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Frank Whitaker (with his son Lloyd) quietly The screen needed regular painting and
bought land in Dromana to erect a drive-in for maintenance requiring Peter and long-time
the area, opening after Christmas in 1962. Peter employee projectionist John Spateri rigging up
was also a projectionist there and the a swing stage for this work. Films also had to
experience he gained in screening at this type be collected from the various film distributers
of venue would later assist in his future in Melbourne.
endeavours.
The Whitakers had also taken over the
Peter Ricketts met his future wife Judy whilst Leongatha Drive-in around this time, so there
at Rosebud and, though she was a Dromana were times when ‘switching’ of reels was
girl, enjoyed going to the pictures at both necessary, which meant rendezvousing with
Dromana and Rosebud. They married in 1966, cars at a halfway point. This was in the era of
and soon purchased a house locally. He has a Swan Hill’s second Regent Theatre, with the no mobile phones.
wonderful story of a prank played upon him on Orana Ballroom at the left.
his “bucks” night by friends and theatre staff.
They interrupted the party to say a robbery had Peter would do projection duties at both venues,
occurred at the Dromana Drive-in and would as well as on occasions relieve at Kerang’s
need Peter to go there to repair the damaged Park Line Drive-in or at the Regent in
equipment. This was a ruse; the gates were Deniliquin, also part of the O’Halloran
locked once he was inside the grounds and, Theatres’ circuit. He later managed all theatre
from then, I will not reveal the antics that staff and projectionists after the previous
followed, other than that his description had me manager, Mr George L. Verlin relocated
in stitches of laughter. interstate. His meticulous technical skill
servicing the equipment was also essential to
the smooth running of these venues. During this
period Peter became a member of the
international professional association, the Village Drive-in, Traralgon
Society of Motion and Television Engineers
(SMPTE). Peter essentially ran all of the operations at the
Moe Fairsky Drive-in, first for Whitakers’,
The O’Halloran family also had involvement then later for owner Alf (then son Rex)
in many of the local businesses, as well as their Donnelly. (Its original owners were Connelly,
significant chain of regional theatres on their Donnelly and Flynn when it opened in 1964).
circuit in Northern Victoria. The theatre was equipped with Cinemeccanica
Dromana Drive-in Victoria 8 projectors, which replaced the
After his two children were born, he heard In the latter years of his time at Swan Hill, Peter original Simplex machines. Over the years at
through “sources” of a possible position with took a position with Syd Wilson Audio – a local Moe, Peter commissioned a new platter film
O’Halloran Theatres as a manager of some of business installing and servicing car and two transport system (SPECO LP 270) and Xenon
his country theatres around Swan Hill with a way radios. However, he continued to step into lamp-houses (Strong XC60D). Into this
house provided. Peter went for an interview at projectionist work when required to relieve equipment Peter installed various clever
the “Golden Bowl” - a ten-pin bowling alley in others. upgrades and improvements. For example, in
Camberwell that was part of the O’Halloran the Strong lamp-houses he installed various
family’s new diversification programme to indicator and fault lamps which could quickly
remain current in the popular entertainment isolate a fault. In fact, one of the Moe Fairsky
industry. A position utilising his technical Drive-in’s Strong Xenon lamp-houses that was
knowledge of cinema equipment was offered. sold when the drive-in closed in 1998 ended up
In mid 1972, Peter & Judy with their two young as part of the Lunar Drive-in Field Three
children relocated to Swan Hill with his new projection plant.
position of manager of the Swan Line Drive-in
for O’Halloran Theatres. Like many drive-ins in this era, Moe did very
well with adult product and these R rated shows
Their new home was at the Swan Line Drive- became a tradition on Sunday nights. Another
in on the Murray Valley Highway, 5km west Kerang Park Line Drive-in projection room innovation was the occasional dusk-till-dawn
of the town. The drive-in had been operating Then in 1979 he received an unexpected call. programming.
for over 10 years, and Frank O’Halloran had It was from his previous employers, Frank and
opened his new Regent Theatre in Lloyd Whitaker, with an offer to run and Moe was a well-kept and well-operated drive-in
Campbell St in May 1958, after relocating it improve the Fairsky Drive-in at Moe, as they in these years. Peter introduced various
from the Swan Hill Town Hall (also known as had just expanded to include this venue on their innovations, as well as utilising all his technical
the Regent when he screened there). The new circuit. It required upgrading of all its facilities, skills, especially when AM sound was installed,
Regent held two sessions during the hot including its equipment and screen. Peter’s replacing the in-car speakers.
summer months due to its popularity for skills were needed, so the family purchased a
providing air-conditioned comfort. house in Moe for his new position.
Swan Line Drive-in, Swan Hill In addition to Peter’s technical Fairsky Drive-in, Moe
innovations he managed,
maintained and marketed the
drive-in. In those days there
was fierce competition
between the Village Traralgon
Drive-in and the Moe Fairsky,
even though for one period
prior to the Whitaker’s lease,
the Village Theatres chain had
also programmed Moe as well.

34 CINEMARECORD # 100