John Gavin (director)
Encyclopedia
John F. Gavin, born as John Francis Henry Gavin (1875 - 6 January 1938) was an Australia
n film director, who was one of the early film makers of the 1910s. He was born and died in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, and was also known by the nickname "Jack".
Gavin had a theatre background, particularly Outback and Wild West Shows
. He is best known for making films about bushrangers such as Captain Thunderbolt
, Captain Moonlite, Ben Hall
and Frank Gardiner
. When bushranging films were banned in 1912 he turned to dramatising other true characters, such as Edith Cavell
and Charles Fryatt
.
Gavin usually worked in collaboration with his wife Agnes
, who wrote many of his films, most of which have not survived. One book said of him, "although Gavin was prolific his later surviving work shows that his entrepreneurial talent outweighed any he might have had as director."
He lived for a time in Hollywood, appearing in several films, and claimed he was a friend of Lon Chaney
and Stan Laurel
.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n film director, who was one of the early film makers of the 1910s. He was born and died in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, and was also known by the nickname "Jack".
Gavin had a theatre background, particularly Outback and Wild West Shows
Wild West Shows
Wild West Shows were traveling vaudeville performances in the United States and Europe. The first and prototypical wild west show was Buffalo Bill's, formed in 1883 and lasting until 1913...
. He is best known for making films about bushrangers such as Captain Thunderbolt
Captain Thunderbolt
Frederick Wordsworth Ward was an Australian bushranger renowned for escaping from Cockatoo Island, and also for his reputation as the "gentleman bushranger" and his lengthy survival, being the longest roaming bushranger in Australian history.-Early years:Frederick Ward was the son of convict...
, Captain Moonlite, Ben Hall
Ben Hall
Ben Hall was an Australian bushranger of the 19th century. Operating mainly in New South Wales, he was known variously as 'Bold Ben Hall', 'Brave Ben Hall' and 'The Gentleman Bushranger' for his avoidance of bloodshed and his audacious raids, many of which were intended simply to taunt the police...
and Frank Gardiner
Frank Gardiner
Frank Gardiner was a noted Australian bushranger of the 19th century. He was born in Scotland about 1827 and migrated from to Australia as a child with his parents in 1834,. His real name was Francis Christie, though he often used one of several other aliases including Gardiner, Clarke or Christie...
. When bushranging films were banned in 1912 he turned to dramatising other true characters, such as Edith Cavell
Edith Cavell
Edith Louisa Cavell was a British nurse and spy. She is celebrated for saving the lives of soldiers from all sides without distinction and in helping some 200 Allied soldiers escape from German-occupied Belgium during World War I, for which she was arrested...
and Charles Fryatt
Charles Fryatt
Charles Algernon Fryatt was a British mariner who attempted to ram a German U-boat in 1915. His ship, the was captured by the Germans in 1916. When it became clear who he was, Fryatt was court-martialled and executed, although he was a civilian. There was international outrage following his...
.
Gavin usually worked in collaboration with his wife Agnes
Agnes Gavin
Agnes Gavin was an Australian actor and screenwriter of the silent era, who worked in collaboration with her husband John Gavin. She wrote the majority of his films and was arguably the first specialist screenwriter in the history of the Australian film industry.She and her husband were best known...
, who wrote many of his films, most of which have not survived. One book said of him, "although Gavin was prolific his later surviving work shows that his entrepreneurial talent outweighed any he might have had as director."
He lived for a time in Hollywood, appearing in several films, and claimed he was a friend of Lon Chaney
Lon Chaney
Chaney is an American surname of French origin, and may refer to:* Charles "Bubba" Chaney , Louisiana politician* Chris Chaney, US musician* Darrel Chaney, US baseball player* Don Chaney, US basketballer* Esty Chaney , US baseballer...
and Stan Laurel
Stan Laurel
Arthur Stanley "Stan" Jefferson , better known as Stan Laurel, was an English comic actor, writer and film director, famous as the first half of the comedy team Laurel and Hardy. His film acting career stretched between 1917 and 1951 and included a starring role in the Academy Award winning film...
.
Filmography
- ThunderboltThunderbolt (1910 film)Thunderbolt is a 1910 film in the genre of "outlaw" films at the time that tended to glorify the life of the outlaw "Bushrangers" that roamed the Australian outback in pre-commonwealth days...
(1910) - MoonliteMoonliteMoonlite is a 1910 bushranger film about Captain Moonlite, played by John Gavin, who also directed.-Synopsis:Moonlite is arrested by the Victorian police, escapes from gaol and robs various banks. He his helped by an aboriginal "gin" called Bunda .-Cast:*John Gavin as Captain Moonlite*H.A...
(19101910 in filmThe year 1910 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*The newsreel footage of the funeral of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom is shot in Kinemacolor, making it the first color newsreel....
) (a. k. a. Captain Moonlite) - Ben Hall and his GangBen Hall and his GangBen Hall and his Gang is a 1911 film about the bushranger Ben Hall, played by John Gavin, who also directed. It was the first film Gavin made for the producing team of Stanley Crick and Herbert Finlay....
(1911) - Frank Gardiner, the King of the RoadFrank Gardiner, the King of the RoadFrank Gardiner, the King of the Road is a 1911 film about the bushranger Frank Gardiner, played by John Gavin, who also directed....
(1911) - Keane of KalgoorlieKeane of KalgoorlieKeane of Kalgoorlie is a 1911 Australian silent film set in the racing and gambling circles of Sydney, based on a popular play by Edward William O'Sullivan, made by the husband and wife team of John and Agnes Gavin.-Synopsis:...
(1911) - The Mark of the LashThe Mark of the LashThe Mark of the Lash is a 1911 Australian silent film. It is a convict-era melodrama made by the husband and wife team of John and Agnes Gavin....
(1911) - The Drover's SweetheartThe Drover's SweetheartThe Drover's Sweetheart is a 1911 film from the team of Agnes and John Gavin. It was the first film they made for their own production company....
(1911) - Assigned to his WifeAssigned to his WifeAssigned to his Wife is a 1911 Australian silent film from director John Gavin. It is a convict-era melodrama....
(19111911 in filmThe year 1911 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*March 23: D.W Griffith shows the first major close-up shot on film with the successful release of The Lonedale Operator proving his ever growing mastery of how to utilise film....
) - The Assigned ServantThe Assigned ServantThe Assigned Servant is a 1911 Australian silent film about a convict who is transported to Van Diemen's Land. It was made by the husband and wife team of John and Agnes Gavin.-External links:* at the National Film and Sound Archive...
(1911) - An Interrupted Divorce (19161916 in filmThe year 1916 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* October 17 - release of A Daughter of the Gods, the first US production with a million dollar budget, with the first nude scene by a major star....
) - Charlie at the Sydney Show (1916)
- The Martyrdom of Nurse CavellThe Martyrdom of Nurse CavellThe Martyrdom of Nurse Cavell is a 1916 Australian silent film about the execution of nurse Edith Cavell during World War I.-Synopsis:The story is told in four parts. The film starts at the English home of Edith Cavell before the war, then jumps forward six years to a Belgium hospital...
(1916) - The Murder of Captain FryattThe Murder of Captain FryattThe Murder of Captain Fryatt is a 1917 Australian silent film about the execution of Captain Charles Fryatt during World War I. The film was a follow up from John and Agnes Gavin to their popular hit The Martyrdom of Nurse Cavell , but was not as successful at the box office.-Cast:*Harrington...
(19171917 in filmThe year 1917 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*Foundation of Universum Film AG , as a propaganda film company, in Berlin.*Technicolor System 1, a two-color process, is introduced...
) - His Convict BrideHis Convict BrideHis Convict Bride is a 1918 Australian silent film from the team of John and Agnes Gavin. It was a convict-era melodrama set in 1813. After the film was made, the Gavins moved to Hollywood for several years to work before returning in 1925.-Cast:...
(19181918 in filmThe year 1918 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*Following litigation for anti-trust activities, the US Supreme Court orders the Motion Picture Patents Company to disband....
) (a. k. a. For the Term of Her Natural Life) - The Prisoner of the Pines (1919) - actor only
- Trooper O'BrienTrooper O'BrienTrooper O'Brien is a 1928 Australian silent film from the team of John and Agnes Gavin. It was a convict-era melodrama about an orphaned girl raised by a policeman in the bush.Violet Ellis and Will Harris played comic aboriginal characters....
(19281928 in film-Events:Although some movies released in 1928 had sound, most were still silent.* July 28 - Lights of New York is released by Warner Brothers. It is the first "100% Talkie" feature film, in that dialog is spoken throughout the film...
)
External links
- John Gavin at National Film and Sound ArchiveNational Film and Sound ArchiveThe National Film and Sound Archive is Australia’s audiovisual archive, responsible for developing, preserving, maintaining, promoting and providing access to a national collection of audiovisual materials and related items...