John F. Gavin, born as John Francis Henry Gavin (1875 â€" 6 January
1938) was an Australian film director, who was one of the early
filmmakers of the 1910s. He is best known for making films about
bushrangers such as Captain Thunderbolt, Captain Moonlite, Ben Hall
and Frank Gardiner. He was known by the nickname "Jack" and 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 reportedly
made Australia's first animated short, an advertising film which
featured a koala taking cough syrup.Gavin was born in Sydney and later
claimed he worked for the circus aged ten. He moved to the country and
worked as cattle drover, being involved in a record cattle drive from
Camooweal in Queensland to Adelaide. "A man of fine physique and
imposing presence" he served for a time in the Sydney Lancers as the
captain of a squadron. He was interested in acting and received an
offer to join the touring company of Bland Holt. He stayed with them
for a number of seasons, then travelled to the USA where he worked
with Barnum and Bailey's Circus, and Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show. He
married Agnes in 1898.
1938) was an Australian film director, who was one of the early
filmmakers of the 1910s. He is best known for making films about
bushrangers such as Captain Thunderbolt, Captain Moonlite, Ben Hall
and Frank Gardiner. He was known by the nickname "Jack" and 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 reportedly
made Australia's first animated short, an advertising film which
featured a koala taking cough syrup.Gavin was born in Sydney and later
claimed he worked for the circus aged ten. He moved to the country and
worked as cattle drover, being involved in a record cattle drive from
Camooweal in Queensland to Adelaide. "A man of fine physique and
imposing presence" he served for a time in the Sydney Lancers as the
captain of a squadron. He was interested in acting and received an
offer to join the touring company of Bland Holt. He stayed with them
for a number of seasons, then travelled to the USA where he worked
with Barnum and Bailey's Circus, and Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show. He
married Agnes in 1898.
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