Later Years
On 1 January 1972, Hall was awarded the Order of the British Empire for his services to the "Australian motion picture industry." The Australian Film Institute recognised his ability to convey the unique Australian character on film, and his important contribution to the development of the Australian film industry, with a Raymond Longford Award for "Lifetime Achievement" in 1976.
Later that year his wife since 1925, Irene Addison, died. Hall never remarried.
He wrote an autobigraphy, Directed by Ken G. Hall (1977), later updated as Australian Film: The Inside Story (1980).
Hall was vocal in his criticism of the Australian New Wave, remarking in 1979, "the market for Australian films is flooded with mediocre to weak product. Too many of these films cannot stand up to the competition and will drown." He supported the production of local commercial films, his motto being "Give the audience what they want."
Since 1988, Hall's movies have been reintroduced to the Australian public by regular screenings at the 1930s style Kings Cinema at the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney, where one of his movies including the Silence of Dean Maitland, On Our Selection and others have been shown daily.
Hall suffered a stroke in 1993. He died in Sydney on 8 February 1994.
Read more about this topic: Ken G. Hall
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