Page 14 - CinemaRecord Edition 3-2003 #41

Of Kiwis, Crows And Celluloid Strips:

South Australia’s Projector Pioneers

Part Two - William Viking Benbow

by Peter Wolfenden

Story so far: for Cinema Machines and everything
At age 14 W.V. Benbow was working for necessary for a Cinema Show. Electric
the Adelaide electrical firm Unbehaun dimmers and curtains (electric or hand
and Johnston. operated).
A year later he began his The address given was Portrush Rd,
apprenticeship with David Garvie, Knoxville. Here he concentrated on
Biograph Manufacturer developing projectors capable of
reproducing sound films. A massive
After completing his apprenticeship change was starting to take place in
in 1922, William Benbow, now qualified movie houses - the 'full-scale' coming
as a Practical Engineer turned to of sound; and Bill was in thick of it!
manufacturing theatre curtains for John Working with Lance Jones and Lew
Martins, a large retailer and wholesaler Short he developed a new range of
in Adelaide. Bill, as he was usually equipment, which was marketed by
known, also designed and built theatre W.V. Benbow, the pupil who built on David Unbehaun and Johnston (U&J) - his old
dimmers and electric winders from a Garvie’s projector designs and created a employer.
small workshop at his parent’s home. touring circuit.
Picture-theatre entrepreneur Dan
At the Milton Hall in Fullarton he Clifford was in the market for sound
began screening movies in 1924, equipment for his chain of Star
probably his first stint at exhibition, and Theatres. The smart money seemed
possibly in a partnership. He also convinced that Clifford would install
worked as projectionist at the Seacliff Western Electric sound, (3) but a
Theatre where he met his future wife, demonstration of U&J projectors at his
Elsie Deer, an usherette there. Bill and Star Norwood in mid-December 1929,
Elsie married in 1927, and it was convinced him otherwise. The Adelaide
around this time that David Garvie Advertiser of 28 December explained
suggested to Bill that he should buy the decision: the apparatus has
Garvie’s projector manufacturing exceeded the management’s
(1, 2)
business. expectations. The process at this time
According to E. A.Travers, a key was sound on synchronised disc.
Garvie employee, this finally happened Lance Jones was a foremost
in 1929 ‘by selling to Bill Benbow, a experimenter/technician in the early
box containing about £1000 worth of days of radio in Adelaide. He held
projector parts for £100’! The date may experimental licence XVB in 1911,
be a couple of years premature, since The first Benbow projectors were basically later the amateur licence 5BQ,and was
Garvie was still advertising in the Garvie model. one of the first Australians to
Everyones magazine, as late as 1932. experiment with voice transmissions. In
Bill Benbow’s first projectors were 1924 he built and operated the original
substantially the Garvie design. Bill 5DN Adelaide. Here was a man with
had only purchased the manufacturing much to offer the developing sound
rights and some components, not the film industry. In the 1958/59 Film
workshop at Unley, so he set up a Weekly Directory, he advised that he
temporary workshop at his father's had been a consultant to theatre circuits
home. Soon more than 30 men were for 30 years! (4, 5)
employed in two shifts, until a new Shadowtone Sound-On-Film
workshop was established at Knoxville
Benbow’s sound-on-film projection
(now Glenunga), an eastern Adelaide
was demonstrated in August 1930. It
suburb.
was called ‘U & J sound equipment’ in
Sands and McDougal’s South
various newspaper reports, but
Australia Directory for 1930 lists W.V.
Shadowtone Sound Systems was the
Benbow as a Manufacturer of all spares
brand printed on Benbow invoices.
14 2009 CINEMARECORD