Page 8 - CinemaRecord #82

RICHARD STEPHENS

Richard Francis Stephens had a remarkable career with the motion picture industry, beginning from Richard
its earliest days, right up to the building of the family’s first drivein theatre in 1957.
F. Stephens
He was the Queensland representative/writer for the film trade magazine “Everyone’s” almost from its inception until late 1937.
He also wrote many ‘Letters to the Editor’ in local newspapers in support of the motion picture industry, as well as being President and Vice President
of the Queensland Motion Picture Exhibitors Association and its forerunner, the First Federated Picture Showmen’s Association.

But while he can also lay claim to having the longest personal association with the motion picture industry in Brisbane, he had known great tragedy.
During a brutal and violent armed holdup at his home, his wife was shot dead by the gunmen who were after the theatre takings for that night.

ichard (Dick) Stephens was born to Shortly after his return he found himself back
RIrish immigrants Patrick & Mary Ann in his old job in the printing industry, but with
Stephens (nee McGuire) of Ipswich in 1874. a twist. He had reacquainted with an old mate
He was schooled in Ipswich and started work that used to work at the newspaper with him,
at the Ipswich Advertiser as a compositor for David A Ogilvie, and they hatched a plan to
the local newspaper. travel to North Queensland to put together
a tourist information book and business
Richard first married Emily Poole England of directory (they also completed one for the
st
Gatton in Brisbane on the 1 February 1899, Northern Rivers area of NSW and the Darling
and it was with this marriage that he had a Downs Qld). They called this book Winter
change of career, as his wife’s family owned Tourists Paradise.
hotels around Ipswich and surrounding areas.
After this venture Richard returned to Ipswich
In 1902 Richard and his wife and children and became involved in writing songs to be
went to Sydney to take on the lease of Frost’s used in vaudeville shows (they apparently had
Hotel in Surry Hills, Sydney, but a short time great success in Sydney & Melbourne) and
later his wife died, and Richard and his son was attending one of these vaudeville shows
Herbert moved back to Queensland. in Ipswich when he met up with one of the
players, who explained to Richard that they
were having a terrible season and “if only
Francis and
Richard Sr. they had it on celluloid then they would surely
make some money”.

The decision was made, the equipment and
some old shadowy films were obtained, and
they headed out to the country areas, but soon
found that it was tough going and returned to
Ipswich with no profit for their hard work.

It was on his return to Ipswich that the
Queensland Government had contacted
Richard about the book Winter Tourists
Paradise. They purchased 9000 copies of the
10,000 printed and wanted to send him to
England to the Franco British Exhibition in
London, 1908, with his books, to be part of the
Queensland Pavilion’s Exhibit.
It was while he was at the Exhibition that he
discovered the Pathe Frères exhibit and was
amazed at the public’s reaction to these short,
flickering picture shows.

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