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across the country, and have been amazed how position to help pay for Teacher's College, it
many times I have walked into a projection box taught me more about the real world than any
to find the projectionist sound asleep. The school could. There was the sense of adventure
projectionists at Parramatta gave me the that developed. This was not from handling
impression that they were overworked. This tough patrons or ejecting rowdy people from
illusion was shattered upon visiting other the cinema. It was developed by a number of
theatres. colleagues who formed the Village Daredevils
Club. Our first activity was to try hot air
I began teaching in 1986 and found that I ballooning. This was a very popular event. The
needed a lot of time out of school hours for next activity was to try jumping out of a plane.
lesson preparation. It also meant that I had a The group spent a few hours being trained.
decent paycheck for the first time in my life. However, the weather turned bad and we could
As a result, I did not need the Village job any not jump. It was about three weeks later when
longer, and resigned in April 1986 after having we finally jumped. The instructor selected me
worked at that cinema for nearly four and a to go first. It turned out to be a very
half years. At first it seemed strange being able exhilarating, 2000 ft static line jump. Not all
to go out on weekends. I must admit, however, members of the group enjoyed it however. I
that I became accustomed to this situation very should mention that none of us have jumped
quickly. When I became a patron and actually
out of a plane since. We had planned on gliding
paid to see a film, I found it very hard to sit next, but never did anything else as a group.
through an entire movie. After years of having
to leave a film shortly after it started to clean I had always been interested in theatres,
the foyer or to attend to another cinema, it especially after all of my old favourites were My holidays were spent travelling to different
seemed strange sitting in the one cinema for parts of the country and finding theatres. My
demolished. I thought that I was one of a few
two hours without leaving. Certain films from people who would have this interest. I was girlfriend during the mid-1980s was sick to
my Village days still drive me mad when I wrong. We were selling a book in the Box death of theatres. Even when I took school
think of them. students overseas I would try to inspect
Office entitled The Flicks - A History of the theatres. It was hilarious whilst in Noumea
Cinemas from Parramatta to the Nepean by
The film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial has this Kevin Cork. This book was of great interest to having a conversation with the projectionist
effect. E. T. ran for about nine months. In its from the Rex Theatre, as he only spoke
early days, it was being screened seven or eight me, as it showed many old theatres from the French and I only spoke English.
area in which I lived. In the back of the book
times per day. This was before complexes
began showing the film on more than one was an advertisement for The Australian A more serious problem that I experienced
screen. Every session sold out hours ahead and Theatre Historical Society which had recently whilst at Village was that of teenage drinking
there were many complaints due to numbered been formed in the Orpheum Theatre at and street kids. Often on weekends there would
seating and how early the sessions had sold Cremorne. I joined this Society and in a very be large groups of young people congregating
short time became President for the next seven
out. When the film began its season, there was in the street outside the theatre. Some of these
a directive for the projectionists which stated years. Throughout those years, I tried to save children were as young as eight years old. They
that the film must be screened with the a number of theatres without much success. I were usually drunk and caused problems for
masking out at 'scope and the sound turned up joined with Actors Equity at their press everyone. My concern was why they were
loud. It was so loud that it hurt. I was very sick conference trying to save Sydney’s Regent there, and why wasn't anyone doing anything
of this film by the time it finally left us. Not Theatre. It was a shame that we lost this about it? I got to know a number of these
only were there the continual screenings, but theatre. children and often they would come to me for
all of the merchandising that went along with help. One of them died in the street one night
it. It may sound crazy but when the Orpheum One weekend in 1988, I was in the Capitol and I had to console his friends. This
at Cremorne was reopened in 1987, I went Theatre when it was opened to the public for experience caused me to join a number of drug
along on the opening weekend to see E. T. in comments to decide if it should be restored. It education prevention groups.
70 mm. At least I hadn't seen the film for a few was at this inspection that I first met Mr Paul
years. Dravet, General Manager of Hayden Theatres. Whilst at college I had to do an assignment
Paul later played an important part in my based on a child's reading progress. I had to
Village was the first job that I had for a long career. spend one hour per week with a child and
period of time. Although it was only a casual
record his progress. This was a way of getting
to know some more of the children that were
Hayden Orpheum, Cremorne (CTA collection) hanging around the theatre. I selected a boy I
was always kicking out of the theatre. I found
his school and began working with him. It was
a great help for him in both his academic levels
and in his social development. Unfortunately
his family moved away and I have not seen
him for years. It would be nice to see how he
has grown up, and would be about 20 years old
now. I believe my time spent at Village taught
me to be a more caring person. It was the time
I tried to change the world, and I think I made
a small impression. Who knows?

By the time 1990 came around, I began to miss
the theatres. In August I wrote to a number of
theatres asking for work. A few days later, the
Manager of the Hayden High Street Cinemas
in Penrith called me and offered me a job.
Penrith became my second cinema complex. I
was to stay there until February 1993. ¬

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