{{Short description|Australian film director (1882–1936)}} {{For-text|the bushman and explorer|{{section link|John McDouall Stuart|Associates}}}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2024}} {{Use Australian English|date=November 2019}} {{Infobox person | name = F. W. Thring | image = Stage director, Mr Thring.jpg | alt = | caption = | birth_name = William Francis Thring | birth_date = 2 December 1882 | birth_place = Wentworth, New South Wales, Australia | death_date ={{Death-date and age|1 July 1936|2 December 1882}} | death_place = East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia | resting_place = Burwood Cemetery | nationality = | other_names = Francis William III | occupation = {{hlist|Film producer|director|exhibiter|studio founder}} | years_active = c. 1915–1935 | known_for = }} '''Francis William Thring III''' (2 December 1882 – 1 July 1936) was an Australian film director, producer, and exhibitor. He has been credited with the invention of the clapperboard.
==Early life== Francis William Thring<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article11092483 |title=Advertising |newspaper=The Argus (Melbourne) |issue=28,449 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=26 October 1937 |access-date=31 December 2022 |page=15 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> (or William Francis Thring<ref name="ReferenceA"/>) was born on 2 December 1882 in Wentworth, New South Wales, the son of a labourer, William Francis Thring, and Angelina, née McDonald.<ref name=":0">[https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/thring-francis-william-frank-8803 adb.anu.edu.au]</ref>
William Thring (c. 1812 – 17 November 1887) arrived in South Australia c. 1849 from England, son of W. Thring and brother of T. Thring, both at some time mayors of Salisbury, Wiltshire.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article46836673 |title=Family Notices |newspaper=South Australian Register |volume=LII |issue=12,815 |location=South Australia |date=9 December 1887 |access-date=13 May 2023 |page=4 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> but not in List of mayors of Salisbury. He lived Middleton 1856, Port Elliott 1863, Wentworth NSW in 1885, 1887. He married Elizabeth (c. 1812 – 17 June 1885) :son F. Thring ( – ) :son J. Thring ( – ) :Anne Elizabeth Thring ( – ) married George L. Liptrott in 1856.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article49745851 |title=Family Notices |newspaper=South Australian Register |volume=XX |issue=3025 |location=South Australia |date=13 June 1856 |access-date=13 May 2023 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> :Emma Sophia Thring ( – ) married John Davie in 1863.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article50179253 |title=Family Notices |newspaper=South Australian Register |volume=XXVII |issue=5190 |location=South Australia |date=13 June 1863 |access-date=13 May 2023 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
Although sometimes known as Frank Thring Sr, on account of well-known son Frank Thring Jr., the subject of this article is actually Francis William III. His forebears were Francis William Thring (1812–1887) and Francis William Thring(?), known as William Thring (1858–1920). F. W. Thring (1812–1887) had two sons, both of whom were given their father's name. The first of these was illegitimate, but the second one was born after his marriage, and the Thring line continued through the legitimate son.<ref name="ReferenceA">Peter Fitzpatrick, ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=XQvWBQAAQBAJ The Two Frank Thrings]'', Monash University Publishing, Melbourne, 2012</ref>
==Career== Thring worked as a conjurer in the outback and as a bootmaker in Gawler, South Australia, as well as starting Biograph Pictures in Tasmania. In 1911, he became a projectionist at Kreitmayer's Waxworks in Melbourne, Victoria. He thrived in the cinema trade and opened the Paramount Theatre in 1915 and became managing director of J. C. Williamson's Films in 1918, which eventually merged to become Hoyts in 1926.<ref name=":0" />
In 1928, Thring personally supervised the building of a new Hoyts picture theatre in Adelaide, the Regent Theatre.<ref name=1066aat>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article55841564 |title="1066 and All That" |newspaper=The Mail (Adelaide) |volume=25 |issue=1,285 |location=South Australia |date=9 January 1937 |access-date=27 December 2022 |page=4 (Special Film Section) |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
===Efftee film studio=== In 1930, Thring sold his interests in Hoyts to Fox Film Corporation and went into film production, establishing Efftee Studios (based on his initials).<ref name=":0" /> Over the next five years, Efftee produced nine features, over 80 shorts and several stage productions, including the Australian musicals ''Collits' Inn'' and ''The Cedar Tree''.{{cn|date=December 2022}}
Notable collaborators include C. J. Dennis, George Wallace<ref name="dogs">{{cite magazine|first=Stephen|last=Vagg|magazine=Filimink|date=19 July 2025|access-date=19 July 2025|url=https://www.filmink.com.au/forgotten-australian-films-gone-to-the-dogs/|title=Forgotten Australian Films: Gone to the Dogs}}</ref> and Frank Harvey.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article149548519 |title=No. 1. Our Chances for World Markets. |newspaper=Table Talk |location=Melbourne |date=17 August 1933 |accessdate=16 March 2015 |page=7 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> He also made a series of films with Noel Monkman.<ref name="typhoon">{{cite magazine|access-date=25 June 2025|date=25 June 2025|first=Stephen|last=Vagg|magazine=Filmink|url=https://www.filmink.com.au/forgotten-australian-films-typhoon-treasure/|title=Forgotten Australian Films: Typhoon Treasure}}</ref>
Thring visited Britain in 1932–33, where he sold Efftee's entire output: seven features, nine shorts and a series about the Great Barrier Reef made with Noel Monkman.<ref name=biog />
In 1932 Thring became the leader of a campaign for a quota for Australian films. In 1934, he suspended Efftee's operations, announcing that resumption would depend upon the introduction of an effective quota system in Victoria.<ref name=":0" />
In 1935, Efftee obtained a licence to broadcast from the then-new broadcasting station 3XY in Melbourne, which was owned by the United Australia Party (and later the Liberal Party).<ref>Walker, R.R., ''The Magic Spark: 50 Years of Radio in Australia'', 1973, The Hawthorn Press, Melbourne</ref>
After New South Wales passed its ''Cinematograph Films (Australian Quota) Act 1935'' in September 1935, Thring resumed production in February 1936, in Sydney, becoming chairman of directors of Mastercraft Film Corporation Ltd while remaining managing director of Efftee Film Productions. In March he sailed for Hollywood in search of scriptwriters and actors.<ref name=biog /><ref name=nla>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article47903687 |title=Films to be made from australian stories. |newspaper=The Barrier Miner |location=Broken Hill, NSW |date=2 March 1936 |accessdate=22 January 2012 |page=4 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>"Australia threatens raid on Hollywood talent: Anzacs Plan Twenty Films in Next Year F. W. Thring, Producer, Here to Sign Players; Sydney-Melbourne Actor Colony Offers Nucleus; Climate Like Ours" Schallert, Edwin. ''Los Angeles Times'' 10 May 1936: C1.</ref> [[File:Olive Thring, by Philip Alexius de Laszlo.jpg|thumb|Olive Thring (Philip Alexius de Laszlo, 1933)]]
It was estimated Thring lost over £75,000 of his own money on his filmmaking and theatrical ventures.<ref>Graham Shirley and Brian Adams, ''Australian Cinema:The First Eighty Years'', Currency Press, p125</ref> ''Filmink'' argued his death robbed "the Australian film industry of one of its most passionate political advocates."<ref name="typhoon"/>
==Other achievements== He is usually credited with the invention of the clapperboard.<ref>{{cite book |last=Fitzpatrick |first=P. |title=The Two Frank Thrings |publisher=Monash University Publishing |series=Biography |year=2012 |isbn=978-1-921867-24-8 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XQvWBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA452 |access-date=13 February 2023 |page=452}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Sfetcu |first=N. |title=The Art of Movies |publisher=Nicolae Sfetcu |year=2014 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OUCDAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA853 |access-date=13 February 2023 |page=853}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Frankly Thring |website=Theatregold |url=https://theatregold1.mybigcommerce.com/frankly-thring/ |access-date=13 February 2023}}</ref>
==Death and family== Thring died of cancer on 1 July 1936, aged 53, in East Melbourne, and was buried in Burwood Cemetery. He was survived by a daughter from his first marriage to Grace Wight (Viola, known as Lola; 1911–71), his second wife, Olive, née Kreitmayer whom he had married on 25 April 1921,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article210390234 |title=F. W. Thring Married |newspaper=Call (Peerth) |issue=364 |location=Western Australia |date=6 May 1921 |access-date=13 May 2023 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> and their then 10-year-old son, the future actor Frank Thring.<ref name=biog>[https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/thring-francis-william-frank-8803/text15439 Holroyd, J. P., 'Thring, Francis William (Frank) (1882–1936)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University] accessed 22 January 2012.</ref>
Lola dated the future Prime Minister Harold Holt but she ultimately rejected him only to marry his divorced father, her father's business partner. Harold Holt thus acquired a step-mother who was three years his junior.<ref>[http://www.treasury.gov.au/~/media/Treasury/Publications%20and%20Media/Publications/2012/Economic%20Roundup%20Issue%201/Downloads/05%20Hawkins%20Harold%20Holt.ashx Treasury Publications] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140212121321/http://www.treasury.gov.au/~/media/Treasury/Publications%20and%20Media/Publications/2012/Economic%20Roundup%20Issue%201/Downloads/05%20Hawkins%20Harold%20Holt.ashx |date=12 February 2014 }}. Retrieved 21 February 2014</ref> Harold Holt's father, Tom Holt, was in control of Efftee Studios at this time.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>
==Selected filmography == * ''The Haunted Barn'' (1931) – short<ref name="barn">{{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)}}</ref> * ''A Co-respondent's Course'' (1931) – short<ref name="co">{{cite magazine|magazine=Filmink|url=https://www.filmink.com.au/forgotten-australian-films-a-co-respondents-course|date=23 January 2026|access-date=23 January 2026|title=Forgotten Australian Films: A Co-Respondent’s Course|first=Stephen|last=Vagg}}</ref> * ''Diggers'' (1931)<ref name="dig">{{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)}}</ref> * ''The Sentimental Bloke'' (1932) * ''His Royal Highness'' (1932)<ref name="his">{{cite magazine|magazine=Filmink|url=https://www.filmink.com.au/forgotten-australian-films-his-royal-highness/|first=Stephen|last=Vagg|title=Forgotten Australian Films: His Royal Highness|date=10 November 2025|access-date=10 November 2025}}</ref> * ''Harmony Row'' (1933)<ref name="harmony">{{cite magazine|date=21 October 2025|access-date=21 October 2025|first=Stephen|last=Vagg|magazine=Filmink|title=Forgotten Australian Films: Harmony Row|url=https://www.filmink.com.au/forgotten-australian-films-harmony-row/}}</ref> * ''A Ticket in Tatts'' (1934)<ref name="tatts">{{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}}</ref> * ''Sheepmates'' (1934) – abandoned during shooting * ''Clara Gibbings'' (1934)<ref name="clara">{{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}}</ref> * ''The Streets of London'' (1934)
===Unmade films=== *adaptation of ''Redheap'' by Norman Lindsay *''Pick and Duffers'' – meant to follow ''His Royal Highness''<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article83567215 |title=AUSTRALIAN FILMS. |newspaper=The Daily News |location=Perth |date=24 March 1932 |accessdate=8 August 2012 |page=9 |edition=HOME (FINAL) |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> *adaptation of ''Collitt's Inn''<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article11728196 |title=Notes on the Screen. |newspaper=The Argus |location=Melbourne |date=10 January 1934 |accessdate=10 August 2012 |page=5 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> *''Ginger Murdoch'' from the novel by William Hatfield with George Wallace<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article29891325 |title=AUSTRALIAN FILMS. |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=31 January 1934 |accessdate=9 August 2012 |page=8 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> *''The Black Sheep'' – meant to star George Wallaca<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article33326415 |title=AUSTRALIAN PRODUCTIONS. |newspaper=The West Australian |location=Perth |date=14 July 1933 |accessdate=9 August 2012 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> *''A Sweepin' in the Deep'' with George Wallace
==Selected theatre credits== *''Clara Gibbins'' (August 1933) – Garrick Theatre, Melbourne *''Rope'' (1933) *''Collits' Inn'' (1933) *''The Streets of London'' (1933) *''Children in Uniform'' (1933–34) – Garrick Theatre, Melbourne with Coral Browne *''Mother of Pearl'' (1934) *''The Beloved Vagabond'' (1934) *''Jolly Roger'' (1934) *''The Cedar Tree'' (1934) *''Her Past'' (September 1934) *''Peter Pan'' (December 1934, December 1935) *''Crazy Nights Revue'' (1935) – with George Wallace *''S.S. Sunshine'' (1935) *''The Oojah Bird'' (1935)
==See also== *Cinema of Australia
== References == {{reflist}}
==Further reading== *{{Cite web |url=https://publishing.monash.edu/books/thrings.html |title=The Two Frank Thrings (Monash University Publishing) |access-date=18 May 2020 |archive-date=26 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200526224509/https://publishing.monash.edu/books/thrings.html |url-status=dead}}
== External links == * {{IMDb name|id=0861929|name=F. W. Thring}} *[https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/thring-francis-william-frank-8803 F. W. Thring] at Australian Dictionary of Biography *[http://aso.gov.au/titles/ads/fw-thring-introduces-stars/ ''Frank Thring Introduces Stars''] at Australian Screen Online *[http://aso.gov.au/people/FW_Thring/ F. W. Thring] at Australian Screen Online *[http://trove.nla.gov.au/people/497606?c=people/ F. W. Thring] at Trove *[http://www.ausstage.edu.au/indexdrilldown.jsp?xcid=59&f_contrib_id=235479&f_event_id=16548 F. W. Thring Australian theatre credits] at AusStage *[http://colsearch.nfsa.gov.au/nfsa/search/summary/summary.w3p;adv=no;group=;groupequals=;page=0;parentid=;query=Person%3A%22%2FPerson%2Fkey%2F11856-1%22;querytype=;resCount=10 F. W. Thring] at the National Film and Sound Archive
{{F.W. Thring}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thring, FW}} Category:1882 births Category:1936 deaths Category:Australian film directors Category:Mass media people from Sydney Category:Australian theatre managers and producers Category:Australian film producers Category:Australian film production company founders