Frank S. Tait
{{Short description|Australian theatre entrepreneur}}
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Sir Frank Samuel Tait (12 November 1883 – 23 August 1965) was an Australian theatre entrepreneur, managing director of J. C. Williamson's. He was the youngest of five Tait brothers, well known in Australia as show-business entrepreneurs and managers.
History
Tait was born on 12 November 1883 in Richmond, Victoria, the youngest son of John Turnbull Tait, who in 1862 emigrated from Scotland to Victoria, Australia,{{cite book|author=F. Van Straten |title=Australian Dictionary of Biography: Tait, Sir Frank Samuel (1883–1965) |chapter=Sir Frank Samuel Tait (1883–1965) |publisher=National Centre of Biography, Australian National University |url=https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/tait-sir-frank-samuel-9244/text15301 |year=1990 |access-date=10 July 2022}} where he married Sarah Victoria Leeming.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article243807444 |title=Link with Fifties |newspaper=The Herald (Melbourne) |issue=14,427 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=10 August 1923 |access-date=10 July 2022 |page=5 |via=National Library of Australia}} They had children in Castlemaine, and one, Frank Samuel, in Melbourne. Tait attended Richmond State School and Melbourne Church of England Grammar School.
He became general manager of J. C. Williamson Theatres in 1914.
In February 1921 J. C. Williamson's Ltd created an additional 75,000 shares in the company, issued to the brothers John Henry Tait, Edward Joseph Tait, James Nevin Tait, and Frank Samuel Tait, trading as "J & N Tait", for £1 each.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article220083700 |title=J. C. Williamson Limited |newspaper=Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales |issue=43 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=24 March 1921 |access-date=10 July 2022 |page=2031 |via=National Library of Australia}} Tait was appointed a director of JCW around the same time.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article239721872 |title=J. C. Williamson Enterprises |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph (Sydney) |issue=13044 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=2 March 1921 |access-date=10 July 2022 |page=6 |via=National Library of Australia}}
He was co-founder in 1935 and co-proprietor of Village Theatre Ltd. with Hirsch Krantz, John Henry Tait, Karl Millbrook and Jascha Spivakosky, co-directors.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article12250246 |title=New Registrations |newspaper=The Argus (Melbourne) |issue=27,716 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=19 June 1935 |access-date=10 July 2022 |page=4 |via=National Library of Australia}} Connection or otherwise with Village Roadshow or Village Cinemas has not been found.
In June 1938 Australian and New Zealand Theatres Ltd. was founded to control the assets of J. C. Williamsons.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article231033231 |title=The 'New Firm' Takes Over from J.C.W. |newspaper=The Sun (Sydney) |issue=1837 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=12 June 1938 |accessdate=10 July 2022 |page=7 |via=National Library of Australia}} Initially G. B. Dean, S. S. Crick, and Frank Tait served as joint managing directors, then around 1940 he became the managing director of Australian and New Zealand Theatres Ltd.
Later life and legacy
Tait was knighted in 1956 for services to the theatre[https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1083013 Australian Honours] and died in Portsea, Victoria on 23 August 1965, aged 81.
The Tait Memorial Trust, instituted in 1992, was named in his honour.{{citation needed|date=December 2022}}
Family
Tait married twice; firstly, on 29 November 1913{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article198376869 |title=Tait-Barnard |newspaper=The Leader (Melbourne) |issue=3022 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=6 December 1913 |access-date=10 July 2022 |page=51 |via=National Library of Australia}} to Iris Olga Field Barnard; and secondly, on 16 August 1941 to the soprano Viola Wilson Hogg aka Viola Wilson.{{cite web|url=https://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/tributes/notice/death-notices/tait-viola/3465785/ |title=My Tributes |publisher=The Weekly Times |date=7 February 2002 |access-date=10 July 2022}}{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article44952991 |title=Viola Wilson Married to Mr Frank Tait |newspaper=The Advertiser (Adelaide) |location=South Australia |date=18 August 1941 |access-date=10 July 2022 |page=9 |via=National Library of Australia}} They had a residence in Hopetoun Road, Toorak, Victoria. His children include Joan Iris Tait, Peggy Elfrida Tait, Peter Frank Tait, Ruth Emelie Tait, Isla Violet Tait {{Post-nominals|country=AUS|OAM}},{{Cite web |title=Mrs Isla Violet BARING |url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1140942 |access-date=2023-04-18 |website=It's an Honour}} (Viola) Anne Tait and Sally Tait.
Brothers of Frank S. Tait include:
Stage people gave nicknames to the young Tait brothers: "Agitate" (J. H. Tait), "Irritate" (J. N. Tait), "Hesitate" (E. J. Tait), and "Cogitate" (F. S. Tait).{{cite book|author1=Jill Dimond|author2=Peter Kirkpatrick|title=Literary Sydney: A Walking Guide|year=2000|publisher=University of Queensland Press|page=20|isbn=9780702231506}}
References
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Category:Australian theatre owners