AHL and Greater Union: chronology
Chronology
This chronology is indicative only.
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It covers -
- antecedents (1913)
- move into radio (1980)
- and hotels (1987)
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