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landmarks
This chronology is indicative only. It covers -
Context is provided by the broader communications and
media timeline on this site.
antecedents
1909 Hoyts Pictures founded in Melbourne
1909 James Dixon Williams opens Colonial Cinema in Sydney
1910 Thomas James West establishes West's Pictures
1911 Johnson & Gibson merged with J & N Tait to
form Amalgamated Pictures
1911 Williams forms Greater JD Williams Amusement Company
and builds Luna Park in Melbourne
1912
West merges with Spencer's Pictures and Amalgamated Pictures
to form General Film Co of Australasia
1913 JD Williams founds First National Films in US
1913
The Greater JD Williams Amusement Co joins General Film
as Union Theatres Ltd & Australasian Films Ltd
1925 JD Williams, Schlesinger and Wilcox form British
National Pictures with studio at Elstree
1926 Hoyts merge with Frank Thring's Electric Theatres
1927 Hoyts merges with Associated Theatres to form Hoyts
Theatres Ltd
1931 Union Theatres liquidated, assets purchased by Greater
Union Theatres Pty Ltd
1932 General Theatres Corporation of Australia formed
by amalgamation of most of interests of Hoyts and Greater
Union Theatres
1933 Union Theatres & Australasian Films distribution
arm becomes British Empire Films (BEF)
1934 National Theatre Supply Co founded
1934 Cinesound Productions founded
1945 50% stake in Greater Union sold to Britain's Rank
Organization
1954 Village theatres (later
Village Roadshow Group) founded
1955 Greater Union acquires stake in WA cinema chain
the Ace Group
1955 forms alliance with Hoyts to develop and operate
drive-in cinemas in Australia
1957 Greater Union gains stake in Village, later increased
to 33%
1971 Greater Union buys MGM Australian
cinema chain for $4.8m
1971 BEF becomes MGM-BEF Distribution
1975 MGM-BEF becomes Greater Union Organisation Film Distributors
move into radio
1980 Village gains FM licence in Adelaide
1982 Greater Union increases stake in Colorfilm film developer
to 100%
1982 buys Hoyts' interests in 21 drive-ins
1982 distribution arm renamed Greater Union Film Distributors
1982 supply company renamed Greater Union Theatre Supplies.
1984 AHL buys back 50% stake held by Rank
1984 joint venture with UAA Films for production and distribution
of Australian films
1986 Village buys FOX FM in Melbourne
1986 Greater Union acquires 100% of Ace Group
1987
takes 50% stake in Village's Roadshow Distributors, which
absorbs Greater Union Film Distributors
and into hotels
1987 AHL buys Noahs hotel group
1987 buys Thredbo Ski Resort
1987 Rydges magazine absorbed by Fairfax's
Business Review Weekly
1987 launch of 4BK radio station in Brisbane
1988 Greater Union forms joint venture with Village to
develop Australian multiplexes
1989 forms joint venture cinema supply company Greater
Union Village Technology (GUVT) with Village after merger
of Greater Union Theatre Supplies with Village Roadshow
Technology
1990
Colorfilm Group amalgamated into Atlab, with Greater Union
having 40% stake
1991
Greater Union increases stake in Birch Carroll & Coyle
to 100%
1993
GUVT expands to Singapore and New Zealand
1994 Village Roadshow sells Triple M radio network to
Austereo for a 53.5% stake
1997 Greater Union gains 49% interest in Majid Al Futtaim
cinemas in Middle East
2002 takes stake in Val Morgan cinema advertising
2003 sells Village Roadshow stake for $46m
2003 increases stake in GU/Village/Warner Bros joint venture
to 50% by buying out Warner Bros
2006 sells Matilda Cruises and Blue Rock Catering
2007 sells remaining Village Roadshow stake
2007 sells Pier 26 for $17.5m
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