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Memoirs of a

FILM DISTRIBUTOR

by Peter Broome
Part Two - A Knight of the Road

On my 22nd birthday in February Ernie instructed me to always tip
1952, and six weeks before my the sleeping-car attendants two
marriage, my boss Percy Kingston shillings. Later I learned that the tea,
called me to his office and said, “We’re sugar, milk and biscuits for the mug of
going to make a salesman of you son. tea they brought to the compartment
Here’s your gold pass on the railways each morning, were not supplied by the
and a bunch of sleeper tickets. You railways, but were at the attendant's
leave Sunday night.” expense.
My fiancee did not take kindly to Ernie also taught me how to fill out
the thought of a husband absent four or my expense report, or ‘swindle sheet’.
five nights a week. I managed to talk On the reverse side was the admonition,
Mary around and our wedding took What did you accomplish today? Give
place as scheduled. complete details of sales.
For the rest of my career I was Ernie and I left Sydney on the Branch Manager
never consistently home seven nights a Northwest Mail Sunday night. Percy Kingston
week, but we have celebrated our 54th Breakfast was in Werris Creek, then on was Peter
anniversary. Maybe I’ve only been to Boggabri, where I wrote my first Broome’s boss.
married for half the time! contract with the Greek exhibitor there.
When I was sent bush most The company rule was to write out ($1.85) to twenty-five shillings ($2.50)
travelling salesmen used the train. I met the contract (four copies with carbon per night. The motel concept had not
all manner of them, including my paper) as soon as a deal was done, and yet arrived in Australia.
competitors from other film companies, to witness the exhibitor's signature. The
I met good exhibitors like Jack
most very helpful. Sharing a sleeping next contract was at Narrabri, where
Payne at Singleton, Merv. Wall at
compartment is a great way to share two theatres were in opposition, and
Muswellbrook, the Greek boys at
knowledge. I was always first out of my then on to Gunnedah.
places like Guyra and Walcha, and Cec.
bunk to wash and shave, and frightened My territory went as far as Sully of Glen Innes.
many a companion when I produced Tenterfield in the north, Goodooga and Following a mere two months
my ‘cut-throat’ razor on a train Carinda in the west and included training I was promoted to the west,
steaming along at 60mph (100 km/hr). ‘secondary’ Newcastle outposts like encompassing theatres as far afield as
At this time all branch lines Hexham. But it did not include the Ivanhoe, Wilcannia, Menindee, Cobar,
operated daily, mail trains departed Hoyts cities Tamworth, Armidale, Bourke, Brewarrina, Coonamble and
Sydney nightly, and daylight air- Inverell and Moree, which were looked Baradine and as close to Sydney as
conditioned expresses were an after by Head Office. Penrith.
innovation. There was no town in NSW I visited Hexham to try a deal with The territory excluded the Snider
that could not be reached under 24 the Johnson brothers, whose principal and Dean towns of Bathurst, Orange,
hours or less. income was recycling bottles. It was the
Dubbo, Parkes and Forbes, all taken
Fox had four NSW salesmen, each first time I had been in a house with a
care of by the boss.
with territories delineated according to dirt floor, been offered tea from an
For this market I left Sydney at 8.30
the main rail lines - south, west, north- unwashed cracked mug, and watched a
pm. each Sunday night on the Through
west and north coast. My first territory friendly cart horse enter the front door
West Mail to Dubbo or Parkes, caught
was to the north-west. for his supper.
the 10.48 pm. Mudgee Mail, or if lucky,
I was sent out for two weeks tuition There were plenty of Hexham’s took the Monday mornings 8.30 am.
with the doyen of film salesmen Ernie infamous grey mosquitoes too, but the Air-conditioned Daylight Express, with
Matthews, who looked after the main worst were the little black ones flying the comforts of a buffet car and bar.
Newcastle suburbs and the north coast. in between.
My biggest problem was the
I became indebted to Ernie for passing After two weeks of Ernie’s tutelage Assistant Branch Manager, Ron Pitt,
on vital information. He introduced me I was on my own. who had been promoted after several
to a great NSW rail employee, George Murrurundi was my first solo stop, years in my territory and knew it all,
Williamson, who was in charge of where I felt very lonely in my hotel including the rail schedules. First week
‘berth control’ on the night trains. room. In the 1950s hotel rates varied he informed me I was to go to Trundle,
George could always get you a sleeper. from eighteen shillings and sixpence Tullamore and Tottenham, and I said,

24 2006 CINEMARECORD