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WHO WOULD WANT TO WORK AT THE PICTURES? session had about 50 people in it. There were
no queues and everyone had a good seat. On
the Tuesday, the same session sold out with
many people being turned away. There were
long queues at the candy bar and people
complained about having to sit at the front. The
Wednesday session was again quiet. However
everyone who saw the film paid the same price
of $5.50. There was no need for the Tuesday
rush. This situation happened time and time
again. We could not break the habit of going
to the movies on Tuesday.
One comment that I regularly received was
"Gee! It must be a good movie. There's nobody
here". The reason this annoyed me was the
people who said it normally waited in the foyer
opposite the cinema doors. We always placed
a “Please Wait for the Usher” sign in front of
the doors to stop patrons walking in early. The
patrons would watch me walk from the office
to the cinema and remove the sign. I would
open the doors and they would give me their
Cinema 2, Lawson Street Penrith tickets and walk in. They would then see the
empty cinema and make that comment. Did
ushers, two Box Office workers, two Candy phone calls were people who did not know these people think the theatre would be full?
Bar workers, two Projectionists and a what to ask for before they called. It often took They could see that they were the first people
Manager.) At that stage, the ushers remained two or three calls before they received the to go into the cinema. Maybe they thought we
in the cinema and watched the entire film. I necessary information. For example, "What's admitted people into the cinema in stages and
must have watched Air America 15 times in a on tonight?" I would then give them this locked them in?
row before I was able to see a different film. information and they would hang up. A minute
Air America now has the same effect upon me later they would ring back and ask something I was asked one of the silliest questions at this
as ET. else such as, "How much is it to get in?" After cinema. A teenage girl went into the cinema,
being given this information they would thank watched the slides, film ads, trailers and the
I was employed as an usher, but we had to be me and hang up again. Within seconds the beginning of the film. After the film had been
multi-skilled. In my Parramatta days, an usher phone would ring. "It's me again. The 6.30 running for about twenty minutes, she came
could not work in the Candy Bar or vice-versa, session. Is that at night time?" out. I was changing some posters in the foyer.
due to trade union rules. In Penrith we had to She came over to me and said, "Excuse me.
do everything so, over the years, I found There is an expression that old habits die hard. How do you know when the movie has
myself being an usher, candy bar worker, The habit of going to the movies on Tuesday started?" I told her that usually the title of the
cleaner, box office worker, manager and even because it is cheap did not die easily. Our film appears on the screen along with the
an emergency projectionist. High Street was prices for admission were changed so that it names of the people acting in it. She thanked
a great complex to work in. The staff worked was cheaper for all daytime sessions, as well me and went back inside. I must stress that this
as a team and genuinely cared about their as on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday evenings. was a genuine question and not someone trying
work. As you can imagine, I had further Most people still came on Tuesdays. This point to be stupid.
interesting experiences working in High Street. was highlighted to me one school holiday
when we were screening The Never Ending A regular event in Penrith was our Midnight
Since I worked in all areas in High Street, I Story 2. Adults were admitted into this film at to Dawn Movie Marathon. High Street and
was able to have contact with the general children's prices. On the Monday, the 10.30 am Lawson Street took turns having them. One
public in many different ways. Phone calls
were a constant source of amusement. It The Lounge Cinema at Lawson Street - Former Mikes Bar. Rear mirror projection.
amazed me that people would regularly ask
such silly questions. I learned very quickly
when asked what was showing, to ask them if
they had a particular film in mind. If not, I
would list all of the films and session times for
the day. The patron would then ask, "Haven't
you got ___ ?" Often this would be a film that
was already out on video. There were many
times after listing session times/information
that people would ask if I was telling them the
truth. For example, "What time is Air America
on?" I would respond with the session times.
The patron would then ask, "Is it on at any
other time?" Perhaps they thought we had
secret sessions. Obviously, I had told them all
of the session times. If they were not satisfied
with our session times they would then ask,
"What time is it on at Lawson Street?" Since
the two complexes were less than five minutes’
walk apart, we never shared films. After being
informed of this situation, they would often
phone Lawson Street to see if I was telling
them the truth. A regular routine with the

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