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up the large paper artworks of programs to come. He also ing the solo organ playing carols.
looked after the large !billboards that fronted Bridge Road
either side of the entrance to the Cinema. Looking back, Exposure to the Regent had two results. Firstly, my record
Harry who was probably no chicken , occupied the roles of collection was immediately biased towards theatre organ
Head Usher, Head Cleaner, Bill Poster, and general Odd recordings and I listened to every theatre organ program
Job Person. He coached me and I grew to Like and admire that I could discover on radio. Sunday afternoon and eve-
him very much. He never made mention of a family. He nings on the ABC. Sunday morning programs also 'At the
was always at the Cinema (maybe he slept there too!). Console' on 3UZ and early morning on 3XY. Post WW2
was a difficult time to buy new theatre organ records, only
As the weeks went by I setlled into the routine. The six a Jew Dixon, Foort, Cleaver and Bellington were obtain-
nights a week plus Saturday afternoon did not seem to cause able. Then l discovered Powell's Secondhand Records in
me any problems at school. l did my homework before tea, Swan Street- thousands of them for sixpence. I soon added
left home nightly for the Cinema at 20 past six and was Torch, Crawford, and many early pre-war pressings to the
usually in bed by I 0 o'clock. The only variation was once collection which I still have.
in a while when the Cinema ran its Friday midnight horror
movies with often to close to a full house. On those days I The other result was linked to the week I won the competi-
did not arrive home until 2.30 AM. I collected my pay each tion across Hoyt's Suburban Theatres for selling the most
Satw·day night plus commission and frequently went home copies of Screen News in one week. My prize was a ticket
with more than £1.5s, which added to tips was a reason- to a city cinema (akin to a busman·s holiday). Given my
ably good income for a twelve year-old. Some of my earn- work schedule and my love for the Regent and its WurliTzer,
ing were invested in recordings. More of that subject sh01tly. I took the prize as a ticket to a I 0.30 Saturday morning
session at the Regent. I arrived an hour early and talked
I watched many movies minus the ftrst few minutes. Hoyts my way into the audjtorium. Seated in the empty theatre in
had the excellent brands including Rank, Fox, and Univer- the front of the lounge I enjoyed the organist (Geoff
sal. I particularly enjoyed the Ealing comedies. Robertson?) was having a practice and trying out new items
and anangements. I was back at the Cinema by 1.30 for
One evening Mr W. told me that be had a special task for
my afternoon duties.
me. I was to stop selling Screen News at about 5 to 8 and
go up to the bio box. Mr Harris handed me a can. "Do you
l' d seen the motorbike with sidecar parked outside the Cin-
know where the Regent is in the city?" he asked.
ema on several occasions. On this particular night Mr W.
I nodded. "Take tl1is irn on the tram. Here's your fares.'' He instructed me to be in the bio box by 5 to 8.1 arrived to see
handed me two pennies. I raced down the stairs, out the Mr Hanis snatch a reel from the projector pass it to his
door and scrambled onto a tram at the Church Street cor- assistant who hurriedly rewound it and passed film and
ner. There I was sitting in a tram in my pageboy uniform can to me. "Down to the front. Wait on the footpath for the
with the latest Movietone News on my lap. I felt so impor- switcher.'' I did as I was told. Within minutes, the bike
tant as I hurried up Regent Place passed the Plaza and en- arrived. One can was passed to me as the other one was
tered the foyer of the Regent. I sought directions to the bio
snatched from my hand with a "Thartks !". He was off into
box. This was the first rime 1 had been inside the Regent
the night. Later I discovered that I had been part of a three-
foyer and I marvelled at the elaborate decor as I sped up
way switch. The same main feature was being shown at
the marble stairs and found the door to the staircase lead-
three theatres - Austral Collingwood, Cinema Richmond
ing up to the bio box. I rang the button, the door released
and Regent South Yarra. Pity the late patrons at the Cin-
and I climbed the stairs, was met by an operator and handed
ema that night. Lights out - no newsreel - just straight
over the precious paclkage. The bio box, spotlessly clean
into the main feature. Apparently the Austral started with
and huge in comparison to the Cinema's, was alive with
a newsreel, a few trailers and a short before reel one ar-
action. Spotlights were buzzing. Faces were glued to the
rived. The Regent South YaiTa screened shorts until inter-
viewing po11s.
val, then the main film.
I too had a peep. The Regent stage was alive with an or-
I got to know the switcher and on a few nights rode in the
chestra. The WurliTzer sat beside it. Someone was sing- sidecar for a circuit of switching to fill in time until inter-
ing. I knew that I had to be back at the Cinema for interval val. Through this process I visited the bio boxes of the Vic-
by 9.20, but I slipped downstairs and had no trouble gain- tory St. Kilda, Empress Prahran, Regent Fitzroy, and the
ing entrance to the stalls in my Hoyts uniform. I stood at Regent South Yarra. Only once during my time at the Cin-
the back and soaked in the enthralling atmosphere and ema did the switching breakdown. I do not know if the
thrilling sound of the Jive Regent Orchestra backed by the reason was a motor cycle failure or a delay in the partner
beautiful tones of the WurliTzer. Fortunately, I had the op- theatre. On this particular evening Mr W made a rare stage
portunity to repeat the experience on a number of other appearance mid way through a film to explain that there
nights when the Cinema shared the newsreel with the flag- would be a delay and declared an unscheduled intexmis-
ship Regent. I always got back to the Cinema in time for sion. Bert probably improved his business that night.
my post-interval sweepi11g tasks. The most memorable night
at the Regent was just prior to Christmas when I was able The maio sources of irritation to patrons at the Cinema
to enjoy a remarkable program of seasonal music includ- were due to the ceiling. Through the trellis work the un-

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