Elsa Chauvel

Elsa Chauvel ( Elsie May Wilcox; 10 February 1898 – 22 August 1983) was an Australian filmmaker and actress, and the wife and collaborator of film director Charles Chauvel. Elsa Chauvel was a pioneer in Australian film making, best known for her contributions to films such as Greenhide, In the Wake of the Bounty, and Jedda. Her legacy in Australian film was celebrated with the creation of the Chauvel Award, dedicated to the work of Elsa and Charles Chauvel, which honours Australian excellence in film.

Early years Elsa Chauvel was born Elsie May Wilcox in the Melbourne suburb of Collingwood on 10 February 1898. Her parents were Irish actor Edward Wilcox, also known by his stage name Edward Sylvaney, and Australian Ada Worrill. Elsa had an elder brother named Kyrle. Following a successful stage tour in Basutoland, the family returned to Australia in 1924. The pair had their daughter, Susanne, in 1930, after having returned to Queensland during the Depression when finances were tight for independent filmmakers. Forty Thousand Horsemen (1940), The Rats of Tobruk (1944), Sons of Matthew (1949) and Jedda (1955). The film, which used the theme of colonialism and Australian Aboriginal actors, was unique in the sense that this was rarely done. It also featured a woman as the lead in the film, played by Betty Suttor, which was also not common in this era. It was extremely important to Chauvel that Australian film and her husband's legacy in the industry be remembered through his work. On 13 June 1964, she was awarded the Order of the British Empire, "in recognition of service to the Australian film industry." By this point, she had amassed a large collection of prints for her and her husband’s films, which were preserved with the help of the Australian national film archive.

In 2018, the 20th recipient of this award was Australian producer Sue Milliken, who received the award at the 2018 Gold Coast Film Festival, said "I have always been a great admirer of Charles and Elsa Chauvel, who were pioneers of our industry with a grand vision for Australian films and Australian stories. It is such an honour to stand in their shadow."

Filmography

Film

+ List of Elsa Chauvel film credits Year Title Role Notes 1926 Greenhideactoras Elsie Sylvaney 1933 In the Wake of the Bountyuncredited 1935 Heritageactor / production assistantas Ann Wynn 1936 Uncivilisedassistant-director 1937 Rangle Riverco-writer 1940 Forty Thousand Horsemenco-writer 1944 The Rats of Tobrukco-writer 1949 Sons of Matthewco-writer / associate-producer 1955 Jeddaco-writer / dialogue director

Television

+ List of Elsa Chauvel television credits Year Title Role Notes 1956–57 Walkaboutnarrator / produceruncredited; also known as Australian Walkabout