Page 5 - CinemaRecord Edition 3-2002 #37

with the work of others including Pauls, When I worked for Hoyt's at the Plaza the position of the information in the
(Edison format) and a Lumiere film Wagga Wagga all the Hoyt's country article may lead a reader to the
‘Venice showing Gondolas’. All of the circuit in NSW had Kalee 21 heads only conclusion that the lights were of this
films would of course need to be 35 installed for Cinemascope on the existing type when they were installed. In fact the
mm format for the Vitascope. The Westrex sound heads and universal bases. ring of six flame lamps was added to
Lumiere copy was screened at least a This apparently was some deal struck to each fitting by Mel Elliott soon after his
month before the Lumiere appease national/international cinema appointment to the theatre.
Cinematograph opened in the USA! trading politics. Maybe a reader knows
In this instance Mr. Edison has to be the story. So that's a few more theatres to
given the benefit of the doubt. He may add to the Kalee list.
have purchased his Edison format copy Steve Walsh, Charlton
from Fuerst Bros. and not made a
‘conversion dupe’ after all. Maurie Isaac told me that Kalees
Ungentlemanly actions did not occur in were in the Boomerang/Mayfair
this business – did they? I welcome Dandenong. Later the projectors were
comments. moved to Forest Hill. The article on the Regent Gardiner
Peter Wolfenden, Sunbury For a time in the 1970’s I worked (same issue) described the circumstances
with Maurie when he was in charge at that resulted in the Health Department
the Gala Dandenong. This also had issuing an Order to Close and a request
Kalees; Maurie thinks they were Model to the local police that they report
21, but he is not certain. This pair carried whenever the cinema showed films. Why
6000 foot spools on half inch shafts, and make such a request?
were fitted with an automatic change- Health had several ways to ascertain,
over system which we think was called even without using its own inspectors,
‘Cinemation’. This was not a success whether the cinema was operating.
because the inertia of a 6000 foot spool Regulations at that time specified the
(or even one of 4000 feet) in the take up, presence of a member of the local Fire
Image courtesy of Dress Circle Magazine
was sufficient to cause the film to snap at Brigade at each session in cinemas of a
every start. certain size. A phone call to the local
Arrow Theatre
Later the Gala was equipped with a brigade would have supplied the needed
Reading Denzil Howson's history of
film platter system known as ‘SAM’ - information.
the former Middle Park Theatre (Issue
Simplex Air Motor. The platters were Health would have known that the
38) reminded me of my visits there in
driven by motors which were essentially theatre was screening films, but must
its reincarnation as the Arrow Theatre
turbines powered by an air stream have wanted an independent source of
in the fifties. Can't recall seeing Frank
derived from a single compressor. As the records and had thus ‘covered itself.’
Thring, but never forgot the brilliant
motors accelerated and decelerated on Ken Newell, East Bentleigh
production of the classic Waiting for
the supply platters, there was a continual
Godot with Peter O'Shaughnessy and,
whine up and down the scale. This could
wait for it - Barry Humphries! This was
be heard right through the theatre, and
before his move to Moonee Ponds and
sounded as if there was always a police
the fame and fortune that came with his
car in the street outside.
Edna Everage character!
Ken Newell, East Bentleigh
Ian Williams, Balwyn
Kalee Corrections
More About Kalee: Anecdotes,
Models, Theatres. Your Editor’s faulty memory twice
ran ahead of the facts in the transcription
The first complete Kalee projector I
of Don Kennedy’s letter in Issue 38.
saw were the 21's the Australian Film
Several readers pointed out that the
Institute had in their theatrette in
Victoria North Richmond and the
Cardigan Street, Carlton. They had
Valhalla were the same theatre. Whoops!
come from the Mornington Theatre.
The Kalees were moved from the
Bardsley Theatres in NSW had Kalee
National Richmond to the Valhalla.
21's at their Astor Glebe (now Valhalla),
My second mistake was that the
Fiesta Moruya and Kings Bega. Those
Apollo Hawthorn did not have Kalee
at Bega went to Sydney in the 70's for a
projectors. (See Alf Lawrence’s
stint at the Orpheum Cremorne (before
reminiscence this issue.) The Kalee table
Mike Walsh) and we bought the 21's
will be updated in a future edition.
from GU'S Star Drive-in Geelong to
continue with this model at Bega. They Gardenvale and Gardiner
subsequently moved with us to Narooma The article on the Mayfair
and were eventually replaced with Gardenvale (Issue 37) described each
Cinemeccanicas. ceiling light as ‘a ring of six globes
above a pearl saucer.’ This is correct, but
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