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The Projectionists
            The projectionists were Keith
          Harwood and Paul Hayes, my future
          husband, whom I met at the Drive-In.
          Paul lived in Balwyn at the time and
          had been a projectionist for a number
          of years but he thought that it would be
          better working out at a Drive-In rather
          than inside a picture-theatre.
            Keith and Paul had to do a “ramp-
          tramp” after each show, that is, go
          around to check that all of the speakers
          had been hung up and switched off.
          While doing this they would sometimes
          find articles of clothing left on the
          ramps.
            Many a time people drove off after
          the show with the speaker still hooked
          to their window and Keith or Paul    There was car service during the   After the Drive-In had been opened
          would have to retrieve the speakers and  first half of the show.The carhops  for a few months, the owners realized
          rewire them back in. Sometimes a  would walk the ramps and anyone    that they needed more space for cars so
          speaker would give out during the show  wanting something from the cafeteria  they moved the ticket box down from
          so one of them had to replace it there  would turn on a switch on the speaker  Stud Road closer to Bergins Road and
          and then.                         which showed a red light on the    relocated the playground to under the
                                            speaker pole. The carhop would take  screen.
          The Carhops
                                            the order, come to the cafeteria to get  At this time the miniature train was
            Bryan Owens was in charge of the
                                            what was required and return it to the  removed. The playground was very
          “carhops” as they called the guys who
                                            car. So, the occupants did not have to  popular as it gave the nips a chance to
          ushered the cars into their spots and
                                            miss any of the show. You don’t get  get out of the car and stretch their legs.
          cleaned the windscreens. Mike Aston
                                            that service now!                  Often the parents would sit out and
          and Harry Raymond Jnr. were the only
                                               When the show was over, the     keep an eye on the kids while still
          locals I can recall doing this job.
                                            carhops ushered the traffic back out  following the movie, as there were
          People sometimes tried to get
                                            onto Stud Road. They sometimes had  speakers installed at the playground.
          passengers in for free, hiding them in
                                            to go around and wake people to tell
          boots of their cars or down behind the                                  At Christmas time a party was put
                                            them that it was time to go home.
          seats or under the canopies of utes but                              on along the front of the cafeteria for
          the carhops were awake-up to these   The show went on in all sorts of  the children of the Drive-In employees.
          tricks and not many got a freebie.   weather.                           On most evenings two feature films
                                                                               were shown with shorts and trailers. On
                                                                               Saturdays and public holidays there
                                                                               were two sessions; cars for the second
                                                                               session were positioned into lines to the
                                                                               south of the ramped areas until the cars
                                                                               from the first session had exited. Often
                                                                               on long weekends they had midnight to
                                                                               dawn shows featuring cowboy movies,
                                                                               horror shows or a theme of some kind.






                                                                              Top: In the Rowville Projection room.
                                                                              Left: Children’s train and original ticket box.







          14  2010 CINEMARECORD
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