33 Facts About Beaumont Smith

Frank Beaumont "Beau" Smith, was an Australian film director, producer and exhibitor, best known for making low-budget comedies.

Beaumont Smith went on to become one of the most prolific and popular Australian filmmakers of the silent era.

Beaumont Smith was sometimes known as "One Shot Beau" or "That'll Do Beau".

Beaumont Smith is his own financier and has not found it necessary to float a company to stand behind his products.

Beaumont Smith first worked as a journalist, writing for The Critic and The Register.

Beaumont Smith moved from Adelaide to Sydney in 1907 to work for The Bulletin as a writer and advertising manager.

Beaumont Smith moved into theatre, becoming secretary for theatrical entrepreneur William Anderson.

Beaumont Smith later toured the show in South Africa, where it was a success, and Canada, where it flopped due to opposition from existing circuses.

Beaumont Smith toured a show by the suffragette Muriel Matters.

Beaumont Smith tried playwriting, working on an adaptation of On Our Selection by Steele Rudd.

Beaumont Smith wrote the first act on his own and then collaborated with Rudd.

Beaumont Smith toured the plays Mr Wu, The Barrier by Rex Beach, No Mother to Guide Her, A Girl's Cross Roads and The Glad Eye.

Beaumont Smith was a fan of the works of Henry Lawson and adapted several of his stories for stage and film, including While the Billy Boils.

Beaumont Smith wrote a play with Edward Dyson, Two Battlers and a Bear, and a review, Stop Your Nonsense.

Beaumont Smith's first non-Hayseed film was a wartime melodrama, Satan in Sydney.

Beaumont Smith followed it with Desert Gold, a race horse story, and the comedy Barry Butts In starring Barry Lupino.

In May 1919 Beaumont Smith ceased producing films until better terms for exhibiting them could be found.

Beaumont Smith spent a number of months in Hollywood, then returned to Australia to make The Man from Snowy River.

Beaumont Smith is sole proprietor of his producing business, using no outside capital, so is in a position to turn out just what class of picture he chooses.

Beaumont Smith travelled to New Zealand to make the inter-racial romance The Betrayer, then back in Australia did While the Billy Boils, adapted from the stories of Henry Lawson.

Beaumont Smith then returned to Hayseed comedies with Townies and Hayseeds and Prehistoric Hayseeds.

Beaumont Smith made two films starring Arthur Tauchert, The Digger Earl and Joe.

Beaumont Smith then made two comedies starring Claude Dampier, Hullo Marmaduke and The Adventures of Algy.

Beau Beaumont Smith still remains to prove beyond a shadow of doubt that the moving picture industry in Australia is a healthy and profitable game.

Beaumont Smith aims to produce marketable pictures for Australian audiences and so far has succeeded admirably.

Beaumont Smith is entirely unorthodox in his methods, because be there an accepted way to do things he will do it the opposite and get away with it.

Beaumont Smith usually writes his own scenarios, but possibly uses them to paper the walls of his office, since on location this useful adjunct is usually conspicuous by its absence of be it there it is camouflaged as portion of the properties, or as a rest for the cameramen, or anything but its proper use, and he relies on his memory solely for the movements of his characters.

Beaumont Smith moved to New Zealand and became managing director of Williamson Films Ltd, Wellington.

Beaumont Smith returned to filmmaking to make The Hayseeds, giving Cecil Kellaway his first lead in a film, and Splendid Fellows.

Beaumont Smith was married to Elsie Fleming from 1911 until his death.

Beaumont Smith was often an uncredited contributor with his work, helping him write scripts.

Beaumont Smith died on 2 January 1950 in Royal North Shore Hospital, St Leonards.

The National Library of Australia tracked down a collection of 300 reels of Beaumont Smith's films, including all his features.