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Uploaded on: April 20, 2025

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Early 1900’s Streetscape with the Kings theatre on the right. Notice the name Bert Bailey sign written on the top side wall - The Kings would later become the Barclay.

In 1912 Bert Bailey had formed a long-lasting business association with Julius Grant and leased Anderson’s King’s Theatre, Melbourne. As Bailey & Grant they became one of the strongest theatrical entrepreneurial teams in Australia and produced many Australian plays. In 1921 he scored a success in Jefferson Wins Through at the King’s Theatre, and next year for E. J. and Dan Carroll, produced The Sentimental Bloke, adapted for the stage from C. J. Dennis’s poem; he later took the part of Ginger Mick. A commercially disastrous season of Shakespeare followed in Sydney.

In 1932 Bailey emerged from one of his several retirements to co-direct with K. G. Hall and star in a film version of On Our Selection for the new Cinesound studio in Sydney. The film was a record box-office hit and three ‘spin-offs’ followed, all starring Bailey and MacDonald as Dad and Dave: Grandad Rudd (1935), Dad and Dave Come to Town (1938) and Dad Rudd, M.P. (1940). Bailey finally retired in 1940.

Contributed by Greg Lynch -