Cinesound Varieties
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George D. Parker
| Cinesound Varieties | |
|---|---|
 Still from the film | |
| Directed by | Ken G. Hall |
| Written by | Vic Roberts George D. Parker |
| Produced by | Ken G. Hall |
| Starring | Fred Bluett |
| Cinematography | Frank Hurley |
Production company | |
Release date |
|
Running time | 60 minutes |
| Country | Australia |
| Language | English |
| Budget | £2,500[1] |
| Box office | £2,000[1] |
Cinesound Varieties is a 1934 Australian variety short film from director Ken G. Hall made to go out on a double-bill with the full-length feature, The Silence of Dean Maitland (1934). Only 18 minutes of the film survive today.[2]
There were two main components of the film:
1) 'Evolution of a Waltz' - a musical presentation with Hamilton Webber and the State Orchestra illustrating the evolution of the waltz from the age of Mozart to Irving Berlin
2) 'Nautical Nonsense' - a musical comedy revue, featuring several Australian variety stars including
- Fred Bluett and his Boy Scouts story as pirates in Sydney
- the Tom Katz saxophone band
- soprano Angela Parselles[3]
- tap dancing by the Lowell brothers
- musical numbers by the Cinesound Octette
- the Cinesound Beauty Ballet of twenty Australian girls.
There were also appearances by Emanel Aarons at the grand organ and an adagio dance by the Orlandos.[4]
Cast
Production
The movie was made in two weeks in a local showground because Charles Chauvel was using Cinesound's studio for a film. There were also a number of scenes shot on Sydney harbour.[5]
"It was written in a hurry and it was a bad effort," said Hall later. "I'm not proud of it."[6][7]