Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Wednesday 24 October 1934, page 8


I "HERITAGE."

Plans for Crowd Scenes.

GOVERNOR PHILLIP'S LANDING.

More than a hundred men. most, of them unemployed, have been given work for to-day as "extras" in the Australian picture. "Heri-tage."' which Mr. Charles Chauvel ls producing for Expeditionary Films. Ltd. Seventy of the men were .selected in Sydney, and a large number in the district about Pittwater. To-day, all these will be transported to Great Mackerel Beach, where they are to take part in scenes depicting the landing of Governor Phillip.

The settings for Governor Phillip's camp have been faithfully reproduced from sketches prepared by Mr. Ray Lindsay from original sources in the Mitchell Library and elsewhere. Much difficulty has heen experienced, however, in damming the small stream which flows from Hie hills to the beach, and which is Intended to represent the historic Tank Stream of Circular Quay. Several hundred bags, to be filled with sand for that purpose, were sent from sydney yesterday. Hitherto, the tides have moved all the sandbags available at Pitt-water.

More than two hundred people offered their services as "extras" for the film. Among them were a New Zealand barrister and a nephew of the Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives (Sir Charles Statham). The former was given a. part as one of Governor Phillip's officers, and the littler is lo represent a marine. Two women who travelled to Australia from England fifteen years ago on the same ship renewed acquaintance for the first time when applying for film work.

Still another applicant was a trained nur.se who had been unemployed for nearly a year. An old ador, who had played with Mr. Victor Fitzhcrberl. (who was assisting in the selection) when Maeterlinck's "The Blue Bird" was pro-duced in Sydney twenty-two years ago, was given the part of one of the first draft of convicts.

lt is hoped to make a. start with the crowd scenes at Pittwater this morning. The film should be sufficiently advanced by the end of the week to be taken to Melbourne by Mr. Chauvel for "cutting."