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CINEMA AND Your hank you for CinemaRecord #
THEATRE Letters T72 – an issue of great interest and
T
C A H S (continued) marvelously illustrated.
ore sad news from Tasmania with the On my many visits to Melbourne l toured
HISTORICAL SOCIETY MDecember passing of Andy Lockett various suburbs, often spotting buildings
ESTABLISHED 1989 – Projectionist and relief-man for all the and wondering if they were old ex-theatres.
theatres in Launceston. I do wish that CinemaRecord had been in
operation back then so that I could have
Australia Andy had also run his own show at Lilydale looked and confirmed sites!
ABN 37 195 378 179 (TAS) for a good many years, until television
Reg A0020747R
made the final blow. Interesting story on the Boondall Drive-In
The aims of CATHS are: to record the Theatre! I worked at Sydney’s Dundas Drive-
history of cinemas and theatres, and to l remember the time with two friends we In for 23 years – and in several others doing
promote interest in theatre heritage and made a tour of Lilydale looking for traction holiday relief work in the projection room.
architecture, and other related areas. engines and old drivers. Knowing of my When l commenced, the BBQ and most of the
Patrons: cinema interest and that I had just given additional amusements had been discontinued-
Frank Van Straten OAM up the game, one said “we must go and see thankfully there were no things like the Go-Cart
Peter Smith OAM races like at Boondall! I was more interested
Committee: Andy and his picture-show”.
President: Gerry Kennedy 0432 434 169 . in helping make the business of viewing and
Vice President: Ross King 9370 9479 I shall always remember that the bio-box was listening to movies better for the large crowds
Secretary: Mike Trickett 5278 1986 off-set and very small with two mis-matched who attended in the earlier days.
Treasurer: Rodney Bendix 9563 2927 projectors and an amplifier sitting on a chair!
Editor/Committee: Kevin Adams This was a big difference from the plant that Good story of the Trocadero Picture-Palace
0409 946 066 l had used, and I thought at the time – this at Newtown. During walks along King Street, I
Committee: Shane Moore must be a pretty poor show. How wrong I had entered that building when it was occupied
+ was – the program was run to perfection, by a junk dealer. My impression was of a dance-
Qld. Convenor: proving that a good man can make a good hall – I had never thought about theatrical
Steve Maggs 0413 805 320 show with any old machine! entertainment – very enlightening!
+
Archivist: Gerry Kennedy 0432 434 169 Andy (like many of these men), repaired The introduction of CinemaScope to
Events Co-ordinator: radios and black-and-white television sets. Sydney’s St.James Theatre took away a lot
Les Auld 9689 2765 He would always welcome you to his home of the charm of that place. All those hanging
Publications Sales: with an engine-mans cup of tea and a smile. curtains covering the beautiful décor!
James Barrand 0418 520 315 He also did some work for the Bye Bros, and One of the main features noticed when you
Membership Secretary: Peter O’Reilly was an army projectionist during the war years. entered had been the magnificent proscenium
PO Box 476 Bentleigh Vic. 3204 and stage area. There was a lovely dark
CinemaRecord Editor: curtain with a white flounce. Some twenty
Kevin Adams Andy had experienced some rather sad
cinemarecord@hotmail.com times too- particularly with the loss of two minutes before starting time, the curtain
CATHS website: daughters when young, but always had the would rise revealing a lovely set of sparkling
www.caths.org.au big smile when he greeted you and you could silk curtains. A separate screen was lowered
Postal address: always see if Andy liked to see you. for slide presentations. With Keith Swann
PO Box 476, Bentleigh 3204. as the Chief, projectionists at the St.James
+ Keep up the good work. were the smartest!
Membership
Annual membership subscription is $45, Ray Peck. Best wishes for another successful year.
(overseas subscribers $50) and members Underwood (TAS).
receive four copies of CinemaRecord, William Gray.
notification of events, and copies of the Parramatta. NSW
agenda and minutes of all meetings.
There is no joining fee.
Meetings NEWSREEL CINEMA AND
Meetings are held on the last Sunday of THEATRE NEWS
February, April, June, August,
October & November.
Archive
The Archive is located in the Prahran NORTHERN TERRITORY: ALICE SPRINGS: The giant screen of the
Mechanics’ Institute, 140 High Street derelict Starline Drive-In Theatre has caused
Prahran, 9510 3393. The Archive will DARWIN: Birch Carroll and Coyle much local debate as developers moved to
be open between 9.30am and 12.30pm Cinemas in Darwin and suburban have it demolished. It was offered for private
on the Saturday before each meeting Casuarina made the move to full digital sale, whilst some are interested in having it re-
(see above), and at other times by projection on February 28. erected elsewhere as a heritage feature.
appointment with the archivist.
Publications
Back issues of CinemaRecord, other
publications, CDs and videos are
available at meetings. Items are also
available by mail. Please contact James
Barrand on 0418 520 315 for details.

4 2012 CINEMAREC ORD