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The Rivoli orchestra was led by
From Rivoli to Broadway Cecil Bois, who played the piano (a
fine Ronisch). Mrs. Bois was the cellist,
By Roy (Bernie) Turner
and there was a violinist, a brass player
When I saw an advertisement in the The Rivoli switched with the and drummer. The show started at 8pm
local paper for an assistant operator at Palace, Glenferrie and occasionally in those days. The orchestra would play
the Rivoli in Burke Road, I applied with the Glen, Glenferrie. When I an overture and then it was into the
immediately. This was 1923, I was 13 started, the chaps who did the switch films.
and a half years old, and still at were the Fitzpatrick brothers. At the The Rivoli was run by Junction
Camberwell State School. I was a big kid Rivoli we would start with a 20-minute Theatres Ltd, a company headed by
for my age, and that is probably what got gazette, while the Palace showed an 11- Robert McLeish. I respected Mr.
me the job. The Inspector of Schools put minute reel. This time difference was McLeish as a firm but fair employer.
me through a special exam and awarded enough to give a bit of breathing space. He was often at the theatre, observing
me the Merit Certificate to let me go into As soon as the reel finished at the the crowd. One night a woman came
the workforce. He said that I looked big Palace one brother would ride with it out from the stalls to the foyer where
enough to pull a ship up the Yarra. on his push-bike and deliver it, not re- we were both standing, and complained
The bio-box was like a furnace on a wound, to me. He would wait for our about where she had to sit. It was a
hot night. The operator Ray Holman reel to finish and ride back to the busy night and the theatre was close to
always worked in his singlet. Those Palace with it. Meanwhile his brother full. With a “One moment madam,” he
early projectors, two hand-cranked would be setting off from the Palace signalled to me to find her a different
Simplex, had no backing mirror to with the next one, and so it went on, seat. I did so and showed her to it.
concentrate the light She was soon out in the
beam; sheer light foyer again, complaining
intensity achieved the about the new seat. McLeish
necessary brightness. walked over to the ticket
The discomfort was office, refunded her money
worth it. I was earning and told her that henceforth
two pounds five she was not welcome at the
shillings a week, big Rivoli.
money for someone The directors of Junction
fresh out of school. Theatres had their business
An iron rule at the meetings in the manager’s
Rivoli was that the office. One of them, a
show must finish by prominent surgeon, bought
10.45 pm to avoid me my first dinner suit and
paying overtime to the shirt for my front of house
orchestra. Timing the duties.
show to the dot I worked every show
sometimes meant night at the Rivoli for ten
winding so fast that the years without a break. I was
intertiles jiggled and now married and also had a
blurred. I could count day job as a motor
on the manager Mr. mechanic. For the Centenary
Langrell poking his of Melbourne celebrations in
head in the door and 1934 the city put on its best
Roy (Bernie) Turner with his 1930 Harley Davidson side-valve 650
saying, “Can’t read party face, despite the
motorcycle and its 'zeppelin' sidecar. When parked outside the Broadway
what’s happening!” economic gloom. Mr
the bike often aroused more interest than the show.
Our response was Langrell suggested that I
always the same, “Have to finish on each trip a distance of about 3 km. take a night off and go to town with
time Mr. Langrell.” He was a kind Later, a motor-bike rider took over the Sylvia and see the lights.
man, always worried, the spitting image job.
The city did look a treat. The
of actor Edward Everett Horton. My role included collecting films
brewery at the north end of Swanston
I was in the box for about six from distributors in the city. One of Street had re-directed their steam pipes
months when the union representative them was in the basement of the to create an illuminated waterfall.
came around, discovered that I was Majestic theatre in Flinders Street. I Along Swanston Street the power poles
under-age, and ordered me out. So I was required to juggle 18 tins, each were decorated like Christmas trees in
became an assistant to Mr. Langrell, containing one thousand feet of film. I whorls of colour. We took it all in and
which meant doing anything and worked out a way to strap them to my then had to decide what to do with the
everything as required - doorman, usher, body, like a coolie. If I went by tram rest of the evening.
ticket sales, opening and closing the there was no charge for the cans. If I With the introduction of talking
curtains - learning all the skills needed went by train I was required to travel in pictures and the elimination of
to maintain a well-run theatre. The the Guard’s van and also pay a fare for orchestras in suburban houses, Cecil
downside was a reduction in wages. the films.
Bois was one of the few musicians who
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