Page 29 - CinemaRecord #76C

In Adelaide and Hobart each theatre manager
was responsible for their own advertising
and promotional campaigns. In Sydney
and Melbourne (except for the Grosvenor)
they had corporate advertising offices, but
in Adelaide and Hobart the managers were
fully responsible and were paid commission Hobart Odeon.
on the cinema receipts.

The managers had to do their campaigns and GU was always keen to see their name in the
forward them to GU’s Market Street, Sydney media. GU was a very diversified company
head office for approval. The relieving managers in many facets of business. Norman Rydge,
often had to do this job; so that is how I got the Managing Director, would always visit
my advertising experience with Greater Union his cinemas whenever he was in town on
Theatres. I had to liase with the Adelaide papers, business. He arrived early in the morning
do the copy and the session times for all the big when the cleaners were working. The
films of the time. I worked for Greater Union cleaners would later inform me of his
Theatres in Adelaide from 1958 – 63. visit. Luckily Rydge could find nothing
to complain about when he returned to the
Jim Begg then called me into his office and said Sydney head office Hobart His Majesty’s.
“...you are going to Sydney so pack your car...”.
He rang me at home that night and said “....you I had no fixed working hours in Hobart and
are going to Hobart!” Jim Begg, having been as the need arose I was on duty. I was often
in Hobart at the Strand/Odeon, briefed me on required to represent GU at functions.
how to handle the Tasmanian people. who were
a little hesitant about people from the mainland, I had to occasionally visit the Majestic in
particularly those from Melbourne or Sydney. Launceston to overview the venue. It was a
twenty minute flight from Hobart. So it was
I was going to Hobart as the relieving acting a short day trip.
manager of the prestigious Odeon. He also Melbourne Odeon.
arranged for me to take my car from Melbourne
to Devonport (by ship) and then drive onto
Hobart. I was to be in Hobart for six months.
The Odeon screened J Arthur Rank and Ealing
products and Universal and Columbia films.
Opposite the Odeon was His Majesty’s, an
action house also operated by GU. The Avalon I did some very good campaigns during my
screened the MGM and Paramount films and the stay in Hobart. After 6 months I left when
Hoyts Prince of Wales screened 20 Century John Maroney returned to manage the Odeon
th
Fox, United Artists and Warner Bros. Films. and the rest of the operations. I had my car
packed and parked at the side of the theatre.
Wally Webb, also ex Adelaide GU / Clifford All John asked was for the theatre keys and
circuit theatres was sent to Hobart a couple of whether his commission cheque was in the
years before me. He managed His Majesty’s safe. So all my work, as an acting manager,
and was upset that I was given the Odeon. was reduced to a commission cheque for
A week after I was appointed, GU closed the appointed manager. The staff were very
His Majesty’s and Wally was transferred to unhappy when I was going; I did not want
Sydney.. We both ended up happy. I had to look to go either.
after the dark His Majesty’s until GU disposed
of it. I became the GU representive for Tasmania On leaving Tasmania I went to GU in
and also looked after the surviving Majestic Melbourne. Frank Budd was the chief
in Launceston as well. This house was a in Melbourne. They had an advertising
projectionist/manager operation. manager in Melbourne. I went there as the
reliving manager for the Odeon and Time
My experience with Hoyts and GU in Adelaide Newsreel (beneath the Odeon), Chelsea
gave me an excellent background with which (70mm house), Grosvenor (British house),
to operate the Odeon. I did the promotional and State theatres.
campaigns including the street posters and
department store activities. Both GU and I spent four weeks relieving at the State.
Hoyts often released films in Hobart to gauge One night at the State during the screening of
public reaction to them prior to deciding which Midnight Lace I returned from my tea break
cinemas in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide and found that the audience had left early; it
they should be screened; i.e. prestige houses or turned out that the projectionists had missed Melbourne Odeon and Times.
lesser venues. screening one reel. No one complained!

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