Page 14 - CinemaRecord #82

BYE BROTHERS

or people living in rural towns and farming communities across Australia, the travelling picture shows provided far more
Fthan just entertainment. The travelling picture-show men that took the ‘talkies’ to thousands of rural Australians provided
an important service that disseminated news, information, entertainment and brought the rest of the world much closer to home.

For rural Tasmanians, the Second World War became real through the newsreels of the time, their ideas of glamour and beauty came from the Hollywood
feature films and relief from the years of the depression came from the cartoons and comedies that were a part of the travelling picture shows.

Two pioneers of the travelling picture shows Between 1934 and 1972 the picture-show men
were Alf and Allan Bye, who for over 38 travelled to the towns of Sheffield, Wilmot,
years toured rural Tasmania, entertaining and and Railton in the north, and to Bothwell and
amazing audiences. Kempton in the south. Other important stops
included Campbell Town, Bracknell, Cressy,
Alf and Allan were born in Cressy, in the Avoca, Evandale and Ross.
Northern Midlands of Tasmania. Alf (Alfred)
was born in 1903 and attended a local school, Campbell Town audiences were one of their
then completed his schooling at the Launceston biggest, with pictures being screened every
Technical School. Allan (Mick) was born in second Saturday night - and in later years,
1906 and followed his brother in attending the on every second Wednesday night as well.
same school. Allan spent his youth honing his Admission prices for the picture shows began
skills as a hunter and this remained a passion at one shilling and sixpence (plus tax) for
all his life. Alf and Alan Bye adults and ninepence for children.

The two brothers spent time in the 1920’s Allan built his own amplifier, which was Tickets for the movies could be purchased
working in shearing sheds as roustabouts in connected to a second hand projector that he pre-show from ‘Greg’s Shop’ (now The
New South Wales and Victoria. purchased in Melbourne. The brothers quickly Croft). The seating plan was available and
learned to repair and rebuild their equipment, seats could be selected. A local resident recalls
In 1930 Allan began studying cinematography as well as their vehicles that carried the heavy that the balcony of the Campbell Town Town
by correspondence and in 1933 he obtained his projectors and film canisters. Hall was always sold out and that these seats
Cinematograph Operators certificate. were taken by those who were (or perhaps
In 1940 the brothers moved permanently to aspired to be) the more ‘affluent members of
The brothers purchased their cinema equipment Montague Street, Campbell Town, where they Campbell Town society.’
with the proceeds from the sale of kangaroo purchased a white weatherboard house called
and possum skins, which they hunted at ‘Arringa’, where they lived for the rest of their The first picture shows at Campbell Town
‘Viewpoint’ near Campbell Town. time. were screened in Millers Hall (which became
Oakley’s Supermarket) and later moved to
Alf andAllan began their picture show business, Both brothers married at about the same time, the Town Hall (which was completed in
Radio Talkies in 1934 bringing the ‘talkies’ to while Alf was on honeymoon with his new 1939). During World War II, the Bye brothers
audiences throughout Central Tasmania. bride, Molly, Allan married Marjorie. Both also took their show to the military hospital
couples lived together at ‘Arringa,’ and for at the Foster’s property ‘Mertonvale’ and to
many years the brothers’ mother lived with ‘Milford Camp’ off the Avoca Road.
them.
Mrs Molly Bye recalls that the Italian
prisoners of war held at ‘Mertonvale’ would
sing and provide supper after the picture
show. She remembers that one night at the
military hospital the picture had to be stopped
in order to wait until the thick cigarette smoke
cleared from the tent that the movie was being
shown in.

Campbell Town ‐ Town Hall

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