Page 37 - CinemaRecord #82

FAMILY AFFAIR

End of an era at Port Augusta Drive‐In.

In June 1992 Bruce moved to Lobethal and Bruce went back to the Gawler Twin on the
worked at the old Mount Barker Institute 5th September 2002, working for John Thorpe John at Port
Augusta Drive‐In
Cinema as projectionist until December 1993. as a casual projectionist. He worked under his
brother-in-law, who he had trained in 1998, John and June at Port
After giving it a good go, it was found to be and who was now the head projectionist. Augusta Drive‐In
not financially viable to keep the Port Augusta
th
Drive-In open, so on the 19 of December Bruce is proud to also have trained John
1995, the drivein had its final screening, with Thorpe’s wife Joy, who is still operating the
Water World. digital equipment now installed. Bruce gave up
work due to ill heath on the 8th of July 2004.
The big movie screen was pulled down on the
1st January 1996. The projection equipment John Richmond is believed to be the only
was sold to Coober Pedy Drive-In and the Australian projectionist to have had three sons
speaker posts went to the local car club for follow in his footsteps. Two of them became
mobile fencing. June and John continued with fully licensed projectionists and even worked
for the same company, at the same time, at the
Cinema Augusta at the TAFE.
same location. This record will never be broken
as licences have not been issued since 1993.
With all that was happening in the north, Bruce
started working at the Village Twin Cinemas at
John and June’s contribution to the industry had
Gawler as a projectionist on the 8th December
1996; he continued until the 8th April 1998. long been acknowledged by their admittance as
The next day, he started as head projectionist members of the Australian Society of Cinema
at the newly renovated Odeon Star Cinemas Pioneers, when their son Bruce proudly joined
the ranks of the Pioneers in October 2013.
at Semaphore and continued there until 25th of
March 2002.
Sadly John Richmond passed away on the 18 th
of November 2011.
With a decline in entertainment in Port
Augusta, June persuaded John to put on Variety As John would say… Bruce at the Semaphore Odeon
Shows at the cinema a couple of times a year. “The show must go on”!
These were run as fund raising events mainly
for hospital equipment. Whilst John was not
so happy about dismantling and re-setting June Richmond now enjoys her well earnt re�rement
the screen after each concert, he did enjoy the and s�ll lives in Port Augusta.
performances. He did like the excitement of Although not showing movies anymore, her son
the occasion and getting his cinema back to Bruce has kept up with the movies by conduc�ng a
how he liked it. Full! radio show called “Screen Themes” on PBA FM 89‐7
which has been running for 12 years. He has also
created a facebook page en�tled Screen Themes SA
Sadly, by this stage John’s health was failing
Drive-ins and Cinemas which features many photos,
and it was time for him to retire. Despite not videos and memories of South Australia theatres.
wanting to give it up, on the 25th September Well worth a look!
2002, June and John sold the cinema business
to Roger and Michelle Coles. Thankfully it is
Photographs from the collec�ons of John, June and
still running today, complete with the latest Bruce Richmond; Ken Glidden, Kym Aus�n.
digital equipment. In fact it is believed Cinema
Augusta was the first country cinema in South
Australia to show 3D and digital movies with Mother and son–
proud Cinema
no financial help from the Government. Pioneers members.

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