the ice-skating rink St Moritz). But the Phillips soon lured the ballroom blitzers back over to their side of the tram tracks (NFSA video of Wattle Path crowd arriving)
P.9/3-13
(B) Commandeered by the military and used as a post office during WWII, the Palais de Danse sustained considerable damage as the floor was "ruined by soldier's hobnail boots and the wheels of postal carts" according to historian Anne Longmire in her book St Kilda: The Show Goes On (p.180 Hudson, 1989). Remaining closed until 1953, its final years saw a steady decline in patronage and the end came when it went up in flames. Longmire gave the following account of what occurred when the place.....
".... was burnt down on 27 December. 1968. A fire was believed to have started above the kitchen....the blaze was so fierce that power poles and palm trees forty meters away ignited and the billowing smoke could be seen from many parts of Melbourne. Onlookers saw the last great show at the Palais de Danse as its roof appeared to lift off then collapse in a shower of bricks and glass. Within half an hour the building was razed"
P.9/14-17
(D) DELETED
P.18 & 19
(E) And I can confirm that it was, indeed, a massive con...flag..ar..con.. fladge...ure..in..ation... FIRE !! that was visible in Brighton
P.9/20-35
(F) With my parents being "St Kilda-ites", my father "announced" that we would climb into the Desoto Firesweep and "motor" around the "Beach Road" (as the continuous length of St Kilda Street, Ormond Esplanade and Marine Parade was known) to say farewell to the family's dance hall days (Wang Chung "Dance Halls Days" - official video). In other words, we drove around the bay in our tizzy old pile of chrome to see what was left of the Phillips' tizzy old pile of stucco (1959 Desoto Firesweep 4 door Sedan Oz ass== - DeSoto Firesweep - Wikipedia). Needless to say, being a mere slipper-vuh lad (slip of a lad), I had no real memories of it. To me, it was just "that funny building" that I walked past with ME mutha' and ME nan-mutha (my mother and my grandmother) when we had lunch at "Kirby's Kiosk" on the pier (St.Kilda Pier Kiosk - State Library of Victoria photo | Flickr) . Speagun a witch (speaking of which), I can vividly recall one, particular diner who was a regular at the "Kosk" (I couldn't say "Kiosk" properly... and I was in my thirties). An elderly "loidee" (lady), she was usually dressed in "Saints" supporter's clothing i.e. the jumper (sweater), scarf and woollen cap (the Saints are the hometown football team). Of course, that was before West Beach neighbourhood (between Beaconsfield Parade and Canterbury Road) was "gentrified" and most of those "characters" disappeared; probably washed away in many cases by the incoming wave of well - to - do property buyers from other suburbs. Referred to as "trendies" (i.e. trend setters), they were the Chardonnay-sippers and fondue-dippers with their brass beds and European cars who were determined to "save" and "revitalize" St Kilda (whether it needed to be or not!). Now, yet another, even more "selfie ready" and "relevant" type of resident has moved in - namely the ultra-fit Buffed Body Brigade (AKA the "Threebeeze") who love to "Brighton" things up with a "dash of black"
P.9/36-44
(G) In fact, while I'm on the subject, when and why did this morbid obsession with black reach such plague proportions in Melbourne? Black clothes, black cars, black houses, black light globes, black high visibility safety jackets. It's all very depressing particularly during the city's bleak and miserable (or should that black and miserable?) wet and cold months (i.e March to November) and it's downright bizarre to see it everywhere in "summer" (three or four days of "nice" weather around Christmas when you get incinerated in crippling heat ... no, please don't call in to complain.... just 'avin' a bitta fun with our.... what would you call it?....tricky?..surprising?.. whatever weather). It's also dangerous when the black cats are out 'n about jogging in trees and falling off bikes at dusk or dawn with a piping hot coffee in each paw (... fore... shore). But it wasn't always this way.
P.9/45-47
(H) In the '70s, the "Age of Aquarius" was still exerting an influence and we had long since decided to "Let the Sun Shine In". Encouraged to "Colour our World", a lot of people drove pink, aqua and orange cars; some of which, like my AMC Rambler Matador were done in two tone .....
1972 Rambler Matador Sedan | Right hand drive. Australian as… | Flickr
Petula Clark "Colour My World" on The Ed Sullivan Show
Hair - Trailer IMDB
P.9/48-54
(I) There were red "trannies" (transistor radios) with silver speaker covers, yellow telephones and Fluro lime green raincoats. We had tartan pants and "lumber" jackets (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVxAj-Mis6o, "antique gold" and floral furniture, Yardley's "Pots of Gloss" and girls with kal-eye-dough-sco-pies ("Lindsay in the Sky with Diamonds" Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds (Remastered 2009) Even some of the seniors - both the "good lady wives" (to quote Sandy Stone) and their (former great big muscle-ee blokes of) husbands picked up on the vibe and got into the groove by having a touch of "blue rinse" shot through their snowy strands and possibly even venturing into a "Unisex" hairdressing salon "in which to have the procedure performed upon their person". You still see specks of such vibrancy but the vista is generally fairly drab these days.
And, oh how I remember the blue eye shadow.......a searing hot summer's night in 1975... the school "social" in the "Memorial" hall. The young ladies (cough) from our "sister school" had smuggled in orange juice laced with ... whatever...gin, vodka, high octane funny car fuel. Everywhere you looked Yardley's blue goo was melting and oozing down pretty young faces (and the girls had trouble with it as well).
(J) The "black bit" is a peculiarity (and, no, I'm not totally anti... in fact, I owned a "formal" car many "Mr Moons" ago...https://www.flickr.com/photos/78453720@N06/albums/72177720326655640/. But for sheer sartorial perfection, nothing beats, what I call, the "Melbourne All Weather Combo". This snappy attire is the epitome of chic and it would, undoubtedly, impress fashion writers in New York, London and Paris if the wearers ever chose to expose themselves to the international press. So, wot-zit all about? Well, to "keep warm", from the waist up you pull on six flannel shirts, six jumpers and six woollen caps (preferably with ears... to add an air of authority). Down below, you will astound passers-by with your footy shorts, lack of socks and thongs (flip-flops in the States)
(All page 10)
P.10/1-3
(A) Anyway, back to the Fire (sweep), the awesome and quite frightening sight of which was all that mattered to me. So there we stood, dangerously close to the chaos (as we did in that era). The Foreshore was Rome circa 64 CE as huge burning branches broke away from the Canary Island palms and came crashing down onto Jacka Boulevard
P.10/4-10
(B) A quartet of ancient musicians, all of whom looked like they may have been at the opening night of the equally ancient dance barn, gathered around to play some appropriately "hot" trad jazz as they found comfort in the magic of music at that sad time. After several unsuccessful attempts to get upright, a couple of "hippies"/"mods"... (whatever the young-eeze who wore psychedelic "gear" were called in '68) rose, unsteadily, to their feet to do a Charleston- type shuffle before stumbling off to find their own comfort in the magic of mushrooms.
P.10/11-14
(C) Suddenly, there was a loud bang from deep within the inferno (and another one from deep within the mod's Kombi van). Vulcan was getting pissed off but good because the joint was hanging on. However, that last, God almighty shove (as detailed by Anne) finally sent it hurtling into the hereafter. Oh well, at least it went out in spectacular style, just as the boys from Spokane would have wanted it to
P.10/15-17
6. The 'New" Luna Park 1923
(D) Following its closure during WWI and then a further delay that was caused by a lease dispute, the "New" Luna Park opened in November, 1923. Having undergone a thorough renovation, many rides and attractions such as the carousel, Whip, Noah's Ark, Goofy House and Water Chute (AKA the Shoot the Chute) had been added
P.10/18-28
(E) Not much survived from the original park. The Scenic Railway, "Mr Moon" entrance, photo studio and Ferris Wheel were retained. The River Caves and Palais de Follies also stayed but both were revamped. The external appearance and all of the internal diorama "scenes" of the former were changed (as they would be on a regular basis thereafter) while the latter was temporarily renamed " Funny Land" before, eventually, being completely remodelled and renamed once more to become the "Giggle Palace" (confused?.... you should see it from this side!).With its giant slides, distorting mirrors, turkey trot and revolving barrel, "The Palace" went on to provide an endless supply of giggles for decades to come. However, the most exciting addition for the 1923 season was a second rollercoaster, described as the "demonic" Big Dipper. A high-speed action ride that ran over a tight, interwoven course, it was designed by the American "Coaster King" John Miller. Later, such favourites as the Ghost Train, Jack and Jill (a combination chairlift and slide that was constructed out of the Water Chute). Dodgem and U-Drive cars together with the Rotor and a shark tank would also be installed. And, as before, there was plenty of live entertainment. The place even had its own ghost (possibly a cheeky apparition which had escaped from the train). The upgrading of the River Caves was probably handled by Rupert Browne; scenic artist at the Palais Pictures
P.10/29-34
(F) Carnival snacks remained an eagerly anticipated part of a visit to Luna Park and one of the treats (?) that John Michael Howson recalled were Luna's....
" ...waffles....only vaguely resembling their American counterparts, these penile-shaped objects were filled with a goo called "mock cream", an imitation that was used during the 1940s food rationing period. No matter how careful [you were], blobs of this muck would finish up on clothes, shoes, legs, hands and hair. It resembled some sort of ectoplasm from outer space that increased when it hit the air. When I saw Steve McQueen's movie The Blob (1958), I felt sure that the writer must have been a waffle eater from Luna Park"
P.10/35-39
(G) The above description would indicate something that, perhaps, had more in common with crepes rather than waffles.
https://sulaandspice.com/fruit-crepes/
https://www.loveandlemons.com/waffle-recipe/
Anyway, whatever they were, they seem to have gone by the '60s, leaving the more familiar and presumably more tasty, selection of hot dogs, milk shakes, burgers, chips (fries), baked potatoes, hot jam doughnuts, popcorn and, fairy floss to stop the tummy rumbles (I'm getting hungry just typing this). Although, there were still a few unique delicacies such as the "Cream Freeze"
|
| "Cream Freeze" stall (left) Luna Park, St Kilda (1950s?) |
P.10/40-50
(H) Today, when Melbourne speak fondly about the "Old Luna Park", they're probably visualizing the one that was mainly created between the 1920s and the '50s and which stayed largely intact until the '70s. But then it started to change, rapidly, and not for the better as far as many were concerned. Some who have happy memories of the seaside fun fair still express a sense of sadness at the loss of much-loved attractions. The Jack 'n Jill gave way to the wrecker's ball in 1970 as did the Rotor in '77. Then Noah's Ark bit the dust. However, the '80s marked the conclusive end of the "real" park when the River Caves, Whip, Dipper and (following a fire) the Giggle Palace were all demolished (play Channel 10 Big Dipper demolition video). By the beginning of the '90s, the place had just about been gutted. All of that charming and whimsical if (to quote John Michael) "somewhat well worn" fantasy environment which had stimulated the imaginations of nearly three generations of Melbourne kids was smashed into oblivion and replaced by a succession of portable rides, most of which looked like earth moving equipment that was covered in graffiti. Gone were the quaint fairytale dioramas and the opportunity to enjoy tranquil summer boat rides. The medieval castle (the Giggle Palace) with its drawbridges and merry monarch laughing hysterically from its central tower (footage/photos of King Cole) also vanished
P.10/51-55
P.11/31-37
(H) The Phillips final, major project in Melbourne was another solo endeavor that reached its glittering climax in 1927 with the completion of the "New" Palais Pictures (now the Palais Theatre). Situated between Luna Park and the Palais de Danse on the St Kilda foreshore and with a seating capacity of just on 3,000, it was described as being the largest venue of its type in Australia when it opened and that may still be the case. Certainly, it would be our largest suburban cinema. The current structure was the fourth movie theatre to be built by the brothers on the same site with each bigger and better than its predecessor. It all began when the original Palais de Danse was converted to a "picture show" in 1915. Then, five years later, a second cinema was constructed.
P.11/38-40
(I) However, before we go any further, let's pause for a moment to take a wider look at the period in question; a time when Herman, Leon and others were pioneering the film business in St Kilda. We will briefly recall (?) what else they were doing and meet a few of the identities with whom they were associated.
P.11/ 41-49
(J) The February 10, 1921 edition of Table Talk reported that Herman and fellow showman W.A.Gibson were about to visit America. Like the Phillips, Englishman William Alfred Gibson had been involved in the "flickers" from the get-go. A former chemist, he produced two of our most important films. The first was The Story of the Kelly Gang (1906) which told the tale of the notorious bushranger (outlaw) Ned Kelly and his band of thieves. His second venture, For the Term of His Natural Life (1927) was based on Marcus Clarke's novel about Australia's convict era. But Gibson's main interests were exhibition and distribution and he chose to concentrate on his role as Joint Managing Director of Union Theatres (eventually known as Greater Union) (include photos and caption of St Kilda Bioscope Theatre). The transpacific connection continued with the Kelly movie that was partly shot in St Kilda. Despite its central character being the most quintessential of Australian folklore figures, Ned was portrayed by Frank Mills, an American who was employed in Melbourne theatre (https://backinthedayblogspot.blogspot.com/2025/01/bruce-corneil-australias-involvement-in.html. Gibson also elected to use an American cast and director (Norman Dawn) to make For the Term of His Natural Life.
P.11/50&51
(K) Constantly planning newsworthy events, the Phillips became astute publicists and Hollywood actors occasionally made personal appearances at the Capitol and/or Palais. Louise Lovely was one of them.
P.11/52-58
(L) Born Nellie Louise Carbasse (Car-Bass-ee?) into a Sydney showbusiness family in 1895, Lovely debuted as an ingenue in local theatre and films. In 1914, (check dates here) she sailed for the US to have a crack at Tinsel Town and she soon caught the eye of Carl Laemmle, the boss of Universal Pictures, who gave her a contract and changed her name to Louise Lovely. Although almost forgotten today, Lovely was one of the first Australian "photo players" to make a notable impression in the movie capitol where she appeared in dozens of films. Cast opposite Lon Chaney in the Gilded Spider (1916), she received good (positive?) reviews. In 1918, she joined Fox where she co-starred in Westerns opposite William Farnum. By the early, '20s, however, her Stateside career had peaked, and she returned to this country. But her stint in Hollywood had supercharged her celebrity status back home.
(All page 12)
P.12/1-4
(A) Louise and husband, Wilton Welch, formed a company, Louise Lovely Productions, with their primary objective being to make features Down Under. However, their initial effort was a documentary called A Day at the Studio which they turned into a live show. Touring around the US and Australia, it gave audience members the chance to do screen tests that were filmed and then shown the following week. It also included demonstrations of movie equipment and acting techniques. Announcing that they wanted would-be-thespians to fill minor roles in their first picture to be titled Jewelled Nights (1925), Louise and Wilton triggered a stampede when hundreds of hopefuls attended auditions that were held at some of our more prestigious cinemas. When the "Studio" caravan rolled into the Palais, it caused near-hysteria as the flaming youth of the village came swarming out of their California bungalows, determined to dazzle the producers with their striking good looks and sparkling personalities... or, at least... that was the dream. But it wasn't just the "dancing crowd" who snapped at the celluloid bait. Everyone from kids to oldsters made a dash to "The Pal" (albeit a slightly slower dash in the case of the latter group). As indicated by the above photo, Lou's "audition bit" was a hit with tots or, more accurately, with their decidedly star struck parents. After hours of being primped and preened, potential movie moppets and general brats were bundled into Buicks and shoved into Studebakers as stage "moms" and dads all over Melbourne set a course for the Lower Esplanade. A few of Mizz Lovely's American pics had been screened at the Palais so the fans would have been positively swooning at the mere prospect of being able to "clap ice" (clap eyes) on the genuine Hollywood celeb in the flesh.
P.12/15-29
(B) As promised, Jewelled Nights was produced. Shot on location in Victoria and Tasmania, about twenty of those who passed the test got a gig in the movie. But although it generated some "buzz" when it premiered in Melbourne, production costs exceeded box office receipts, and it turned out to be Louise's swan song as a producer and actress. However, she became a high-profile lobbyist for Australian films. Divorcing Welch, she married Bert Cowan (AKA Cowen) at the Melbourne registry on Monday, November 26, 1928. Cowan had just been hired as manager of the new and very lavish Regent and Plaza twin cinemas on Collins Street. According to information that can be found on the National Trust of Victoria website, the couple lived in Manor Grove, North Caulfield, right next to the historic mansion "Labassa" and Louise, who was never overly fond of the name "Lovely", increasingly preferred to be known as Nellie Cowan. It also seemed that they stayed in touch with the Phillips brothers. In the '40s, the Cowans moved to Hobart where they took over the Prince of Wales Theatre. With her cinematic fame having long since faded, Louise spent her twilight years running the Lollie (candy) counter at "The Prince" and living in her (sorry, I can't resist it) "Lovely" home at Sandy Bay on the picturesque Derwent River until her death in 1980. Today, researchers who look back at her career as it was well documented in Stateside newspapers can reflect on how close she got to the Hollywood mountain top. And just to finish with a touch of trivia for Melbourne readers, Louise was the godmother of the late Mike McColl Jones - veteran television comedy writer and media personality who came from a "movie family" (Mike's superb book Graham Kennedy Treasures - Miegunyah Press, 2008 - is a visual treat packed with rare colour photos and behind the scenes anecdotes that trace the life and career of Australia's legendary "King of Television" )
P.12/30-43
(C) After Jewelled Nights was released, the industry's trade magazine "Everyone's" reported that .....
" The Phillips Reality Co Melbourne (Herman Phillips) was going to construct...."a studio in Tasmania". A producer was going to be "brought from America" and "all of Marie Bjelke Petersen's books had been "secured for picturization" (Everyone's, May 19, 1926)
Presumably, this scheme was prompted by the recent filming of Petersen's Jewelled Nights on the Apple Isle. Although, other things were going on down there as well. For example, Phillips' associate W.A.Gibson was about to shoot For the Term of his Natural Life at Port Arthur. So, perhaps, Herman's plans were connected to Gibson's activities and, maybe, the "American producer" was going to be Dawn? Whatever was going on, it seems that Phillips was merely staking a claim and taking an option - one that he never pursued. Indeed, showing no further enthusiasm for production, he later expressed the view (opinion) that our movies could not compete with the American product. Appearing as a witness at the 1927 Royal Commission on the Moving Picture industry in Australia (at which Louise Lovely also gave evidence), he said that the introduction of a proposed quota for the showing of Australian and English films would be undesirable for exhibitors as such offerings usually (but not always) bombed at the box office. Did the failure of Jewelled Nights lead to the change of mind and the realization that the making of local features was too risky and not worth the effort? For Herman and Leon, there were easier and more reliable ways in which to rake in a lot more cash.
P.12/44-48
(D) But back to the Palais....
With everything going great guns at the Phillips St Kilda movie house, they upgraded, yet again, with a new venue (1926) that was designed by the Griffins. Unfortunately, it was destroyed by fire during its construction. In the process of rising from the ashes, however, a second decision was, apparently, made to "floor the gas pedal" from an extravagance viewpoint in regard to a replacement
P.12/49-55
(E) As Walter and Marion had relocated to Sydney and were fully committed to other assignments, the Phillips approached New Zealand-born architect Henry Eli White to come up with a more palatial and imposing structure. This was to be the brothers ultimate display of showmanship so it had to wow the fans as they had never been wowed before. It had to be colossal- an absolute palace for pictures. Billed as "Australia's Wonder Theatre", it was, like everything else they owned, totally unique. There were, of course, other impressive cinemas in Melbourne such as the State on Flinders Street and the Regent on Collins (both opened in 1929). However, the creators of the Capitol and the Palais offered something different. Although, the Phillips' latest addition to the Lower Esplanade incorporated their local trademark design feature of matching towers on each side of the facade that gave the theatre a cathedral-like appearance (include small collage of all three buildings)
P.12/56-59
(F) The Palais was conceived as a dual-purpose movie theatre and live performance venue and it has a large stage. Also fitted with an extensive range of production equipment and behind the scenes facilities, it presented weekly musical variety shows that ran prior to the main film and were part of a wider program that included newsreels, shorts and trailers. British maestro Harry Jacobs (formerly of the Alhambra Theatre, London) was appointed to lead the orchestra and, under his baton, they established a reputation for excellence.
P.12/60&61
(G) The "New" Palais Pictures was officially opened at a private function on the evening of Friday, November 11, 1927 with the VIP audience being treated to a premiere screening of Seventh Heaven starring Janet Gaynor along with a selection of favourites from the orchestra. The following night, the public was admitted to see Monte Blue in Across the Pacific and Clara Bow in Rough House Rosie while Jacobs and Co perfumed the air with a melange (may-lon-ju) of melodies that were designed to delight even the most particular patron (phew... I'm exhausted... in fact, I'll have to stand up for a while)
P.12 / 62
(H) John Michael Howson remembered an after dark visit to the 'Wonder Theatre" as being a glamorous social event to which you wore your very best clothes because......
(All page 13)
(A)".... the Palais had class and style. A mammoth place with Luna Park on one side and the Palais de Danse on the other, it was a vast mix of Versailles, St Peter's and Reich Chancellery.
(A1) As soon as the Paramount newsreel was over, the curtains would close, the lights would dim and, after an expectant pause, a spotlight would follow the conductor, Mr Harry Jacobs, as he entered the pit. Mr Jacobs, resplendent in white tie and tails, was greeted with more applause than Sir Thomas Beecham, Sir Malcom Sargent, Sir John Barbirolli or Arturo Toscanini...
(A2) The curtains would rise and, voila! we were transported to a world of chocolate box sets, stain drapes, Roman pillars, huge baskets of flowers, statues and fountains. Nymphs played by ex-Tivoli and J.C.Williamson chorus girls, augmented by eager pupils from a dancing school were never a threat to the Rockettes. Willowy young men known as " dancing boys", pirouetted around the stage in tights and boleros, wearing enough makeup to cover the entire outside of the Palais.
(A3) The production was a combination of beauty and culture - that is, ballet tutus, pink lights and falling blossoms set to Swan Lake or Les Sylphides (Lay Silveed?) (or as legend has it, one would-be culture vulture, informed an usher that....'ee and the Missus woz lookin' forward to catchin' Lezz Siff-Luss -BC). A tenor would sing "Danny Boy". Romance was supplied by a local Jeanette McDonald and Nelson Eddy in period costume warbling "I Love you Truly". Patriotism was always a good way to end and I'll never forget the entire company dressed in uniform, standing against the flags of our allies singing 'Wish me Good Luck as You Wave me Goodbye" as a ship sailed off the stage. So realistic was the effect that I believed it had gone through the wings of the Palais, across the Esplanade and the beach, carrying the chorus girls and the gaily-waving dancing boys to some combat zone where their performance would have the Hun on the run and give the Nip the pip"
P.13/17-26
(B) Ester Wyatt was a front of house attendant at the theatre, starting in 1938 who became the Phillips' secretary....
(B1) "My job was to sell tickets and take bookings for the Palais [Pictures] and the Palais de Danse and also to answer the phone...The place would be full on Friday and Saturday... nights for a newsreel, two films and a 20-minute live show on Saturday. There were eight girls in the ticket boxes and a proportion of the stalls and the Lounge were permanently booked...the Commissionaire, in his long grey coat and cap with red band would stand outside to [greet] patrons while, inside, before the show, ushers would stand to attention for inspection. They had to be six feet tall. They wore cream pants with a black stripe, a white shirt, grey vest and grey Eton jacket with red lapels and the letter "P" embossed on it together with a red bowtie (p.52 St Kilda: The Show Goes On)
P.13/27-31
(C) With so many regular visitors, new shows had to be produced at a furious rate of knots so Harry Jacobs, Rupert Browne (the supervising scenic artist) and the rest of the team were kept busy. Remarkably, the standard remained high as confirmed by contemporary reviews. Indeed, some years ago I got to see photos of the sets that were used at the Palais in the 1930s and '40s and they looked they had come straight off an MGM sound stage.
P.13/32-36
(D) Alfred 'Al" Daff (Greg Lynch book) was in charge of Universal's Victorian office. By the '60s he was Vice President at their Hollywood headquarters. During his time in Melbourne, he forged an on-going working relationship with the Phillips and booked the Palais for special screenings such the one that took place in February, 1937. An all-day event with catered lunch, three movies were presented, one of which was the "screwball" comedy My Man Godfrey that starred William Powell and Carole Lombard. Two of the guests in attendance were Bert and Nellie Cowan (AKA Louise Lovely)
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| Al Daff and secretary (Greg Lynch photo) https://www.theybuiltanempire.com/al-daff |
P.13/37-48
(E) Like most suburban cinemas, the Palais offered Saturday afternoon "cliff hanger" serials for their junior patrons. One of the first to thrill the homework brigade on the Lower Esplanade was Universal's Air Mail Mystery (1933) and Daff was most impressed with the ideas that the Phillips and their right-hand man, Garnet Curwen came up with to publicize the production. At one point the overall manager of Luna Park, the Palais Pictures and the Palais de Danse, Curwen was instrumental in the success of the brother's St Kilda attractions from the '20s through to the '50s. Arrangements were made for him to visit California to see what was "hot" at some of the State's amusement parks, movie theatres and music venues. Armed with a list of contacts which had been provided to him by Leon and Herman as well as Herc McIntyre, Ralph Clarke and others, Curwen was warmly welcomed by the sun-tanned cigar chompers across the way. Covering a lot of territory, his observations were published in 'Everyone's". Of particular interest was the progress being made by "personality band leader" Phil Harris who, as mentioned earlier, had done a stint at the Palais de Danse and, by the time of Curwen's junket, was performing at the Coconut Grove nightclub in Los Angeles. hosting a radio program and had just finished a movie for RKO. Later, in the '50s, Harris rose to prominence on network television.
P.13/49-56
(F) The opening of the 'New" Palais Pictures also seemed to coincide with the arrival of Harold Phillips in Australia. Although described in the press as being the theatre's "House Manager", his talents went far beyond merely cracking a satin ribbon over the ushers, "candy girls" and ticket sellers and he was soon producing big budget shows that the critics raved about. Another capable publicity man, Harold and Curwen devised all kinds of stunts to pack the punters into 'The Pal". In July,'33, for example, they rustled up an elephant that was decked out in colourful "jungle paraphernalia" to do a tour of shopping centres in order to plug the Universal serial Jungle Mystery together with a competition that was run. Other Universal cliff-hangers included Flash Gordon, the Green Hornet, Gang Busters and Ace Drummond. Golf was Harold's main hobby and, on one occasion, he joined Al Daff to win a game with fellow film people.
P.13/57-60
(G) The Phillips attractions were adversely affected by the severe economic downturn that began when the Great Depression kicked in. Record levels of unemployment dramatically reduced the spending power of the public. But the situation gradually improved. And it wasn't all doom and gloom in the '30s. By then, the Phillips had a solid reputation as leading showmen and savvy investors. Due to their early partnership
(All page 14)
P.14/1-11
(A) with J.D.Williams, they were acknowledged as having been important trail blazers in the field of cinema exhibition and they often contributed opinion pieces to various publications. They also demonstrated forward-thinking in another area of the industry by introducing a training scheme which allowed promising employees of their theatres to gain work experience in the United States (crop bit from Herman/Capitol interview). These placements were probably faciliated via Williams. They enjoyed a cordial relationship with US consuls in Melbourne and Sydney and were well-liked members of a social group that was made up of locally- based American businessmen, one of whom was Toorak resident Harry.C.Cornforth - CEO of Vacuum Oil. Although they had little desire to be the centre of attention, Herman Phillips certainly conformed to the classic image of a movie mogul. There was the ever-present cigar, the Homburg hat, very expensive suits and, while visiting an LA car showroom, he purchased a Cadillac - the ultimate status symbol. And, indeed, the brothers regularly updated their Cadillacs (plural). In fact, they had a family connection to the prestigious auto maker (details to follow). So, obviously, the gray clouds were drifting away and blue skies were reappearing.
P.14/12-20
(B) But just when things were returning to normal, another challenge came along when Australia went back to war in September, 1939 and St Kilda was plunged into semi darkness as "brown out" lighting conditions were enforced. Two years later, after Pearl Harbor in Hawaii was attacked, the United States commenced hostilities with Japan and the conflict accelerated at break-neck speed as the Land of the Rising Sun stormed ferociously southwards, finally bombing Darwin. When General Douglas MacArthur, the Supreme Allied Commander in the Pacific, was ordered by the Pentagon to direct his campaign from Australia, thousands of American military personnel surged into the country. The US HQ was set up in Melbourne and Leon Phillips was hired as Recreational Supervisor. His job was to "organize entertainment" for the GIs (no comment) who were on leave and, presumably, to stop them from being shot at even more than they had been by the Japanese (think Battle of Brisbane)(photo of Leon at ABC Radio .caption: " the ever-stylish Leon Phillips goes about his "military duties" complete with long cigarette holder...possibly inspired by his commander-in-chief's cobb pipe and Brook Brothers suit). Luna Park and the Palais Pictures quickly became favourite destinations for "dough boys" who were stationed at Camp Pell in Parkville
P.14/21-23
(C) In the '50s, the Palais became sought after by promoters as a venue for top overseas artists. Indeed, it was Herman's foresight to create a dual-purpose cinema and theatre that ensured its survival when television arrived and many of the picture palaces went broke.
P.14/24-27
(D) Sydney-based American entrepreneur Lee Gordon imported a galaxy of headliners from the States including Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope and Johnnie Ray with both Hope and Ray appearing at the Palais. Later, the "British Invasion" in the form of the Rolling Stoned and Tom Jones took over the stage. Broadway musicals such as Jesus Christ Superstar and La Cage Aux Follles as well as the Bolshoi and Kirov ballets were also presented at the theatre.
P.14/28-34
(E) Gordon was another interesting transpacific identity with whom the Phillips were associated. During his ten years in Australia, he was, like Williams, extremely productive. The many acts he brought to this country represented almost every genre of music from modern jazz to country, folk, pop and rock. There were brilliant young comedians such as Stan Freberg and the controversial Lenny Bruce. He launched a successful record company, Leedon, and gave singers Johnny O'Keefe and the Bee Gees their break and pioneered the use of boxing stadiums for concerts. In fact, he was largely responsible for igniting the entire rock scene Down Under. He also handled Stateside concert promotions for Elvis Presley and Sinatra, built our first-ever drive-thru hamburger restaurant and operated trendy nightclubs.
P.14/35-42
(F) As with the Phillips, however, details of Gordon's formative years are a touch hazy and contradictory. In his autobiography, Some Days are Diamonds (New Holland, 2003), Max Moore, Lee's tour manager and personal assistant, wrote that the impresario was born Leon Lazar Gevorshner in Coral Gables, Florida in 1917. Other sources say that he entered the world in Detroit, Michigan circa 1923. Also, according to Moore, Gordon earned had a business degree from the University of Miami where he booked bands for campus concerts. Climbing up the ladder, he put American acts into the swank (and allegedly mob-controlled) Tropicana gambling resort in Havana, Cuba and it was probably there that he became chummy with (a comparatively young) 'Ol blue eyes. The only glitch in their friendship occurred in 1957 when "Mr" Sinatra chucked a tantrum in Hawaii on his way over to do a tour of the "Lucky Country" for "Mr" Gordon. And a word of explanation may be needed here.
P.14/43-58
(G) Frank went through a period, later in the '70s, when he insisted that everyone, especially journalists, had to address him as "Mr" Sinatra 24/7. There would definitely be no more of that "Cranky Frankie" jazz as used way too often by reporters (or "slime people" as Frank called them). It was all to do with r-e-s-p-e-c-t and what it meant to Frank. It was a "'Scillian thing" . The capo di tutti Frankie had spoken. Be nice, follow the protocol or.... BOOM...capeesh? Francis Albert was an older, more dignified, very rich, very powerful and very polite gentleman (cough) by then. And he expected to be "treated nice" (and easy)... just like he treated the "ladies and gentlemen of the media".. which is what he called them... once... only... before the wheels immediately fell off the whole charade. Frequently stopping midway through concerts, the "chairman of the board" would take aim at his arch enemies the "scandal bums" (i.e tabloid journalists who favoured sensationalism). No longer "ladies and gentlemen", they were now being abused as "God damned liars", "parasites".... lepers..filth...vermin....whatever. In July, '74, he "explained"..."nicely" to a capacity audience at Melbourne's Festival Hall that the "broads of the press " were all "hookers" and that he might have given them a "buck and a HAFF". He also mentioned, for the benefit of those who weren't aware, that all of the male reporters were "pimps and fags". Unfortunately, Frank had done a grand job of handing his detractors plenty of ammunition to fire right back at him. Put simply, "Mr" Sin had more skeletons in his closet than the UCLA medical school, all of which were dragged out and paraded before the public whenever Frankie did, indeed, get cranky.
P.14/59-63
(H) But the fireworks were just a sideshow. At the end of the night and day (pow - track) Frank was THE "one". All that really mattered was the man and his music and, in the late 1980s, I got a front row seat to experience the magic of Sinatra in person. Although well and truly getting on by then, enough of " The Voice" and all of the incredible charisma was still there (see my post about his 1974 Australian tour via this link https://backinthedayblogspot.blogspot.com/2025/01/ol-black-is-back-sinatras-july-74.html
(All page 15)
P.15/1-5
(A) Anyway, back to Hu-wuh-ee.....
Displeased with the travel arrangements, 'Ol blue ice pulled the plug on the trip. Lee lost a bundle on the deal and sued. However, a settlement was reached and the agreement gave Gordon the right to promote some US concert dates for Sinatra. But the entire silly ruckus was a storm in a shot glass. Frank returned to Australia for Lee in '59 and '61. When Gordon was married in Acapulco, Sinatra was best man (clips?)
P.15/6-11
(B) Frank's shows always did well. However, Johnnie Ray was, perhaps, Gordon's most consistently profitable import. The versatile? singer, songwriter and pianist was one of the highest -selling Top 40 stars of the '50s. Racking up a string of hits, he became notorious for his wild, high-energy performances that caused his teenage fans to riot. Indeed, the chaos was stopped by the police on several occasions. Considered by some to be the true father of rock 'n roll, Ray came over here five times for Gordon and usually playing to packed houses. In 1955, he drew 250,000 to the Sydney stadium over the space of ten days when the city's population was barely a million. He also did shows at the Palais during that visit. (Ringo clip)
P.15/12-25
(C) Somewhat ironically, although he was Australia's top rock promoter, presenting such big names as Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard, Gordon preferred listening to modern jazz and middle of road music at home. The sound of Frankie swingin' easy out front of the Red Norvo Quinette was much more Lee's cup of tea. In fact, Gordon was a minor recording artist having cut a satirical ode to beatnikville titled "She's the Ginchiest". And it seems that the smooth-voiced, ultra cool hipster 'oom "does his bit on the disc" was, like, pretty much the real Lee Gordon. Remembered by his colleagues as being a somewhat eccentric but genial, low-key character, it's been reported that he had, what turned out to be, a premonition of his own death which became an obsession. So intense was his concern that he kept a white coffin that was lined in pink satin at his plush Point Piper apartment. On really bad nights, he slept in it. Only in his forties when he died, the story of his exploits came to the small screen in the 1998 telemovie titled The Singer and the Swinger that starred Ben Mendelsohn (try to find it.... Ben gave an absolutely outstanding performance)
P.15/ 26-31
(D) As we near the end of this summary of the Phillips film activities, it should be mentioned that there may have been other connections. Specifically, several historians have stated that the brothers owned movie theatres in Los Angeles as well as the Memorial Hall cinema in Acland Street, St Kilda and the Globe in Richmond. At the time of writing, however, I am yet to confirm any of this information. The Memorial was built by an R.L.Phillips. But it seems that he wasn't related to the "Palais Phillips". The brothers were certainly linked to a business in LA but it had nothing to do with entertainment . It was a new car dealership - Lumley's Cadillac; owned by Leslie.R.Lumley, husband of Aileen Lumley (nee Berry) - niece of Herman, Leon and Harold. Perhaps someone can shine an usher's (or usherette's) "flashlight" on all this?
P.15/32-38
(E) Both the Palais and Luna Park have been featured in numerous movies, videos and TV programs. They have also been depicted on canvas by renowned painters. Films such as Death of a Soldier (1986), OZ (1976), Hercules Returns (1993) and Dead Silence (2007) were partly shot at the Palais or included images of the theatre and it can be seen in television shows including "The Secret Life of Us" and "Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries". In 1962, it became a venue for film festivals and Los Angeles Times movie reviewer Kevin Thomas was a special guest at one of those events. In the '70s, Michael Nesmith, former member of the American supergroup the Monkees, recorded an album at the Palais and in the '80s acclaimed Australian band INXS produced a video for their song "Listen Like Thieves" down there.
P.15/39 & 40
(F) Currently leased by Live Nation of California, the Palais, like the Capitol, is undergoing restoration and it remains a popular concert venue.
P.15/41 - 47
(G) Over at Luna Park, another Aussie group, Skyhooks, shot a film for their chart-topper "Horror Movie" while the artist Sidney Nolan, who spent his childhood not far away from the Lower Esplanade, portrayed St Kilda's fun air as being a slightly sinister place in his paintings titled Luna Park and Giggle Palace. Nolan revealed during an interview that the latter creation was inspired by the attraction's distorting mirrors....
" Luna Park in Melbourne was my kitsch heaven as a boy. After I left the army, I tried to recapture things....I guess it's about reorientation and soldiers know how impossible it becomes. It's all distorted. So those mirrors at Luna Park have a double meaning. Maybe the world, when you look at it exactly, comes out distorted" (p.146 Longmire)
p.15/48-54
(H) A 1934 St Kilda tourism brochure conjured up an enchanting image of the beach area which the author dubbed "the Lido of the South" and, with the following text, it provides a perfect note on which to conclude this part of our story...
" The bejewelled edifices devoted to the most ancient and most modern of popular diversions; dancing and the talkies, blaze forth in cascades of colour. The air is clamant with the voices and laughter of youth on pleasure bent, the clatter of the Scenic Railway swinging around its dizzying track, the ecstatic screams of thrilled damsels swept from breath-taking heights to fearsome depths in the crazy careen of the demonic Big Dipper. In minor key, the pipes of the Merry-Go-Round play an unending loop of mechanical melodies and, across the darkening sea, soft lights on the pier promenade alluringly" (p.147 Longmire) (photo compilation of artists who have appeared at the Palais)
P.15/55 & 56
9. Luna Park Adelaide (1930) and Sydney (1935)
(I) In the early '30s, the Phillips experienced, what was for them, a rare failure when they established Luna Park at Glenelg in Adelaide.
P.15/ 57 & 58
(J) A company was registered in February, 1930 with Herman Phillips and David Atkins as directors. Future Sydney Luna park identity Ted "Hoppy" Hopkins also came onboard in Adelaide. Situated at the Colley Reserve on the Glenelg foreshore, the fun fair.....
(All page 16)
P.16/ 1 & 2
(A) welcomed its first visitors on October 8 of the same year. Rides and other amusements included a (Big) Dipper, Noah's Ark, River Caves (AKA "the Old Mill"), Goofy House and miniature golf course. As much of it was unfenced, admission was charged to individual attractions
P.16/ 3 - 8
(B) But things didn't go smoothly. Neighbours objected to the noise and "undesirables" hanging around. When ticket sales nosedived during the Depression, Atkins asked the Glenelg Town Council for a temporary reduction in rent and permission to run some of the rides on Sunday. However, both requests were knocked back. In 1932 a woman was killed when she fell from the rollercoaster. Although the inquest ruled it to be a suicide, it made for negative press coverage. Yet, despite all the problems, Atkins and Phillips worked well together and they decided to move on. Searching for another location, they hit the jackpot by securing the best site in the country.
P.16/9 - 14
(C) When construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge was completed, the land at Milson's Point that had been used for the storage of cranes and other equipment became available and the council called for tenders. Phillips and Atkins got the nod and the ink had barely dried on the contract when their Adelaide pleasure ground was liquidated. Its rides were dismantled under the meticulous supervision of Hopkins, loaded onto a ship and taken to the North Shore. After three months of reassembly, Sydney's Luna Park was opened on October 4, 1935. An immediate success, it continues to this day just like its Melbourne counterpart. As an extra bonus for Sydney patrons, a "floating ballroom" was moored on the harbour next to the park.
P.16/15 - 17
(D) The "City of Churches" never got another permanent fun fair and the main losers were, of course, the kids of South Australia as well as the adults who missed out on the employment opportunities that Luna Park would have provided. But Adelaide's loss was Sydney's gain (Melbourne job card - Flickr)
P.16/ 18
10. Final Years and Legacy
(E) The Phillips returned to the US on a regular basis to do business and also to catch up with family and friends
P.16/19 - 25
(F) A major break with the past occurred in August, 1934 when J.D.Williams died in New York. Possibly a victim of the Wall Street crash, it seems that he may have suffered a severe mental and physical decline. Four years later, Time's Winged Chariot came closer to home when Herman Phillips was struck down by a fatal heart attack during a visit to Sydney. Then, Harold and Leon passed away at South Yarra within a few months of each other in 1957. All three brothers are buried in St Kilda cemetery and a brass plaque at the Palais bears a tribute to Leon from the American community of Victoria. The Philips were Jewish but, apparently, not orthodox. They were showmen not Shomers (or, should that be shomer shabbats?) However, they certainly took part in Jewish events back in Spokane (Leon barmitzvah article)
P.16/26-35
(G) Operating independently or in partnership with Williams, the scope and diversity of their activities was unique within the Australian entertainment industry. From film exhibition, distribution and newsreel production to music venues, stage shows and amusement parks, they did it all. Starting as a nickelodeon entrepreneur on the West Coast of North America, Leon was a pioneer of the cinema on both sides of the Pacific and it's unlikely that any other Australian-based showman had been as closely associated with a Hollywood studio chief at such a senior level. Presumably, he could have gone back with JD and Clarence Yearsley to rejoin the American film business. However, along with Herman and Harold, he built a new life in his adopted country and it was here that they applied their talents. Indeed, their initiative was a key factor in regard to boosting and consolidating St Kilda's reputation as being a center for arts and amusement activities in this part of the world. Standing at the top of the bay, Luna Park, the Palais Pictures and Palais de Danse became the hub around which Melbourne's aquatic playground revolved. A traditional gathering place for huge crowds of pleasure seekers, particularly during the warmer months, the area lured other showmen and leisure promoters to the suburb (collage of neighbourhood attractions.. train.. candy corner etc)
P.16/36-43
(H) The Phillips and, later, Lee Gordon were conduits through whom significant elements of American popular culture initially flowed into Australia. Herman and Leon led us into the era of Coney Island style amusement parks, picture palaces and the Jazz Age. With the Palais de Danse, they owned the most prominent ballroom in Victoria and, as mentioned earlier, they imported many performers from the US. The batten was then passed to Gordon who introduced Aussie teenagers to stadium rock shows and brought the concept of American fast-food out lets to this country.
(H1) The Phillips attractions have been widely publicized and invaluable tourism assets for Melbourne and Sydney providing a countless number of jobs along the way. The "Mr Moon" entrance at Luna Park, St Kilda is, quite possibly, the most photographed destination for day trippers south of the Murray. Indeed, images of the iconic face are regularly featured in the Melbourne media as being a symbol of the city itself. But less well known was the brother's history of giving on-going financial support to charity and non-profit groups.
(H2) The movie business of the Phillips' era has long gone. Today, the industry is run not by charismatic impresarios who took pride in their ability to create a magical night of glamour and a sense of occasion but rather by corporate bean counters who have reduced the cinema-going experience to something considerably less than it used to be. In terms of both entertainment value and customer service, A Trip the Moon has been replaced by a Trip to the Toilet . However, Australian society in general has also changed. On the one hand, daily life has become more relaxed and informal while the pace of other things has increased. Perhaps present-day audiences are so distracted that they only want the basics...(just the main feature will do fine)... as the big screen now has to compete with free to air and pay TV, mobile phones, computers, the internet, You Tube, DVDs and (where's the crucifix and silver bullet...) home cinema. Also, it should be pointed out that the very extravagant live shows that were produced at the Palais Pictures in its heyday were never typical of what happened elsewhere, and they were only made possible (viable?) by the theatre's vast seating capacity and its dual-purpose design; a combination which may have been decided upon because of Herman Phillips' love of opera and musicals
(H3) More than a century after it opened, Luna Park is still unrivalled in Victoria. Over the years, dire warnings have been issued about the proposed development of "better" and "more relevant" "theme" parks. But, through it all, St Kilda's "Mecca of Merrymakers" has just kept rolling along like the "Great" Scenic Railway with its familiar clatter and the screams of delight that go with it remaining as much a part of the beachside neighborhood as the sound of waves breaking on the shore, the squawking of sea gulls and the buzz of small craft.
(H4) However, the Philips most valuable and enduring contribution to Melbourne was their determination to bring its citizens together from all of their different walks of life and socio-economic backgrounds to share the simple joys of being entertained and having fun at affordable prices. Clearly, the need to escape every now and again into a world of imagination, thrills and fantasy is universal and eternal. Luna Park, in particular, has always been a bastion of egalitarianism where everyone is equal in the eyes of "Mr Moon"
P.16/44-47
(I) Back in America, their family had also prospered and relocated to Southern California.
Considering that the Philips brothers had such a successful career in the cinema industry, it was appropriate that their parents, Abraham and Gertrude, were laid to rest in the Hollywood Memorial Cemetery where they are surrounded by many famous names of the screen including their fellow Spokane resident Darren McGavin and the incomparable Theda Bara.
So, now, as the sun sinks slowly in the West of St Kilda and night descends majestically just like the big velvet curtain used to all those years ago at the conclusion of yet another Palais spectacular, we have almost come to......
"The End"
of this transpacific odyssey, But not quite because this has only been the first part of our presentation.
Up next, Melbourne radio and TV legend Pete Smith will share his memories of the Philips. However, until then it's time for...
"Intermission"
So, feel free to duck out for a Tosca, cherry ripe, choc top, packet of "Fiesta" cigarettes, a coffee or "nice cup of tea". The bells will ring in the foyer when the show is about to resume
{compilation fo Australia ciinema commercials... banned commercials of yeester year)
Mac Robertson's Cinderella Bon - Bons | Melbourne, Victoria,… | Flickr
Sennitt's Ice Cream - Ephemera Society of Australia | Flickr
MacRobertson's Columbine Caramels - Pinterest | Australia (1… | Gemini Martian | Flickr
Pascall Fruit Bon Bons - Pic 2 : Deskgram photo | deskgram.o… | Flickr
Pink Elephant - Twitter | Oh how I loved Pink Elephant ice c… | Flickr
Polly Waffles - Pic 1 - Google | www.google.com.au/search?q=… | Flickr
Polly Waffles - Pic 2 - Google | Oh how I loved to waffle wi… | Flickr
Rowntree Fruit Gums - Pic 2 : Pinterest | Gemini Martian | Flickr
Full length original work
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(Include movie palaces doco at some point...Capitol or Palais...and photos of all book covers......Quotes: newspapers upright - books italics... Billy Williams.. I met her at St Kilda)
1. Introduction and Acknowledgements
(A) Brothers Herman, Leon and Harold Phillips were leading showmen in the Australian entertainment industry from the Edwardian era through to the 1950s. Their diverse interests included cinemas, amusement parks and dance halls.
(B) Starting in Sydney, their commercial activities eventually extended nationwide. However, they quickly shifted their headquarters to Melbourne and specifically to the bayside suburb of St Kilda where they owned Luna Park, the Palais Pictures (today, the Palais Theatre) and the Palais de Danse ballroom. They were also part of a syndicate that developed the Capitol Theatre and office building (known as "Capitol House") in the Melbourne CBD (downtown area). Later, they opened (established) other fun fairs at Glenelg beach in Adelaide and Milson's Point on Sydney Harbour. As music promoters, they imported a number of popular recording artists from the United States to perform at their venues. But I will be mainly focusing on their three most enduring ventures; all of which are still going.
(C) Luna Park (1912) was the first Coney Island style pleasure ground in Australia and its Scenic Railway rollercoaster is now, (according to the Los Angeles Times - insert LA Times article, July 18, 2011), the oldest, continually operating ride of its type (i.e. brakeman controlled) in the world. The unique and spectacular "ceiling of lights" at the Capitol (1924) is also internationally renowned and the Swanston Street landmark introduced the age of "picture palaces" to Australia while the Palais Theatre (1927), with a seating capacity of nearly 3,000, is our largest suburban cinema.
(D) The Phillips had a slightly unusual attitude to the spotlight around which their lives revolved. On the one hand, they were highly effective publicists when it came to the promotion of their attractions, news of which was frequently published in major daily papers and they were close to the rich and famous, a few of whom I will introduce you to within the following pages. Leon, for instance, learned the tricks of the stage and screen from a dynamic former sideshow barker, vaudeville roustabout and master of illusion who went on to become one of the most powerful studio chiefs in Hollywood. However, despite their own talent for creating thrills and excitement to enthrall the public, one thing separated the Phillips from their more ego-driven contemporaries - namely their preference to maintain a comparatively low profile. It seems that the microphone-grabbing/ selfie routine just never floated their River Caves boat. Instead, they employed others to meet the press and face the cameras.
(E) The reason for doing this piece was to organize and present the information that I have gathered, so far, about the Phillips' career as it was played out on both sides of the Pacific (possibly the first time that anyone has told their story as far as I'm aware). Indeed, a primary aim of my research was to investigate their formative years around the US/Canadian border. This avenue was pursued via North American newspaper archives and other sources. The amount of space that has been devoted to each of their attractions was determined by the quantity of material that had been randomly compiled by the time I started to write. Having an equal amount of information on everything was never a condition of undertaking this project. As a result, however, some parts are more expansive than others.
(F) The combined/interconnected history of Luna Park Adelaide and Sydney has been thoroughly covered in Sam Marshall's book Luna Park: Just for Fun as well as in a television documentary. But I have summarized the key points in regard to the establishment of those enterprises
(G) Many of the items on this website were written for magazines so they had to conform to a standard journalistic style and structure. This one is different. It was done as a blog post (although a short version has appeared in the quarterly journal Cinema Record). With that being the case, the approach was more informal. For example, we will wander down a couple of starry sidetracks along the way and even cut loose with occasional bits of levity. But rest assured that these "mad moments" will be closely supervised by a trained nurse. However, I do progress through the years chronologically (..well.. sort of)
(H) Rather than include a lot of individual quotes, I have provided links that will give you the opportunity to read complete, original articles that were about (or written by) the Phillips and/or their colleagues. Also, bear in mind that archival documents are being digitized on a regular basis, so it is possible that further information has been uploaded since I finished my research
(I) In the end, this is simply a general overview of the subject and a few memories. It is not, by any means, a comprehensive biography.
(J) For Australian readers who are not familiar with the Northwest region of the US, a map has been included in Part 2 on which I have marked the specific locations that I mention. For American and Canadian readers, a quick rundown of Australian geography may be useful.
(K) Australia is a big country. Also known by many other names such as the "Great Southern Land", it is located in an area of the Pacific called "Oceania" and it covers a land mass which is approximately the same size as continental United States. But, like Canada, most of Australia is uninhabitable so we have a small population (currently around 25 million). The majority of Canadians live within a thin ribbon of settlement that stretches across the length of US border. Most Australians live close to, or right on, our eastern coastline. The Phillips' time over here was spent in three adjoining states - namely New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia. Sydney is the capitol of "NSW", Melbourne is the capitol of "VIC" and Adelaide is the capitol of "SA" (abbreviations used on vehicle license plates). As mentioned earlier, their activity as showmen became increasingly centered around St Kilda in Melbourne; a suburb which is equivalent to Santa Monica in Los Angeles.
(L) I need to thank some people who have given me invaluable assistance.
(M) In Melbourne, Helen Bird (nee Kemter) supplied a rare private photo of Leon and Harold Phillips that was taken at her parent's home in Brighton. As Leon's goddaughter and the granddaughter of George Kemter who was a partner in the firm of Peck & Kemter; consulting architects on the construction of Capitol House, Helen was able to give me a special "behind the scenes" look at the Phillips entrepreneurial efforts in Australia as did veteran broadcaster and entertainer Peter Smith OAM. Peter, who got his break into showbusiness at the Palais Theatre in the '50s, kindly agreed to share his recollections of the men who built the St Kilda landmark during an interview that we did (featured as the second part of this post...and, by the way, radio's "Penthouse Pete" (circa 1960s) still has a voice that would make a wolverine purrrr...). Also in Melbourne, Natasha; Local history librarian at the City of Bayside Library service was most helpful. In America and Canada, Megan Duvall, Historic Preservation Officer at the City of Spokane, Washington and members of the Vancouver Historical Society provided several fascinating photos and gave me a digitally guided tour around the streets in those cities where the Phillips had lived and worked
(N) As usual, visitors to this blog are welcome to download and/or print off my content for their personal, non-commercial use and/or educational purposes. Indeed, as web pages can move, change or disappear (as this one did a year or so back!), I would suggest that you click on the "Print" tab if you have a specific interest in something. If, however, you are going to repost any of my text to other websites or incorporate it into your own projects, please acknowledge the source. Needless to say, the unauthorized, commercial use of my intellectual property (including photos and videos) is well and truly off limits
(O) But now, without further ado, let's step into the Time Tunnel and travel back to America of the 1900s and the birth of the movies as we begin our story.
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2. Early Years in North America and Australia
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(A) The Phillips brothers spent their youth in Spokane, Washington with parents Abraham (a cigar dealer) and Gertrude. They also had two sisters; Rae (recorded, incorrectly it seems, as "Nay" on at least one US document) and Elizabeth (possibly also known as "Lena"). Notable former residents of the same city included Bing Crosby and fellow screen actor Darren McGavin (star of the 1970s TV show "Kolchak: The Night Stalker"). At the time of writing, however, other personal details of the "Spokane Phillips" were yet to be confirmed as some of the information that is available is contradictory and, as already pointed out, apparently incorrect (based on cross checking with different sources). As I understand, genealogical research is continuing and a member of their family in Los Angeles has suggested to a DNA contact that their name may have been changed from Figowski (or something similar) in the 19th century.
P.2/ 8-11
(B) Each of the boys received minor mentions in local papers. Herman (born 1884) had a fine singing voice (something that was later noted by a Melbourne journalist) and a report in the Spokane Press, dated June 11,1902 carried news of his performance as Captain of the Guards in a production of the "Bohemian Girl". Leon (1886) and his father were directors of the Havana Cigar Company while Harold (1899) *, who doesn't enter this narrative in a major way until Part 8, also "made the papers" back in Washington; albeit for a more unfortunate reason (see below -*years of birth as inscribed on the Phillips headstones).
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(C) Even less is known about their move into the amusement industry. Although there is no doubt (used in para A?) that they got their start in North America, the details are, once again, sketchy and some conjecture has to be relied upon in order to assemble a possible timeline and scenario. At that stage, they were just young men working in support roles. Indeed, they were only in their twenties when they relocated to Australia. However, it was in this country that they made their mark and their money.
P.2/ 16-23
(D) As already indicated, Herman had musical talent. But it seems that Leon may have been the first of the trio to become involved in the entrepreneurial side of the business when he linked up with an older, more established showman by the name of James Dixon Williams. A native of West Virginia, "J.D" was born in Ceredo (1877) and got his break in live theatre, selling tickets and playing the organ at the Opera House in Parkersburg - birthplace of Tommy Gene Thomason; better known to Australian television viewers of the 1960s and ' 70s as Tommy Hanlon Jr. (although the much-loved comedian grew up in Kentucky).
Surrounded by the Appalachian Mountains, the area was immortalized in John Denver's 1971 chart topper "Take me Home Country Roads". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pL9ulbJY-q8
And it was, indeed, home to the legendry Scots Irish mountain men, the feuding Hatfields and McCoys and remains so to some unique musicians who often have a quick fiddle with such energy and passion that they shred their bows (henceforth to be referred to as "Good Old Bows"(.. cough*... I did warn you) (insert Hillbilly gypsy - You Tube)
(Cough: See end note at conclusion of Part 2 for explanationdef Meaning: A short, usually quiet, throat-clearing type of sound that is made deliberately in order to either (a) cast doubt on the believability of a specific statement or (B) draw attention to an unsuccessful attempt at humour)
P.2/ 24-30
(E) After his stint at the organ, Williams operated a travelling picture show which he took across America, finally putting down roots in the Northwest where he opened a chain of permanent cinemas (nickelodeons) and other ventures which included the "Penny Parlor (penny arcade) & Bowtie Photo Studio" in Spokane together with the Novelty and Exhibit Theaters in Vancouver, Canada. At the latter venue, he presented an attraction known as "Hales Tours and Scenes of the World" (photos of Hales - Brownlow ). These humble endeavors were the beginning of what turned out to be a stellar career; one that took J.D to the top of the industry. In his book Hollywood: The Pioneers (Collins, London, 1979), film historian and documentary-maker Kevin Brownlow provided further insight into Williams' involvement with the Hales concept.....
P.2/ 31-36
(F) " For the working man, the railroad was a vital feature of daily life either through direct employment or because the tracks ran through his neighborhood. Travel had given the immigrant an idea of the vast scale of the country and because such [ journeys] were prohibitively expensive, a great hit of the 1904 St Louis Exposition was the Hales Tour; the brainwave of a Kansas City fire chief. He built reproductions of Pullman cars (train carriages), equipped them with machinery to replicate the swaying, hissing and banging effects and projected a movie that had been shot from a locomotive. Hales Tours ignited the spark of enthusiasm for a number of entrepreneurs who became the leading producers in the business; Sam Warner of Warner Bros., Carl Laemmle of Universal, Adolph Zukor of Paramount and J.D.Williams of First National.
P.2/ 37
(G) Clearly, Leon Phillips did his apprenticeship with one of America's most prominent showmen
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(H) The following 1907 film (click on link under photo) takes us on a tram ride around Vancouver and it includes a brief glimpse of J.D's Exhibit Theater (left of the screen at the 7.48 minute mark - look for the sign that says "Scenes of the World"). It is almost certain that this is one of the places, along with the Novelty (both on Cordova Street) where Leon's career began. (Photo caption.. or put at end of chapter...relate story behind film and Leon/JD connection)
P.2/ 41-50
(I) When Phillips and Williams joined the cinema business there was no Hollywood. The earliest "moving pictures" were produced in New York, London, Paris and elsewhere by the likes of Edwin.S.Porter, Robert Paul, George Melies, Segundo De Chomon and others - a group of highly skilled and creative technicians who not only made the movies but, in many case, also had to invent or improve the equipment with which to do so. In the process, they churned out the ever-increasing amount of product that was being demanded by kinetoscope parlors and nickelodeons across the globe as the public fell under the spell of the "flickers". Many of these pioneers were, of course, photographers. Some, like Melies, were magicians who presented short films as part of their stage shows. As for the type of movies they made; in between the major money-makers of the day such as A Trip to the Moon (1902) and The Great Train Robbery (1903), there was a wide choice of productions for the fans to enjoy. All the main genres were starting to take shape and they ran the full gamut from horror and science fiction to comedy and action, romance, fantasy, classic children's stories, social commentaries and "trick flicks" (which were particularly popular).
- P.2/ 51&52
(J) Quite possibly, the line up at J.D's theatres may have included these quirky offerings.... (insert stills and clips collage).
Even a house fly became a star .....
- P.2/ 53-56
(K) On August 12, 1909, the Vancouver Daily World reported Williams' departure from that city onboard the Marama bound for Sydney. A well-known venue proprietor on the West Coast entertainment scene, J.D had announced his intention to duplicate his "amusements" in the "Antipodes". Three weeks later, when the ship reached its destination, its passenger list was published in the Sydney Morning Herald. As can be seen (below), the names of J.D.Williams and L.Phillips appear in consecutive order, showing that they were not only on the same
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P.3/ 1-6
(A&B) voyage but probably boarded (and/or bought their tickets) together. This is a significant point because, as with other aspects of the Phillips' story, conflicting accounts have been given in regard to where and when they joined forces with Williams. Several writers have stated that they met at a 1911 cycling event in Melbourne. However, as shown, there seems to be no doubt that Leon had been working closely with J.D in the US and/or Canada prior to their arrival in the South Pacific. Having said that, Williams did, indeed, promote a 1911 gymkhana in Melbourne. But he had also organized a previous one in Spokane four years earlier. It should be further noted that there was no sign of Herman Phillips on that same list. However, all three of them were being mentioned together in Sydney newspapers from around 1910.
P.3/ 7-12
(C) The precise nature of the business relationship between Williams and Leon is unclear. But, in view of the gap (about ten years), Phillips possibly started as an employee. Given the title of Assistant Manager, it seems that he was also quickly cut in as a junior partner. Learning from each other, J.D remained in the spotlight while Leon took care of administrative and financial matters - a money man who soon became a showman. Also unclear is the reason why they decided to set up shop so far from home. However, another cinema historian, Terry Ramsaye, offered an explanation in his 1926 book A Million and One Nights: A History of the Motion Pictures (Simon & Schuster, New York). Ramsaye indicated that he had interviewed Williams about his adventures in the South Seas and J.D apparently told the following yarn.....
P.3/ 13-18
(D)" The autumn of 1907 found him at the northern limit of his migrations in Vancouver, British Columbia. Some sea-faring patron of his show left an Australian newspaper in his seat and Williams became curious about this [ place ] where the natives threw boomerangs, leaves grew upsides down on trees and everything improbable was true. He idled through the discarded paper. An advertisement for a picture show caught his eye. Reading the notice, he calculated that the movies might be much more profitable in Australia. He was stunned at the discovery that the admission was two shillings and sixpence; equivalent to 75 cents in New York where people usually paid five or ten cents to get in"
P.3/ 19-21
(E) However, a completely different version of J.D's tale was outlined in a July 1st, 1911 profile that appeared in the literary magazine Lone Hand in which it was suggested that he was working with a film distributor on the West Coast where he had dealings with two Australian cinema owners and it was their stories about the demand for the flickers "Down Under" that piqued his interest.
P.3/ 22-27
(F) But it is likely that yet another sequence of more reliably documented events was bringing the Great Southern Land into sharper focus across the Pacific. On December 26, 1908, for example, the world heavyweight boxing championship was held at the Sydney stadium before 20,000 paying customers. The challenger was the American negro Jack Johnson and the defending champ was Canadian Tommy Burns. The match was widely covered by the international press. It was also filmed. Johnson was the winner and his first public appearance back in North America was in Vancouver. Again, the cine cameras were on hand for his return and a movie of his exploits did a brisk trade at a local nickelodeon (possibly one that was owned by Williams)
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(G) However, there was nothing unusual about overseas celebrities coming to Australia even then (although such events became more frequent in later years). Indeed, despite the country's extreme isolation and small population, it was known by foreign performers and entrepreneurs to be a lucrative market. At the turn of the century (1900) it was a wealthy nation where workers enjoyed high wages and had more leisure time than their counterparts elsewhere. The entertainment industry was flourishing with many fine theatres and other amusement related venues being constructed and there was a constant need for new attractions. Of more specific relevance was the fact that two Americans had already played leading roles in the showbusiness scene over here. Our most renowned theatrical company was named after its founder, comedic actor James Cassius "J.C" Williamson (remarkably similar to James Dixon "J.D" Williams) who hailed from Mercer, Pennsylvania and Carl Hertz, a magician from San Francisco, was the first person to project a motion picture in Australia on August 17,1896 (include link to online info). Both activities had been a huge success financially. Articles about American stage stars touring Oceania and Australian artists visiting the US were published regularly in Stateside papers (W.C. Fields bit and photos in here)
P.3/ 39-45
(H) Not long after their arrival, Williams and Phillips established the Greater J.D Williams Amusement Company. Building a group of prestige cinemas in the heart of Sydney which included the Colonial, Lyric and Crystal Palace (all on George Street), they also launched a film exchange (International Pictures) and a newsreel production unit (Williams Weekly). The Crystal Palace was particularly noteworthy as it showcased the idea of a multi-purpose entertainment and commercial center that not only featured a movie theatre but also a penny arcade, "soda fountains", the Winter Garden Cafe, a gymnasium and private offices for lease. Additionally, it was the national headquarters of J.D's company. Presumably, this approach was adopted to maximize income from a pricey block of CBD land and the Phillips used it again at Capitol House in Melbourne.
P.3/ 46-49
(I) Celebrating the rapid growth of his organization, Williams put together a promotional booklet (see link below). In it, he gave a nod to Leon's contribution to their achievements saying that....
"having held control of the treasury since the first company was formed, he has a thorough knowledge of every branch of the business".
Here again, the relevant publication reveals that although Herman Phillips was a director of the company, he wasn't a member of the executive staff at that point.
P.3/ 50-52
(J) In those days when Australian showmen presented the flicks in rough and ready, makeshift surroundings, the newcomers from the States were more service orientated. Offering comfortable, pleasant and convenient escapism at low prices, they also introduced the idea of continuous screenings and it proved to be a winning combination.
P.3/ 53-56
(Check cinema/movie house/picture theatre rotation)
(K) In 1911, they moved into the Melbourne market with the luxurious Melba Theatre (a converted hall) in Bourke Street. The following year, they unveiled the even grander "'Britannia" right next door - possibly the CBD's first purpose - built cinema. A visually striking confection of florid Edwardian kitsch and art nouveau ornamentation (a style which I hereby christen "Wedding Cake Deluxe"), the Britannia was designed by the prolific architect Nahum Barnett and it included such innovations as a sophisticated ventilation system and a child-minding center that was supervised by a trained nurse (article about riot at opening of the Britannia)
P.3/ 57-62
(L) The manager of these adjoining movie theatres?) was John Ruel; a colorful character J.D had brought over from the US (one of many imports who were soon to follow- details in Part 3). Becoming an identity around town, mail could reach him simply by being addressed to "Ruel Britannia" (.."cough... boss"?......"it's up to you"). The widely experienced "J.R" (they all took their cue from "J.D") had been something of a "name" (for about five minutes) back in the States. As the dare-devil trick cyclist "Diavolo", he did a thrilling loop-the-loop act on a specially constructed track. Peddling his "death defying" stunt dressed as "Satan himself", he toured America to much acclaim finishing in Washington (Northwest) where he came into the orbit of Williams and Leon (or, if you prefer, J.R met J.D and L.P...showbiz talk !!).
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(A) There were, actually, a number of different Diavolos touring simultaneously, such was the demand from the fans who couldn't get enough of the whole "Devil on Wheels" bit. Indeed, as a figure in popular culture, a stylized, somewhat standardized and playful depiction of Satan seemed to come into vogue in the 1900s, being used extensively in films, the theatre and advertising. Demonic skeletons were another familiar spook of the silent movies (play "Red Spectre) and flying? dragons were also a favorite of Australians in the Edwardian era with large terracotta examples of the beasts sprouting from the rooftops of new "Federation" houses from coast to coast. All three inhabitants of the mythical underworld were regularly featured by fun fair artists as well
(B) As for the devilish Mr Ruel, legend has it that he decided to retire from the crazy upside-down world of loop-the-loop cycling when, after a serious near-miss, he sensed that "the force" that allowed him to stay on the track was no longer "with him" (clip from Star Wars). Remaining in Melbourne for some years, he replaced the push bike with a red Indian motorcycle (how appropriate!) which he rode in a much more sedate manner (i.e. not upside down) (Indian photos and videos). But he still, occasionally wore the "Satan suit" into the Britannia, usually when the Indian was off the road being serviced and, when he did, he never had any trouble finding an empty seat on even the most crowded Bourke Street tram. (Clips..Los Angeles Speedway 1921..any early Indian videos..1915 8 valve board track start up.. AC/DC 'Heat Seeker")>
P.4/ 12 & 13
(B2) Williams also owned at least one cinema in New Zealand - the Empress in Wellington - and I seem to recall reading (somewhere) that he was going to add the Newmarket Theatre (in the Melbourne suburb of the same name) to his circuit. However, another exhibitor, Robert McLeish, had taken over the venue by the time it commenced trading.
P.4/ 14-18
(C) Leon Phillips was, by all accounts (pun intended), a smart money manager. By the age of 24, he had been appointed as Williams' financial controller and, in that role, he handled the purchase of several CBD properties. Indeed, it was due to Phillips' investment advice that J.D was able to accumulate substantial capital. Williams, the master publicist, knew exactly how to draw vast crowds to his attractions and separate consumers from their cash. Leon had a knack for being able to grow the dough as quickly and safely as possible once it left the tills.
P.4/19-23
(D) Around this period, they embarked on a trip to North America, England and Europe. As mentioned before, Williams had been a movie show pioneer in Vancouver and, as he was planning to build an upmarket cinema in that city, his arrival generated considerable interest. An article outlined the duo's travel itinerary together with their intention to set up an office in London (which they did). Despite being an American and his recent involvement in the Vancouver "flicker" business, J.D was described as an "Australian photoplay magnate". But, then, he has also been referred to as a "Canadian" here in Australia.
P.4/ 24-33
3.Luna Park Melbourne 1912
(E) Williams' decision to extend his operations interstate had been another good move and he immediately diversified into outdoor entertainment with the construction of Luna Park in 1912. The original Luna Park had been opened at Coney Island, New York nine years earlier and it became the model for similar ventures that soon cropped up (mushroomed?) across the US and around the world. Melbourne's pleasure ground was the link between Australia and America and getting the project mobilized was very much an international undertaking with fun fair specialists travelling to Victoria from both the United States and England to direct a crew of local tradesmen.
J.D had previously tried to establish a park in Vancouver. However, it seems that it never went ahead. But he finally got the ball rolling when he secured a ten-year lease on a triangle of crown land at the St Kilda foreshore (Lower Esplanade) opposite the beach. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDt_gngjBSYThe site in question had previously been occupied by another amusement center that was somewhat ironically (or prophetically?) called "Dreamland" - the same name that Williams was planning to use in Canada. Unfortunately, it was a doomed effort from the word "go" and the area had been vacant for a year or so. Once he had the right location locked in, the showman registered an additional company and Herman.F.Phillips was put in charge of it
P.4/34-41
(F) However, nothing quite like Luna Park had ever been seen "Down Under". To make it happen, the entire Americana experience would have to shipped in and it was going to be a complex business. Designers, artists, building materials, mechanics, ride and sideshow operators, special effects men even food vendors and entertainers were going to be needed and it is likely that Williams and Leon organized just about everything during their 1911 visit to the States and Britain. It also seems that, when they stopped in Vancouver, they may have taken a detour across the border to head hunt some of the personnel at Luna Park in Seattle. Kicking off in 1907, the Washington fun fair was billed as the "Coney Island of the West". However, it had been plagued with problems from the outset and, by the time Phillips and J.D arrived looking for recruits, its permanent closure was looming on the horizon. As will be apparent by now, quite a few of the early parks had short lives
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(G) The Whitney brothers, George K and Leo, were part of the American team who came to Melbourne. Professional photographers, they were innovators of "while-u-wait" photos and also did a lot of work in the field of trick photography (girl around table pic). After running the "Electric Photo Studio" at St Kilda for a couple of seasons, they eventually returned to the US. Interviewed at his home in Friday Harbor, Washington in August, 2002, Mr George.K.Whitney Jr said....
"My father had....with my uncle and a crew....from Seattle...gone to Australia with a collection of rides and opened Luna Park, Melbourne (link to interveiw)
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(H) Exactly what the Whitneys were doing in the former city is yet (still) to be confirmed. But it seems that they may have been operating the studio at the pleasure ground. I came to this conclusion by comparing two different images which are available on the internet and are presented here (see below). One was taken at the Seattle fun fair (rotate with other alternatives),the other at the park in Melbourne. As can be seen, the "automobile" that appears in both shots is very similar. So, perhaps, it was brought to Australia by the Whitneys (where are these photos?)
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(I) Williams and Leon Phillips also stopped in Chicago and New York so talent may have been engaged in those cities as well.
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(J) Building commenced at St Kilda (the foreshore?) in July, 1912 with the "Great" Scenic Railway rollercoaster which was to run around the perimeter of the park and included the "Mr Moon" entrance face and towers. The railway was designed by the L.A.Thompson Company of midtown Manhattan which did the first coaster at Coney Island. However, the ride in Melbourne was constructed by a London-based business that was owned by American George Lawsha
P.4/56-58
(K) Williams was a "big picture" guy who had the grand visions so it is conceivable that one of his initial thoughts in regard to the overall look of the park was to have the whole place encircled by a rollercoaster - an excellent idea. If that was the case, he probably gave it priority and met with Thompson and Lawsha during the 1911 trip.( New York 1911 video...caption: Luna Park's Scenic Railway grew up in St Kilda but it was born in New York)
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(A) The old wooden coasters were built using a specific type of timber; Oregon Pine (AKA Douglas Fir) from the US (also grown in Canada) which, due to its flexibility, provided a smooth ride and an order would have been sent through for the job at the (St Kilda/ the foreshore)
P.5/ 3-14
(B) Once the arrangements had been finalized, Lawsha's on-site supervisor, T.H.Eslick made his way to Melbourne together with a number of support staff. Eslick, reportedly, had a solid background in coaster construction having completed assignments in America, the UK and Europe. However, according to some sources, he had an even more "solid" background in the shifty business of doctoring the details of his "solid" background which his detractors have criticized as being a dubious mix of fact and fiction to which a generous amount of gross exaggeration has also been added. If flashy self-promotion and blowing one's trumpet had been Olympic events, "Esso" would have been a gold medalist. Still, being a purveyor of piffle hardly made him unique in the showmen's world of smoke and mirrors where such drum beating antics and outrageous claims of derring-do were actively encouraged. Yet, despite his alleged tendency to embellish his CV, it does seem that Eslick had been around the amusement game for a while. Also, he was, apparently, a capable administrator who had good people skills. At St Kilda, he was (publicly at least) not only in charge of the Scenic Railway but all other building activities as well and the proof of his ability was in the magic pudding in as much as he did get the place up and running in a timely and efficient manner (and the rollercoaster never fell down!). Although, as will be revealed shortly, someone else may have been supervising the supervisor.
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(C) For the first season at Melbourne's "Mecca of Merrymakers" (as the park was advertised), the rides and attractions included the River Caves, Palace of Illusions, Pharaoh's Daughter, Palais de Folies (late to become the Giggle Palace), the Bowl Slide, Mirror Maze, Ferris Wheel, the towering "Tea Terrace" with its spectacular views of the fun fair and the bay, Devil's Staircase (I told you so!), Theatre Comique, the Globe of Death and Whitney's "while-u-wait" Electric Photo Studio just to name a few. Different styles of fantasy architecture were combined to create a surrealistic environment. The main entrance was Moorish. Pharaoh's Daughter had an ancient Egyptian theme while the Palace of Illusions was Saracenic. Other structures were Byzantine. Although St Kilda's pleasure ground was comparatively small, it was visually more interesting and attractive than many of its Stateside counterparts of similar size.
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(D)The Americans arrived in September 1912. In their ranks were Leo Whitney and Louis Antoine Corbeille (Cor-Bay?), both of whom were to play significant roles in regard to the establishment of Melbourne's Luna Park. Corbeille, in particular, was to be a major contributor. A newspaper item in the US (see below) indicated that he was born in France. However, other information appears to leave no doubt that he began life in Michigan with French Canadian parents. Whatever the truth of the matter may have been, he was clearly a multi-talented and highly capable man. Starting out as a street clown in Detroit, he became an expert in theatrical staging and special effects. He also had a knack for publicity and was involved in the automotive industry and motor sport; pursuits that he enjoyed with Williams (although their mutual love of speed machines got them into trouble on more than one occasion). Gaining a considerable of experience in circus, wild west and general carnival style entertainment, Corbeille was hired as Production Manager at Coney Island for the legendary English showman Frank.C.Bostock. He also did a stint with the Gus Sun vaudeville circuit where Bob Hope performed at the beginning of his career. Around the time that he left for Australia he was running the Arcade Theater in Spokane and a press article leaves no doubt that he was acquainted with Williams in that city.
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(E) Apart from the Phillps, Ruel and Corbeille at least two of the others who joined J.D in the Land of Oz had known him back in the Northwest - namely Edward (Eddie) Robie and C.L.(Clarence) Yearsley. Robie was the electrician who installed the thousands of globes that were needed at St Kilda and he had done similar work for Williams in the States. Yearsley, a native of Kentucky who was head of publicity for the Greater J.D.Williams Amusement Company and had possibly been associated with the showman for a while, teamed up with Corbeille and Eslick to devise the campaign for the launch of Luna Park. It seems that the Whitneys may also have been in Spokane, and they could have been operating the photo studio at J.D's "Penny Parlor"
P.5/ 40-52
(F) As already mentioned, the Scenic Railway came from the drawing boards of La Marcus Thompson by whom Eslick has been employed. But it isn't quite as easy to confirm who was responsible for some of the other structures at Luna Park, Melbourne circa 1912. One contemporary report suggested that the "Mr Moon" concept which, like the ceiling of the Phillips' Capitol Theatre, appears to have been internationally unique and was, unquestionably, a stroke of genius was the work of Eslick who definitely had creative talent. Indeed, he went on to design the iconic La Monica Ballroom on Santa Monica pier in Los Angeles; the towers of which bore a close resemblance to those at St Kilda's fun fair. However, there were several others at the foreshore who had similar ability. One was Vernon Churchill whose background is slightly more obscure than Corbeille's. But he was almost certainly the same Vernon Churchill who, described as a "globe-trotting sketch artist" in US papers in 1902, had recently completed extensive overseas travel. And, indeed, this is a good point at which to make a wider observation about the cast of characters in our story to 'oom yoove been intro-doosed, so far. Most of them had three things in common. They were young(ish); mainly in their twenties or thirties, obviously very adventurous and imaginative. In other words, exactly the right kind of people to develop a seaside pleasure park. Churchill was credited in the Melbourne press as being the "scenic artist" who did the River Caves (Punch, October 3, 1912)
P.5/ 53-56
(G) In the 1980s, writer and broadcaster John Michel Howson who spent his youth in St Kilda, related a number of anecdotes about the Palais Theatre, Palais de Danse and Luna Park in his entertaining autobiography I Found it at the Flickers (Horowitz Grahame Books, 1985). One such yarn detailed a daring escapade that he undertook with a school chum in the '40s when they "jumped ship" in the River Caves. Howson remembered the incident as follows ...
P.5/ 57-61
(H) " We bought our tickets and waited until we were the only people on one of the leaky flat-bottomed punts that floated through the caves. The boat drifted into the boarding area and a couple , exhausted by fleeting passion, disembarked . Briany and myself jumped in like it was a D-Day landing craft . The attendant gave the punt a push and we floated towards the mouth of the cave. A conveyor belt lifted the boat from the water for a few feet and gave it a thrust into the murky stream. As the punt slid past Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, we grabbed the sides of the tunnel, slowed it down and leapt "ashore"
P.5/ 62 & 63
(I) From the [water], the dioramas had a romantic, if somewhat well-worn, look. Up close, their tackiness was technicolored by the array of lights concealed behind plaster mushrooms, stones, bushes, walls and gnomes. When we heard another boat approaching. we hid behind
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P.6/ 1-3
(A) one of the displays. When Briany got up from his hiding place he grabbed Cinderella's arm for support. There was a snap and a moan and the Prince had himself a one-armed girlfriend. I stepped on a light and smashed the coloured glass. Briany fell on Hansel's head and broke Gretel's leg. As we stumbled on, we made Fairyland look like it had come under a blitzkrieg of V2 rockets.
P.6/ 4-6
(B) Decapitated dwarfs, puncture pixies, wounded witches, bisected beauties, gored goblins and floored fairies were everywhere. The papier mâché forest was pitted with holes and the lights were flickering into darkness. Briany and I leapt into the first empty punt and sailed away ...
P.6/ 7-10
(C) The bored attendant took no notice of our frantic departure and we hid behind the waffle counter. Giddy with the adventure we had been through (and the smell of the waffles !) we watched and waited for somebody to sound the alarm. Nobody did. Several weeks later, I rode the River Caves again. The displays still looked like the walking dead the lights were still flickering and the attendant was just as bored. Of course, I now realize that nobody ever went into the caves to look at Bo Peep or Goldilocks".(Photo compilations: River Caves & Scenic Railway through the years)
P.6/ 11-20
(D) But back to the designers....
In 1954, the Argus published a piece about the history of Luna Park. The author, Ron Testro, stated that Vernon Churchill also came up with the "Mr Moon" entrance and another artist by the name of George Coulter did everything else. Testro didn't indicate the source of his information. However, as Leon Phillips was still in control of the business and still lived in Melbourne, it is possible that he was contacted. But Coulter doesn't seem to rate a mention in any of the accounts that documented the construction of the park. He did. however, assist Nahum Barnett in some capacity on the Britannia cinema project. As I understand, George was a theatre owner from New Zealand who relocated to Australia and decided to specialize in designing the interiors of movie houses. So, perhaps, Testro and Leon had a general discussion about the latter's early years in Victoria and the people with whom he had been associated and, somehow, Coulter went into print as being the man who was responsible for the interior of Luna Park rather than the interior of the Britannia (as was, apparently, the case)
P.6/ 21-23
(E) A confirmed local addition to the creative team at St Kilda was F.J.W.Swann, described as a "draftsman" who sketched "much of the decorative architecture". So, it was probably a group effort down there.
P.6/ 24 & 25
(F) Most of the other Americans who were involved with the park during the 1912/13 seasons were either entertainers who presented live acts or sideshow and concession operators.
P.6/ 26-35
(G) Pharaoh's Daughter was one of the more unusual attractions. Presumably inspired by the biblical story of the same name, it was, as mentioned previously, an Egyptian-themed structure; the original of which had been featured at Dreamland, the main competitor to Luna Park at Coney. Supposedly staffed by "Genuine Egyptian beauties" ("cough"?... definitely), exactly what went on within its creepy confines is now shrouded in as much mystery as the building of the pyramids as only scant references survive. Maybe it was like the Ghost Train without the train. Perhaps those who ventured, ever so cautiously, into its darkened passages, antechambers and the "actual resting place where the mummy of the pharaoh's daughter may be inspected" were treated to quite a sensory experience. Did a strange mix of freaky magic acts, belly dancing, clanging gongs, fright-ning light-ing, flash pots and other "weird shit" send the visitors on their way, feeling thoroughly spooked and hoping like crazy that they hadn't been cursed by the pharaoh himself? It was probably a relief to step back outside into the "real world" and to be surrounded, once again, by the "normality" of giants, mermaids, dwarfs dressed as Punch and Judy and a stuntman dressed as Satan (John Ruel?) riding a motorcycle around the lower (and possibly upper) track of the Scenic Railway
P.6/ 36-48
(H) Public interest in Egyptology, spiritualism and the occult was starting to peak in the years just prior to Howard Carter's 1922 discovery of Tutankhamen's tomb. Inevitably, Hollywood was quick to cash in on the trend and the movie capitol soon came out with its own highly marketable embodiment of Nile related nonsense in the shape of silent screen vamp (female vampire) Theda Bara. And what a shape she had! Rocketing to stardom in the William Fox historical fantasy Cleopatra, the studio's publicity department shamelessly assured the yokels that Bara was..."...an Arabian princess, born in the shadow of the Spinx". She was, in fact, a Jewish princess born Theodosia Burr Goodman in her Polish father's tailoring shop in Cincinnati, Ohio. But, really, who cared? The (dare I say it?) "bottom line" was that Mizz Behave looked as hot as hell in her sexy and revealing "royal robes" (all of which she made herself.... possibly with the help of poppa bear) and her Egyptian shtick was a box office smash.
Like all truly erotic women, Bara's movie character was, of course, a total bitch. She was appallingly rude to everyone and would-be lovers, no matter how handsome and charming they may have been, were treated like they had the mange. After she retired from acting, Theda and her husband, director and screenwriter Charles Brabin, relocated to Canada. Occasionally booked as a guest on radio and television programs, her dignified, almost regal manner and beautifully enunciated voice was the very antithesis of the shrill cinematic virago whom men across the globe had once dreamed of "taming".
P.6/ 49-51
(I) Pharaoh's Daughter and the Palace of Illusions had Corbeille's fingerprints all over them (as did Theda Bara). Indeed, a New York advertisement for Coney Island listed the former attraction as being one of its "must see" destinations for day trippers along with Frank.C.Bostock for whom, as we know, Corbeille was production manager. This could raise the possibility that Louis invented Pharaoh's Daughter.
P.6/ 52-58
(J) As for the "Genuine Egyptian Beauties" who handled front of house (or should that be front of "tomb"?) at Melbourne's new beachside playground during that long hot summer of 1912/13, I think we can safely assume that the girls in question may not have been all (or even a small part) of what they appeared to be. The one called (let's imagine) "Nafra from the Nile", for example (rumored to be a direct descendant of "one of the pharaohs"... cough... cough...cough...cough....COUGH !!) was probably Nora from Niagra or Enid from Elwood (if Williams had given a few locals a gig at the giggle palace by the bay). Having acquired a suntan, the chocolate Jip-oze (Egyptians) were trained to communicate with park patrons via graceful hand motions and softly mumbled Middle Eastern-style gibberish. Certainly, a tornado of flim-flam like Jimmy Dee would not have flinched, even for a moment, at the idea of painting a sparrow bright yellow in order to make it look like a canary.
P.6/ 59 & 60
(K) As the place was nearing completion, a reporter from the Prahran Telegraph visited Eslick onsite and went back to the office to describe both the general goings-on and the man who was in charge of everything. The newshound got to his interviewee by....
" Carefully stepping over.....
UP TO HERE WITH PROOF READING................
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P.7/ 1-7
(A) stacks of timber" and threading a "tortuous passage between networks of wire, masses of plaster rocks and stretches of painted scenery". Eslick was the "moving spirit" at Luna Park and his "artistic imagination" was "responsible for the whole scheme of construction".(Additional River caves text (or include in "Dreamland" photo caption..."There had previously been a similar ride called "Rivers of the World" at Dreamland which, as mentioned earlier, as the first fun fair on the Luna Park site)
Portrayed as a genial raconteur, attention was drawn to his transatlantic accent and that "... he is often taken to be an American but proudly mentions his English nationality". The piece went into some detail about his career and how he had left Britain to work at Coney Island before returning to the UK and Europe to build fun fairs. Taking his cue (working with?) from "JD" and "LP" (see P.3), "TE" was full of compliments for the tradesmen who were under his supervision at St Kilda, calling them the "most willing, intelligent and capable skilled artisans it could be anyone's pleasure to direct" (Prahran Telegraph, November 2, 1912)
P.7/ 8-13
(B)Finally, after weeks of press coverage, the big day arrived
[clock]
Obviously not put off by superstitious beliefs, Luna Park "Just for Fun"? (the park?) was officially opened on the evening of Friday, December 13, 1912. Welcomed amidst a blaze of electric lights, around 22,000 thrill-seekers bustled in through the giant illuminated face with its eyes rolling maniacally from side to side. The atmosphere would have been surreal (or should that be "surrealistic"?) as the nice, quiet Melbournians experienced the odd but strangely exhilarating sensation of being eaten alive as they passed through the toothy mouth enroute to the head-spinning array of sights and sounds that awaited them on the inside (link to "Niceness" Dame Edna... has nothing to do with Luna Park but everything to do with the quest for "niceness") Niceness (youtube.com)
P.7/ 14-18
(C) The symbols of three countries were hoisted over the "Mecca of Merrymakers". From the top of one entrance tower, the Australian flag caught the breeze. From the other, the Union Jack did likewise and from the lofty Tea Terrace, the Star- Spangled banner fluttered to life. It seems likely that the combination was no accident and it was, in fact, a deliberate display of pride and a nod from Williams to the national origins of those who brought the project to such a swift and gratifying conclusion - namely, the Aussie tradesmen who had built it, their English foreman and the Americans who had made it all possible.
P.7/ 19-29
(D) In addition to the rides and sideshows (concessions?), a cavalcade of colorful live acts was rolled out for the public to enjoy along with a penny arcade and "Yankee" snack foods. There was the human wire-walking elephant, jugglers, marionettes, acrobats, high divers, fire eaters, trick cyclists, the "Tiny Town" midget troupe, performing dogs and monkeys, the Curious Flea Circus and "Ardo" the Frogman who appeared in the River Caves. Contortionists and underwater ballet dancers, frogmen (and women) did rather charming routines that were set to music and they were a real hit with the public (guaranteed crowd pleaser?). The Penny Arcade featured coin-in-the-slot machines such as the "Fortune Teller". Having been imported from the US, they would only operate with American change, so visitors had to swap their local money for Stateside currency. The process added to the international glamour of the park and J.D had two gold chariots at the entrance where the cash was handled. When the funsters needed a break and some nourishment, there was "Cotton Candy" (fairy floss), "soda fountains", Wrigley's gum, Coney Island crispettes and "red hots" (hot dogs) with which to stuff their own moon faces while the Luna Park band played toe-tappers of the day such as " I do Love to be beside the Seaside". The place even had its own theme song titled "Take me out to Luna Park" and the piano music became a big seller around town (Link to you tube audio).
P.7/ 30-39
(E) Not long after the opening, Clarence Yearsley wrote a piece for a Spokane paper in which he provided a rundown of Williams' "Antipodean" activities and it is worth presenting here in its entirety, even though it contains several very peculiar errors (or were they?). Boxing Day, for example, is renamed "Boning Day" while Melbourne becomes "Mellowvine". The reason for all the confusion is unknown. Maybe the editor's lack of familiarity with "Austria" was to blame or, perhaps, the author had stumbled straight to his typewriter from a wild 24-hour Christmas party at St Kilda. Picture the scene just for a moment (or "Just for Fun") if you will. Clarrie and Co from the amusement Co romping around the cooling waters of the River Caves with Nora and the girls from Pharaoh's Daughter as the pink champagne flowed, the pungent pong of something far more exotic than cigar smoke filled the darkness and the gramophone belted out "'At the Devil's Ball". Total fantasy? Probably. But, who knows? Could "Boning Day" have been an in-joke; an oblique reference to a very similar and somewhat crude American slang word that means.... yeah well.. I might leave it there. This is, after all, a family blog.
P.7/ 40-45
(F) When they relocated to Victoria, Herman and Leon became associated with John Monash (how was that for a transition ... talk about going from the ridiculous to the sublime?). Soon to be retitled as General Sir John as a result of his distinguished military service on the Western Front, Monash was a brilliant academic who had matriculated from Scotch College at the age of fourteen and went on to gain degrees in both arts and sciences at the University of Melbourne where he later served as Vice Chancellor. A prominent businessman, he came onboard as a director of Luna Park Ltd and, in view of his professional background and qualifications as a civil and constructional engineer, it's likely that he was leaning over Eslick's shoulder.
P.7/ 46-49
(G) The park was pretty much closed from the time of the First World War through to the early '20s. Only the Scenic Railway continued to operate but the venue was used by patriotic fund-raising groups at no charge - a practice which the Phillips reintroduced during WWII. When it was decided to present colors to the 14th Battalion, Herman, who lived in Robe Street, St Kilda was asked to represent the citizens of the municipality (p.207, The History of St Kilda, Volume II, John Butler Cooper).
P.7/ 50
(H) After extensive remodeling, the 'New" Luna Park was launched in November, 1923 (see Part 6).
P.7/ 51-56
(I) 4. Going it Alone
The completion of Luna Park marked the end of Leon and Herman's partnership with Williams. Being particularly ambitious, J.D returned to America where he became a top producer in Hollywood's burgeoning film industry as a co-founder of First National Pictures; a major cinema chain and production studio based in Burbank, California. By 1920, he had two of the biggest screen idols of the day - Charlie Chaplin and Mary Pickford - on his payroll. He also made movie history when he signed Chaplin to the first-ever million-dollar contract. Around 1925, Williams took off (yet again?) to England where he established the Elstree Studio Centre (filming location of the 1975 blockbuster Star Wars) with his next venture British National Pictures where, at the age of 6, future "Rat Pack" luminary Peter Lawford made his movie?/ celluloid debut in a long-forgotten opus titled Poor Old Bill (photo collage of Peter).
P.7/ 57 & 58
(J) According to Williams' biographer, Emeritus Professor Jill Julius Matthews of the ANU, when he left the South Pacific, J.D (and presumably the Phillips) "controlled a circuit of fifteen picture theatres in Melbourne, Brisbane and New Zealand. He also ran five film exchanges, had...
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P.8/ 1-3
(A) agents in London and America and a distribution outlet in China". This was in addition to his Sydney venues. However, Williams had merged with several other exhibitors to form "The Combine" - a powerful group that dominated the Australian film business for a decade or so and which, following further changes, morphed into Greater Union.
P.8/ 4-9
(B) But J. D's time in this part of the world wasn't entirely trouble- free. Like all entrepreneurs, he had his share of highs and lows and there were always challenges. As Yearsley pointed out in his article, the summer months could be a problem. With no air conditioning, the larger movie houses could become unbearably hot when they full (as distinct from their patrons who became unbearably full when they were hot) and the flicker fans increasingly opted for the popular open outdoor picture shows such as the one near St Kilda beach. Interestingly, it seems that neither Williams nor the Phillips ever moved into that field. But Luna Park would have compensated for any loss of income that was experienced when things were quiet at the Melba and Britannia.
P.8/ 10-16
(C) Williams had a few other vexations as well during his stay on the island which included legal disputes and occasional controversy. However, the feisty West Virginian had an admirable ability to overcome setback and surge ahead in his blue serge suit, at least until age and ill-health caught up with him. And one thing that was never in any doubt was his outstanding talent as an organizer of large-scale projects on the entertainment scene. In Australia, he transformed film exhibition and distribution. Back in America, First National, under JD's leadership, became one of the most innovative and successful operations of its type in the country, concentrating on quality films; one of which was the groundbreaking 1925 science fiction classic Lost World - a personal favorite of famed reviewer Leonard Maltin. And, just as a side note, the movie starred Lloyd Hughes who later came to Australia to appear in the Sydney-produced film Luggers and Lovers (1937)
P.8/ 17-21
(D) But what happened to the others who came "Down Under to Austria"?
Yearsley went back to the States with Williams to head up (?) (take charge of?) publicity at their Burbank studios. In retirement, he became an art collector in Palm Springs. Passing away in 1957, he was buried at the Hollywood Memorial Cemetery - a resting place which, as you will find out later, has a special significance to the Phillips family (... or just scroll down to Part 10 right now if you're... dare I say it?..absolutey dying to know!)
P.8/ 22-24
(E) Lou Corbeille acted as manager of Luna Park for a short period. However, he had also gone home by the start of the Great war (1914) and, after a series of assignments in various locations, settled in Illinois where he founded the firm of Golden & Corbeille: Amusement Park Rides and General Attractions.
P.8/ 25-27
(F) The Whitneys lingered in Melbourne for quite some time, running their own business; a combined "Quick Finish" photo shop, penny arcade and shooting gallery at 118 Bourke (now the Leaf house Vape Shop!) until they relocated to San Francisco where they went on to become the owners of "Playland" fun fair (put George Whitney pic in here)
https://www.outsidelands.org/playland.php
P.8/ 28
(G) Vernon Churchill was still working around Adelaide in 1925.
P.8/ 29-31
(H) Tom Eslick's association with Australia also continued, on and off, for many years. As previously mentioned, he created the La Monica Ballroom in Los Angeles. He then developed "Cloudland" in Brisbane. However, like the Whitneys, he finally returned to the West Coast of America.
P.8/ 32-35
(I) But, apart from Yearsley, these men appear to have been strictly Luna Park imports i.e. they worked exclusively on that project and had little, if anything, to do with Williams' cinema operations. However, JD brought others (such as John Ruel) over here to help with his movie business (this group needs to be researched more thoroughly). But, it seems, that the film side of things was controlled from Sydney by Williams, Yearsley and Leon Phillips until the latter, apparently, decided to move, permanently, to Melbourne.
P.8/ 36 & 37
(J) Of all those who made the trip for Williams, Herman and Leon had, by far, the most substantial "Post JD" Australian career. Staying on mainly to take over Luna Park (although also listed as the owners of the Britannia in one directory include link to CARP page mentions Phillips), they soon got other ventures up and running as well.
P.8/ 38-45
5. Palais de Danse Ballroom 1913 and 1919
(K) In 1913, the Phillips built the first Palais de Danse; a comparatively modest structure adjacent to Luna Park on a site that is now occupied by the Palais Theatre. Six years later, they opened a much bigger venue of the same name further along the Lower Esplanade. The luxurious new ballroom featured an eclectic and magical interior that was designed by the husband-and-wife architectural team of Walter and Marion Griffin both of whom had come from Frank Lloyd Wright's Chicago office. In Australia, Walter is best known as the man who laid out Canberra. Whether or not the Griffins did the exterior of the building is unclear as its somewhat ornate style (I'll call it "Wedding Cake Deluxe PLUS") was, perhaps, more typical of Nahum Barnett (who lived in St Kilda or even Eslick (whom, as we know, designed at least two other major dance halls - the La Monica and Cloudland). On hot summer nights, louvered wall panels at the Palais de Danse could be hinged up to allow sea breezes to cool the 'Dancing Crowd" with a touch of balmy exotica.
P.8/ 46-52
(L) The ritzy after 5.00 rendezvous soon (used a lot) became the epicenter of Melbourne's jazz scene and a string of American band leaders such as Roy Fox, Jay Whidden, Ray Tellier and Frank Ellis appeared there. But of all the star-spangled music men who came into the place, Phil Harris would probably be about the only one who might ring a bell with older readers. The voice of Baloo the Bear in Disney's 1967 animated smash Jungle Book and singer of the song "Bear Necessities", Harris enjoyed an extensive and varied career in radio, television and the movies. An accomplished multi-instrumentalist, he arrived in St Kilda in 1926 as drummer with the Carol Laughner (pronounced "Lofner") Palm Grove Orchestra from San Francisco. The following year, Harris married the actress Marcia Ralston in Sydney.
P.8/ 53-57
(M) A night at the Palais de Danse in the '20s was a noisy, crowded affair when the "Jazzers" were off the leash. One of the much-hyped overseas recording artists was likely to draw a couple of thousand flappers and their beaus to the Lower Esplanade, all doing the hand claps and foot stomps in time to the Charleston, Black Bottom and Shimmy and dancing competitions became all the rage (Olivia "Charleston" clip in here) . As our friends in Adelaide would say, the Palace of "Darnce" gave the punters a "charnce" to misbehave (just like Theda Bara!). However, by the mid-'30s it no longer had a monopoly as other, similar venues were operating across the road. These included Earl's....
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P.9/ 1 & 2
(A) Court and the Streets of Paris (AKA Wattle Path - later converted to the ice-skating rink, St Moritz). But the Phillips soon lured the ballroom blitzers back over to their side of the tram tracks (NFSA video of the Wattle Path crowd arriving)
P.9/ 3-6
(B) Commandeered by the military and used as a post office during WWII, the Palais de Danse sustained considerable damage as the floor was "ruined by soldier's hobnail boots and the wheels of postal carts" according to historian Anne Longmire in her book St Kilda: The Show Goes On (p.180, Hudson, 1989). Remaining closed until1953, its final years were marked by a steady decline in patronage and the end came when it went up in flames. Longmire gave the following account of what occurred on that fateful day in the aforementioned book ....
P.9/ 7-13
(C) " The ballroom.... was burnt down on 27 December, 1968. A fire was believed to have started above the kitchen ceiling.... and the blaze was so fierce that power poles and palm trees forty meters away ignited and the billowing smoke could be seen from many parts of Melbourne. Thousands of onlookers... saw the last great show at the Palais de Danse as its roof appeared to lift off then collapse in a shower of bricks and glass. Within half an hour the building was razed"
P.9/ 14-17
(D) - DELETED
P.9/ 18 & 19
(E). And I can confirm that it was, indeed, a massive con...flag...ar....con..fladge...ure..in..ation..... FIRE !! that was visible in Brighton (another bayside suburb)
P.9/ 20-35
(F) With both of my parents being "'St Kilda-ites" and with grandparents still in the area, my father decided that we should climb into the Desoto Firesweep (..or whatever it was) and "motor" around the "Beach Road" (as the continuous length of St Kilda Street, Ormond Esplanade and Marine Parade was known... at least in our house) to say farewell to the family's dance hall days. Wang Chung - Dance Hall Days (Official Music Video) (youtube.com) In other words, we drove around the bay in our tizzy old pile of chrome to see what was left oof the Phillips tizzy old pile of stucco. Needless to say, being a mere slipper-vuh lad (slip of a lad), I had no real "memories" of it. To me, it was just "that funny building" that I walked past with ME mutha' and ME nan-mutha' (my mother and my grandmother) when we went to 'av lunch at "Kirby's Kiosk" on the pier (I used to dream about living in that place when I was a kid). Speakin' a witch (speaking of which), I can vividly recall one particular "diner" who a regular at the "Kosk" (I couldn't say "kiosk" properly and I was in my thirties at the time). An elderly "loidee" (lady), she was usually dressed....in '"Saints" supporter's clothing i.e. the jumper (sweater), scarf and beanie (woolen cap) (the Saints are the hometown football team). She drank her tea out of a saucer (often one that she had swiped from another table ... while someone was using it). Of course, that was before the West Beach neighborhood) between Beaconsfield Parade and Canterbury Road) was "gentrified" and most of those local "characters" disappeared; probably washed away in many cases by the incoming wave of well to do property buyers from other suburbs. Referred to as "trendies" (i.e. trend setters), they were the Chardonnay-sippers and fondue-dippers with their brass beds and European cars who were determined to "save" and "revitalize" St Kilda (whether it needed to be or not!). Anne wrote so eloquently about that process. Now, yet another, even 'fresher", more "selfie ready" and "relevant" type of resident has moved in - namely the ultra- fit buffed body brigade (AKA the "Threebeeze") who love to "Brighton" things up with a "dash of black"
P.9/ 36-44
(G) In fact, while I'm on the subject, when and why did this morbid obsession with the dark hue reach such plague proportions in Melbourne. Black clothes, black cars, black houses, black light globes, black high visibility safety jackets. It's all very depressing particularly during the city's bleak and miserable (or should that be black and miserable?) wet and cold months (i.e. March to November) and it's downright bizarre to see it everywhere in "summer" (three or four days of "nice" weather around the Christmas/New Year period when you get incinerated in crippling heat... no.. please don't call in to complain.. as indicated, yours truly is a Melbourne buoy, bourne and bread... just 'avin' a bita fun with our... what would you call it?... tricky? ... surprising?....whatever weather). It's also dangerous when the black cats are out 'n about jogging into trees and falling off bikes around dusk and dawn with a piping hot coffee in each paw (....fore...shore). But it wasn't always this way
P.9/ 45-47
(H) Back in the '70s, the "Age of Aquarius" was still exerting an influence and we had long since decided to "Let the Sun shine in". Encouraged to "color our world", a lot of people drove pink, aqua and orange cars; some of which, like my AMC Rambler Matador were done in two tone colors....
1972 Rambler Matador Sedan | Right hand drive. Australian as… | Flickr
Petula Clark "Colour My World" on The Ed Sullivan Show (youtube.com)
P.9/ 48-54
(I )There were red "trannies' (transistor radios) with silver speaker covers, yellow telephones and Fluro lime green raincoats. We had tartan pants and "lumber" jackets (remember the Bay City Rollers?), "antique gold" and floral furniture, Yardley "Pots of Gloss" and girls with kal-eye-dough-sco-pies ("Lindsay in the Sky with Diamonds"...Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds (Remastered 2009) (youtube.com) Even the oldies - both the "good lady wives" (to quote Sandy Stone) and their (former great big muscle-ee blokes of) husbands picked up on the vibe and got into the groove by, rather daringly, having a touch of "blue rinse" shot through their snowy strands and, possibly, venturing into a "Unisex" hairdressing salon "in which to have the procedure performed upon their person". You still see occasional specks of such vibrancy, but the vista is generally fairly drab nowadays.
Oh how I remember the dreaded blue eye shadow.......The School dance circa 1975...the song "Waterloo" by Abba blaring out of the rattle-ee old speakers... a searing hot summer's night.....no air conditioning in the old assembly hall........everywhere you look this blue goo is melting and oozing down pretty young faces (and the girls had trouble with it as well)
Hand Jive - The Johnny Otis Show (youtube.com)
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(J) The "'black bit" is one thing (..and ..no...I'm totally anti...in fact, I owned a "formal" car many "Mr" Moons ago....1962 Buick Electra 225 | Right hand drive. Melbourne, Victor… | Flickr. But for sheer sartorial perfection nothing beats, what I call, the 'Melbourne All Weather Combo". This snappy attire is the epitome of chic and it would, undoubtedly, impress fashion writers in New York, London and Paris if the wearers chose to expose themselves to the international press. Sow, wotzit 'oll about? Well, from the waist up you pull on six flannel shirts, six jumpers and six woolen caps (preferably with ears) to "keep warm". Down below, you will astound passers-by with your footy shorts, lack of socks and things (flip-flops).
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(A) Anyway, back to the fire (sweep), the awesome and quite frightening sight of which was all that really mattered to me.....
So, there we stood, dangerously close to the chaos (as we did in that era). The Foreshore was Rome circa 64 CE as huge burning branches broke away from the Canary Island palms and came crashing down onto Jacka Boulevard.
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(B) A quartet of ancient musicians who looked like they may have been at the opening night of the equally ancient dance barn gathered and started to play some appropriately "hot" trad jazz as they found comfort in the magic of music at that sad time. After several successful attempts to get upright, a couple of hippies/mods.. whatever the young-eeze who wore psychedelic "gear" were called in '68 ("bloody no 'opers perhaps?) somehow rose to their feet to do a Charleston-type shuffle before stumbling off to find their own comfort in the magic of mushrooms. The 'In Crowd" wore some pretty "way out" clobber (clothing) back in them daze (azz ME Inglish teechu wood'a sed). There were frilly pink shirts, very tight and very short rainbow miniskirts, white vinyl knee-length "Go-g+o" boots, wild make up and hoop earrings (..all together now.. nice /n loud..) "... and that was just the guys" (link to you tube cymbla crash)
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(C) Suddenly there was a loud bang from deep within the inferno (and another one from deep within the mod's kombi van). Vulcan was getting pissed off but good because the old joint was hanging on. However, one last, God almighty shove (as detailed by Anne) finally sent it hurtling into the hereafter. Oh well, at least it went out in spectacular style just as the boys from Spokane would have wanted it too
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6. The "New" Luna Park 1923
(D) Following its closure during the First World War and then a further long delay that was caused by a lease dispute, the 'New" Luna Park opened in November, 1923. Having undergone a thorough renovation, many rides and attractions such as the carousel, Whip, Noah's Ark, Goofy House and Water Chute (AKA the Shoot the Chute) had been added.
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(E) Not much survived from the original park. The Scenic Railway, "Mr Moon" entrance, photo studio and Ferris Wheel were retained. The River Caves and Palais de Folies also stayed but both were revamped. The external appearance and all of the internal diorama "scenes" of the former were changed (as they would be on a regular basis thereafter) while the latter was temporarily renamed "Funny Land" before, eventually, being completely remodeled and renamed once more to become the "Giggle Palace" (confused?... you should see it from this side!). With its giant slides, distorting mirrors, turkey trot and revolving barrel, "The Palace" went on to provide an endless supply of giggles for decades to come. However, the most exciting addition for the 1923 season was a second rollercoaster, described as the "demonic" Big Dipper. A high-speed action ride that ran over a tight, interwoven course, it was designed by the American "Coaster King" John Miller. Later, such favorites as the Ghost Train, Jack and Jill (a combination chairlift and slide that was constructed out of the Water Chute), Dodgem and U-Drive cars together with the Rotor and a shark tank would also be installed. And, as before, there was plenty of live entertainment. The place even had its own ghost (possibly a cheeky apparition who... which... whatever.. had escaped from the Train). As far as the visual fantasy presentation of the park was concerned, much of the work, such as the upgrading of the River Caves, was probably handled by Rupert Browne and Harald Vyke; scenic artists at the Palais Pictures.
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(F) Carnival snacks remained an eagerly anticipated part of a visit to Luna Park and, once more, we turn to John Michael Howson to give us a glimpse back at the catering side of things. One of the treats that he recalled were Luna's.......
" Waffles....only vaguely resembling their American counterparts.. these penile - shaped objects were filled with a goo called Mock Cream (an imitation used during the 1940s food rationing period). But no matter how careful one was, huge blobs of this muck would finish up on clothes, shoes, legs, hands and hair. It resembled some sort of ectoplasm from outer space that increased when it hit the air. When I saw Steve McQueen in The Blob (1958), I felt sure that the writer must have been a waffle eater from Luna Park"
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(G) The above description would indicate something that, perhaps, had more in common with crepes (?) rather than waffles which look like this...(PHOTO OF WAFFLE). There again, the supermarket sells waffle ice cream cones that look like... well.. ice creams (photo). Anyway, whatever they were, they seem to have vanished into the swirling mists of time by the '60s, leaving the more familiar selection of malted milks, hot dogs, hamburgers, chips, popcorn, fairy floss, jam doughnuts and baked potatoes to stop the tummy rumbles (I'm getting hungry just typing this). Although there were still a few unique delicacies such as the superbly named "Cream Freeze" (photo of stall)
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(H) Today, when Melbourne people speak fondly about the 'Old Luna Park", they're probably visualizing the one that was mainly created between the 1920s and the '50s and which stayed largely intact until the '70s. But then, things started to change, rapidly and not for the better as far as many were concerned. Those who had happy memories of the seaside fun fair looked on with a sense of sadness as some of its most popular attractions disappeared. The Jack 'n Jill gave way to the wrecker's ball in 1970 as did the Rotor in '77. Then Noah's Ark bit the dust. However, the '80s marked the real, emphatic end of the old park when the River Caves, Whip, Big Dipper and (following a fire) the Giggle Palace were all demolished (play channel 10 Big Dipper demolition video). By the beginning of the '90s, the place had just about been gutted. All of that charming and whimsical if (to quote John Michael..) "somewhat well worn" fantasy architecture which had stimulated the imaginations of nearly three generations of Melbourne kids was smashed into oblivion and replaced by a succession of portable rides; most of which looked like earth moving equipment. Gone were the quaint fairytale dioramas and the opportunity to enjoy tranquil summer boat rides in the River Caves. Also gone was the medieval castle (the Giggle Palace) with its drawbridges and its merry monarch laughing hysterically from its central tower (footage/ photos of King Cole)
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(I) When so much of the park's heritage was thrown out, a great deal of its nostalgic appeal was also lost. The Scenic Railway, "Mr Moon", carousel, "Chateau" Dodgem building (without the car up top and the Whip down below) and the Ghost Train are now the only connections we have to Luna's golden days. Over the years, a number of owners and revival plans have fallen by the way along with just as many empty promises to bring back some of the former iconic rides; none of which have ever amounted to anything more than a hill of fairy floss. Also, with the Phillips departure, their American sensitivities in regard to the park's design and artwork left with them. Their policy was to keep the place looking like a Stateside fun fair (used seaside fun fair a few pages back) as that was a key part of its novelty. Indeed, to this day, that whole area around Luna Park and the Palais has retained something of a Southern Californian ambience with the beach, palm trees and Spanish mission architecture. Decades ago, it looked even more so with "Candy Corner"; an American style "soda" and "malt" shop that was located across the road where McDonald's now stands (photo and "Eagle Rock / Come Back Again)
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(J) However, the fact that Luna Park has survived, at all, for more than a century is quite amazing in view of the extremely valuable piece of land that it occupies, right on the foreshore at St Kilda, so close to the CBD. And, in fairness to its various...
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(A) custodians, some of the aforementioned plans may not have gone ahead due to reasons that were beyond their control. At least the work of specialized artist and an element of surrealism is once again on show down there.
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7. Capitol Theatre Melbourne 1924
(B) While Luna Park was being updated, the Phillips were busy overseeing the construction of Capitol House - a Chicago style office building in Swanston Street (Melbourne CBD/ downtown area); a project in which they were partners with prominent Victorian business identity Anthony Lucas. Another innovative design by the Griffins in consultation with the firm of Peck & Kemter and built for a total cost of £580,000 (including land), the Capitol's cinema was the first, true "picture palace" in Australia according to film-maker and historian Joan Long in her book The Pictures that Moved (p.133, Hutchinson, 1982). An outstanding example of art deco architecture, its "ceiling of lights" is internationally renowned. Indirectly lit, it was used in conjunction with orchestra scores in the silent era to add extra dramatic impact to the presentation of movies. Thousands of colored lights that changed through all hues of the spectral range were hidden among plaster panels, creating a crystalline and kaleidoscopic effect. The idea was Herman Phillips' but the Griffins along with Peck & Kemter brought it life.
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| Al Daff |
candy girls" and ticket sellers and he was soon producing big budget shows which the critics raved about. Another capable publicity man, Harold worked with Curwen as they devised all kinds of stints to pack the punters into "The Pal". In July,'33, for example, they rustled up an elephant which was decked out in colorful "Jungle paraphernalia" to do a tour of shopping centers in order to plug the Universal serial Jungle Mystery together with a competition that was run. Other famous Universal serials included Flash Gordon, the Green Hornet, Gang Busters and Ace Drummond. Golf was Harold's main hobby, and, on one occasion, he joined Al Daff to win a social game with fellow film people.
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