Executives in Control of Auckland’s Picture Entertainment

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 538, 15 December 1928, Page 2 (Supplement)

Executives in Control of Auckland’s Picture Entertainment

Henry Hayward, chairman of directors of the Fuller-Hayward Theatres, Ltd., is one of the outstanding 1 personalities in the picture business ii New Zealand. In co-operation with the late T. J. West, he brought the firs; pictures here from England in 1906,

known as “West’s Pictures,” and these were shown as novelty items on the concert programme of the Brescians (a concert party mainly composed of the Ilayward family, with Henry Hayward as manager). This combination was so successful that Mr. Hayward decided to settle in New Zealand and import films and exhibit them. His first theatre was Hi-s Majesty’s in Christchurch, and within a few months he acquired theatres in various towns throughout the Dominion. In 1913, after the business had been firmly established throughout New Zealand, Hayward’s Pictures combined with Fuller’s Pictures, the only other picture company of any size in New Zealand. The business was then diyided into two distinct branches, the New Zealand Picture Supplies, Ltd., for the buying and distribution of films in New Zealand, and the Fuller-Hay-ward Theatres, the company in charge of the circuit of theatres throughout the Dominion. At the present moment, the FullerHayward Theatres own or have an interest in about sixty theatres in New Zealand, and have most of the largest and finest theatres under their banner. The triumphant success of this great business is largely due to the genius of Henry Hayward. His never-failing energy and hard work, his enthusiasm, his brilliant financial brain combined - with vision, tact and undertanding of the public, have made him the Prime . Minister of pictures for New Zealand.

Phil Hayward is another dominating personality in the picture business and is known throughout the length and breadth of New Zealand. He is the only son of Henry Hayward and a director of Fuller-Hayward Theatres. Brought up in the business, he com-

bines the rare qualities of time-lion-oured showmanship with the energy and entusiasm for new ideas of the present generation. He is always on the alert for the latest inventions and improvements in cinematograph machines and projection, and in theatre construction and equipment. His innate sense of beauty and artis® tic appropriateness find expression 1e the colour, harmony and atmosphere of such theatres as the Majestic and Strand in Auckland. To Phil Hayward falls the task of selecting film for purchase, negotiating contracts and organising it 3 dis< tribution throughout the Fuller-Hay« ward circuit. Phil Hay Ward was born in 1892 it Lancashire, and educated at Ashford Grammar School, Kent, England. He came out to New Zealand to join his parents. At the age of sixteen he was given the managership of the Lyric Theatre, and subsequently the Strand Theatre. Whenever a theatre was losing money, Mr. Phil Hayward was sent to the rescue, and before long, revived the failing business and put it on the road to sound financial health. In 1924 he gave up managing the Strand Theatre and devoted his time entirely to the executive side of the business.

Mr. Thomas A. O’Brien entered the amusement field in Sydney in 1914 as house manager of the Globe Theatre in George Street. He came to New Zealand under engagement to FullerHayward Theatres in 1916, and managed three Wellington theatres— King’s, Empress and Everybody’s.

J After periods as publicity manager I and film manager for New Zealand, he I was appointed exhibitions manager in I charge of all the Fuller-Hayward I theatres. In 3 920 Mr. O’Brien leased the Empire Theatre, Dunedin, and later purchased Everybody’s Theatre, Auckland. Later a number of other theatres in Auckland and in the South Island were added to the O’Brien circuit, which now ranks as the third largest in the Dominion. The New Empire de Luxe in Dunedin, completed last September, is the first “atmospheric” theatre, as well as the largest to be built in this country, and has many novel features new to the Dominion, such as the “sky roof” and the disappearing orchestral platform. Mr. O’Brien's future plans for Auckland City include the building of a large atmospheric theatre on the Civic Square site, to seat nearly 3,000 people. This will incorporate many novel ideas and will be built to accommodate the new acoustic principles required for talking picture installation, which must form a partial feature of the cinema entertainment of the future. Mr. Thomas O’Brien’s career shows the wonderful opportunities in the amusement business for young men of courage, energy, and imagination. He attributes his success to a thorough grounding in the school of hard experience and an ingrained habit of looking ahead.

Mr. F. Beaumont Smith, managing director of J. C. Williamson tX.Z.). ' Films, Ltd., who controls the chain of Regent Theatres in New Zealand, first . turned his steps toward journalism. After a good deal of free-lance work

he Joined the stall of th. „ "Bulletin.” Leaving journalism he was and accepted the post of publtcitv r?d ager and secretary to the w>li\tnail- - manager, William A ‘'i u ' ow » While holding this position hu ?,T7 0D into the stage business turn./? 1 thoughts to production, and ait* h,s is not generally known, he l^, USh il first dramatised version of l", LV Rudd's "On Our Selection runner of Australian drama of to a”’ Wliiie travelling the Continent ? Anderson, he visited Vienna, just unique show was being staged Tf h city. With a keen eye for a Beau Smith interviewed its n, ° elt ' and the result was the engagS", the entire company, who came and in quered Auckland as "Tiny Town." Mr. Smith’s next venture proved , him how uncertain is the barometer ot public opinion. Bringing to Austria a company to play new farcical e\vT edies he at first scored another siuv.7' but the depression of earlv war^d^ 5 * hit him hard. By real hard work P retrieved his fortunes and then re<Jf nising that the moving pictures hL‘ come to stay, he started as an bid. pendent producer. ue ~ ducing clean, homely Australian nir tares he gradually forged ahead « to-day he is associated with one of th, largest theatrical organisations in Au« tralia.