Page 27 - CinemaRecord #76C

Perth Ambassadors.

When I was about 20-21 I went on a trip to Perth
(WA) by train - a trip of 4-5 days. Whilst in Perth,
I saw an advertisement for school teachers, where
the government would train you for the job, so I
applied to the Claremont Teachers College.

In return I had to spend five years teaching
in country locations. I thought this would be
good, so applied and was accepted into the
teacher training course. After another trip
back to Adelaide I returned to Perth, found
accommodation and went to the Teachers Eric Barnard was very involved in the
College for about 18 months. Theatre Manager’s Association. City
Theatres advertised in the “West Australian”
I kept up my movie attendance at the Perth newspaper for a trainee assistant manager.
city theatres, the Ambassadors, Theatre A projectionist and myself were accepted
Royal, Plaza, Grand, Picadilly and the for training, however he dropped out and I
Metro (owned by the church next door). kept going. I was employed at the Theatre
The Metro had previously been Queens Royal, Grand and Piccadilly as a relieving
Hall and then Hoyts Regent and MGM assistant manager.
spent a lot of money upgrading it into a
typically Metro art-deco house. The Piccadilly was a very prestigious art-
deco theatre situated above an arcade of shops
When I was at the Teachers College I had to in Hay Street which screened Universal,
find some part time work as the Education Paramount and Columbia films. The Theatre
Department only paid for my course. I Royal screened all the action films and the
managed to get a job with City Cinemas Ltd. Grand screened mainly J.Arthur Rank and
Mr Eric Barnard stood out as a manager, like other British product.
they did in those days.
I went to the Education Department and told
I got a job as a doorman at the Theatre Royal them I did not want to continue with my
in Hay Street, a converted live house that mainly teaching course and I was told that I would
screened action films. It was a three-level theatre have to pay them back for my training.
with the old style balcony that was used when However, a very helpful person advised me
required. I stood near the front door and tore the that if I failed the upcoming examinations
tickets for all areas of the house. We had a few (which I did not like to do) I would get out of Perth Piccadilly.
films at the Royal which could be described as my course obligations. So I did and vanished
sex films such as The Secrets of Life. This had and did not have to pay the Department.
segregated audiences with nurses in attendance!
However, as the three theatre managers I
I must have done a good job because the had to relieve were very set in their ways, I
manager of the Royal was impressed with me. decided to go back to Adelaide.

Perth Royal. Perth Plaza.

CINEM AREC ORD 2012 27