Smoky Dawson's thrilling knife throwing

Smoky Dawson (Herbert Henry Brown, 19 March 1913 – 13 February 2008) shows off his knife-throwing skills with an unknown man serving as his brave assistant.

Dawson is best known as an Australian country music performer who created the persona of the 'happy-go-lucky singing cowboy', however he was also an expert knife and double-headed axe thrower and performed his act at rodeos, circuses and country shows.

This film was shot in a Melbourne park by Frank 'Tex' Glanville. Glanville was a renowned Australian vaudeville performer who specialised in rope spinning and juggling between approximately 1928 and 1965.

He made a range of home movies on 8mm film featuring his vaudeville friends. These are preserved as part of the home movie collection at the NFSA.