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Chairman of Twentieth Century Fox
Spyros Skouras talks about
CinemaScope. Source: Alan Windley
Collection.

“You know him?” asked the
proprietor, reading over my shoulder.
“Know him, I just spent a week with
him.” “Breakfast is on the house,” said
the owner. “What a great Greek!”
As the roll-out of CinemaScope
gained pace so did our work load. We
spent time in every town promoting
The Robe, stayed for the season and
checked the box office. Fox introduced
a special percentage formula - the
exhibitor could declare his expenses for
the season (checked by astute The first non-Hoyts theatre to ‘go all the way’ - The Royal Lithgow - gets the full
accountants), be guaranteed a ten treatment. Source: Film Weekly 29 July 1954.
percent profit, and Fox took the rest -
or he could elect to go with the 70/30 I drank a bottle of Oyzo with the
formula, with 70 percent to Fox. exhibitor, did a deal, and was crook all REEL
After two rewarding years in the day while travelling by rail-motor to
west I was sent south, where my Cootamundra, where I spent the night
territory extended to Bega on the coast, at the home of my favourite cousin DEALS
Bombala, almost to the Victorian Margaret and her husband. ★
border - Henty and Culcairn - west to To be continued
Hay, Hillston and Lake Cargellico, but KEEPING FILM
excluding Riverina Theatres in Griffith
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS COLLECTORS IN TOUCH
and Leeton, which were taken care of
Rail images and accompanying text
by the boss. ENQUIRIES:
were supplied by Roderick Smith,
I learned that early each Tuesday
Editor of Rail News Victoria. MIKE TRICKETT
morning Butler Airways had a flight
25 Fairlie Street
from Hillston to Lake Cargellico, which
North Geelong Vic. 3216
gave time for a deal with Andy Sotiros,
before I caught the mixed goods to Phone: AH 03 5278 1986
Ungarie (the first time I saw a theatre Fax: 03 5278 3545
with a dirt floor), and West Wyalong Email: filmman@ncable.net.au
that night, from whence my predecessor
Ray Heaps had been chased by the
exhibitor wielding an axe.

CINEMARECORD 2006 29