

Taken outside the property next to 44 Anderson Street that the family was renting while no. 44 was being built. Courtesy of Adrian Turley.
Frank Van Straten dedicated his life to popularising and promoting Australia’s performing arts history. Together with his loving partner Adrian Turley, Frank established a Foundation to enable their shared vision to flourish into the future.
Frank loved theatre especially musicals, pantomime and vaudeville, and was one of the first historians to value circus and celebrate its unique stories. Frank viewed performing arts history through his deep understanding of recordings from wax cylinders, to 78s to LPs of cast recordings. He researched the work of Australian performers from the popular to the obscure using oral histories and sounds to animate exhibitions, broadcasts and his many public presentations.
Frank’s passion for the performing arts began as a small boy. His father Leon was a musician, bandleader and songwriter who led society orchestras in London and New York. While in Melbourne on an 18 month residency at Wattle Path, St Kilda, Leon met Evelyn Meyers, the pair eloping to England in 1925. When World War II was declared the family with Frank aged 3 ½ left London going via New York and sailing safe routes to Melbourne, arriving in early 1940.
His mother Evelyn who Frank described as “theatrical” and father Leon were avid show goers who introduced Frank to the magic of the theatre. Frank’s first theatrical experience was seeing Jenny Howard in the pantomime Dick Whittington at the Tivoli theatre in 1946. Reflecting on this formative experience later Frank recalled “I burst into tears at the end of Act I when she sang, ‘Wish Me Luck as You Wave Me Goodbye’, which I took to mean she wasn’t going to come back.”
Many other shows followed including the 1940-41 Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Season at His Majesty’s Theatre, that bemused Frank who couldn’t make sense of “people making fun of themselves” on stage. He was in the presence of theatrical royalty when he saw Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh in the Old Vic productions of Richard III and The School for Scandal at Princess Theatre in 1948.
These early experiences shaped Frank’s lifelong commitment to making the history of performing arts and Australia’s historic theatres accessible. He began to collect theatre tickets and programs which grew into a large personal archive commenting later, “Collecting programs became quite a mania … I’d go into town and add the program to my collection. I have complete runs from the 1940s on for many theatres.”

Program for Dick Whittington and His Cat,
Tivoli Theatre, 1949
Courtesy Australian Performing Arts Collection,
Arts Centre Melbourne


Frank Van Straten
Frank had many strings to his bow including a “secret longing” to go into advertising, which he did while working with Shell Oil Australia. His extracurricular activities expanded to include joining the in-house dramatic society (backstage) and establishing a mini film unit with a friend just in time to make Now or Never set in Melbourne in 1956, the year of the Olympic Games.
The promotional eye that Frank brought to the Performing Arts Museum (now Australian Performing Arts Collection) was honed during these years including experience in television production and establishing Discovery Records, his highly successful record marketing and distribution company. Frank’s enterprise represented large companies such as BBC and boutique labels, one of which was Tamworth-based Hadley Records, which produced the hit ‘The Redback on the Toilet Seat’.
In 1975 the Victorian Arts Centre Building Committee started developing plans for a Museum of Performing Arts by outlining the scope of the collection and location for the Museum. When the Committee advertised for a curator in 1979, Frank and Ron Danielson applied and unable to decide between the two of them, offered Frank the role of Archivist. He was hesitant when asked if public speaking would be a problem but with the encouragement of Adrian was convinced to take the position. For those who knew Frank its surprising to learn that his shyness almost ended his illustrious career with the Performing Arts Museum.

Frank’s 1983 exhibition Bourke Street on Saturday Night was based on the memoirs of Charles Fredricksen, “The man outside Hoyts”. It was a theatrical ‘show’ designed by Shaun Gurton, with sets painted by Paul Kathner and Scenic Studios into which objects were placed, animated by a sound track and oral histories. Looking back this exhibition redefined museum experiences, which was recognised in 1984 by English theatre critic Ian Mackintosh, who described the Performing Arts Museum as “Possibly the finest theatre museum in the English-speaking world”, recognition that Frank was justly proud of.
Appointed Director of the Performing Arts Museum in 1984 Frank brought an astounding flare for programming, coming up with the concept of “major” and “minor” exhibitions staging up to eight a year on popular themes. Frank researched and presented more than 12 of his own, from Her Majesty’s: A Fiftieth Birthday Celebration, to Strike Me Lucky! Great Days of Australian Vaudeville and Thanks for Listening.

Tim (Stephen Blackburn) and Debbie (Mary Kenneally) pictured with Frank for Tim and Debbie Discover the Performing Arts Museum.
The Age, April 15, 1986
Frank was an innovator who loved the whole spectrum of performing arts. An interactive children’s exhibition was programmed every Christmas and in 1986 he let comedians Tim and Debbie loose on the Collection to come up with their own take on performing arts history. A highlight was Frank programming Crass Art: Contemporary British Punk Graphics and associated punk rock concert that sat alongside an exhibition on magic. “I knew an exhibition like this in Melbourne would offend some people, but I was given the go ahead.”


Frank with the Melba Commode, Stages, November 1989
Courtesy Australian Performing Arts Collection, Arts Centre Melbourne
The performing arts collection was Frank’s pride and joy. From small beginnings in a former Building Committee portable hut, Frank laid the foundation for what would become Australia’s most significant collection, now housed in a bespoke facility playing host to weekly public tours, fostering research and education and inspiring creative programming and digital exhibitions.
Frank’s role in major acquisitions including the Dame Nellie Melba Stage Wardrobe, Ashton’s Circus Collection and mighty J.C. Williamson Theatre Ltd Archive provided a framework for national recognition. Frank also loved scouring auctions discovering all kinds of treasures, one of the most memorable being a very rare collection of mid-19th century magic posters, and in 1989 the purchase of Dame Nellie Melba’s travelling commode from Sotheby’s.

Frank diversified the activities of the Museum when he established a video library, which by 1989 had 800 rare titles. But it was Frank’s Nostalgia Show on 3LO that brought classic radio material to life. Beginning weekly at 9.00pm on Tuesday, 17 June 1986 (co-hosted by John Cook), moving to a new timeslot of Sundays at 12.10pm from September 1988 (co-hosted by Clive Stark), the program covered tributes to notable performing arts personalities, special features, and anniversaries, “I regard Nostalgia as putting sound, often historic sounds, on display: showcasing it, explaining it, making it accessible.” (Frank Van Straten, “Thanks for Listening”, Stages, December 1990)
After Frank retired from the Museum in 1993 it came as no surprise that he became a successful author, researching and writing ten books about Australian theatres, and bringing the stories of unheralded performers to public attention. Frank’s books are both entertaining and scholarly, featuring rich imagery and beautiful design. (A full list of Frank’s publications are at the end of this tribute.)
Throughout his life Frank was actively involved as a board member, and patron of many organisations associated with the performing arts and heritage including the Circus Fans of Australasia, Cinema and Theatre Historical Society, National Trust (Vic), Australian Sound Recording Association, National Film & Sound Archive and National Theatre. He was a founding member of Victoria Theatres Trust (now Theatre Heritage Australia) co-producing On Stage for over a decade and contributing scholarly and accessible articles. The performing arts community loved and respected Frank inviting him to become Live Performance Australia’s Official Historian. His vast knowledge led him to write program notes for the Production Company from 1999-2018.

Costume worn by Taryn Fiebig as Eliza in My Fair Lady, Opera Australia, 2008.
Designed by Roger Kirk.
Purchased with funds donated by Frank Van Straten AM and Adrian Turley, 2017
Courtesy Australian Performing Arts Collection, Arts Centre Melbourne

Frank Van Straten
Frank’s contribution to the sector was recognised with a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 1999, becoming a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2017. The performing arts community honoured him with an ASRA Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Performing Arts and Broadcasting, and Centenary Sue Nattrass Medal.
Together Frank and Adrian established the Van Straten Turley Foundation that generously supports many organisations including the Australian Performing Arts Collection. Frank and Adrian’s generosity funded the acquisition of costumes and designs from the Opera Australia and Olivia Newton John auctions, and in 2020 a fellowship was established in his name to support creative research inspired by the Australian Performing Arts Collection. In 2023 Frank and Adrian donated funds to create the new Tecoma Gate project at their beloved Royal Botanic Gardens opposite their home in South Yarra. Twenty years earlier, in 2004, they funded the entrance gates at the Ian Potter Foundation Children’s Garden, dedicated to the memory of Frank’s Nanny, Edith Morris or ‘Morrie’ as she was known.
Frank’s has left us a remarkable legacy as Australia’s first and foremost theatre historian. As the Archivist and Director of the Performing Arts Museum he established and built the strong foundations of the Australian Performing Arts Collection, and through exhibitions, broadcasting and publishing made performing arts history entertaining and engaging. Frank shared his knowledge generously inspiring others to share his passion for Australia’s wonderful performing arts history.
Exeunt Frank. We honour and applaud the legacy you have left us all.
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14 May 1936 - 19 April 2024
Courtesy of Adrian Turley
Bourke Street on Saturday Night: the memories of Charlie Fredricksen “The Man Outside Hoyts”, Victorian Arts Centre Trust, 1983
National Treasure: the story of Gertrude Johnson and the National Theatre, Victoria Press, South Melbourne, 1994
The Regent Theatre: Melbourne’s palace of dreams, Elm Publishing, 1996
Tivoli, Lothian Books, 2003
Huge Deal: the fortunes and follies of Hugh D. McIntosh, Lothian Books, 2004
Florence Young and the Golden Years of Australian Musical Theatre, Beleura House & Garden, 2009
His Majesty’s pleasure: a centenary celebration of Adelaide’s theatre of the stars, Wakefield Press, 2013
Her Majesty’s Theatre, Melbourne: the show, the stars, the stories, Australian Scholarly Publishing, 2018
Hanky Panky: the theatrical escapades of Ernest C. Rolls, Australian Scholarly Publishing, 2020
Frank Van Straten: My Fortunate Life. Interview by Jim White, Cinema & Theatre Historical Society, 2005
Orr, Geoffrey, The Leon Van Straten Recordings, On Stage, Theatre Heritage Australia Inc. Accessed 23 June 2024
https://theatreheritage.org.au/on-stage-magazine/profiles/item/1002-the-leon-van-straten-recordings
Van Straten, Frank, ‘Thanks for Listening’, Stages, Victorian Arts Centre Trust, December 1990
Tecoma Gate. A Legacy Inspired by an 80-year neighbour, Flourish, Issue 14, Spring 2023, Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria
Quotations throughout are drawn from Jim White’s interview with Frank.

Frank Van Straten.
Courtesy of Adrian Turley
Special Thanks
Very special thanks to Elisabeth Kumm and Adrian Turley for additional research and insights into Frank's life and contribution to the performing arts and heritage communities. Adrian's generous support is acknowledged with gratitude.
Thank you to Claudia Funder for providing access to the Victorian Arts Centre Archives and images from the Australian Performing Arts Collection.
A dear man and a good scholar. Sad to lose him. I shall miss our ‘chats’.
I only met Frank a couple of times. I went to Melbourne to see Geraldine Turner as Reno Sweeney, and do a little TV thing, and naturally visited the theatre museum. The chatelaine would only let me look at the card index, until Frank swooped in with the famous Lloyd Webber line ‘Do you KNOW who he is?’.
I remember he drove Ian and I out to see Viola Tait ... Anyway, from that first meeting we became correspondents and colleagues-in-research. How many emails passed between us? He sent me a sweetly inscribed copy of HANKY PANKY ... oh, heck, was it three years ago? But I see, when I asked him to review something the following year, he said he didn't think he could manage it. I mostly say that now.
The good old boys are fading away ...
Thanks for your friendship and your punctilious scholarship, Frank ...
Kurt
I first personally experienced Frank Van Straten AM's thoughtful kindness in 2015 when commencing research for the PhD thesis titled 'Amatorem: the history and culture of amateur theatre in Victoria.' Frank immediately offered to share knowledge or photos if needed. Later, he not only kindly wrote the Foreword to the 2020 award-winning book In the Name of Theatre, but also launched the book at a public online launch event.
Frank's magnificent work will also inspire theatre historians of today and tomorrow to continue researching, documenting and preserving precious Australian theatrical history.
Dr Cheryl Threadgold OAM
Rest in peace this kind and generous man. Even though I never met him in person he complimented and encouraged my writings on the work of Sondheim and shared his vast body of knowledge of the composer. He generously sent me a number of rare New York Theatre programs of Sondheim shows. I was touched when he gave me a signed copy of a Stephen Sondheim photograph.
Like so many others, I enjoyed his many contributions to Theatre Heritage Australia’s On Stage magazine and his many other writings. His recent historical exploration of the life and career of Walter Kirby, a largely forgotten and unknown singer, was illuminating, engaging and empathetic. I waited with interest for each new instalment and told him that his Walter Kirby project deserves to be adapted to the stage as a one man show.
I was saddened to hear of his death and I pay tribute in one voice, with what I know is echoed by multiple voices, for the wonderful contributions he made to theatre history. He left us with a rich legacy of memorable chronicles and stories of the preforming arts that will continue to live on. With gratitude and warm remembrance of an exceptional kind and generous man.
Peter Khoury (Sydney)