Page 24 - CinemaRecord #87

was called to ‘help out’. Bill instructed him if
anything went wrong to throw the 400 volt
switch on the wall beside the machines.
Paddy accepted the challenge and took over.
The colour picture on the screen showed a
submarine stalking a ship with sound all quiet,
just the pings from the underwater sonar on
the sub coming through the monitor speaker.
Paddy got interested in the suspense and
moved closer to the port to watch. Just then a
torpedo was launched. It hit the ship with a
huge explosion, and the full CinemaScope
screen was engulfed in flame. Paddy hit the
400 volt switch. The lady in the ticket box
down below said he came down 13 steps in
two huge jumps. Bill, who heard the show go
off, came running back. Paddy was never
asked for technical help again.

As the owner of the show Paddy enjoyed a
Eager patrons waiting for the doors to open little profile and ‘being seen’ from time to
time. He was called to make decisions of
One hot summer night the joint was as full as progress with a handsome cowboy smooching significance and enjoyed the authority. On a
a state school and Bill had instructed all the a pretty little Indian girl. Now, an added hot summer’s night in about 1960 the patrons
side doors to be opened. All seats were taken, attraction with an unwanted moth crawling up were restless, several having been removed
so if anyone got in under the tent flaps good her nose and over her lover’s face. This for bad behaviour, talking, whistling and
luck to them, the air was putrid after interval created great entertainment and the kids down name calling. Tom was on the door and had no
had seen soft drinks, chips, pies and a host of the front started to throw lollies and sweet hope at controlling the deteriorating situation.
other smelly food brought in. packets at the screen, trying to hit the moth. In desperation Paddy was called for and
Bill told me to go down below and tell Tom to presented at the door looking ready for action.
With the side doors open, not only could rid the screen of this sideshow. I told Tom Tom told him where the culprits were and
people enter, but also bats and birds on there was a problem and he turned to me and Paddy marched down the aisle to evict them.
occasion, which always caused great said to mind my own business he had been Just then some kid in row J stood up and let fly
entertainment. One night I spotted from the monitoring the situation and had a remedy with a container of fish and chips, catching
bio a large Bogong moth attacking the screen. prepared. Paddy fair and square in the face. He turned in
This monster from the high country had come his tracks and marched out, saying to the door
in stage left and was crawling all over the I retreated to the bio and told Bill that Tom keeper as he exited, ‘More better I go home
black and white 3 x 4 image on the sheet, was ‘looking after it’. A few minutes went by before I kill someone’.
occasionally flying at the surface and as I watched proceedings from the port. All of
releasing a puff of dust from the screen every a sudden up into the picture came a three-foot Paddy was called in to help one wet Saturday
time it hit. yard broom which was kept at the hall and afternoon in the sixties after a kid had thrown
used to prepare the floor for dances on an ice cream at the screen. The chocolate-
The old screen used to be rolled up after each occasion. Tom had quietly come in under the covered delight had hit the sheet right in the
show and it collected lots of unwanted debris screen, lined up the moth and went whack. middle and slid down the surface creating a
from week to week. A love scene was in Hitting the screen with such force it detached real mess. The lass on the door that day had
all the black masking from around the screen asked the kid why he did it and he answered,
which came crashing to the floor creating a ‘Cause I didn’t like the show’.
huge cloud of dust. The crowd went mad,
screaming, whistling and hurling profane Bill said ‘call Paddy’ so I was dispatched to
statements about Tom and his ability to swat request assistance and was told that Paddy
a moth. Tom spat the dummy, exited the side would get to it as soon as possible. The show
door and went home. All this and the show continued on for some 20 minutes until I
went on. ‘No need to stop,’ Bill said. It would noticed some activity on the floor in front of
take too long to settle them down again. the screen then all of a sudden up into the
picture came a twelve foot step ladder used to
The show was owned by the proprietor of a decorate the hall and change light bulbs on the
nearby café and Bill had been employed by sixteen foot ceiling. Paddy then climbed the
him in the early fifties to run the show. Paddy ladder carrying a mop bucket filled with hot
was a small Italian man with little interest in steaming soapy water and a long-handled
the operation of the cinema at that time. floor mop. He was wearing a white shirt and
apron having come from the café and the
Bill did all the booking and ran the show. cartoon on the screen blended in all over him.
Paddy was quite intimidated by the machines In fact, he was hard to see.
and the noise each time he brought coffee and
biscuits up to the bio after interval from his The audience began to laugh and whistle
café. On one occasion Bill was on his own while Paddy mopped the screen, making the
running a matinee and had a sudden call of whole deal so much worse. The hot water
nature. The toilets in the old hall were round soaked the screen and the chocolate spread
the back of the building and it was a route like a rash. The ladder was unstable and Paddy
march to get there. was trying to juggle the mop and bucket while
standing on a ladder eight feet from the floor.
The state of the plant would not allow any He became frustrated as the audience
operator to leave the box for long so Paddy participation increased, until completely fed

24 CINEMARECORD # 87