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The skill involved in setting a CinemaScope screen into the Regent Sydney can be appreciated in this promotional image.
Source: Alan Windley Collection.

Some say that Alan’s business was always held at a superior Sydney Late in the afternoon Skouras stood
the inspiration for the The Picture Show course. Whether or not one was a and announced, “Gentlemen, General
Man, although Lawrence Penn of Penn’s golfer, participation was a must, with Eisenhower will be elected President of
Pictures On Tour usually gets that credit. prizes donated by various companies. the United States”, to tumultuous
Both men were a hardy breed. An excellent lunch and much applause.
It was a Tuesday so I booked into the conviviality made it a day for getting Skouras told us of his discussions
pub and found Alan at his garage in the too know colleagues better. with Professor Henri Chretien, the
main street. “Good” he said, “Tonight In November 1952 the President of French inventor of the anamorphic lens.
it’s Cudal, so you can come and help.” Twentieth Century Fox Spyros P. He told us that Fox would revolutionize
We set out in Alan’s ute past fences Skouras and his wife visited us. This exhibition with the invention the world
already encrusted with frost, and put on was the first visit to Australia by a now knows as CinemaScope. It came to
the show. Returning late to Manildra president of an American film company, pass within a year.
we saw lights on in the pub bar. Alan and it gave a lift to our sales convention. No one present that first day at the
rapped on the door. “What will you Spyros and his brother George had Regent Sydney will ever forget the
have?” asked the publican, “Same as arrived in the USA as the proverbial spectacle of the first pictures of New
you” I replied. immigrants with nothing, and went on York Harbour; it seemed that the tabs
I was 23 and had never tasted OP to achieve success in exhibition, would never finish rolling back, as the
rum, but that night I had six. By the production and distribution. four-track magnetic sound engulfed us.
time I made it to my room the world Even young and humble salesmen So cinema screens went from a 1.33
was spinning and I had never been so like me were called on to address the ratio to 2.5 with magnetic sound, or
crook! Many years would elapse before meeting on a subject diplomatically 2.33 with optical sound. The first
I could face rum again, although now I chosen to cause no offence to the independent (non-Hoyts) theatre to
am devoted to it. company president or anyone else. acquire the full package - screen, lenses
On another occasion, Alan’s This was the year that Eisenhower and four track magnetic sound - was
neighbor and an exhibitor at Molong, became President of the United States the Royal Lithgow, managed by my
Jack Carter, who was President of the and Spyros Skouras had been one of favourite client George Burns.
bowling club, insisted I spend all the leading Republican behind his The week after the Skouras visit, I
morning with him dragging the spiked nomination. Every thirty minutes travelled to Mudgee and stepped into
roller, before he would discuss a deal. during the convention an election the local Greek cafe for breakfast. A
The event of the year for salesmen update was brought to the Fox copy of The Exhibitor, which featured
was the Country Film Reps. Golf Day, Theatrette from the US Consulate. the visit, was under my arm.

28 2006 CINEMARECORD