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Cast & Crew

Garnet Saunders, 1880-1943

Born in Australia, Garnet Saunders came to New Zealand in 1902. He settled in New Plymouth and became a successful businessman, establishing Taranaki Amusements Ltd which ran theatres in New Plymouth, Inglewood, Waitara and Stafford.

Fascinated by film, and with a keen eye for audience pleasers, Saunders and cameraman Brandon Haughton produced a series of local interest films. Screened within days of being shot they always guaranteed a full house.

One such film, Scenes at the East End Annual Picnic, screened the following day. The Taranaki Herald described the attraction: "Moving pictures of the seaside Picnic at East End drew an immense crowd ... It was quite evident that the local element in the programme was proving a big draw ... and the only disappointed ones in the huge crowd were those who could not gain admittance ... "

• Scenes at the East End Annual Picnic, New Plymouth (1912) (1,300kb)

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