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In 1904, two young entrepreneurs, John and Nevin Tait, from a family of five brothers in show business, had begun to include film programs among their concert bookings at the Athenaeum Hall. Their screenings of imported 'scenics' had been profitable, and they became eager to expand their film activities. In making their first film, The Story Of The Kelly Gang, they were joined by Millard Johnson and William Gibson, two chemists who had become interested in film when they acquired a second-hand projector from a vaudeville show. Pike & Cooper: 5.
Story of the Kelly Gang, The (Charles Tait, 1906) J & N Tait, Johnson & Gibson, wr. Charles Tait, dp Millard Johnson, Orrie Perry, Reg Perry, c. 4000 ft; Frank Mills, Elizabeth Tait, John Tait, Norman Campbell, Will Coyne; world's first feature film, in the sense that it ran for more than an hour; seventeen minutes of the film have been restored and released by the National Film and Sound Archive
It Is Never Too Late (W. J. Lincoln, 1911) prod. J. & N. Tait, wr. W. J. Lincoln from the novel by Charles Reade, It Is Never Too Late To Mend (1856), dp Orrie Perry; Stanley Walpole
Buoyed by the continuing profitability of the film, J. and N. Tait and Johnson and Gibson eventually merged their interests in March 1911 in a company, Amalgamated Pictures, and continued co produce films on a modest scale until they joined the combine of Australasian Films in 1912. Their main interest, however, was exhibition, and neither party had a deep commitment to production. Pike & Cooper: 7.
After Sundown (W. J. Lincoln, 1911) Amalgamated Pictures, wr. W. J. Lincoln, dp Orrie Perry; Leslie Woods, Godfrey Cass, Frank Cullinane, John Ennis, Miss Laing-Mason, Nellie Bramley, Ethel Grist; melodrama; 60 min. [not in Pike & Cooper, data from Verhoeven]
Mystery Of A Hansom Cab, The (W. J. Lincoln, 1911) Amalgamated Pictures, from the novel by Fergus Hume, dp Orrie Perry
The Mystery Of A Hansom Cab was the first film released under the banner of Amalgamated Pictures, a new company formed in March 1911 by the producer/exhibitor combination of Johnson and Gibson, and J. and N. Tait. The company produced numerous newsreels and features during 1911 and early 1912, before withdrawing from feature production and merging with its main competitors in the combine of Australasian Films in November 1912. Pike & Cooper: 14.
Luck Of Roaring Camp, The (W. J. Lincoln, 1911) Amalgamated Pictures, wr. W. J. Lincoln from story by Bret Harte, dp Orrie Perry; The George Marlow Dramatic Company, incl. Ethel Buckley, Robert Inman, John Cosgrove
Called Back (W. J. Lincoln, 1911) Amalgamated Pictures, wr. W. J. Lincoln from the novel by Hugh Conway set at the time of Garibaldi, dp Orrie Perry; Arthur Styan; 4000 ft
Lost Chord, The (W. J. Lincoln, 1911) Amalgamated Pictures, wr. W. J. Lincoln, dp Orrie Perry
Bells, The (W. J. Lincoln, 1911) Amalgamated Pictures, wr. W. J. Lincoln from the adaptation by Leopold Lewis of the play Le Juif Polonais by Erckmann-Chatrian, dp Orrie Perry
Double Event, The (W. J. Lincoln, 1911) Amalgamated Pictures, wr. W. J. Lincoln from the novel by Nat Gould, dp Orrie Perry; horse-racing milieu
Breaking The News (W. J. Lincoln, 1912) Amalgamated Pictures, wr. W. J. Lincoln, inspired by John Longstaff painting, dp Orrie Perry; Hattie Ireland, Arthur Styan; drama; 39 min.
Rip Van Winkle (W. J. Lincoln, 1912) Amalgamated Pictures, wr. W. J. Lincoln, based on story by Washington Irving, dp Orrie Perry; Arthur Styan
His Only Chance (Dick Shortland, 1918) J. C. Williamson Ltd, wr. Captain N. C. P. Conant, dp Amalgamated Pictures
Garry Gillard | New: 18 November, 2013 | Now: 3 July, 2020