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Lou Somprou

– a personal

memory

By Ross King

LOU SOMPROU 1893-1991

hen I first started work for
Hoyts as an Assistant
Wprojectionist (age 16) in
1960, I became familiar with the names
of various Hoyts personnel. Lou
Somprou was one of these. After a
short time at Hoyts, I left to work at
Still sprightly at age 90, Lou Somprou celebrates the occasion with
independent cinemas. I returned to
colleagues in 1983. Photo: Ross King Collection.
Hoyts a couple of years later. Lou’s
name was still mentioned as the man
who did the Hoyts circuit bookings. I worked at their head office, located in sprightly and enthusiastic as ever, Lou
did not meet Lou until the late 1960s Little Bourke Street, behind the Hoyts looked forward to and attended the
when he was doing a stint of relief DeLuxe Theatre. Pioneer meetings almost until the end.
management at the Padua Brunswick Lou later obtained work with We always urged Lou to record his
where I was doing some relief Amalgamated Theatres which memoirs which he promised to do. He
operating. By this time, Lou was well eventually became Hoyts. As far as I would tell me of his accumulated
into his 70s, bright-eyed, sprightly and can recall, Lou was never an operator, memorabilia which he closely guarded.
so enthusiastic about the industry. We but worked front of house and Sadly, time ran out. After Lou passed
spent much time talking. He would eventually did management work for away at age 98, his treasures ended up
recall days in the theatre now long Hoyts. in a second hand shop-probably sold
gone. During the 1940s and 50s, Lou for a pittance. The collection was
Lou grew up in Fitzroy where his worked at Hoyts head office doing the broken-up, but even worse, his life
parents conducted ballroom dances and film circuit bookings. It was a time history in the picture business died
classes. They had been highly when switching of prints was the with him, without being properly
recognised dancers in their day. They normal way in which the same film recorded.
conducted their dance classes in a hall could be shown on the same night at a Lou was married but his wife pre-
in close proximity to the intersection of number of different suburban theatres. deceased him, many years ago. Their
Johnston and Brunswick Streets. They Much of Lou’s job was to organise the only daughter died as a teenager.
later built their own dance hall in switching of the single 1000 feet reels My memories of Lou have certainly
Amess Street, North Carlton, known as between each group of theatres. Given taught me a lesson. No matter what
“Louisville”. Lou’s father decided to that each reel would only run 10-12 material things we have in this life, and
try to supplement the family’s income minutes, every eventuality had to be claim to own, we are all only
by running the newfangled invention of considered. His worst recollection was custodians in our lifetime. The
moving pictures. This would have not counting on a train timetable where theatre/cinema industry, being our
occurred around 1910. The pictures the switching route crossed at railway interest, also provides an important
proved to be more financially gates. The resultant delay caused the historical record of our social
successful than were the dancing next theatre of the circuit to wait for development during the entire 20th
classes. (Theatres that developed in that the next part of the film. In the days century. ★
area were the Star/Lyric, Solway and where just a few seconds blackout on
later the Regent). Apparently, the the screen was almost enough for you Thanks to Bernie Halperin for
Somprou show commenced before any to lose your job, this delay was providing additional information.
of these other shows started. However, considered to be quite serious.
these newer theatres put an end to the When I accepted membership of
Somprou family enterprise. Cinema Pioneers in 1984, I again ran
Lou went on to work for various into Lou at the twice-yearly get-
film distribution companies, including togethers. Lou had celebrated his 90th
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, where he birthday the year before. Still as

CINEMARECORD Spring 2001 23