Eric Thompson
Art
Biography
Eric Thompson was born on the 9th of June 1901 in Drummoyne, Sydney. As a young man, his main interests were drawing and architecture, the latter of which he chose to study at Sydney Technical College. After graduating, Thompson began to make a name for himself as an architectural sketch artist. An exhibit of his sketches in New York drew the attention of MGM's Cedric Gibbons, who invited Thompson to join the company as art director. Thompson stayed at MGM for 10 years (1927-1937) and worked on many movies there before returning to Australia. In Australia, he joined the Sydney-based film company Cinesound until it closed its doors with the outbreak of war in 1939. When the war ended, Thompson returned to film, finding employment at the Australian government's Commonwealth Film Unit. Here, he worked not just as an artist, but also as a director and producer. Thompson's tenure at the CFU is often regarded as the 'peak of his career'. He died in January 1978 aged 76.
Known For
A panorama of scenic beauty unfolds as the newspaper delivery man works his run along Sydney's northern beaches of Newport and the Palm Beach area.
Paper Run
Made by the Department of Immigration to entice immigrants from Great Britain, this film shows an idyllic picture of life in the New South Wales regional town of Wagga Wagga in the mid 1960s.
Life in Australia: Wagga Wagga
Made by the Department of Immigration to entice immigrants from Great Britain, this film shows an idyllic picture of life in the Western Australian regional town of Geraldton in the mid 1960s.
Life in Australia: Geraldton
A small city in the tropical north of Queensland, Cairns boasts a life that is leisurely and comfortable. The tempo quickens, however, at cane-cutting time when the sugar is harvested, and in winter when tourists come north to escape the cold. The Life In Australia series portrays Australian cities and rural centres as happy, lively places where good homes, abundant jobs, schools, hospitals and amenities provide the foundation for a relaxed lifestyle where sport, shopping, religion and even art combine to create a homogenous and prosperous society.
Life in Australia: Cairns
Made by the Department of Immigration to entice immigrants from Great Britain, this film shows an idyllic picture of life in the South Australian regional town of Mount Gambier in the mid 1960s.
Life in Australia: Mount Gambier
A picture of life in the West Australian capital of Perth in the mid 1960s. The social, business, sporting and other activities of an average Australian family in Perth are told through the eyes of the local newspapers.
Life in Australia: Perth
This film shows an idyllic picture of life in the Victorian capital of Melbourne in the mid 1960s.
Life in Australia: Melbourne
In Australia with its rapid development there is a need for insistence upon town planning. This film illustrates what has already taken place in our leading capital cities, where planning has been haphazard.
Plan for Living
Life in Australia: Hobart shows scenes illustrating daily life, industry, recreation and the tourist features of Hobart, Tasmania.
Life in Australia: Hobart
Made by the Department of Immigration to entice immigrants from Great Britain, this film shows an idyllic picture of life in the Queensland capital of Brisbane in the mid 1960s.
Life in Australia: Brisbane
This film showcases an idealised version of life in the Victorian regional city of Geelong — complete with stable jobs, family homes, bustling shops, and thriving sporting and cultural life.
Life in Australia: Geelong
Sydney's population had just reached three million, and while its skyline was not as tall as it is today, it was already on its way to become a modern city. The film visits all of Sydney's most iconic locations, from its beautiful harbour to Circular Quay, Martin Place, Kings Cross and Bondi beach.
Life in Australia: Sydney
A picture of life in the South Australian capital of Adelaide in the mid 1960s, social, commercial and recreational.
Life In Australia: Adelaide
A picture of life in the Tasmanian town of Launceston in the mid 1960s.
Life in Australia: Launceston
This film makes clear for the layperson the whole pattern of building construction for a brick home, from the moment that the architect prepares working plans to the completion of the house itself. It was originally intended as an instructional film to be shown to Australian servicemen taking courses in the building trades as part of their rehabilitation for civil life after World War Two.
Building a Brick House
From the Film Australia Collection. Made by The National Film Board 1947. Directed by Eric Thompson. Ipswich, Queensland, Australia, is very unlike Ipswich, England, after which it was named.