Nathan Bernard (Freimann) Freeman (1896 - 1982)

Born 1 Sep 1896 in Sydney, New South Wales (Australia)

Husband of Marjorie Arabel (Bloom) Freeman — married 16 Feb 1926 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Died 26 Nov 1982 at age 86 in Darling Point, New South Wales, Australia

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Biography

Nathaniel (Freimann) Freeman is Notable.

Nathaniel (Freimann) Freeman was born in the Colony of New South Wales (1788-1900)

Nathaniel (Freimann) Freeman has Jewish Roots.

Nathaniel Bernard Freeman was born Nathan Bernard Freimann on 1st September 1896 in Sydney, New South Wales (Australia). He was the third child of Jewish-Russian emigrnats Adolph Freimann, a jeweller, and Malvina Marks. The family later settled in Footscray, Victoria.

Educated at Xavier College, Melbourne, Nathaniel left school at sixteen to work for a firm of cider makers, and later became a sales representative for a manufacturer of ladies’ clothing.

Nathaniel (Freimann) Freeman is a Military Veteran.
Served in the Australian Imperial Force 1916-1919
38th Infantry Battalion; No.3 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps

On 2nd February 1916, Nathaniel transferred to the Australian Imperial Force (AIF), his young nation's all-volunteer expeditionary force for the (First World) War. ^[1] Promoted to Sergeant with the 38th Infantry Battalion, he embarked for Britain on 20th June at Melbourne aboard HMAT Runic A54. ^[2] After deploying to the Western Front, he transferred to the Australian Flying Corps and was commissioned as a Lieutenant. He joined No.3 Squadron in Belgium in December 1918, after the Armistice had been signed. Returning to Australia 17th March 1919, his AIF appointment terminated in Melbourne in July 1919. ^[1] For his war service Nathaniel was awarded both the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

Nathaniel briefly resumed his former work as a salesman, before travelling to the United States of America. There, he was engaged by Paramount Pictures Corporation to represent the firm in Albany, New York; where he obtained a grounding in film publicity, distribution and sales. In 1924 Marcus Loew and his son Arthur Loew of the newly formed Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer company persuaded Nathan to leave Paramount and become their firm’s first managing director for Australia and New Zealand. After his return to Australia in January 1925, he took an office in Sydney and employed three staff. In October 1925 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Films Co. mounted its first season, a successful one, with The White Sister, starring Lillian Gish and Ronald Colman, at Queanbeyan, New South Wales.

Nathaniel married Marjorie Bloom on 16th February 1926 in the Great Synagogue, Sydney. ^[3]

Embarking on an energetic building program, Nathan constructed cinemas to show exclusively Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (Pty) Ltd products throughout Australia. He ensured that M-G-M theatres maintained high standards of presentation, upkeep and cleanliness, and that house managers, particularly those in suburban and country centres, gave patrons personal attention. Under his direction M-G-M led the local industry from the 1930s to the 1960s, presenting such landmark attractions as Ben-Hur (silent, 1927), Gone with the Wind (1940), Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954), Ben-Hur (Charlton Heston, 1959) and Dr Zhivago (1965). With the construction of twin drive-in cinemas at Chullora, Sydney, and Clayton, Melbourne, in the 1950s, his company was among the pioneers of this form of entertainment outside the USA.

When Nathaniel retired on 31st December 1966, M-G-M had about one thousand employees, many having served since the 1930s.

He devoted the rest of his life to charitable activities and to his favourite recreation, lawn bowls; serving his community as:

• a life member of the State branch of the Returned Sailors’, Soldiers’ and Airmen’s Imperial League of Australia (later known as the RSL) from 1945, and of the federal organisation from 1948
• chairman of the Anzac House Trust from 1947
• chairman of the Miss Australia Quest
• chairman of the New South Wales Committee for World Refugee Year and the United Nations Appeal for Children
• president of the Rotary Club of Sydney
• a member (1962-69) of the Sydney Opera House Trust and its music and drama panel
• chairman (1962-67) of the Universities’ International House appeal and a member of the board of management of the International houses of the universities of Sydney and New South Wales
• a life governor (1961) of the Royal New South Wales Institution (Institute) for Deaf and Blind Children
• a life governor of the Royal Victorian Eye & Ear Hospital

On 31st May 1956 Nathaniel was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in recognition of his public service. ^[4] In the Queen's Birthday Honours 1967 he was created Knight Bachelor in recognition of his service to public welfare. ^[5]

Aged 86 years, he passed away on 26th November 1982 at home in Darling Point, New South Wales. His funeral took place at the Chevra Kadisha, Woollahra, and his remains buried in the Jewish section of Rookwood Cemetery. ^[6] He was survived by his wife, and their son and daughter.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Australian War Memorial nominal roll: Lieutenant Nathaniel Bernard Freiman; accessed 28 Dec 2023
2. ↑ Australian War Memorial embarkation roll: 880 Sergeant Nathaniel Bernard Freiman; accessed 28 Dec 2023
3. ↑ New South Wales Marriage Index #346/1926
4. ↑ Australian Honours: CBE; accessed 28 Dec 2023
5. ↑ Australian Honours: Knight Bachelor; accessed 28 Dec 2023
6. ↑ New South Wales Death Index #28882/1982; registered at Sydney

See also

• Greenberg, Joel. 'Freeman, Sir Nathaniel Bernard (1896–1982)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, published first in hardcopy 2007; accessed online 28 Dec 2023.