Page 20 - CinemaRecord Edition 3-2002 #37

Wally'd get something big and 'give
'em hell'. He was doing that all the
time.
After a while Associated Theatres
merged with Hoyts and when they got
their fists on the little old ‘Wick’ they
closed it down quick smart.
A contact at Hoyts sounded Jim
out about a job at Brighton. It didn’t
eventuate. Another position was
offered but Jim declined. By now he
was in business wirh Harry Bryer in a
radio shop in Elsternwick (c.1924-26).
A builder by the name of Cerutty in
Elsternwick used to stick his head in
the door and say, "Bring me around a
five valve set tonight, with a speaker
and all would you?" "Right-o Mr.
Cerutty." Into town Harry would go,
any five valve set would do, we didn't
keep them already built on the shelf.
Mr. Cerutty would come in just on
closing time, "You got that set?" "Yes,
here it is." "Right-o, thanks very
much." He'd load it into his truck and
away he'd go. A couple of weeks later
he'd pop in, "How much do I owe you
for that set?" We'd tell him, and he'd
give us the money. Cerutty was the best
customer we had. He rented a
telephone line from his house to his
Mother's house in the same street, and
he used it to relay radio programs to Three out of four. Jim Lawrence installed sound in the New Burnley (above),
her. He had a speaker set up down The Western, West Brunswick and worked at the Empress, Prahran.
there.
It was while at the radio shop that Gibby?") Bill told Gibson he knew a bit smashed up. I got to this thing and
I got in with Bill Lyall of bloke (me) who'd put in a lot of time fixed it up.
Amalgamated Pictures on this experimenting with sound, and now Burnley was open by this time.
‘Talkies’ thing. Bill was just back he'd lost his job over it. I hadn't lost There were two alcoves one each side
from America where he'd been sent to my job, I didn't have one to lose. of the stage, like theatre boxes. That's
get an eyeful of what they called Anyway Gibby said to Bill, "Well where I eventually got this thing
'atmospheric' theatres. The State what can we do for him?" And Bill working. We put the amplifier in a
Theatre was one upshot of this visit; said, "There's the Western opening at dressing room at the back of the stage,
when you were inside, it looked like West Brunswick in a couple of the turn tables in the orchestra pit and
you were outside. The walls were months, we could put him in there." a speaker in each alcove. We used 78
decorated with statues to look like a So that's how I got started with Union r.p.m. records; you wouldn't listen to it
garden, and when you looked up you Theatres. I put the plant in at now, but in those days it sounded
could see twinkling stars. A projector Brunswick and ran it for about seven pretty good.
aimed at the ceiling produced the months. Then the Burnley Theatre I got Bill Lyall on the phone and
effect of clouds travelling across the opened in Swan Street, that was nearer said, "Look, this sounds pretty good,
sky. It was remarkable to sit there and home so I said to Bill, "I'd like to can you come out here some time."
watch the ceiling. The clouds would move to Burnley." That was fixed and He came out by tram and I put on a
move slowly at first, then they'd get I went there. record. "By Jove," he said. "That's not
bigger and gather a bit of speed as By this time we'd been messing bad at all, we'll get Gibby down."
they went over. about with sound and I had an So old Gibson rolled up in his car.
amplifier more or less built. When Bill
W. A. Gibson was Managing We sat him in the lounge and put on a
Lyall came back from America he
Director of Amalgamated Pictures (the record. We'd only played half of it
brought with him what amounted to
holding company for Union Theatres.) when he stood up and said, "That'll
an electric gramophone. It had a pretty
Bill Lyall told me later of this do. Sack the orchestra." Those were
solid sort of amplifier in it, and two
conversation between himself and his exact words. They did sack the
speakers, two turn tables and a switch
Gibby, (everyone called him Gibby, orchestra except for the pianist. She
to change from one to the other.
even the little lads down stairs would was retained to play the records and to
Somebody had dropped it so it was a
call out, "Are you going upstairs now stand-by in case something went
20 2002 CINEMARECORD