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Another perspective by Ern Bruhn

am the Ern Bruhn (now aged 88 I became assistant operator. I recall After becoming engaged I moved
I years) mentioned in Lawrence one night during the show I had one to Melbourne and worked at my trade
Bros. Talkies (CinemaRecord Issues 38 hand on the projector and, with the as a carpenter. After Namie and I were
and 39) and am also the father of other, caught hold of a light beside the married, I continued in my interest and
Pauline Gaunt and Lynda Hickling. machine which had a tin shade on a often helped Alf.
I met Alf and his mate Tommy screw base lamp and the machine When the Verne at East Malvern
Atkinson when they came to Inverloch being earthed, I got a rather severe opened I helped Alf set up the
for the first time. My mother and father electric shock. Letting go of the light equipment and made a box office front
owned a milk bar and café in the town which crashed to the wall, Alf came to fit into the doorway of one of the
and Alf came there for meals. I was rushing into the box to see what cloak rooms. When Alf was away on
about 19 at the time and, being happened. We promptly changed the other business I looked after the show.
interested, I went up to the hall to see the lamp holders for bayonet sockets. After some time Alf opened the
equipment – RCA portable projectors. Alf became a regular visitor to our Soldiers Memorial Hall at
Alf asked me if I would door-keep for home for meals when he was in Cheltenham. A terrible place, the front
them as was his custom in the towns on Korumburra. At times he brought his door opened directly into the hall and
the circuit. I was very impressed with the sister, Namie, with him. It was on one faced the weather. At times I also
show and for all the time he came to of these occasions he had a mishap on looked after the show there. Some
Inverloch, Alf ate his meals with us and the way in which a passing car times when showing a film Namie
we became quite friendly. clipped his rear vision mirror and a wanted to see, we would take our
I well remember the time Alf piece of glass from it cut his eye. daughters Lynda and Pauline with us
mentioned when I took the plant from Namie and I took him to a doctor in and bed them down in the car beside
Inverloch to Poowong. I arrived back Korumburra, who said he should go the hall and I would go out regularly
early from a fruit and vegetable round straight back to Epworth Hospital to a and keep check on them.
with my father at about 5 o’clock to specialist. Unfortunately his eye had After the Verne and Cheltenham
find them stranded. After ringing to be taken out. Whilst he was closed I had no further part in the
Poowong, we loaded all the equipment recovering I was looking after the business, but of course kept in close
onto the Citroen utility and set off theatre and made several trips to touch with Alf and family until his
arriving to find people waiting for the Melbourne for films, etc. death at the age of 92. ★
show. On the way home I got lost in a It was during this time that Namie
pea soup fog, finally arriving home and I became attracted to each other,
about 1 o’clock in the morning. became engaged and married.
I also remember the time Alf asked
me to go round the circuit with them
as a break from Inverloch. They were
showing Tell Me Tonight at the time
and were expecting a busy time as it
was also to be the opening of the
Packenham Theatre. They had been
showing in the Mechanics Hall, and, as
they were expecting big business, it CORRECTION
was decided to use both and switch In the Alf Lawrence story
film. Alf arrived from Melbourne in in CinemaRecord 39 page
the afternoon with brand new RCA 28, Alf mentioned that
portables, unpacked them and set them ‘Doo’ was with him in the
up, hoping that all would work. car accident. The Editor
Fortunately it did. assumed that ‘Doo’ was his
A short time later our family wife and put in those
moved to Korumburra. We were not words. ‘Doo’ was a
there long when Lawrence Bros came nickname for Alf’s sister
to Korumburra and opened in the Namie who later married
Mechanics Hall, and I renewed my Ern Bruhn.
acquaintance with Alf.

22 2003 CINEMARECORD