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Cinema In the Blood:

The Banks Family

By Tony Froude
Many families have run cinemas - a
husband and wife begin the business
and later recruit daughters and sons into
it. One example is the Banks family,
formerly of the Kapiti Coast, a seaside
area 50 km north of Wellington, New
Zealand. They owned or managed
cinemas, ran circuit shows and
continued a connection with the big
screen after moving to Australia
In 1900 grandfather Charlie Banks,
living in the small town of Inglewood
(N.Z.) acquired a Pathe projector, some
Charlie Banks (centre) with son Bill on his right. The occasion was Charlie’s 70th
film and with limelight as illuminant,
birthday. Other industry well-wishers were Bill Gaudin (left) and Stuart Hyde.
began entertaining the children of the
district.
Opening at 10am and closing after the task. Son Bill by now was helping with
Charlie served in World War I with
last show made home life difficult, but the business, but the war war meant
the N.Z. Division. On returning home
son Bill became a regular fixture, that petrol rationing and manpower
he obtained his electrical and
visiting Dad in the box, having coffee shortages forced a reduction of the
contractors’ certificates. He took up a
with the ushers and transferring circuit to Plimmerton to Waikanae.
number of managerial positions in
newsreels between the Regent and the After Japan entered the war petrol
cinemas, first at the Grand Petone
Majestic. supplies were cut still further and
(architect Henry White) and then in
As a keen wireless operator Charlie blackouts became a way of life. In June
Auckland, Opotiki and Blenheim.
used his expertise to promote films on 1942 the U.S. Marine Division arrived
commercial radio. He designed front- at Camp McKay just north of
of-house light shows, so much a feature Paekakariki. As Charlie held screening
of cinema in the 1930s. rights at St. Peters Hall he decided to
When then banks moved to run continuous screenings six days a
Auckland Queen became assistant week. He was able to get the latest
cashier at the Lyric in Symond Street films through the Marine Corps, often
in the city, then at the Kosie/De Luxe ahead of city release. For this audience
in Mount Albert a suburb of Auckland. the cinema started each show with both
In 1937 Charlie decided to branch the Star Spangled Banner and God
out into ‘Circuit Screening’, which was Save the King, reputedly the only
Charlie Banks’ first theatre as manager: popular at this time. Trading as the theatre to do so.
The Grand Petone. Gaiety Talkie Circuit he employed staff While Queen was heavily involved
and covered a number of venues from at St Peters, son Bill had been called
Charlie’s wife Queen, his great
Plimmerton in the south to Castlepoint up. He showed films to military camps
support, began work at the Grand as
in the north-west, a distance of some in New Zealand before being posted to
assistant cashier and pianist for some of
170 kms. the Mobile Theatre Unit, first in North
the shows. By 1927/8 she was running
In 1939 he established Banks Africa, then in Italy and finally in Japan
two turntables (phono/amp) for the
Theatres Limited and took over the with J Force.
supporting music at screenings in
Seaside Cinema at Paraparaumu At the peak of its operations the NZ
Blenheim.
Beach. Queen ran all the refreshment Mobile Unit had 70 trucks plus three
Charlie moved to Gisborne and
areas for the circuit and found this a big permanent cinemas in Bari, Florence
became a projectionist with Kerridge
and Trieste.
Theatres, based at the Regent. Always
After the war Charlie continued
a practical man, he perfected an
with the Seaside while son Bill was in
automatic curtain winch with the help
Japan. In 1946 the Seaside burned to
of Doug Paterson who went on to head
the ground. With building restrictions in
New Zealand National Airline.
force Charlie had to alter a car
In Gisborne, Queen decided there
showroom to become Seaside Two. Bill
was money to be made in ‘aftermarket’.
returned from war service and became
She leased the shop next door to the
heavily involved
Regent and sold sweets, ice creams,
milk shakes and filtered orange juice.
24 2007 CINEMARECORD