Lotus Thompson: Silent Film Star

Townies and Hayseeds 1923

Townies and Hayseeds was a comedy drama that explored the interclass rivalries between the different states in Australia. The film was written, produced, and sold by Beaumont Smith within five weeks, during April and May. Cognizant of the divide between the city and the bush, Smith capitalised on this and reflected the social oddities of one group to the other. The humour continued by introducing a British character, completely unaware of Australian customs, to great comic delight. The advertising for the film reinforced the line that this was an Australian production with an all Australian cast and crew.

The enterprising Smith made sure to use the presence of a pretty young performer to help him sell the film by featuring Lotus prominently on posters and other promotional material. Always looking for new ways to promote his films, Smith treated cinema patrons to a live performance, a Novelty Prologue, with young Lotus as a drawcard before a screening. Often capitalised as ‘MISS LOTUS THOMPSON,’ she was definitely the drawcard to the Beaumont Smith Hayseed films. 

Adelaide Townie was cultured and a ‘bit of a wowser,’ 1920s speak for killjoy, a person who seeks to deprive others of immoral and sinful behaviour such as drinking, smoking, and gambling. The character was a dig at his home city of Adelaide, the city of churches, a city proud of its convict– free reputation.

When Lotus wasn’t filming, she was on stage in pantomimes. When the pantomimes ended, she was dancing with Lee White’s troupe, Peaches. The woman behind the dance revue, Peaches, was American entertainer Lee White. White travelled between Australia and England, J C Williamson arranged her touring.

The enterprising Smith made sure to use the presence of a pretty young performer to help him sell the film by featuring Lotus prominently on posters and other promotional material. 

Always looking for new ways to promote his films, he treated cinema patrons to a live performance, a Novelty Prologue, with young Lotus as a drawcard before a screening. Often capitalised as ‘MISS LOTUS THOMPSON,’ she was definitely the drawcard to the Beaumont Smith Hayseed films. 

Smith capitalised on the divide between the city and the bush, and this is reflected by the social oddities of the different characters in the film. The humour continued by introducing a British character, completely unaware of Australian customs, to great comic delight. The advertising for the film reinforced the line that this was an Australian production with an all Australian cast and crew.