Guide to the Papers of Bert Bailey, c. 1890-1952

Summary

Collection number:

MS 6141, MS Acc08.095

Creator:

Bert Bailey

Extent:

7.38 metres and (38 boxes, 5 folio boxes, 6 folio items, 1 file)

Language:

English

Preferred citation:

Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Papers of Bert Bailey, National Library of Australia [class number, box number and series and/or file number]'.

Availability:

Available

Access conditions:

Available for research. Not for loan.

Background

Content Summary:

The collection includes scripts of at least 80 plays, such as The Squatter's daughter and The Man from outback, as well as loose, untitled pages of playscripts and notebooks. Bert Bailey is most famously associated with the theatrical and film versions of On our selection, Dad and Dave come to town and Dad Rudd M.P. which are well documented here by scripts, stage directions, loose scripts, press cuttings, photographs and legal documents. Also featured are theatre programmes, posters and acting editions of plays. Press cuttings, printed matter and photographs include numerous theatre personalities. Personal and family correspondence and memorabilia are also included, notably an extensive collection of draft stories written by Doreen Bailey.

Biographical Note:

Albert Edward (Bert) Bailey was born in Auckland, New Zealand on 11 June, 1868. He was the second son of Christopher Bailey (farmer) and his wife Harriette Adelaide (née Colgan, later McCathie). In about 1879 his mother remarried, moved to Sydney and founded a large drapery store. Bert was educated at the Cleveland Street Public School, then worked as a telegram boy and at a skating rink before entering vaudeville as a tambourine player and singer. In 1889, he joined Edmund Duggan Theatrical Company as a comedian in 1900. In1902 he married one of the Company's actresses, Ivy Isobel Gorrick, daughter of Albert Gorrick, solicitor of Newcastle and Cecilia (Hillcoat) Gorrick. Their only child Doreen Cecilia Bailey was born in November 1902.

Together Edmund Duggan and Bert Bailey wrote The Squatter's Daughter, a melodrama first produced by William Anderson in 1907. In 1910 Bailey produced a film version, with Duggan playing the bushranger Ben Hall and Bert himself playing a "new chum". [A 1933 sound copy of this film is held at ScreenSound Australia].

The partnership of Duggan and Bailey lasted for many years and was extremely productive. The plays they wrote (sometimes using the combined pseudonym of Albert Edmunds) included The Man from Outback (1909) and The Native Born. Their most popular success On Our Selection, based on the stories of Arthur Hoey Davis (pseudonym Steele Rudd), was first produced in 1912 and starred Bert Bailey as Dad Rudd. The play was presented regularly on the Australian stage until the 1930s. In 1920, Bert Bailey took the play to the Lyric Theatre, London.

To produce On Our Selection in 1912, Bailey went into partnership with Julius Grant. Basing their company at Anderson's 'Kings Theatre', Melbourne, they became one of the strongest entrepreneurial teams in Australian Theatre.

In 1921, Bailey produced Jefferson Wins Through and in 1922 The Sentimental Bloke, based on the poem by C.J. Dennis. Bert Bailey later took the part of Ginger Mick.

In 1932, Bailey co-directed - with Ken G. Hall - and starred in a film version of On Our Selection for Cinesound Studio, Sydney. During this period (on 24 September 1932), Ivy (Gorrick) Bailey died. Bert and his daughter Doreen (Tim) left Australia for a short time and toured China and Japan in late 1932 and early 1933. On Our Selection achieved record box-office success and three spin-offs followed. All starred Bert Bailey as Dad Rudd and Fred McDonald as Dave. These films were Grandad Rudd (1935), Dad and Dave Come to Town (1938) and Dad Rudd MP (1940).

In 1938 Bert and Doreen undertook a promotional tour of New Zealand with Dad and Dave Come to Town. Bert finally retired in 1940. His hobbies included sailing and bowls and he was a member of the Savage Club, Melbourne, Tattersalls and Rose Bay Bowling Club. While working, Bert Bailey's home base was a flat in Darlinghurst in Sydney, and he also owned a country house 'Kendal Grange', Lake Macquarie. He died on 30 March 1953 and was cremated with Anglican rites.

Doreen Bailey (affectionately known as Weet, Weetie or Tim) was born on 13 November 1902 and educated at the Catholic Ladies' College, East Melbourne and at the Church of England College, Baker Street, London, England. Tim Bailey spent the years (until Bert Bailey's death in 1953) as her father's close companion, travelling with him on tours with travelling plays, on location to film sets and on his overseas tours. She was a prolific writer.

On 8 May 1954 she married Roland Montrose McLean. Tim had several of her children's stories published by the Sydney Morning Herald.

The Pictorial Section of the National Library of Australia holds other Bailey material. See also Edmund Duggan's collection at MS 6304.

Provenance:

The papers were donated to the Library by Doreen (Tim) Bailey in 1979. An addition of 27 boxes and 9 folio items was received in 1985, following the death of Doreen Bailey.

Indexed terms

Names:

Bert Bailey

Conditions Governing Access:

Please refer to the collection's catalogue record for the access conditions (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn1072286).

Conditions Governing Use:

Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions. For such material, written permission to publish must be obtained from the copyright holder(s). Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.

Preferred citation:

Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Papers of Bert Bailey, National Library of Australia [class number, box number and series and/or file number]'.

Location of this collection:

National Library of Australia

Parkes Place

Canberra ACT 2600, Australia

Contact:

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