Richmond on Screen
A chronology of the Richmond Football Club on newsreels/television/film.
(Edited and researched by Rhett Bartlett)
1912
Saturday May 4th
Richmond and South Melbourne are photographed walking onto the Punt Road Ground before the start of the Round 2 match. Footage also of 'incidents of the play', the spectators in the 'Stevens' grandstand, the boys between the sticks at the north end of the ground, orange time (half-time), and coach Charlie Pannam addressing his side, and Hughie James laughing are filmed.
The footage screens at Richmond's weekly theatre night the following Wednesday 8th. The footage has not survived.
1916
Saturday June 3
Richmond Guardian says "Arthur Bettles is "another old star to be featured on Monday's football film, which looks like being decidedly attractive." This footage has not survived.
Saturday October 28th
The Pioneer Exhibition game between 3rd Australian Division and Australian Training Units is played at Queen's Club London. Richmond's Les Lee and Hughie James, and (future player) Dan Minogue play.
Les Lee would write of the match to his aunt that the match and play were cinematographed and that the pictures will be coming to Australia. This footage survives
1918
Saturday February 16
The earliest surviving footage of the Richmond Football Club is from this day, the Richmond Carnival for the Blind Soldiers' Fund, held through the principle streets of Richmond. It shows a few second of a decorated motor-car containing Frank Tudor (President), Dave Henry (Vice President), Arthur Bettles (player), William Maybury (Secretary). The footage is held at the NFSA.
1920
Saturday October 2
Richmond and Collingwood "submit themselves to a swarm of photographs and cinematograph operators" before the start of the Grand Final. "It is better to do it now", remarked one of the players who had just witnessed a series of mishaps in the junior match preceding. "Our faces might not look quite so well at the finish", he explained. The footage has not survived.
1921
Saturday September 24
Richmond and Geelong are filmed entering the arena before the Semi Final match at MCG. This footage survives and is the earliest surviving record of Richmond on a football field.
1924
Friday May 16th
Old Boy in the Argus writes that the League should make arrangements with a cinematograph photographer "to take slow motion pictures depicting a legitimate handpass, and one that is not within the law", and that Syd Barker (Essendon and former RFC player), and Dan Minogue of Richmond would be a suitable candidates to film. The pictures could then be displayed on suburban screens where they would "give barrackers an insight into what is really done in the field."
1930
Monday, May 12th - May 14th
Film of Richmond's Round 2 loss to Carlton is screened across three consecutive days, alongside Fox Studios 1929 'all-talking musical 'Married in Hollywood' and Mickey Mouse's animated short "The Jazz Fool", at the Hoyts Cinema 313 Bridge Road, Richmond. The football footage has not survived.
1936
Saturday May 30th
A cinematograph camera recorded "gate crashers" demanding free admission to the Punt Road ground prior to Richmond’s Round 5 match against Hawthorn. They believe that the cricket ground is public land, that the Richmond Cricket Club has no right to charge admission, and so they make it their business to obstruct the turnstiles. The footage is screened at the Times Theatrette (which was in the basement of the Odeon Theatre at 283 Bourke Street). The footage has not survived.
1938
Thursday June 9th
After tea, the Richmond player watched film of "their own faults" from the Round 7 match vs Fitzroy. The footage was shot by former committeeman Bill Mintern. The footage has not survived.
Tuesday August 2nd
Bill Mintern films of Richmond's Rd 8 - Rd 15 matches are shown this night at a social event for the visiting East Fremantle players and officials. Mintern had taken cinematograph films of "matches in Richmond was engaged since the match against Fitzroy". None of this footage has survived.
1957
Saturday April 22
Richmond v North Melbourne from Punt Road was scheduled to be televised by Channel 9 (with Tony Charlton as commentator) before a disagreement between the VFL and the Ground Managers Association stopped that.
Saturday April 27
Hawthorn v Richmond from Glenferrie Oval is televised by Channel 9 with Ian Johnson as commentator. It is the first TV broadcast from that ground.
Saturday May 18
Carlton v Richmond from Princes Park is televised by Channel 2 (Ray McDonald on commentary) and Channel 9 (Ian Johnson). Its the first known TV broadcast of a Richmond match by Channel 2. The BBC film of Aston Villa v Manchester United is screened on Channel 2 as a curtain raiser.
Saturday June 15
Collingwood v Richmond at Victoria Park is televised by Channel 7. Its the first known TV broadcast of a Richmond match by Channel 7. The commentator is Tony Charlton.
Saturday July 6
North Melbourne v Richmond at Arden Street is televised by Channel 9.Making his football commentary debut is Sam Loxton.
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