# Arthur Higgins > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Arthur_Higgins > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Arthur_Higgins.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Higgins > Source revision: 1356896519 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Australian cinematographer (1891–1963)}} {{for|the rugby league footballer who played in the 1910s|Arthur Higgins (rugby league)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}} {{Use Australian English|date=November 2019}} {{Infobox person | image = | caption = | birth_name = Arthur Embery Higgins | birth_date = {{birth date|1891|10|25|df=yes}} | birth_place = [Hobart](/source/Hobart), [Tasmania](/source/Tasmania), Australia | death_date = {{death date and age|1963|09|22|1891|10|25|df=yes}} | death_place = [Potts Point](/source/Potts_Point), Sydney, Australia | other_names = | occupation = [Cinematographer](/source/Cinematographer), director, photographer | years_active = 1908–1945 | spouse = {{marriage|Sheila Elizabeth Smith|1917}} }} '''Arthur Embery Higgins''' (25 October 1891{{spaced ndash}}22 September 1963) was a pioneering Australian [cinematographer](/source/cinematographer) known for his use of [trick photography](/source/trick_photography) during the [silent era](/source/silent_era). His ongoing collaborations with director [Raymond Longford](/source/Raymond_Longford) include ''[The Sentimental Bloke](/source/The_Sentimental_Bloke)'' (1919) and ''[The Blue Mountains Mystery](/source/The_Blue_Mountains_Mystery)'' (1921). He briefly turned to directing with ''[Odds On](/source/Odds_On_(1928_film))'' (1928) however returned to cinematography in 1931 for the remainder of his career. ==Biography== Arthur Higgins was born in [Glebe](/source/Glebe%2C_Tasmania), [Hobart](/source/Hobart), [Tasmania](/source/Tasmania) in 1891. He was the youngest of three brothers, [Ernest](/source/Ernest_Higgins) and [Tasman](/source/Tasman_Higgins). From a young age, Arthur was introduced to photography and [projection](/source/Camera_obscura) by his eldest brother, Ernest. In 1900, Ernest rigged up a projector from his father's shop's balcony with a screen on a building across the street. Eventually Ernest's fascination with photography and cinema took him to [Sydney](/source/Sydney) where he found work at Cosens Spencer filming [newsreels](/source/newsreels) and [travelogue](/source/travelogue_(film))s. Although Arthur had begun a career in architecture, he chose to join Ernest in Sydney in 1908 to pursue a career in [cinematography](/source/cinematography). From 1911, the brothers would work closely with director [Raymond Longford](/source/Raymond_Longford). In 1912, Tasman also moved to Sydney to join his brothers. ===Higgins Bros, Cinematographers=== The Higgins brothers founded Higgins Bros, Cinematographers in 1913 after their workplace merged with Australasian Films Ltd. Generally the brothers worked on documentaries and compilation films although they did one feature film, ''[A Long, Long Way to Tipperary](/source/A_Long%2C_Long_Way_to_Tipperary)'' in 1914. Discouraged by the lack of income from their work, by 1917 Ernest had become the sole proprietor of the company. After leaving Higgins Bros, Arthur ventured further with Raymond Longford and [Lottie Lyell](/source/Lottie_Lyell)'s projects including ''[The Sentimental Bloke](/source/The_Sentimental_Bloke)'' (1919) and ''[On Our Selection](/source/On_Our_Selection_(1920_film))'' (1920). ===Arthur Higgins Productions=== In 1928 Higgins set up Arthur Higgins Productions and made a racing film, ''[Odds On](/source/Odds_On)'', and in 1930, with his brother Tasman as cameraman, the visually spectacular ''[Fellers](/source/Fellers_(film))''. Set in [Palestine](/source/Palestine_(region)), [desert](/source/desert) scenes were shot in sandhills near [Sydney](/source/Sydney). Although mostly silent, the last reel was synchronized with a few minutes of dialogue. ''Fellers'' won the only prize in the ''Commonwealth Film Competition'' that year. After visiting the United States of America, Higgins worked for [F. W. Thring](/source/F._W._Thring)'s Efftee Film Productions in [Melbourne](/source/Melbourne) and later on films for [Pat Hanna](/source/Pat_Hanna). In 1936, Higgins joined [Cinesound Productions](/source/Cinesound_Productions) and continued to make feature films for different directors until 1946. In the 1950s Higgins operated with Neville Bletcher the production company, Solarchrome Color Productions, at 300 Pitt st, Sydney, with studio at St Johns Road, Glebe NSW (1).The Film Weekly Motion Picture Directory 1957-8 Solarchrome was his own adaptation of a bi-pack (two tints) colour process. Arthur married Sheila Elizabeth Smith on 27 June 1917 at [Moonee Ponds](/source/Moonee_Ponds%2C_Victoria), [Melbourne](/source/Melbourne). The couple were childless. Higgins died at his home at [Potts Point](/source/Potts_Point), [New South Wales](/source/New_South_Wales) on 22 September 1963 and was [cremated](/source/cremated). ==Filmography== {{Div col|colwidth=30em}} *''[The Fatal Wedding](/source/The_Fatal_Wedding)'' (1911) *''[The Romantic Story of Margaret Catchpole](/source/The_Romantic_Story_of_Margaret_Catchpole)'' (1911) *''[The Tide of Death](/source/The_Tide_of_Death)'' (1912) *''[Australia Calls](/source/Australia_Calls_(1913_film))'' (1913) *''[If the Huns Came to Melbourne](/source/If_the_Huns_Came_to_Melbourne)'' (1916) *''[The Woman Suffers](/source/The_Woman_Suffers)'' (1918) *''[The Sentimental Bloke](/source/The_Sentimental_Bloke)'' (1919) *''[On Our Selection](/source/On_Our_Selection_(1920_film))'' (1920) *''[Rudd's New Selection](/source/Rudd's_New_Selection)'' (1921) *''[The Blue Mountains Mystery](/source/The_Blue_Mountains_Mystery)'' (1921) *''[Sunshine Sally](/source/Sunshine_Sally)'' (1922) *''[A Daughter of Australia](/source/A_Daughter_of_Australia_(1922_film))'' (1922) *''[Circumstance](/source/Circumstance_(1922_film))'' (1922) *''[Townies and Hayseeds](/source/Townies_and_Hayseeds)'' (1923) *''[Australia Calls](/source/Australia_Calls_(1923_film))'' (1923) *''[Fisher's Ghost](/source/Fisher's_Ghost)'' (1924) *''[The Bushwhackers](/source/The_Bushwhackers)'' (1925) *''[Peter Vernon's Silence](/source/Peter_Vernon's_Silence)'' (1926) *''[The Pioneers](/source/The_Pioneers_(1926_film))'' (1926) *''[Hills of Hate](/source/Hills_of_Hate_(1926_film))'' (1926) *''[The Kid Stakes](/source/The_Kid_Stakes)'' (1927) *''[Odds On](/source/Odds_On)'' (1928) – director *''[Fellers](/source/Fellers_(1930_film))'' (1930) – director *''[A Co-respondent's Course](/source/A_Co-respondent's_Course)'' (1931) *''[Diggers](/source/Diggers_(1931_film))'' (1931){{cite magazine|magazine=Filmink|first=Stephen|last=Vagg|url=https://www.filmink.com.au/forgotten-australian-movies-diggers-1931/|date=14 February 2026|access-date=14 February 2026|title=Forgotten Australian Movies: Diggers (1931)}} *''[The Haunted Barn](/source/The_Haunted_Barn)'' (1931){{cite magazine|first=Stephen|last=Vagg|magazine=Variety|date=6 February 2026|access-date=6 February 2026|url=https://www.filmink.com.au/forgotten-australian-films-the-haunted-barn-1931/|title=Forgotten Australian Films: The Haunted Barn (1931)}} *''[His Royal Highness](/source/His_Royal_Highness_(1932_film))'' (1932) *''[Harmony Row](/source/Harmony_Row_(1933_film))'' (1933) *''[Diggers in Blighty](/source/Diggers_in_Blighty)'' (1933) *''[Waltzing Matilda](/source/Waltzing_Matilda_(1933_film))'' (1933) *''[The Streets of London](/source/The_Streets_of_London_(1934_film))'' (1934) *''[Clara Gibbings](/source/Clara_Gibbings_(1934_film))'' (1934){{cite magazine|magazine=Filmink|first=Stephen|last=Vagg|url=https://www.filmink.com.au/forgotten-australian-films-clara-gibbings/|title=Forgotten Australian Films: Clara Gibbings|date=5 October 2025|access-date=5 October 2025}} *''[A Ticket in Tatts](/source/A_Ticket_in_Tatts_(1934_film))'' (1934){{cite magazine|magazine=Filmink|url=https://www.filmink.com.au/forgotten-australian-films-a-ticket-in-tatts/|first=Stephen|last=Vagg|date=24 August 2025|access-date=24 August 2025|title=Forgotten Australian Films: A Ticket in Tatts}} *''[The Avenger](/source/The_Avenger_(1937_film))'' (1937) *''[Show Business](/source/Show_Business_(1938_film))'' (1938) *''[Wings of Destiny](/source/Wings_of_Destiny)'' (1940) *''[That Certain Something](/source/That_Certain_Something)'' (1941){{cite magazine|date=20 October 2025|access-date=20 October 2025|first=Stephen|last=Vagg|magazine=Filmink|url=https://www.filmink.com.au/forgotten-australian-films-that-certain-something/|title=Forgotten Australian Films: That Certain Something}} *''[The Power and the Glory](/source/The_Power_and_the_Glory)'' (1941){{cite magazine|magazine=Filmink|date=6 October 2025|access-date=6 October 2025|url=https://www.filmink.com.au/forgotten-australian-films-the-power-and-the-glory/|first=Stephen|last=Vagg|title=Forgotten Australian Films: The Power and the Glory}} *''[Harvest Gold](/source/Harvest_Gold)'' (1945) *''[A Son Is Born](/source/A_Son_Is_Born)'' (1946){{cite magazine|date=10 July 2025|access-date=10 July 2025|magazine=Filmink|first=Stephen|last=Vagg|url=https://www.filmink.com.au/forgotten-australian-films-a-son-is-born/|title=Forgotten Australian Films: A Son is Born}} {{div col end}} ==References== {{Reflist}} ==Notes== *{{cite book |last=Murray |first=Scott |title=Australian Cinema |publisher= Allen & Unwin/AFC |location= St.Leonards, NSW |year=1994 |page=325 |isbn= 1-86373-311-6 }} ==External links== *{{IMDb name|0383329}} *[https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/higgins-arthur-embery-7064 Arthur Higgins] at [Australian Dictionary of Biography](/source/Australian_Dictionary_of_Biography) *[https://web.archive.org/web/20110930042201/http://www.cinematographer.org.au/01_cms/details.asp?ID=541 Arthur Higgins Biography] at Australian Cinematography Society {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Higgins, Arthur}} Category:Australian film directors Category:People from Hobart Category:Australian cinematographers Category:1891 births Category:1963 deaths --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Arthur Higgins](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Higgins) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Higgins?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.