Page 11 - CinemaRecord #11R.pdf

The Australian Connection By Denzil Howson

Everyone who takes the slightest interest in the cinema scene will know and be proud that Geoffrey Rush won
the Best Actor Award at the recent Academy Awards for his stunning perfonnance in SHINE. But Geoffrey
Rush is only one of a long line of Australians who have achieved prominence and gone on to success in
Hollywood - from Fast Fecund Flynn to Nice and Nifty Nicole. But when did the Australian Connection begin?

Well, if all began a long time ago. Remember Australfan actress Louise Carbasse?

On second thoughts perhaps you don't. Louise Carbasse was appearing in Australian films in 1911. In 1912 she
starred in CON THE SHAUGRAN. I'm not sure what a SHAUGRAN is, (my dictionary has somehow given it a
miss) but as the film was described as an Australian epic, I guess a "Shaugran" must have been pretty important.

In 1913, the Indefatigable Louise made TICKET OF LEAVE MAN. After that Louise Carbasse disappeared from
the local scene. At roughly the same time, a new star began playing leads in Hollywood in films like TANGLED
HEARTS, THE GILDED SPIDER and SIRENS FROM THE SEA. The name of this blonde temptress? Louise
Lovely.

What was the relationship between the two Louises? They were one and the same person. Just as in later
years Frances Gumm became Judy Garland, so in 1914, with Hollywood magic, Louise Carbasse was
transmogrified into Louise Lovely. In the film capital, she was part of the Australian Connection.

"Snowy• Baker, all round athlete turned actor, whose exploits mirrored Douglas Fairbanks Snr., established a
notable film career In Australian silent films. before setting out for Hollywood, where he repeated his success.
"Snowy• Baker- another link in the Australian Connection.

Clyde Cook was an Australian comedian who began his career when he was twelve years of age. He eventually
set sail for London, and successfully toured the provinces, then crossed the Atlantic and appeared In the
Zlegfield Follies and at the New York Hippodrome. Clyde Cook came to the screen in 1920. He went from Fox
to Wamer appearing with such notable leading ladies as Louise Fazenda. Clyde Cook worked In many Mack
Sennitt comedies, and successfully made the transition to sound when he appeared In OUVER TWIST,
BARBARY COAST, KIDNAPPED, THE LITTLE PRINCESS and TO EACH HIS OWN. Clyde Cook died in 1984,
aged 93 -a notable figure, and an important part of the Australian Connection .

Harold Fraser hit Hollywood In 1915. He was a versatile Australian with a slightly "han~og• expression,
working with an Australian stage company touring the States. Hal Roach saw the potential In Harold Fraser, and
employed him as a foil for Harold Uoyd, and they appeared together in weekly one-reelers for the next four
years.

Harold Fraser then went out on his own, and many of his films were a treasure-trove of complicated mechanical
props which invariably didn t work the way Harold had planned. Harold Fraser was right up there with Keaton,
Langdon, Mabel Nonnand, "Ham• Hamilton. Billy Bevan and the other top runny men and women of early
twenties silent era.

You might have seen some of his films. Harold Fraser? Name doesn't ring a bell? Well, thafs probably because
when Hal Roach took him under his wing, Harold Fraser became "Snub" Pollard, and as •snub" Pollard he was
working in films, right up to 1961, when he appeared in A POCKETFUL OF MIRACLES. He died in 1962. aged
76- another facet of the Australian Connection .

In 1910, a successful and respected Australian doctor exchanged the scalpel for the stage, working in Broadway
musicals and vaudeville. He migrated to Hollywood and became familiar to film goers as a tw~chy, bald-headed,
henpecked litUe man. His name Leon ErroL After a series of fairly mediocre feature films, he teamed with Lupez
Velez, a temperamental Mexican leading lady, to make a series of "Mexican Spitfire• films in which he appeared
as the drunken Lord Epping. Leon Errol and Lupez Velez became a famous movie team - like William Powell
and Myma Loy, Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland, and Jeanette Macdonald and Nelson Eddy.
Ah yes! I remember them welll

Leon Errol, one time Australian practitioner made a practice of giving nota.ble perfonnances In "TTnsel Town•.
The current edition of Halliwell s Filmgoers Companion awards a •rosette" to Leon Errol, quote 'For bringing a
breath of inspired vaudeville to some pretty tired Hollywood fonnats, and for Inventing Lord Epping". Leon Errol,
certainly a notable performer, and part of THE AUSTRALIAN CONNECTION I

11