Efftee Studios was an early Australian film and theatre production studio, established by F.W. Thring (the name 'Efftee' deriving from his initials, 'FT' for Francis Thring) in 1930. It existed until Thring's death in 1935. Initially Efftee Films was based in Melbourne and used optical sound equipment imported from the US. History In 1931, the company produced the first commercially viable Australian made sound feature film, Diggers. Over the next five years, Efftee produced nine features, over 80 shorts and several stage productions, including the Australian musicals Collits' Inn (1933) and The Cedar Tree (1934). Notable collaborators include C. J. Dennis, George Wallace and Frank Harvey. In 1934, Thring suspended Efftee's operations to pressure the government to establish a quota for Australian films, threatening to move production to London. He relocated production to Sydney to take advantage of the New South Wales Cinematograph Films (Australian Quota) Act 1935. Efftee was also the first operator of Melbourne radio station 3XY which began broadcasting on 9 September 1935. Thring traveled to Hollywood in March 1936 to look for scriptwriters and actors and returned in June but died soon after. Founder F.W. Thring was the father of the Australian and international actor, Frank Thring. Selected filmography Features A Co-respondent's Course (1931) Diggers (1931) The Haunted Barn (1931) The Sentimental Bloke (1932) His Royal Highness (1932) Harmony Row (1933) A Ticket in Tatts (1934) Sheepmates (1934) – abandoned during filming The Streets of London (1934) Clara Gibbings (1934) Non-Efftee features shot in the Efftee Studio Diggers in Blighty (1933) Waltzing Matilda (1933) Heritage (1935) The 'Efftee Entertainers' Variety Shorts Will Cade and his Regent Theatre Orchestra in Selections from 'The Desert Song''' (1931)Jack O'Hagan – Vocalist Composer (1931) – with Jack O'HaganCecil Parkes' Strad Trio in Selections from Their Repertoire (1931)Athol Tier as Napoleon (1931)Keith Desmond in Recitations (No. 1) (1931)Keith Desmond in Recitations (No. 2) (1931)George Wallace, Australia's Premier Comedian (1931) – with George WallaceMelody and Terpsichor (1931)Stan Ray and George Moon Jnr, Speciality Dancers (No. 1) (1931)Stan Ray and George Moon Jnr, Speciality Dancers (No. 2) (1931)Melbourne's Chinese Orchestra in Selections (1931)Minnie Love in Impressions of Famous Artists (No. 1) (1931) Minnie Love in Impressions of Famous Artists (No. 2) (1931) Minnie Love in Impressions of Famous Artists (No. 3) (1931) The Sundowners – Harmony Quartette (No. 1) (1932)The Sundowners – Harmony Quartette (No. 2) (1932)Lou Vernon – Character Songs (No. 1)