AustLit

Beaumont Smith, who owned the sole Australasian rights to a series of British comedies, musicals and dramas staged by Louis Meyer at London's Strand Theatre, joined forces with Leslie R. Hoskins in mid-1915 following Meyers' death. Hoskins, a director in his family's Lithgow steel works, had previously been involved in amateur theatre, notably the Mosman Musical Society (Sydney) as a tenor and acto. He is also reported to have had some background in sports administration. According to the New Zealand newspepr the Observer, the Smith-Hoskins firm was established so as to allow it senior partner the opportunity to devote more time to securing new works (3 July 1915, p.15). The Sydney Morning Herald also records that Hoskins had been engaged by Smith for most of 1914 as his New Zealand representative and tour manager ('Music and Drama' 10 July 1915, p.8)

Among the productions staged by the firm's 'Glad-Eye' Company were Stop Your Nonsense, Who's the Lady?, The Glad Eye" and Smith's own adaptation of Seven Little Australians.