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wrong. There had to be some music And nobody knew that this was think the Burnley was the first theatre
because the films were still silent. unintentional. Because the first half in Australia to sack the orchestra and
Monty Blandford (later a radio was shorts the audience thought we put in canned music. This was late in
announcer on 3DB) was the manager. had saved the music for the feature. 1928, and it went over big.
He scouted around and got hold of We got the show through that night Union Theatres took over the lease
Strauss waltz records for the opening with one turn table. There was a bit of of the Athenaeum and they put in
night of The Waltz Dream. The plant a break when we changed records, but Vitaphone sound on disc. Chief
in there was pretty good for the times. it was passable. Engineer for Union Theatres Bert
There were a couple of 'Crypto 5' The next day I looked at the Emmerline came to see me. He had
AC/DC converters to charge banks of amplifier. I didn't know much about listened to our music and had a
batteries to run the arcs. There was a them, but I had doubts about the proposition for me - leave Burnley and
Universal 230 volt generator. We condensers on the smoother of the take charge of 'talkies' at the
could swing it across to have the thing. There was a cleaner at the Athenaeum. So in 1929 I went to the
theatre on direct current or swing it theatre, I never knew such an ignorant Athenaeum. The first show was The
the other way to be alternating current. old bloke in all my life. He didn't Jazz Singer. There wasn't much
On the afternoon of opening night know anything about anything really. talking in it, but there was a lot of
the pianist was playing He came poking about and said, "You publicity. They drove all round town
records on this machine to with lorry loads of
get used to it. When she advertising bills, ‘Talkies
went away she didn't at the Athenaeum. The
switch it off, the amplifier show ran for eighteen
was still running. A bit weeks.
later I started up the I shifted to the State
generator and swung it theatre to set it up for
over. Bang! The orchestra sound. I supervised the
pit fuse had blown. Well installation of the sound
of course it did because I equipment for Union
was feeding DC into the Theatres, the work was
amplifier! I didn't take done by Western
much notice at the Electric. We had all
time, just swung it the plant put in
back and repaired except for the
the fuse so the projectors.
orchestra pit lights Massive great big
were all right. I thing it was too,
went home. the amplifier was
When I came very nearly as big
back that night to as a door.
play the music for They showed
the opening there silent movies at
was none. The the State for about
dashed amplifier had three months. When
blown up. The talkies started, that
musicians who had big amplifier was taken
been sacked had paid to out and they stuck up a
come and sit in the lounge single rack, but it was still
to listen to the music and there pretty big.
was none! I had my amplifier out It was all Western Electric
the back, I had been fooling about plant. They told us, "With our plant
with it for a while and I had it just it's all matched, you can take a bit
about ready to go. I said to Jim Green from this part of the world and add a
my assistant, "Jim, you'll have to run know what I think. I reckon the bit from that part of the world, or
this show tonight all by your self, I've trouble's in one of them there tins." anywhere else you like, put it all
got to go down and see what I can do Them there tins were the condensers. together and it will work." One night
about the music." I started to disconnect them one one of the amplifiers blew out at the
The pianist accompanied the first after the other and finally I came to Athenaeum. Western Electric came
half of the show. By interval I had the crook one. After I disconnected it down. They didn't waste any time in
managed to get the old amplifier we got music. It was pretty bad rushing over to the State. They hooked
working on one of the turn tables. We because there was no smoother. I out an amplifier, carted it over,
played the introductory record for The dashed across the road to a wireless dumped it on the floor and clamped on
Waltz Dream and it was not bad, not shop and bought a new condenser, put jumper leads. And away it went, you
bad at all. It wasn't as good as the it in and it was as good as gold. That wouldn't have known the difference,
other equipment, but it was all right. night we had some really top music. I by joves that was good stuff.

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