Page 16 - CR

A Passion

for Projection

Paul Brenton Lawrence

2nd July 1945 – 27th March 2010

An Adelaide Picture Show Man - as remembered by Jeffrey Wheare

remember meeting Paul in late 1966 or “Wests have a small black and Paul established his dentistry
Iearly 1967 he was studying dentistry white introduction, welcoming patrons practice at the MLC building on the
and I was assistant projectionist at to the biggest 70mm screen in corner of Hindley and King William
Adelaide’s State Theatre for Greater Australia! The change/over from the street- just a few doors east of the State
Union who also programmed the Wests 35mm Kalee projectors to the big Theatre. He practiced dentistry during
and Sturt theatres. 70mm Cinemeccanica machines was the day and at night he was “The
very memorable: in an instant the Picture Show Man” showing film.
The motion picture industry was
masking opened up (top and sideways)
experiencing a new surge in popularity The Clifford Theatre Circuit
and 6 tracks of sound switched in! I
with epic 70mm productions and big operated a chain of ‘Hard Tops’ (as
went down to check it out and it truly
screen presentation. well as Starline Drive-Ins). Bob Parr
was a spectacular event!
In Adelaide, August 1967, I was 18 convinced management to re-open the
and Paul 20. The State screened ‘The Vogue Theatre, Kingswood full time.
Great St. Trinian’s Train Robbery’, and I remember the theatre was a time
the at the Paris, ‘The Sound of Music’ capsule having opened on July 12th
(in 70mm & six track stereo sound) 1939, it was in original condition and
was in its 80th week! Wests 70mm, would have made a perfect movie set.
showed ‘Casino Royal’-‘5th BIG After being trained by the late Bob
WEEK’ and at the Sturt ‘A Man For Wilson at West’s Theatre in Hindley
All Seasons’. Street, Paul’s first paid employment
The Metro screened Disney’s with the film industry was at the Vogue
‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’; in January 1968 showing “A Man For
the 70mm Fair Lady Theatre ‘The All Seasons”.
Family Way’ and at the Forum (70mm) Paul jumped at the opportunity
‘The Blue Max’ – except for Disney when the MGM movie ‘Doctor
(1934), they were all first release Zhivago’ was billed in there.
movies.
Adelaide had many other cinemas
and two suburban circuits Ozone At the old Regent there was a small
(Hoyts) and the Clifford Theatre screen lowered in front of the main
Circuit (GU) as well the Drive-ins of curtain exclusively for slides & film
Wallis and Clifford’s. advertising. At the Metro ‘Theatre of
the Stars’- twinkling stars were
Meanwhile, the big Hoyts Regent
projected onto the ceiling and when
was unfortunately undergoing a refit
they finally twinkled out, up went the
with the stalls being converted into a
curtain & the MGM lion roared.
shopping arcade - retaining the ornate
circle as a 70mm cinema and moving Paul was wrapped in theatre
the Wurlitzer organ to St.Peters presentation. At the State the curtains
College. always opened on the feature, even if
we were short of time they closed at the
Paul was no stranger to all the
end of the trailers & instantly reopened
projection rooms around town, his love
on the feature. Paul eventually talked
was showing film - not dentistry.
his way into being allowed to do a
Presentation was always a hot topic!
change-over, as I am sure he had at
every theatre!

16 2010 CINEMARECORD