Page 4 - CinemaRecord Cover Section # 45

First Impressions

Letters members for an extremely interesting
I would like to thank CATHS

morning on June 27 when I attended
my first meeting as a new member.
ABN 37 195 378 179 The friendly welcome, the efficient,
Reg A0020747R Port Melbourne Memories
I knew manager Bill Rayment of the yet relaxed manner in which President
The aims of CATHS are: to record the Gerry Kennedy conducted the
history of cinemas and theatres, and to Eclipse Port Melbourne very well
promote interest in theatre heritage and (CinemaRecord 44). He was there when meeting, the brilliant guest speakers,
architecture, and other related areas. I was at the Shore Williamstown. Bill the obvious enthusiasm of the
Patrons: was a showman and he had his own members and the screening of an
Frank Van Straten OAM Peter Smith agenda when it came to certain things. I episode of Congo Bill all made for a
Elaine Marriner Philip Brady highly entertaining three hours.
can well imagine him arranging an
Committee: encore of Johnnie Ray. I will certainly be making the trip
President: Gerry Kennedy 5174 1870 Hoyts had strict guidelines for their up from Geelong for future meetings as
Vice President: Peter Wolfenden 9744 2570 theatre managers. How they behaved and much as possible.
Secretary: Mike Trickett 5278 1986 ran their theatres was very important, but Dick Twentyman, Geelong
Treasurer: Barrie Wraith 9435 9785 we were all open to 'short-cuts' if we A Comment from the
★ could get away with them.
International Cinerama Society.
Archivist: Gerry Kennedy 5174 1870 When I was at Williamstown, I Congratulations on the article on the
Central Victoria Co-ordinator: lived in North Balwyn and travelled by Plaza and Cinerama in Oz.
Fred Page 5444 0428 (Bendigo) public transport. My projectionist had a
Gippsland Co-ordinator: (CinemaRecord 43.) It’s a cracker. The
Gerry Kennedy 5174 1870 (Traralgon) car and after the show he always took article explained something to me.
Events Co-ordinator: me into the City where I caught a tram Until this article, I had only heard
Brian Miller 9557 7446 home to North Balwyn. Well, what with rumours of the ‘magic cleaning fluid’
Film Buffs Group: late finishes, double bills, news,
Mike Trickett 5278 1986 trailers, shorts etc. the show rarely for the prints. In London the prints
Publications Sales: were looked after by Charlie Sweeney,
Garry Saunders 9812 7227 came out before 11.10pm and that was Assistant Chief Engineer, Cinerama
Membership Secretary: Peter O’Reilly cutting it fine to get home. Europe, who made them his personal
peteroreilly@iprimus.com.au I often arranged for the projectionist responsibility. He had a special room
CinemaRecord Editor: to start a few minutes early, cut the
Ian Smith interval short and drop a trailer or two, backstage, dedicated to print handling.
ijsmith@impulse.net.au On page five of the same issue, the
CATHS website: so that we could finish earlier. I would report of the closure of Hoyts Regent,
www.caths.org.au have been in deep trouble if found out; Cinema One Adelaide, reminded me
Postal address: a Hoyts manager didn’t have the that this theatre was also a potential
PO Box 476, Bentleigh 3204. authority to do those things. As it was, I
Cinerama theatre. Single projection
★ never got home until around 12.45am
70mm Cinerama was installed when the
each night.
Membership theatre was twinned in 1968.
Annual membership subscription is $35, Eventually I was moved to the According to my records, the
and members receive four copies of Ivanhoe Theatre. I had an old A model Cinerama screen (120 degrees) was
CinemaRecord, notification of events, Ford by that time, so things were a lot
removed on 14 October 1986.
and copies of the agenda and minutes different.
Apparently the theatre never screened
of all meetings. There is no joining fee. Gordon Onans, North Balwyn an official Cinerama release.
Overseas subscribers: Please contact
CATHS Membership Secretary for rate. Double Bill Keith Swadkins, Cheshire, England
Meetings Mention of the rival Port theatre in About the Embassy.
Meetings are held on the last Sunday of the article on the Eclipse Port The review of Picture Palaces Of
February, April, June, August, October & Melbourne (CinemaRecord 44), Melbourne (Issue 44) queried whether
November. reminded me of a family story. My the Embassy was opposite the My Fair
Archive mother’s family knew the captain of the Lady Theatre (100 Bourke St,
The Archive is located in the Prahran Bay steamer Hygea. The captain’s
Melbourne). It was in fact, in the same
Mechanics’ Institute, 140 High Street family also ran the Port theatre. Mum
building, separated by a driveway that
Prahran, 9510 3393. The Archive will and her sisters would get free trips serviced a car-park overhead.
be open between 9.30am and 1pm on around the Bay followed by a free
the Saturday before each meeting (see ticket to the pictures. The Fink/Lieberman/Birch group
above), and at other times by The return to Station Pier was timed purchased a department store and
appointment with the archivist. converted it to two theatres - My Fair
to enable the locals to make it to the
Publications Lady seating about 800 and Embassy
theatre for the evening show.
Back issues of CinemaRecord, other seating about 400. The My Fair Lady
Ross King, Essendon.
publications, CDs and videos are was renamed Palladium after My Fair
available at meetings. Items are also Lady finished its long run. Construction
available by mail. Please contact Garry and fit-out was done ‘on the cheap,’
Saunders on 9812 7227 for details. with both cinemas curtained all around
with suit lining!
4 2004 CINEMARECORD